The film daily year book of motion pictures (1932)

^Billboard Girls On an outstanding attraction, this one gets over with a click. A group of pretty girls, dressed in bright shorts and berets, are assigned to paste a 24-sheet at some prominent location. Naturally the girls are awkward, and as bill posting requires an expert, they make some funny mistakes that keeps the crowd laughing and kidding them. The girls can purposely play this up for the comedy. It's a cinch that the stunt will easily hold the spectators, and meanwhile you are getting over your sales message strong on your feature. □ — Kid Parade With a suitable tie-in with the newspaper, a Costume Parade is promoted for the kids on a suitable feature that lends itself to the idea. Or it can be worked independent of your attraction, as a holiday racket for Thanksgiving, Election, etc. The merchants can get in on this one with prizes to the youngsters for the best costumes. □ — Comedy Racer For use on a feature with an auto racing atmosphere. Secure one of the broken down Fords, which is driven by a man dressed in the most modern racing driver's outfit. The strong contrast between the snappy driver and the old bus gets the attention and the laughs. This one gets more attention than if you used a modern car. Signs on back and sides tie it in with your feature. Also a card from the dealer who loaned you the racing togs. At such times as the car is not cruising around the town, the driver parks in front of the theater, and goes through the motions of trying to get the old can started. □ — Airplane On Truck Always effective on an airplane feature. Secure from local airport an airplane with the fojding wing type. It is mounted on a truck for ballyhoo, with suitable banners on sides. The truck is slowly driven to the theater. Here trouble develops, with one of the wheels dropping from the landing gear of the plane. The man can fool around for some time repairing the damage, while the curious crowd looks on. It is even worth getting a ticket for obstructing traffic, for the newspaper publicity will follow automatically. □ — Airplane Helmet On a big airplane feature, secure an autograph from the star on an airplane helmet. Through the newspaper ads, offer this as a prize for the boys to compete in a bicycle race at the local fair grounds. It is good for newspaper breaks, and a lot of publicity at the fair grounds. The prize is awarded at a matinee, which brings all the kids to the theater. Special reductions can be given to all the competitors. — Car Mileage A natural for a tie-up with a local auto dealer. Especially when the new models come out. But this one is made a two-car proposition, with the estimate contests ballyhooed through the main thoroughfares. An "official" car chases the other every so often to supervise the refueling. The mileage car covers a prescribed route, stopping now and then for oil and gas instead of making the number of miles on one charge of gas the subject of estimate. In this way the people along the route are reminded of your attraction frequently. Every once in awhile the official car dashes through the streets with horn blowing, and its banners carrying the message of the show, and the progress of the contest. □ — Flower Gift With the cooperation of the florist, secure a supply of rosebuds or other flower. He gets his with a credit line on a slip of paper wrapped around the stems. An attractive girl is sent downtown to distribute these to male prospects only. As she pins the flower on his coat, she gives a little prepared spiel about your attraction. □ — Traveling jazz With the assistance of five high school boys musically inclined, this stunt gets over attractively. They team up as a jazz band, consisting of a piano, drums, clarinet, trombone and sax or cornet. A Ford truck can be gotten from the dealer in return for a banner on the truck. The music store furnishes one of those miniature pianos. The truck parks occasionally in front of the music store. If the attraction has a musical number, they feature this in their repertoire. During selling hours, the truck plays in front of the theater. Easy to enlist the boys for this, as they play after school hours, and get passes for the show. □ — Local Dances Don't overlook the possibilities of the local dances, entertainments and other public affairs for getting some free publicity. Send out a girl and boy appropriately dressed as the hero and heroine of your coming feature. They dance, and circulate around, getting over the plug for your picture with a small sign on the man's back. □ — Suit Case Gag One of your ushers is dressed up in comedy attire, or else with tuxedo and cane. He carries a trick suitcase, and at busy intersections downtown presses a spring, which opens the suitcase, disclosing some snappy copy on your feature. If the youth has good comedy sense, he can put this simple stunt over impressively. 690