Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1958)

/tnc Volant ilt-Acre Times Square Display Spotlight bikings' Dual Debui 'assersby on New "^'ork's gay white way e an exciting visual treat in store tome ly June. In that gay Spring season, United ists will have completed erection of the larg(yes, the largest — 22,825 square feet) and costliest (yes, the costliest — 5105,000) sign r created to advertise a movie. The threelensional electrically articulated half-acre board on the west side of Broadway will lyhoo "The Vikings", the Bryna production t is scheduled for a unique 2-theatre world miere engagement at the adjoining Astor and toria Theatres in mid-June, "he super-duper animated display, is the ulti:e in signs, featuring a 261-foot-Iong actual i Heineman and Douglas explain details of display spectacular to the press. lica of an ancient Viking ship with eleven . of electrically operated oars and a 52-foot that will be billowed by a concealed wind -hine. Roger H. Lewis, United Artists nalal director of ad\ertising, publicity and exitation, cited this mammoth ad\ertising ce as an effective institutional answer to ent press stories that depict the movie indus as in the doldrums. This striking display is dence of UA's creative approach to the probI of reaching the public. )ther details of the sign, which was deled by Harper Goff, prominent commercial st: animated lighting of title and star names; foot heads of stars Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, lest Borgnine, Janet Leigh: the ship's dragon irehead and ornamented stern posts project ond the building lines. In addition, a 131t front panel is planned for joining the mar;es of both theatres. Vs announced by William J. Heineman, UA e president in charge of distribution, and 'ducer-actor Kirk Douglas, the tw in premiere 'king marks the first time a multi-millionlar release will be premiered simultaneously two Broadway houses on a continuous basis, isoning behind the double debut, Heineman 'lained, is the building of prestige and iden:ation for the adventure spectacle beyond tham, into the naborhood and other keys. Off-Beat 'Big Beat' Drive Keyed to Disc Jockeys Uni%ersal is enlisting the aid of some of the most influential men in the L^nited States — disc jc)ckeys — to help sell "The Big Beat". The film, which features many of today's top platter personalities is tailor-made for a d.j. -keyed campaign. Capitalizing on this, U-I's promotional staft' is sponsoring a contest to find the first national disc jockey beauty queen and, coincidentally, "Miss Big Beat" will preface her title. Some 600 of the nations platter spinners, video and radio, are being supplied with photographs of six young gals and a record of their voices. After examining the photos and listening to their voices, they are asked to select "Miss Big Beat — The National Disc Jockey Beauty Queen" by sending in a post card with their choice listed. In some areas, radio-TV audiences will participate in the promotion to help platter spinner make his selection. Winning "Queen" w ill tour platter spinners to sing praises of "Big Beat ". •I /* Business-Building Drive Launched; All Segments Agree With the green-light given to the all-industry business-building drive by National Allied, Metropolitan MPTA and ITOA, all obstacles to the organization of the campaign appear to have been conquered. TOA and MPAA had previt)usly endorsed the institutional drive. COMPO will be the coordinating organization for the 52,300,000 operation, with Maurice A. Bergman acting as the campaign's executive coordinator. Plans for the organization of the drive were detailed at a recent meeting by Ernest G. Stellings, president of Theatre Owners of America, and Abe Montague, representing Motion Picture Association. The organization for the campaign calls for the creation of sponsoring, executive and operating committees. Serving on the board of sponsors will be representatives from all segments of the industry. The executive committee, which will be drawn from all of the participating organizations, will be mainly concerned with raising and administering funds, formulating policy. Staffed h\ advertising-publicity men from all groups, the operating committee will be responsible for carr\ing out present plans, blueprinting future activities. Commenting on the business-building program, Horace Adams, newly-elected president of National Allied, said: "In our opinion, the first order of business for the next year should be to get the patrons back to the theatres. So believing, we will recommend to Allied's directors and to the affiliated regional organizations that they get behind the plan and gi\e it their enthusiastic support. Since the plan will be carried out through the framework of COMPO we hope that that body w ill meet in the verynear future so that the Allied representatives can be seated, thus insuring full Allied participation in the campaign." [More SHOWMEN on Page 26] I "Miss Big Beat" Finalists Film BULLETIN March 3.