Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1951)

TUP. ? I K Here are some of the ways in which the Rex Harrison-Lilli Palmer (Mrs. Rex Harrison) team can be exploited locally to boost "The Long Dark Hall": STORES: Set your merchandising campaign with a single large store or with a group of stores. Start with an invitation to shop, run either as an ad, a radio announcement, a herald or a throwaway. Copy for this can read "Mr. and Mrs. Rex Harrison (Lilli Palmer) . . . stars of 'The Long Dark Hall' . . . invite Mr. and Mrs. Your Town to see the wonderful values at the Empor • II mm. This invitation can be followed up with ads calling attention to the specific items the store or stores want to plug. These ads can all be tagged by art of Harrison and Palmer identifying them as husband and wife. Focus of this merchandising campaign can be matching items for "Mr. and Mrs." like sweaters, shirts, slacks, and loafers. These items are currently being merchandised extensively nationwide. Store might cap this off with a photo contest for the best looking matching outfits that any local couple have been able to purchase at store. FRONT AND LOBBY An advance 40x60 for out front can be done in script lettering and worded like an invitation from Mr. and Mrs. Rex Harrison (Lilli Palmer) to see them in "The Long Dark Hall." Special still art showing Harrison and Miss Palmer as the stars of "Bell, Book and Candle" and also illustrating Miss Palmer's television show can be sniped with playdate credits and blown up as a lobby display. Order Still LDH— Ex. 1 . FREE RADIO PLATTERS In addition to the regular FREE radio spot platter a special platter offering a five-minute interview with Rex Harrison and Lilli Palmer with open end for playdate credits is also available. This is ideal for Hollywood commentators on local radio stations. In addition the regular FREE nine-spot radio platter includes one one-minute, one 30-second and one 1 5-second spot narrated by the Star team. The remaining six spots are loaded with S_0-C-K box-office sell. To get these platters just state how you are going to use them in a letter to Exploitation Manager, Eagle Lion, 165 W. 46th St., New York 19, N.Y. NEWSPAPERS: Try to set up a big-space feature story on "Mr. and Mrs. Celebrity Meet Mr. and Mrs. Your Town." This story would use art of Rex Harrison and Lilli Palmer along with bio selected from publicity section. Alongside of this would run story of typical local couple. Switches on this idea might include series on prominent local couples with prizes to those selected as most interesting being guest tickets for "The Long Dark Hall." CONTESTS: "Mr. and Mrs." routine lends itself to many local contests. These might include search for the handsomest young couple married locally in week before "Long Dark Hall" opens. Another contest could be worked for the most talented couple. A hunt might be instituted for the oldest married pair. All of these contests could be handled through a co-operating newspaper with stores tying in for prizes and final judging on stage during opening night of "The Long Dark Hall." All contests should be run in the name and under the sponsorship of "Mr. and Mrs. Rex Harrison (Lilli Palmer)." 4 4 4 FOR ACTION HOUSES If your situation lends itself to exploitation of the more sensational type here are some angles which can be profitably followed through. Scene Mat 2C illustrated in the publicity section of this Press Book can be spotted inside a lobby shadow box. Copy above this box can read: "A thousand men saw her that night. Any one might have done THIS in "The Long Dark Hall'." The silhouette figure of the murderer standing over his victim which appears in the poster art can be adapted for lobby use. Spot a blowup of this figure in the lobby with red lights playing across it and the copy line: "He waits for women in The Long Dark Hall'." Fact that the killer in "The Long Dark Hall" uses a knife to commit his crime can be tied in with the current drive to keep knives out of the hands of young people. This can be done by securing a bunch of knives from local police department and displaying them in lobby. Above display spot a copy card which reads: "These are the weapons of the killer who lurks in The Long Dark Hall.' Does your child have one? Make sure he gets rid of it before it's too late."