The Exhibitor (1959)

EX 120 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR COMPANY ASSISTS WARNERS has set a transcontinental star parade which will take a group of Hollywood personalities through the heart of America by Greyhound Motor Bus to Philadelphia to attend the world premier of “The Young Philadelphians” May 19 at a Stanley Warner theatre there. The 3,475-mile “glamour pa¬ rade” will cover 34 major cities and more than 200 important towns, with overnight stops scheduled in 12 key population centers. A continuing round of events will be featured. The scheduled route calls for overnight stops in Phoenix, El Paso, Abilene, Dallas, Tulsa, Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland and Baltimore. Important inter¬ mediate stops include Indio, Cal.; Tucson, Ariz.; Lordsburg, N.M.; Pecos, Big Springs and Fort Worth, Texas; Ardmore and Okla¬ homa City, Okla.; Fort Scott, Kansas; Colom¬ bia, Mo.; Springfield and Bloomington, Ill.; South Bend and Elkhart, Ind.; Toledo, Akron and Canton, Ohio; and Harrisburg, Pa. It is expected that over 50 million people along the route will be introduced to the players through press, TV, radio, and personal ap¬ pearances. UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL is continu¬ ing to maintain its promotional barrage in support of “Imitation Of Life” through the use of personalities in support of new openings. Douglas Sirk, the director of the film, and Robert Alda, who has one of the featured roles, are the latest personalities to join in the campaign. Authoress Fannie Hurst, Susan Kohner and Dan O’Herlihy are others who figured importantly in the promotional ac¬ tivity. 20TH CENTURY-FOX likewise joined the policy of sending star performers throughout the country to aid exhibitors in pre-selling films and sent Dolores Michaels, feminine star of “Warlock”, to make the most extensive single -area tour in the history of the com¬ pany. She visited more than 50 cities through¬ out the Kansas City area, where she met the press, radio and TV representatives, attended various functions held in her honor, and aided in pre-selling the picture throughout the area. Bom and raised in Kansas City, Miss Michaels’ familiarity with the area and with opinion makers was expected to prove an invaluable aid to the promotion. COLUMBIA has planned a diversified promo¬ tional program to sell “It Happened To Jane” to the public. Of special interest to exhibitors, is a seven-trailer package, the most complete ever offered to theatres. Among the more im¬ portant promotions is a personal appearance tour by Doris Day; a cross-promotion with Columbia Records; a giant radio campaign; a special 16mm featurette for television; and national merchandising tie-ins. MGM, in addition to magazine, newspaper, radio and television campaigns on “Green Mansions” has set tieups with Bantam Books on their current edition of the story; and with MGM Records which has just issued a Leroy Holmes single of the “Song Of Green Man¬ sions” with copies being rushed to disc jockeys. 1959 EXPLOITATION INDEX A CIVIC-CLUBS 19. Art Films Helped By University Benefit . EX89 20. Natural Childbirth Sells "Dr. Laurent" . EX89 21. Local Marching Band Lends Hand . EX93 22. Charity Benefits Are Like Money In The Bank . EX93 23. Selling A Religious Pic To Churches EX105 24. Aiding Local Charities Pays Off In Good W1II.EX109 B KID’S MATINEES 23. A 13 to 16 Movie Club . EX90 24. "Miss Pigtails" Contest . EX97 25. A Premiere Just For The Small Fry . EX101 26. Theatres Act As Baby Sitters For 10^ ...EX101 27. Stresses Cheap Baby Sitting To Boost Kids Shows . EX109 28. Contest For Kids On "Sinbad" . EX113 29. Children's Safety Program . EX117 c MASS MEDIA 6. How To Crash A TV Program . ... EX90 7. Record Number Of Radio Plugs For Record Star EX93 8. Newspaper Cooperation Always Helps . EX117 D MERCHANTS 46. Appropriate Tours Tie-Up . EX91 47. Concession Item Prize Boosts Sales EX97 48. Artificial Snow, Wild Animals Used As Bally . EX106 49. Happiest Secretary Contest . EX106 50. The Ghosts Are Stirring Again . EX106 51. A Cat Contest . . EX 106 52. The Largest Family Contest . EX106 53. Weekly Program Gratis . EX109 54. Breakfast Food Samples . EX110 55. No Cost Pamphlet Give-Aways . EX110 56. Local Gal Makes Good Angle . EX118 57. A Birthday Cake Tieup . EX118 A THEATRE COMES OF AGE ( Continued jrom preceding page ) The week prior to playdate saw the exhibi¬ tion of the theatre birthday cake, a massive piece 2 feet 2 inches x one foot 8 inches, in the theatre foyer. Surrounded by a glitter-dust display piece this was a real eye catcher. As a piece de resistance we offered our patrons a chance to win a holiday for two at Morecambe, a popular seaside holiday resort, simply by guessing the weight of the cake, which, as a matter of interest, weighed 35 Even the big city houses know the value of fan clubs. Here is shown how the Roxy, New York City, encouraged Ricky Nelson fans to register for his club in the lobby during the engagement of Warners' "Rio Bravo," his first starring film. April 22, 19 53 SCHOOL TIE-UPS 10. Co-op Window Cards . . EX101 11. Welcome School Personnel . EX110 ARMED SERVICE 10. The R.C.A.F. Cooperates On "High Flight" EX91 11. The Navy Cooperates On Sub Film . EX113 12. A Perfect Furlough Stunt . EX118 Q STUNTS-BALLY 42. French Gifts Promote "Glgl" . EX91 43. A Valentines Day Idea . EX94 44. Midget Helps Sell "tom thumb" . EX94 45. Latches On To Other Fellow's Slogan . EX95 46. The Circus Angle Helps EX97 47. What A Bride (and groom) Should Be Contest EX101 48. Friday The 13th Stunts . EX110 49. American History Contest . EX110 50. Selling An Opera Film . EXT 1 1 51. The Monsters Bally Things Again . EX113 52. Cat Contest For "Bell, Book and Candle" ... EX114 53. Baby, It's Cold Outside . . EX114 54. Local "Miss Gidget" Contest . EX114 H LOBBY DISPLAYS 14. Real Thing As Front Display . EX102 15. Home-Made Theatre Fronts . EX 106 16. Animated lobby Display Always Good. . EX107 17. An Adaptable Lobby Display . EX115 I INSTITUTIONAL 25. Swap Night For Drive-Ins EX92 26. Model Airplane Contest At Drive-In . EX95 27. Free Kleenex For Three Handkerchief Pics . ...EX97 28. "Miss Big Beat" Contest . EX98 29. Old Fashioned Showmanship . EX98 30. How To Make Friends and Influence Movie Patrons . EX102 31. No Intermissions For Showmanship . EX103 32. Go Carts Racing At Drive-In . EX103 33. Save Ticket Stubs Like Savings Stamps . EX 107 34. House Cleaning Giveaway For Drive-Ins . EX107 35. A Drive-In Anniversary, Etc . EXT 1 T 36. Giant Pass Idea . EXT11 37. Backing Academy Awards . ...EX11T 38. Asking For Patrons' Help . EX112 39. Some Novelty Ads EX112 40. A Theatre Comes Of Age . EX119 pounds, eight and one half ounces. It was furnished by a cooperating baker. Each night of the anniversary week patrons who had received “Lucky 21st keys” were in¬ vited to participate in a stage presentation in which they were given a chance to win a selection of over 300 items which had been promoted locally and nationally at absolutely no cost to the theatre. On the Saturday night we had guests of honor including the Mayor and Mayoress of the community. The Mayor himself opened the sealed envelope containing the correct weight of the cake and we announced the name of the winner. To commemorate our anniversary we put out a 24 page plus cover souvenir program. This was crammed full of merchant ads, in¬ stitutional anniversary copy, greetings from the Mayor and other prominent citizens, data on the anniversary film attraction, a “meet the staff” feature cleverly and briefly intro¬ ducing the house staff from “housekeepers” to projectionists, coming attractions, etc. We published 1500 of the attractive booklets at absolutely no cost to the theatre. Not only that, but when the accounts were finalized we were able to donate a small check to charity, this being the residue from the advertising receipts. Another timely feature of our celebration was the “firing” of 21 rockets from the theatre roof at a specified time. Attached to each was a special “Tom Thumb” emblem which en¬ titled the person returning it a special prize. Press support for the event was excellent, ^ and we know we attracted a lot of good will to the theatre which is bound to resound to our benefit in the days to come.