The Exhibitor (1964)

April I. 1964 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR EX-577 EXPLOITATION | ACTUAL PROMOTIONS from the fertile minds of exhibition and dis¬ tribution that can be applied with profit to the theatre situations . This special section is published every-second-weefc as a separately bound, savoable service to ah theatre executive subscribers to MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR. Each saveable section represents current submissions by theatremen and promotion plans from distributors that have originality and ticket selling force. Exhibitors are invited to submit campaigns on specific pictures or institutional ideas. Add EXPLOITATION to your permanent theatre librory. Address all communications and submissions to the Editors of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR. 317 N. Broad St.. Philadelphia, Penna.— 19107. Exploitation Is The Key Says Producer Ted Richmond Schine Houses Big Campaigns On "Misadventures Of Merlin Jones" Many’s the film that’s fallen by the “box office-side” for no other reason than a lack of sufficient or carefully planned exploitation. Theatre owners are the first to affirm this — producers, too often, the last to admit it. Ted Richmond, producer of MGM’s “Ad¬ vance to the Rear,” swears by the right kind of exploitation for his films. This doubtlessly stems from the fact that Richmond began his career as a theatre manager in New Bed¬ ford, Mass., and has never lost touch with the exhibitor’s part of the business. “Advance to the Rear” (formerly “Company of Cowards”) opens in midApril, and MGM and Richmond are out to prove this exploita¬ tion point. According to Richmond, one of the reasons “Rear” is going to advance to the “front” at the box offices is careful preproduction exploitation planning. The producer’s string of MGM comedy hits has been no accident. On “Advance to the Rear,” which stars Glenn Ford, Stella Stevens and Melvyn Douglas, he took a good period comedy and spoofed it up with a musical score that is certain to have America’s teen and young adult sets calling for more. The acquisition of Randy Sparks and' the New Christy Minstrels was the first move. Under Sparks’ direction, the Minstrels and several well-tuned kazoos provide the back¬ ground music for the cowardly cavalrymen and their “ladies.” Aware of the impact of this popular singing group, Richmond worked' with Sparks and extended several brief background music passages into full-blown tunes, which the Minstrels have incorporated into a Columbia album, “Advance to the Rear.” As an ex -press agent, Richmond wasn’t through with the singing group just yet. His trained eye saw ready-made audiences of nine and ten thousand at a time — in colleges across the country. “Here are groups of kids who stand in line for hours to see the Minstrels’ college concerts. These same people buy records and go to movies . . . we intend for them to be ours. Beginning in April, through June, this singing group will appear at nearly twohundred colleges. During these performances they’ll be singing ‘Today,’ our love theme, plus ‘The Company of Cowards March’ and other songs from the film.” In addition, the group has taped several “Hootenanny” television shows, which have included songs from, and mentions of the picture. “Up to now, everyone seems to have over¬ looked this enthusiastic college audience. We intend to remedy that.” Warners' Offers Cash To Managers' "Limpet" Campaigns Warner Bros, is offering cash prizes to theatre managers who develop the best local promotional campaigns for “The In¬ credible Mr. Limpet,” the Technicolor comedy-with-music starring Don Knotts. The three top winners will receive $250, $150 and $100. Competing managers should submit their “Limpet” scrapbooks to Campaign Plan Manager, Warner Bros., 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, N. Y. 10019. Mercedes Benz Promotion MGM and Mercedes Benz have completed an advertising and promotional tie-up for “Quick, Before It Melts,” in connection with the first use in a motion picture of the new 230 SL sports convertible. Starring George Maharis, Robert Morse and Anjanette Comer, the picture will be ex¬ ploited nationally through Mercedes Benz dealerships. John Cusak, general manager, New York’s Astor on Broadway, gave important lobby display space to this 40x60 in advance of his opening of Warn¬ ers’ “The Incredible Mr. Limpet.” Featured were the “Limpet” Sweepstakes and the Arthur Godfrey re¬ cording of the song, “I Wish I Were A Fish.” Walt Disney’s “Misadventures Of Merlin Jones” received some great campaigns recent¬ ly in the Schine Circuit houses. The personal appearance of Annette Funicello topped the efforts of Joe Garvey, Gra¬ nada, Buffalo, Ni Y., who over his local radio station ran an “Annette Look-Alike Con¬ test.” Girls were invited to send in photos of themselves if they resembled Annette. The winner of the contest had lunch with the star and officials of the press and radio; and this resulted in several very nice publicity breaks. For a street ballyhoo, he had a young man don the crazy electric football helmet of ‘Merlin Jones’ and drive around the streets of Buffalo with a young lady in an open convertible. Window displays, a mailing to all public and parochial schools, and a color¬ ing contest completed his all-out campaign on this attraction. Lou Hart, zone manager, Auburn, Auburn, N. Y., was able to get a story and photo planted in his local newspaper on the four lucky Auburn High School students who had lunch with Miss Funicello during her recent travels on behalf of the film. It was no run-of-the-mill coloring contest in Rochester, N. Y., for manager Frank Bas¬ sett, Monroe, for his showing of the picture. He had a very special one in conjunction with a large local furniture store. This coloring contest resulted in a three column' by 14 inches co-op ad on this attraction, and a donated first prize of a $70 canopy bed. The furniture store also came through with other wonderful prizes and plenty of in-store displays. The boys at the Paramount, Syracuse, N. Y., and their supervisor Harry Unterfort were able to come up with inches and inches of free newspaper space in several different papers for their showing of “Merlin Jones.” The space included scene mats, reviews and a coloring contest. For a street ballyhoo the boys came up with a neatly bannered flivver, which was driven around town by ‘Merlin Jones’ in his kooky electric football helmet This was a real attention-getter. "Limpet" In Five-And-Ten's Two thousand five hundred F. W. Woolworth stores throughout the United States are backing “The Incredible Mr. Limpet” in a coast-to-coast promotional drive for the Warner Bros. film. Utilizing window and counter displays and other promotional aids, the Woolworth stores have joined many others in promoting the picture.