The Exhibitor (1960)

December 21, I960 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR EX-281 I EXPLOITATION I ACTUAL PROMOTIONS, accomplished by Experienced Theatremen, that can be applied with profit to many other Theatre Situations. This special section is published every-second-week as a separately bound saveable service to all theatre executive subscribers to MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR. Each such cumulatively numbered taveable section represents current submissions that have been fudged by the Editorial Board os having the originality and ticket selling force to warrant placement In the 1960 SHOWMEN OP THE YEAR CONTEST (explanation elsewhere). It Is recommended that theatremen save complete annual consecutively numbered files of these EXPLOITATION sections, and on the lost page of each issue will be found o complete cumulative index for the year. Address all communications and submissions to the Editors of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR. 246-48 N. Clarion St., Philadelphia 7, Pa. DECEMBER 21, 1960 vol. 65, no. 4 individual achievement CnATlOhlS have teen issued for each of thes9i C MASS MEDIA NUMBER C29 Election Night Newspaper Promotion THEATRE: Clinton, ADDRESS: Port Clinton, Ohio MANAGER: Elmer L. Pigney Our “Election Night” Party held recently in cooperation with the local Daily News proved an outstanding promotion from the standpoint of public relations, cooperation with the local newspaper, and, of course, a $125 credit in advertising space. In addition, the front page publicity the newspaper gave “their” party unprecedented space, including the following which appeared under a fivecolumn banner in the first two columns of the paper the day before the national elec¬ tions: “As part of its public service program, the Daily News is offering Ottawa Countians what will probably be one of the bestplanned and most complete Election Night parties ever held in this section of Ohio. “Arrangements have been made with the Clinton Theatre to set up an elaborate re¬ ceiving system for returns as rapidly as they are received at a local, state and national level. “Facilities of the entire theatre have been made available to the general public through the courtesy of the Daily News. Manager Elmer Pigney has arranged to flash on the screen all county and local results as they are received directly from the Board of Elections. “A direct telephone line will be handled by a member of the Daily News staff to relay the results to the theatre from facilities pro¬ vided by Mrs. Eva Seufert’s office in the courthouse. “Television sets provided by Ralph Snyder’s Northern Ohio Maytag Company and Ed¬ ward J. Mulligan, of Mulligan’s, will be lo¬ cated in strategic positions throughout the theatre to provide continuous national and state returns. “The Election Night Party is strictly an all-community affair. Due to the intense in¬ terest in this year’s elections at all levels — including the local school and city levies — it was decided to hold The Daily News’ an¬ nual party at the Clinton Theatre instead of at the newspaper’s plant. The theatre can accommodate more than 1,000 persons and will be ideal in event of inclement weather. “Area residents are urged to “make it a family night.” Bring the yormgsters — it’ll be an education for them. There’ll be candy suckers for the children and coffee and doughnuts will be provided for the grown¬ ups. Everything is free. The Daily News is picking up the whole tab. “As a pre-returns feature, Earl Wamke will have a special group of high school stu¬ dents to play musical numbers in front of the theatre and there will be specialty numbers by the drum corps of Port Clinton’s Major¬ ettes. “Every auto dealer in Port Clinton has been invited to display one of his new model cars which in effect will give Ottawa Coun Jay Stuart Prince, was selected as the "BenHur" baby by MGM, and is seen helping cut a piece of anniversary cake at Loew's State, New York City. Little Jay was born on Nov. 18, 1959, at the exact time of the premiere of the film at the theatre. He received a $50 bond as his prize, plus a special silver "Ben-Hur" cup. tians the full benefit of a 1961 Auto Show. Mayor George J. Towers, Safety-Director Harold Nielsen sind Police Chief William J. Robel have arranged for a special section in the theatre area to be reserved for the display of new autos. “One of the added features of this year’s election is that the National Broadcasting System has selected Port Clinton as a key area for its “barametric” returns to the na¬ tion. The Daily News will telephone New York just as quickly as the presidential count is made in Ward One, Precinct One. Clerk Lee Bracken of the Ottawa County board of elections said he had instructed booth officials in this precinct to cooperate fully with the NBC request. In addition, the Daily News will be feeding the county re¬ turns periodically to Associated Press head¬ quarters in Columbus. “School officials throughout the county have been contacted by the Daily News and most of them have assured their full coop¬ eration in supporting the Election Night Party as a community event. So. make your plans now to spend Election Night at the Clinton Theatre. Bring the whole family and join your friends in getting latest returns in an atmosphere of all the comforts of home — as guests of the Daily News.” That adequately explains the Party. One of the extras was free drawings for gifts. The newspaper contacted the merchants and they gave the gifts awarded at the election party. One drawing was held at about 8:30 P.M., another at about 10:30 and the last drawing around midnight. This worked very well in keeping the people interested and kept the activity of the evening at a high pitch. Tickets with double numbers were distributed and used for the drawing. We made an effort to get a projector type television that would flash a picture on our screen; but this did not work out so we settled for seven TV sets arranged through¬ out the theatre. We kept all sets turned to one The above black and white reproductions of National Screen Service's Christmas and New Year's 40x60's, which, of course, come in ful I colors, create the kind of good will that's always in season; and, incidentally, help this department of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR pass along seasons greetings to all.