Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1963)

THE SKY'S THE LIMIT' Local Level Ballyhoo Gives fGidget' Boxoffice Zing By JOHN ANO "There's no limit to the business theatres can do if there's the proper collaboation between exhibitor and distributor. All you need is a fairly attractive film and the kind of all-out cooperation that a showmanship-wise company like Columbia gives you. Then, the sky's the limit for boxoffice results." It was Harry B. Hendel, executive secretary of Allied Theatres Owners of Western Pennsylvania, speaking — in the flush of the whopping success some 70-odd Pittsburgh area theatres had just experienced with "Gidget Goes to Rome." The gross for the premiere saturation engagement, which started Wednesday, July 31, came very close to matching the record set by a prior Columbia release, "The Interns", in that territory — this despite the fact that Pittsburgh and environs was hit Saturday night, August 3, by a violent, tornado-like, electrical storm that forced 10 of the drive-ins playing the picture to close down. Extra Money Gets Extra People Harry Hendel bubbles enthusiasm about the saturation-type playoff, which is called the Allied-Compo Merchandising Plan out there. This hard-working exhibitor leader sees the saturation break idea as the salvation for the average picture and for the average theatre. "But, he avers, it requires two basic elements: a distributor, like Columbia, that is willing to spend extra money to draw extra people, and exhibitors who will get off their fannies and go out to work. "Bob Ferguson (Columbia vice president in charge of advertising, publicity, exploitation) is one of those practical showmen who knows the value of grassroots promotion. He gave us the guidance, the extra manpower we needed, and the extra dough to make the 'Gidget' campaign here a rousing success. And let me say that the trade papers do their share to work up exhibitor enthusiasm", he added. Hendel said Columbia and Universal are the two film companies that display the greatest awareness of the potential in exhibitor-distributor collaboration to COLUMBIA'S FERGUSON give boxoffice zing to the non-blockbuster picture. "If every film company and the exhibitors in every territory followed this pattern, there would be a lot less crying in our business", Hendel declared. The 'Gidget' promotion was fashioned of all the familiar, but oft-neglected showmanship devices. The participating theatres were supplied with half a million tabloid heralds, already imprinted for each situation, and 2,000 colorful window cards, also bearing each theatre's imprint. They received (Continued on Page 12) THE SUNDAY PRESS July 28, 1963 THEATERS MOVIES rtainment BROADWAY °aq. 9 Film To Premiere Here at 69 Theaters Cindy: A New Gidget By HENRY WARD t bwomc quite "Leave II To Bnvn.' "Thf Donna Reed Show." r "Hi week at "Bachelor Father." "Wafon TVtln." "The Red Skeleitcni Penn«y!> too Show ' anri wai pl»y»nc Loretia Y«uiie'» daueh' l*r Binkie «hrn she WU • 'dumvrrrt" o> Producer e movie houtea Jerry Breiikr. taneomly with The "dlMovwy" cam* ejler Mr. BrtMkv had rwilnf (■ I brought In i d no ■ We broke tirt»a<l with the perviniole Cindy ^ or* ah* uirted nut on the aaJarl that can o Butler, Alumna. Johmiown. New Caitlr, "It MWMfd Uk» l mi /: f™ mi ifii«.utK I An. « fih hiriMit ramtni uf. fm i»m| t.. ,,,.< I n, going wi SO U<-> J,, ii nidi cenrunVi why nay! I iff ti irftlt i«v mfff the n,k.-,l n,„l diHnl M o-i PUBLICITY STORIES SPLASHED IN PITTSBURGH NEWSPAPERS Film BULLETIN August 19, 1963 Page 11