The Exhibitor (1954)

24 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR Valuahle Exploitation Keys To Profitable Merchandising Vigorous Ballyhoo Hypos 'Violent" Bow Boston — The radio airwaves, store window, and street ballyhoo received the heavy play in the exploitation campaign fashioned by Paul Levi when Columbia’s “The Violent Men” bowed at Boston’s Pilgrim, flagship of Abner Pinanski’s American Theatres chain. Two contests were run simultaneously on Beantown radio stations. One was a limerick finishing contest which was part of the exploitation kit furnished by Columbia for the CinemaScope film. The second contest was suggested by the press book, and consisted of having the listener supply “violent” works which had the letters f-o-r-d, for star Glenn Ford. In both cases free tickets to the picture were the prizes. The stunts drew considerable interest to the playdate. Another radio aid was the open end interviews with stars Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson, which were given prominent play on three stations. A tieup was effected involving the Dell pocket edition of “Smokey Valley,” the novel from which “The Violent Men” was adapted. Posters linking the book and the film were placed in book stores, news¬ stands, on hotel cigar counters and other spots which handled the book. In addition, banners with credit copy for the playdate were strung on the trucks of the New England News Company, local dis¬ tributors for the book. The western aspect of the picture provided opportunity for several window tieups. Several book stores tied up “The Violent Men” with the book, “Pictorial History Of The Wild West.” Other stores selling western garb for children built window displays around material plugging the picture. Radio, TV Plugs Aid "Prince Of Players" New York — Twentieth Century-Fox’s “Prince of Players” in CinemaScope is re¬ ceiving a major TV and radio promo¬ tional campaign keyed to its premiere opening yesterday (Jan. 11) at the Rivoli and national release later this month, it was announced last week. The extensive drive will see the pic¬ ture plugged to audiences of millions across the country, via personalities and appearances and special promotions on more than 25 top-rated national and local programs. Philip Dunne, producer-director, has arrived in New York from Hollywood for the film’s debut and has been set to appear on several popular shows. On the Tex and Jinx show, an NBC presenta¬ tion, Dunne will be joined by the noted playwright Moss Hart, who wrote the film’s screen play. Multiple plugs for the picture will be achieved by the utilization of copies of the Eleanor Ruggles best-seller, published by W. W. Norton Company, as prizes and giveaways on quiz, chatter, and person¬ ality TV programs. Paramount To Use TV Hollywood — In line with Paramount’s long-range publicity and exploitation planning. Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis have made three television trailers for their latest film, “You’re Never Too Young.” While the trailers won’t be shown on television until the picture is released, scheduled for fall of 1955, Phil Pemberton, head. Paramount’s trailer department, filmed the video shorts 30 minutes after production ended on the comedy, a unique achievement for exploitation of this type. Using the same camera crew, Pemberton took over from director Norman Taurog as soon as the picture was completed. This is the way the RKO Orpheom, St. Paul and Minneapolis, recently handled the national RotoBroil contest set up by Columbia's exploitation department for "Phffft." A radio station was the contest outlet in these situations. Got a youngster who’s tired watching TV? Take him out to the Take her out to the Take them out to the This is a reproduction of a recent full page ad run by The Philadelphia Daily News as a good will gesture toward the industry, particularly to local motion picture theatre advertisers. The attention the ad created was most favorable to both trade and public alike, with the newspaper coming in for considerable praise for the effort. January 12, 1955