The Exhibitor (1960)

EX-218 Plenty of advance publicity by way of the newspapers, radio and TV helped in pro¬ moting this show and making it ^e high suc¬ cess it was. The Lake Land News ran a “Bozo” coloring contest with the 10 best color entries awarded a trip to New York City to appear on “Bozo’s” television program. The 10 winners were selected from different towns and communities; and they were able to have all their friends and class-mates view this popular kiddie show which is rated as the number one television kiddie program hereabouts. The local newspaper announced the at¬ traction as a news item on their noon day radio program, which is tuned in by the population of all the surroimding towns. The tw'o local and six out-of-town newspapers all ran advance publicity about the show. The final week the show as plugged by Britton daily on his television program until the play-date. The advance ticket sales, lobby displays, screen trailers, plus programs really put this show over. All plugs with the exception of the screen trailer and a 40x60 lobby display were free. And, boy, did our concession sales soar! F ARMED SERVICE NUMBER F15 An All-Out Navy Tie-Up THEATRE: Fox Oakland, ADDRESS: Oakland, Cal. MANAGER: Jack McDougall An all-out tieup with the U.S. Navy — in all branches — recently paid off beautifully with many tie-ins for 20th-Fox’s “Sink The Bismarck.” A 15 foot model of the U.S.S. Forrestal together with eight smaller models of other class carriers, cruisers, battleships and de¬ stroyers made an impressive foyer display. Another separate display was a five-foot April 27. I960 G STUNTS-BALLY NUMBER G91 A Waw Of A Street Bally THEATRE: Trans Texas’ Fine Arts, ADDRESS: Dallas, Texas ACTING MANAGER: Malcolm J. Thomson Prior to our engagement of 20th-Fox’s “When Comedy Was King,” we made it our goal to have everybody in town talking about the show; and this was mainly achieved by a street bally enlisting the aid of a beat-up jalopy. Nine students of Southern Methodist Uni¬ versity dressed in costumes of the 1920’s and packed themselves into a Ford convertible of the same vintage. They rode all around the city and shots of the group were used in a deep three-column art break in the Dallas Morning News prior to our opening. The car and kids also covered every sub¬ urban shopping center. The jalopy was suit¬ ably bannered and sniped and this phase of the promotion was covered by WFAA-TV and EiFJZ-TV in addition to the local press. A high point of the promotion was the visit by the group to the University Spring Carnival. This introduced “When Comedy, Was King” to the college audience most effectively and was covered in the college newspaper. On two consecutive Sundays we received stories and art in the entertainment sup¬ plements annoiuicing the theatre would ad¬ mit free anyone over 65 when accompanied by a paid admission. This offer was extended for our Saturday and Sunday matinees. The resulting stories stressed the fact that we were honoring Dallas citizens who belonged to the era when, indeed, comedy was king. Also, on opening night we admitted free anyone dressed as a silent screen person¬ ality. This was also covered by the press. The entire promotion was accomplished at minimal cost to the theatre and as a result “When Comedy Was King” is now doing stand out business at the tiieatre. Complete hack seasons of these pink exploi¬ tation sections are available to subscribing theatres at 52^ per set. A group of Dallas teen-agers recreated the era "When Comedy Was King" when the 20thFox film of that title played th§ Trpnf-Texas' Fine Arts, Malcolm J. Thomson, acting man¬ ager. model of the new atomic submarine, “Theo Roosevelt.” Signal flags were strimg from the top of the roof down to the top of the marquee. There were eight strings in all with over 100 flags used. Staff officers of the Alameda Naval Air Station, Oakland Naval Air Station, Treas¬ ure Island and Oak Knoll Navy Hospital were guests on opening day. Special notices were recieved in the Navy papers boosting the film. A tie-up with Bantam Books gave us panel signs on 20 trucks used by the magazine dis¬ tributors. Windows were obtained in 50 stores on display of the paper-back book. One himdred copies of the books were given free to patrons. Special lobby-foyer setpieces were used three weeks in advance of opening. Attrac¬ tive merchandise candy display provided a flash as patrons entered the theatre. Spot¬ lighted in red, this display featured the sink¬ ing of the Bismarck. MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR Jonas Rosenfield, Jr., right, Columbia executive in charge of advertising and publicity, shows a picture of Kim Novak, star, "Strangers When We Meet," to Carroll O'Rourke, advertising manager, Weyerhaeuser Lumber Company. Columbia consummated a $6,500,000 tie-up with 21 leading manufacturers centered around a special house being built for scenes in the film. Weyerhaeuser and other manufacturers will feature the house in their ads. THE NEW 1960 “Showman-of-the-Year” CONTEST • Each individual achievement, selected by the Editorial Board and published in this every-second-week EXPLOITATION Sec¬ tion of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBI¬ TOR, will receive an Achievement Cita¬ tion. Five by the same showman published in any one year will receive a SILVER Achievement Citation, And, should any showman ever accomplish ten in the same year, a GOLD Achievement Citation will be awarded. No weekly or monthly prizes will accompany such citations. At each year’s end, all such published achievements will be submitted to the ‘COMMITTEE OF 100” theatre circuit executives for their individual study and their personal choice of the BEST FIVE. A minimum of $100000 IN PRIZES will be awarded to the five “SHOWMENOF-TI^-YEAR” so selected. Alert show¬ men, interested in the international div tinction to be gained from such awards wm recognize that an advantage lies in winning repeated individual published achievements. Address all submissions and Photogaphs to: GEORGE F. NONAMAKBR, Feature Editor, MOTION PIC¬ TURE EXHIBITOR. 246-4« N. Clarion Street, Philadelphia 7, Penna.