The Film Daily (1934)

Tuesday, Feb. 6,1934 THE '&&! DAILY EXPLOITETTES A. Comprehensive N.Y. Campaign for "Fugitive Lovers" COMPREHENSIVE campaign was put over in connection with the first-run showing of "Fugitive Lovers," at the Capitol, New York. The story, dealing with the adventures of an escaping prison inmate on a transcontinental bus, was a natural hook-up with the Greyhound line. More than a dozen buses were taken out of storage by the Greyhound Company in New York and given to the screen company to use for exploitation purposes. Some of them carried posters; "Free ride to the Capitol to see 'Fugitive Lovers'," and ran from many local stations. A parade of fifteen buses took place on Broadway on Friday, Jan. 12, opening day of the film. Radio tie-ups were used in one of the most successful campaigns of this type ever attempted. A novel radio continuity, detailing highlights of the adventures in the picture, ran over WOR from 6:45 to 6:50 P. M. three days in advance of the opening, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. A steady radio plug was given the film over Station WHN, and the WMCA Modern Screen program also featured "Fugitive Lovers." The New York Mirror ran a ten-day "Fugitive Lovers" search contest which turned out to have extraordinary drawing appeal. Each day the paper plugged the two "fugitive lovers" adrift in New York, asking the public to identify them with special prizes being awarded. The Mirror put out 5,000 newsstand cards, in addition to its run-of-paper publicity, featuring the contest. Newspaper advertising included unique front-page teaser ads in the "Times" and "Herald-Tribune," a special teaser ad campaign in other papers and specially prepared opening day and run-of-picture advertisements. Teaser trailers in four styles were used in the Loew theaters, and 400 car window posters utilized in Broadway surface lines prior to and during the engagement. Three special 24-sheet locations were spotted on Broadway in the Times Square district. Two hundred thousand special dodgers were mailed out with copies of Loew's Weekly, the news-of-the-week Loew Theater folder, and 100,000 dodgers distributed through the 70 Greyhound bus stops around New York and in an organized houseto-house canvass. Two thousand teaser tack cards were sniped throughout the city, while seven thousand one and three sheets were posted in all parts of New York. — Capitol, New York. WITH PHIL M DALY • • • YOU CAN imagine the joy of Ann Dvorak who has just discovered her long lost father whom she had not seen for 14 years for Pop has just wired her from Philly saying that he will come out to Hollywood to see her soon so Ann will not be a bit surprised if dear ole dad rings the doorbell any day now in the next 14 years it must be delightful to have such a casual father • • • IT SEEMS to us that Ann by usin' her li'l ole bean can build this Casual Father up into a beaucoup publicity stunt by having Dad send her telegrams every week or so announcing his plans for visiting her the first wire reads "Am still planning to come out to see you" the second states "Something terrible has happened to delay my visit will explain in my next wire." then follows a series of wires every week over a period of a year or so short and snappy telegrams in which Dad talks vaguely and mysteriously about being prevented from making that visit • • • NOW IF Ann gets herself a first-class pressagey he can build her up so that the Mystery of Ann's Father will become a household topic in every American home. . . .,. for the next year at least newspaper editors will write learned editorials speculating whether Dad has been kidnaped, or got tangled up in one of these extremely puzzling and perplexing NR A codes mebbe you won't care much for this Idea of ours mebbe Ann and her Dad won't personally, we don't think much of it either but the fact of the matter is that Phil M. Daly has just returned from a twomonth's vacashe lying in hospitals and lying otherwise as usual and we haven't had time to pick up anything to write about but wot th'ell difference does it make? ...... we're here and you're there how are ya, Gang? .... pleased to meet yuh again and that's from the Heart • • • BIG DOIN's tomorrow wit dat tough guy Jim mie Durante wot tries tuh be a Big Time Romeo doin' his romancin' and gymnasticks in a "Palooka" pitcher not dat de pitcher is a palooka ...... only its de name wot dey give it so Jimmie trows a trade show today at de Astor teater at 11 a.m an' all der reglars will be dere to give Jimmie wot you call a royal welcome for he shure deserves it • • • IN HIS search for more and better beauts ..... Busby Berkeley will engage in another Beauty Search when he comes to New York on his honeymoon with Myrna Kennedy in time for the world premiere of "Wonder Bar" at the Strand on Feb. 21 Efrem Kurtz, orchestra conductor of the Ballet Russe and musical director for "Catherine the Great" will be guest of honor at the premiere of this London film at the Astor on Feb. 14 • • • AT TODAY'S luncheon of the Cheese Club at Leone's on West 48th St guests of honor will be Al Jol son, Jack Pearl, Rudy Vallee, George Jessel, Burford Armitage, Louis Adamic, and Paul Moss Boss Alicoate of this estimable publication has been havin' a tuff time cruising in the West Indies but hopes to recover from the effects of the hardships by sunnin' hisself on the beach at Miami along with some other poor film sufferers such as M. E. Comerford, Billy Ferguson, N. L. Nathanson, et al tootle tootle « « « » » » TIMELY TOPICS Imaginative Cinema Predicted by Paul Green TN the Imaginative Cinema, as I like to call it, which is soon to be a power in the world, this truth will be recognized; namely, that the art of the cinema is not the art of the theater. And conversely the theater — (that is, the imaginative theater, for no other is really left, now that the movies have taken over the professional theater) — this theater must realize that its art is not that of the cinema. Each has a nature of its own, and each must interpret man and his world in its own technique. But in each the poet as a creator shall be supreme. In the cinema he has a means of universal and infinite power — the camera. In the theater he likewise has a means of universal and infinite richness — the intimate presence. In the former he has an invention which eradicates all the material difficulties of depiction which beset the stage but which projects forth only shadows of two dimensions and begins with a certain aloofness therefor. In the latter he has the embodied being which projects only itself and in three dimensions and begins with a complete and vital closeness therefor. And as the essential nature of the camera is expressed in pantomime and accompanying sound, so the essential nature of the intimate presence is expressed in words and accompanying pantomime. And in this new cinematic art form we shall some day find the complete expression of genius. And that genius we await. Chaplin is the forerunner of some Shakespeare-to-be. As yet there is no forerunner in the imaginative theater for the coming apostle of the shining word. But the growing concerted effort of people believing and working in the art theater throughout the world is providing the way. — Paul Green in "New York Times." Canton Houses Seek Price Truce Canton, O. — A move is on foot among major houses here to put a standard admission price in effect on all three first-runs. Loew's has just cut its scale from 40 to 35 cents top at night and 25 cents for matinee, the same as Warner's Alhambra. The Palace charges 22 cents afternoons and 33 cents at night. More Vaude for Max Baer Max Baer, before going to the coast, will return to New York in three weeks to complete six weeks of vaudeville contracted by the Leo Morrison office. Baer is now in the south.