Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1954)

' Continued frvm Page 22) Host of Tie-Ups By Disney For 'Rob Roy' Nat'l Promotion The ever-live Disney merchandising divi-ion has set up several national promotions i\,r Walt's all-live RKO Radio release, "Rob I Roy, The Highland Rogue," which bows in New York at the Criterion on Feb. 4. Five jof the top Mutual Broadcasting Co. air jshows have been enlisted in a unique tie-up. 'For each time the theatre runs a strip plug•ging one of the shows, the station will give commensurate time, crediting both picture and playdate. Another tie is with the Hrt>wn Shoe Co., one of the nation's largest manulacturers of women's shoes. Ads featuring star Glynis Johns will appear in fan and r\'-radio mags, and will also be used on a co-op basis by the 3900 dealers who carry .the line. Other tie-ups include Kaylon'> avomen's pajamas (5000 retail outlets); Rob I\ 'v's boy's shirts (6500 accounts), with co]i newspaper and postal campaigns, and a special promotional kit; Radiant home vireens (4000 retailers), with ads in U. S. Camera, Fsquire, National Geographic and \arious newspapers, as well as local dealer cuunter displays. On the P. A. Circuit The 12-day lu-rsonal api)earance tour by Ill-year-old Swiss miss F,lsi)cth Sigmund, who stars in United Artists' "Heidi" and was tluwn here to exploit the show, is considered by U.\ one of its most successful promoli^ns. The engaging youngster returne<l to liir native Switzerland after a whirlwind tour ili.ii ijlugged the film to an estimated 23 million T\' and radio listeners and more than 1.^ million newspai)er readers. .She appeared .11 17 AHC. CI'.S and XHC network shows. and was given photo and feature coverage in some 300 papers throughout the country . . . For the older clientele, Beverly Michaels, who is so deliciously bad in UA's "Wicked Woman", flew into New York from Hollywood for a series of p.a.'s preceding the world premiere at Philadelphia's Goldman Theatre January 20, where she'll be in the flesh . . . Jimmy Stewart is doing plenty of leg work for Universal's "The Glenn Miller Story". Following his participation in the "Glenn Miller Day" ceremonies in Clarinda, Iowa, the star proceeded to Miami for the world premiere, then to Washington, New York, Boston, Detroit and Chicago for similar stints. Among the other appearancers for the Miller biopic are Col. Ed Kirby (Ike's chief of radio-T\' during World War II). a close associate of Miller, and instrumental in bringing his life story to the screen, who will visit 20 cities between Jan. 4 and Feb. 18 and Miller's manager, Don Haynes, who is touring the West on behalf of the film . . . Pat Crowley, who makes her starring debut in Paramount's "Forever Female," is on a 35citv tour of the U. S. Special display featuring transparencies from Columbia's "Miss Sadie Thompson" in lobby of Los Angeles Pantages Theatre. N a t i o nwi d e interest was captured in the galaxy of stars who appeared to honor the immortal "banjo-eyes" at the "Eddie Cantor Story" premiere in Warners Beverly Hills Theatre. Above, Eddie greets kids from Educational Alliance who were guests of Paramount Theatre m N. Y. He is an alumni of the guidance center. BRIEFS Grosses on L'.A's "Go, Man, Go!" reflected the strong advance backing for the 100iheatre territorial saturation sendofT in Nebraska and Iowa. Advance bally was supplied by the p.a. tour of the Harlem Globetrotters, star Dane Clark and owner Abe Sperstein, who built the basketball team into one of the world's greatest sports attractions. Special screenings for sports staffs of local ct llcges and high schools was good for additional prc-opening interest, grabbing plent.\tif space in school papers. In a co-op with Chicago businessmen's State Street Council, Eddie Cantor taped institutional spot announcements to be heard over the city's {our local major stations 120 times before "The Eddie Cantor Story" Variety of stunts characierized N/Ietro's first CinemaScoper, "Knights of the Round Table": Top, star Mel Ferrer with mounted Knights who led parade to Radio City Music Hall opening; Center, from left, at the racetrack where the panoplied horses paraded; one of the thousands of shopping bags distributed by supermarkets for the New Orleans opening, and, right, in the same city, boy reading one of the multitude of comic books distributed to school children. Bottom, Knights held a parade at the East-West football game in San Francisco, sponsored by Shrlners and telecast. o|)ens Jan. 29. Spots plug, picture, playdate and the famed business section. V \ has retained ace publiciteer and advance man for Ringling Bros, circus Frank I'raden to do a seven-state promotion junket lor ".Act of Love". His month-long swing will bally the film in Boston, Washington, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta, New Orleans and Dallas with a solid slate of newspaper, radio and TV activities. That tie-in Metro has with the Redman Trailer Co. in connection with "The Long, Long Trailer" swung into high in Chicago Jan. 18, following a briefing by MGM exploitation manager Emery Austin. The 29city tour wiii wind up in New "S ork, Feb. 26. Itinerant group will consist of starlets Perry Sheehan and Kathryn Reed, Redman rep Dan Heath and Elliott Foreman of Metro's NY press field staff. Look for those Disney "chalk-talkers", you showmen in New England, who'll be on a month's tour on behalf of "Pinocchio's" 200 playdates in the area. A trio of artists are demonstrating the Disney cartoon techniques in theatres, on TV and radio, schools, hospitals, etc. We caught one of them, Roy Williams, who's Disney's story editor and chief animator, and it's really an entertainment experience to see the artist whip up a finished drawing in seconds, using a delightful platter for sound. FILM BULLETIN January 25, l?S4 Pago 23