The Exhibitor (1966)

December 14, 1966 B • • , GRAND PRIX continued Killers,” “Happily Ever After,” “The Biggest Bundle of Them All,” “Double Trouble,” “Penelope,” “The Venetian Affair,” “Hot Rods To Hell,” “Doctor, You’ve Got To Be Kidding!” “Welcome To Hard Times,” and “Wild, Wild Planet.” Print campaigns, tele¬ vision trailers, promotional films and radio spots on many of these productions were pre¬ sented. ‘! } MGM executives who addressed the meet¬ ing included Mort Segal, Andy Sullivan, Wil¬ liam O’Hare, Dick Winters, Bill Golden, David McGrath, Sid Glaser, Dave Jacobson, Lillian Tookman, and Mike Beinner, from ad¬ vertising, publicity, and promotion; Mel Maron, Herman Ripps, Lou Format©, and Zep Epstin, from sales; and Arnold Maxin, Mort Nasatir, and Frank Mancini, from the musicrecords division. MGM’s entire field press force was repre¬ sented at the meeting. Members include Tom Baldridge, New Orleans; Larry Barbier, Los Angeles; Ron Boatman, Dallas; Phil Brochstein, Chicago; Kal Bruss, Detroit; Hilda Cun¬ ningham, Toronto; Karl Fasick, Boston; How¬ ard Herty, Los Angeles; Ed Gallner, Philadel¬ phia; Mike Gerety, Atlanta; Tom Gray, Chi¬ cago; Eunice McDaniel, Dallas; Norman Pader, New York; Jim Sheahan, Washington; Robert Smith, Detroit; John Barcroft, Colum¬ bus; Ted Barker, Cleveland; Jimmy Boyle, New York; Bob Lotito, Denver; Jack Matlack, Portland; Howard Pettengill, Miami; J. E. Watson, Cincinnati; Nate Wise, Cincinnati; and Jack Wodell, San Francisco. Division managers attending the meeting in¬ cluded Saal Gottlieb, eastern division; Lou Marks, central division; William Madden, mid¬ west division; Herb Bennin, southern division; Fred Hull, southwestern division; and William Devaney, west coast division. r, _ ' Shirley Loves Hats NEW YORK — Gaily bedecked in a Given¬ chy hat designed especially for her, Shirley MacLaine gazes out from a full page in the December issue of Town and Country, now on the stands. Citing her current starring role in Joseph E. Levine’s Embassy production, “Woman Times Seven,” now shooting in Paris under the direction of Vittorio De Sica, the magazine calls Shirley “our American in Paris,” and notes that the famed actress “commutes between Tokyo, France and California, de¬ pending on her film schedule and that of her husband.” In the color portrait in Town and Country, Miss MacLaine, who “loves mad hats,” wears a mass of red plastic Christmas ribbon on a doll’s cushion. UA Boosts “Marat-Sade” NEW YORK — United Artists has launched a major national campaign on “The Persecu¬ tion and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade” with a special brochure, which has been mailed to key members of the press, radio, and television as well as colleges and little theatre groups in 20 key cities. This brochure is the first in a series of special communications to be distributed throughout the country, and includes stills from the film, a production story, information about producer Michael Birkett, director Peter Brook, and the Royal Shakespeare Company, plus excerpts of the rave reviews accorded the original stage play. MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR EX-sn British Showmanship by Jock MacGregor I CHELMSFORD HAS BEEN A CULTURAL DESERT, AND JAMES F. BURLEIGH and his staff were pretty pessimistic when they learned that one day hard ticket stands of opera and music films were to be tried. At first, there were no suitable mailing lists, and the schools did not want to hear of “A Night With the Royal Ballet.” This proved a spur rather than deterrent. To his delight, he found that there had been a wind of change in local taste, and all bookable seats had been taken well in advance of playdate. “The Bolshoi Ballet” was immediately dated for similar presentation, and the news was broken to the obvious delight of the captive audiences who were invited to make diary notes. It was decided that this should be a concurrency with the Odeon, Colchester, 22 miles away, and that a joint campaign could be mounted so that the fullest effect of the exploitation which geographically had to overlap would be reaped. Patrons could then go to the theatre which was the more convenient to them. Advertising, leaflets, posters, etc., credited both theatres, and in each case, phone numbers were included to facilitate bookings. A slide was projected at the Brentwood Odeon (15 miles away), which had already played the film. Things were easier this time, and there was some school cooperation (many parents also took their children to the 4:40 performance privately). The trailer was shown for two weeks, which included the successful run of “Greatest Story Ever Told,” which attracted the audience to whom ballet would appeal. Reading that two 11 -year-old local girls had gained scholarships to the Royal Ballet School, he obtained parental assent for them to attend the evening performance. The county educational authorities, however, while allowing them to make personal appearances on the stage, would not let them dance. This story received press coverage. Included in Burleigh’s report is an excellent public relations idea which could be copied anywhere. He had tied up with the editor of the children’s comer in the local weekly and offered a guest ticket to writers of published letters describing their favorite film star. As he adds, it is an attendance builder — the parents who bring them have to pay! More important is that it gets youngsters interested in movies. HARRY BOLTON OF THE WOOLWICH ABC, SOUTH EAST LONDON, CELEbrated his Saturday Minors Club 11th anniversary by promoting 11 birthday cakes, each of which depicted a nursery rhyme character. These were presented to the Children’s Hospital at a ceremony attended by the Mayor and Mayoress, and afforded pictorial and editorial press coverages. The minors must also have got a kick from the Model Motorway Racing Car system that was set up by a sports firm in the foyer to plug “The Great Race.” ... A. A. Allen of the ABC, Sidcup, borrowed a parachute from a nearby airfield to create a dramatic background for photographs of parachute jumping in a foyer display when he played “The Lost Command.” Incidentally, he has found a unique way of disposing of old film stills. Each week, eight ABC minors attending have the number of their admission ticket called from the stage and are invited to select a star portrait or an action still in the foyer at the end of the show. . . . Immediately Bill Ritchie was appointed, his assistant manager, Albert E. Hallam, ABC, Nuneaton, saw that he met the important people in the town — the police superintendent, welfare and youth leaders, local editors, and the like. After three months, when he had thoroughly settled into theatre and had a good grounding in the activities of the borough, Hallam decided that a press write-up about background of his second in command was in order. The editor of the Nuneaton Observer concurred, and once again, the ABC was in the spotlight. For a return run of “Alfie,” he mounted an effective campaign of the “Alfie’s Back” angle and featured teasers such as “Did you miss me? — See you at the ABC next week.” . . . Playing “Born Free,” Kenneth D. Edmondson, Odeon. Chester, borrowed a 14 month old hand reared lion cub and invited youngsters from a children’s home to the first performance. The combination made front page photos. A somewhat similar stunt was worked by W. Reid for the same picture at the Odeon, Westonsuper-Mare. He borrowed a four month lion cub from the Marquess of Bath’s Longleat Lion Compound, and photos with his dachshound got excellent press coverages. THE FILM PUBLICISTS GUILD, TO WHICH THE TOP INDUSTRY’S TOP publicists belong, has completed an admirable deal with London Transport whereby many central and country buses carry “Go to the Cinema — Catch a Bus” posters on their fronts. Whenever any buses in the fleet have fronts unoccupied by paid advertising, the “Go to the Cinema — Catch a Bus!” goes up on one side of the destination board and “Catch a Bus — Go to the Cinema!” on the other without cost to the industry. The posters were designed by MGM’s advertising manager Doug Eames. With government squeeze, general advertising money is getting short, and more sites become vacant to the industry’s advantage. Theatre interests in other cities world-wide might make approaches regarding such cooperative beneficial advertising. . . . H. T. Bolton, ABC, Woolwich, South East London, reports a fine piece of cooperation between opposition theatres. Learning that the Granada was stopping its Saturday morning children’s matinees, he obtained permission to distribute circulars and membership forms to those attending the farewell performance and reports a big increase in attendances at his own ABC Minors Saturday morning shows. For “Around the World Under the Sea,” two art students set up easels in the foyer each night during the week prior to playdate and became part of an aquatic display. They drew underwater sketches to the great interest of patrons. Sketches were displayed and book prizes were awarded for the best. . . . With the local authority conducting a campaign to aid the old and the lonely, Albert E. Hallam (ABC, Nuneaton) decided that not only would he join the public relations band¬ wagon, but at the same time boost his special old age pensioners matinee rate — 10 cents Monday through Friday. A local artist produced for free posters reading: “Ever Been Lonely? No Need To Be! Enjoy A Friendly And Family Atmosphere In The Comfort And Warmth Of The ABC Cinema” for display at the theatre and on the Citizen’s Advice Bureau notice. He has also arranged for his monthly programs, times of screenings, and details of the concession rates to be displayed by the Old People’s Voluntary Service at their various centers throughout the district. The Nuneaton Evening Tribune gladly cooperated with a six inch story suggesting that many were not taking full advantage of the treatment that was being offered. imnmmmiM