Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1932)

54 MOTION PICTURE HERALD KEEPING UP WITH THE TIMES! By GUY JONES Is Guy Guilefully Guying Some of Last Year's Product? AL GILLIS PROMOTED FOUR -PAGE SECTION IN LOCAL NEWSPAPER In connection with the Fox-West Coast Drive among theatre managers for district honors, which the Pacifid-Northwest division ran away with and consequently won a flock of cash money for Frank Newman and Terry McDaniel, Al Gillis, manager of the Rialto Theatre, Tacoma, Wash., promoted a four-page Shopping News Section through a tie-up between newspaper, merchants and theatre as one of his campaign angles. The middle section of the front page carried a large display ad on "Managers' Opportunity Week" and copy declared that it was the chance of a lifetime on part of citizens to help bring back F. & M. presentations to the Broadway Theatre by supporting the box office during the week. Some "ding-dong" politicians, as Al describes them, tried to crowd good, legitimate theatre readers out of the inside spread, but we note that Gillis managed to hold his own. He covered himself with glory on the fourth page by stealing half of it for another big plug for the return of vaudeville. "Fleet Week," which we take to be the annual visit paid Tacoma by the ships of the Pacific fleet of U. S. warships, was also recently celebrated and Al and his theatre received credit for opening the show with a lavish display of fireworks on the roof; and, we are advised, fireworks are not even allowed in the city on July 4. It meant tremendous crowds around the theatre on that night. During the week he promoted a stringed sextette from the U.S.S. Tennessee and had the Navy boys playing in the lobby every day. The Chamber of Commerce, Service Clubs and merchants all cooperated 100 per cent. The above, plus early returns on WestCoast Managers Drive, indicates that Round Tabler Gillis has been very much on his toes. Just as soon as we receive full dope on honors won by the many managers in the several districts, we'll see that the worthy ones are mentioned. In the meantime, we and all his friends wish Gillis continued success and we'll be looking for further news from Tacoma and other points northwest. Al, in case you don't know it, was our own opposition 'way back in those PoliConnecticut days. 'Member, Al ? We do. Free Wheeling! One of the features of Greater Picture Month at the Ambassador Theatre, St. Louis, Mo., is a tie-up with the local Public Service Company for free return fares for those attending the show. Passengers paying their one-way fare are given a check which may be endorsed at the theatre box office, good for return any time between 8.30 P. M. and 12.30 A. M. that night. The arrangement will continue until Nov. 6. RADIO FILM TIE-UP Above is a sample of the effective window displays arranged with Victor Radio by Leon Bamberger of RKO for the exploitation of "Phantom of Chestwood." The little skeletons in the shadow box do a dancing act. The attractive streamers shown in the upper and lower foreground were available at low cost. November 5, I 932 LEW PRESTON WAGED A UNIQUE CAMPAIGN ON PRISON PICTURE Lew Preston, formerly district supervisor of the Ridgewood section of Brooklyn, N. Y., for the Randforce Circuit and now a district manager for the Brothers Skouras out in Green Bay, Wis., engineered a campaign on "Last Mile" before leaving the Ridgewood Theatre that brought record returns to the box office. To start the ball a-rolling he used teaser trailers on the screen one week prior to opening date, together with a personal endorsement of the picture from Warden Lawes, the much publicized head of Sing Sing prison. When the trailer was flashed on the screen a distinctly novel effect was created by placing an especially built electric chair directly behind the screen, with an usher doubling as the doomed man. Two 1,000-watt spots with green gelatin were focussed on the usher, thus adding to the illusion of a death-chamber. To round out this cheerful picture the rest of the ushers were dressed in convict costumes, the doorman as a warden and all wore on their coats a button imprinted "The Last Mile." With the creation of prison atmosphere still in mind, Preston arranged a commodious 10' x 8' prison cell in the lobby for on advance display, block-built with threesheet cutouts inside. The prison background was further enhanced with large circles overhead and one-sheet cutouts. When the picture opened he had a man dressed in convict costume and sign on his back patrol the neighborhood. Attached to his ankle was an old-fashioned ball and chain, which rattled off additional atmosphere as he walked his beat. The front of the theatre was dressed with a 30' x 4' prison background scene with cutout pictures of convicts. During run of picture the electric chair already referred to was placed on a platform built on the marquee and lighted by a large overhead dome. Flashes were installed in the death-cap and the house electrician also erected a carbon spot on the roof. It was arranged to have the ballyhoo man in hiding along the street in front of the theatre located by the spot, at which time he would run among traffic and tie it up. With the theatre fire-siren going full blast this stunt proved to be a real crowd stopper, tying up traffic at times. Amplifying Lew's statement that no one in Ridgewood could help but know that "Last Mile" was playing his theatre, we'll go a bit further and credit him with supplying enough atmosphere to fully convince the neighborhood that the picture was somewhat related to prison life. Anyway, we have his word for it that the film pulled in a record gross for the week. Next time you hear of the exploits of Showman Preston, word will come from Green Bay, so until then we'll sign off. Peacock Back With Harris W. L. "Pop" Peacock, former manager of Warner Brothers' Orpheum Theatre, Titusville, Pa., and recently in charge of the Grand Opera House, a Warner house in Wilmington, Del., has resigned his position to rejoin the Harris Amusement Company, an association he continued for fourteen years prior to his outfit being taken over by the Warner Brothers in 1929. Peacock will report to the newly organized Pittsburgh office of the Harris Company.