Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1963)

I United Artists Showmen Go Out On Street To Bally Summer Shows With the coming of the warm weather, smart showmen invariably take to the outdoors to exploit their films. United Artists boxofficers, traditionally, have devised a host of street and lobby gimmicks to attract the passing parade into theatres playing UA releases. This season is no exception. At right are pictured several of the stunts being employed to plug current UA product. The top one, used on New York's Broadway, shows a bikini-clad showgirl relaying a secret message via a large conch shell, in which was concealed a speaker that urged the listener to visit one of the Premiere Showcase theatres showing "Dr. No." The scene in the center took place in Chicago. The stunt, promoted for the "Dr. No" premiere at the State-Lake Theatre, consisted of two shapely gals garbed as "walking books" distributing paperback copies of the Ian Fleming novel, and a safe parked on the sidewalk in front of the theatre. Clues to the combination of the safe were given out by local radio station. A color TV set went to the successful safe cracker. Henry Levin, manager of the State-Lake is at left of the safe. The stunt on behalf of "I Could Go on Singing" was promoted for the film's opening at the United Artists Theatre, Chicago. Models distributed crying hankies to fern shoppers. The disguise gimmick was used to exploit "The List of Adrian Messenger" in N.Y. Radio station WMCA broadcast from the lobby of the Warner Theatre for (> hours, asking [lassersby to identify the disguised disc jockey. WR-S Managers To Vie for Summer Promotion Prize Money Theatre managers of the Walter ReadeSterling circuit wil be plugging harder than ever this summer. They have their eyes peeled on the $14,650 that will be presented to winners of the "profit bonanza drive", a reward for extra promotion effort throughout the summer period. Sheldon Gunsberg, WR-S executive vice president, conducted a meeting of the chain's managers at the company's Oakhurst, N. J., headquarters, where Mort Hock, United Artists advertising manager outlined his company's promotion plans for "The Great Escape'' and "Irma La Douce". Playboy Kicks Off 'Playboy' Campaign before Film Rolls A full year before its scheduled release and even before the cameras roll on the first scene, the promotion campaign for Columbia's "Playboy" is underway. The Tony Curtis starrer is scheduled to go into production next month. Playboy magazine, whose publisher, Hugh Hefner, will be portrayed by Curtis has set the publicity wheels in motion by inviting the mag's advertisers to supply all the fashions to be worn by the star in the film. Their participation will be reported in a special promotion section that will be a feature of the June, 1964, issue of Playboy to coincide with the release of the movie. Curtis will model the clothes he wears in the film and the full wardrobe will get a big play in the magazine. Everything from socks and ties to tuxedoes are being solicited from manufacturers, and those selected for Curtis' "Playboy" wardrobe will have an opportunity to exploit their product on that basis. Manufacturers are being asked to style the items a year in advance so that they will be appropriate when the film is released. Howard W. Lederer, vice president and advertising director of Playboy, called for styles that will be stocked in retail outlets throughout the run of the movie. That takes planning ! CONGRESS SEES 'CARETAKERS' United Artists struck another showmanship first by showing Hall Bartlett's "The Caretakers" to a joint session of Congress recently. No film had ever been screened previously for the two congressional bodies. And Senator Lister Hill (Ala.) recorded the event in the Congressional Record with the remark that "this picture is a remarkable and effective weapon in the nation-wide fight against mental illness." United Artists was represented by Nicepresident Fred Goldberg. Also present were Henry F. Greenberg, scenarist of "The Caretakers" and his wife. Senator Hill and "Caretakers" >7./r Robert Stack converse at the capitol screening. Film BULLETIN June 10, 1963 Page 25