Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1957)

MERCHANDISING & ALL-INDUSTRY PROMOTION PROGRAM CLOSE TO REALITY The long-awaited all-industry promotion :ompaign, in various stages of planning durng recent months, seems to be on the way o finalization with the representatives of he Council of Motion Picture Organizations, he Motion Picture Association of America, studio publicity chiefs and the national exhibitor groups all voicing approval of the proposed Academy Award "Sweepstakes" plan. As proposed, the nation-wide contest tied to the Oscar Awards will be conducted from February 19 through March 26, the period between the "Oscar" nominations and the awards. While official approval is still awaited, all principal elements in the council have individually indicated assent. The Sweepstakes idea is to have movie patrons vote on 13 of the 33 Academy Award categories, with prizes promoted by the theatres going to those who come closest to the Oscar" winners in those categories. Other facets of the industrywide institutional program were blueprinted at meetings held in New York City last week. A planning committee has been set up to develop an over-all business building program incorporating the best features of the MPAA, COMPO-TOA and other plans put forward by representatives of these groups. COMPO's members on this committee include Harry Mandel, Harry Goldberg, Ernest Musical Midnight Show Touted by Commonwealth Chain Commonwealth's "Messenger", house organ of the midwest circuit, suggests a different angle for a midnight show. A "Musical Midnight Show", featuring an all-musical program is the idea, topped by a film like "The Glenn Miller Story" or "The Eddy Duchin Story", and a host of musical shorts to complete the bill. The showmanship publication recommends a co-op with a local disc jockey and record shop to help make the boxoffice sing a merry tune — with plenty of high notes. Build up the promotion by featuring the platter spinner doing his program from your lobby, and to patrons of the musical show you might present coupons good for discounts on waxings at the participating record store. Emerling and Charles E. McCarthy. This group will report back to the over-all committee next week. One of the plans expected to catch the imagination of the industry representatives is the showmanship idea developed by Alice Gorham, publicity director of United Detroit Theatres, who has come up with a promotional plum known as the "Hollywood Hall of Fame". Following the line of reasoning that Baseball and Football have hit a public relations jackpot with their "hall of fame" setups, the Michigan show-woman ran a pilot poll at Detroit's Michigan Theatre to test public response to her idea. Reaction to the Gorham plan was very favorable. Patrons of the UDT house were confronted with two striking displays upon entering the theatre: one featuring a variety of male stars; the other, an equally good variety of actresses. Theatregoers were requested to select their favorites for a "Hollywood Hall of Fame". Also in line for close scrutinization are the Audience Awards program and a celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Motion Pictures, the 50th anniversary of the first motion picture produced in Hollywood. -A Down New Orleans way sultry, Shawnee Smith puts in a pair of hefty plugs — one for the March of Dimes, the other for Columbia's "Zarak", playing at the Orpheum. To, THE PEOPLE OF THE CJTY OF BUFFALO In Iho matter of i "R1FIFI" g>umtttnttB fou arr hrrrby ol on» of tht mat ipoctocutor ,«»•/ robboriti i poop/, of tuffofo. Thh oction will iok, plan daily, or iho CINEMA THEATRE Storting JHUKDAY. Failuto to apptor will muff In Iho farfoit ol your opportunity to b» p„„m ai ih, iftowrng of o motl f motional now motion pictvro "RIPIFi" IMPORTANT ! rtocovu ol Iho o.froordinory noiuto ol "RIPIFI" no on* will bo Motod during tho Ipri noil hour. Hoot* obiorro Iho h toroto/fy. Footoro Daily at 1 45. 3.15, 5.25. 7,40 t 9,50 « Jim Hayes, manager of the Cinema Theatre in Buffalo, N.Y. "summoned" patrons to his theatre with this clever postcard gimmick when "Rififi" played there. Sid White Named to Head Warners' TV-Radio Publicity Meyer M. Hutner, national publicity director of Warner Bros., announced the appointment of Sid White to handle the film company's over-all television-radio activities. His chief function will be the promotion of Warners' films and personalities via the two air mediums as well as publicization of WB's TV shows, "Cheyenne" and "Conflict". White formerly handled TV placements on the WB account for the Blaine-Thompson advertising agency. He had previously been a movie and radio trade paper writer. Spiegel on Talent Hunt Producer Sam Spiegel has launched a talent search for a young actor, who is "vide but not aggressive, sensitive but not effeminate" to fill a key role in his new film, "The Bridge On The River Kwai", now being shot in the jungles of Ceylon. Because of the tight production schedule, the successful applicant must be on the job by January 25. Because of the time limitation, Spiegel will concentrate on auditioning New York and Hollywood actors. The veteran producer says the part is such a surefire star builder that the talent search winner will be optioned for starring roles in future Horizon Productions. [More SHOWMEN on Page 16] Film BULLETIN January 21, 1957 Page 13