Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1933)

June 3, 1933 ROUND TABLE CLUB 47 QUICK SERVICE IDEAS THAT WORKED JACK LYKES, always on the job at Loew's Stillman Theatre, Cleveland, pulled a neat gag in connection with the engagement of "Looking Forward" by placing a large leather bound book in the lobby on which patrons will record impressions in praise of President Roosevelt. When 10,000 signatures have been affixed, Jack will send the book to the President. . . . SID GRAUMAN, of Grauman's Chinese, Los Angeles, has arranged to shoulder his share of the nation-wide beauty contest to be held in connection with national release of "Gold Diggers of 1933." From the beauty chorus of 200 girls in the film 18 will be dangled before the public to choose one most fitted for stardom. Slogans will be: "Be a Beauty Contest fudge"; "Help Make Me a Star." A vast newspaper campaign is in preparation. . . . ANDREW SASO, manager of Hamrick's Oriental Theatre, Portland, Ore., aroused considerable curiosity by placing a "42d Street" sign on Grand Avenue in his city when exploiting the current musical film. Lots of folk wanted to know if the City Council had given Saso permission to change the name of the street. . . . JACK MARPOLE, chief of the Paramount Theatre, Salt Lake City, had all ushers rigged out in sailors' whites during the showing of "Sailor's Luck." IRVING WATERSTREET, manager of the Victory, Salt Lake City, recently cashed in on a two-for-one tie-up with the local traction company, whereby car pass holders were entitled to bring a companion to the Victory for one admission. . . . MICHAEL UALA, manager of the Eighth Street Playhouse, Greenwich Village, New York City, recently issued a program as distinctive as his house. Outside was done in silver against white and a folder insert of good grade bond announced dates far "Child of Manhattan." The spread of the folder carried photo of Nancy Carroll and reprint of a review from a daily. Very neat piece of work, say we. . . . TED GAMBLE, well known manager of the Northwest, brought Increased business by arranging for a personal appearance of Norma Talmadge and George Jessel at Parker's Broadway Theatre, following their engagement at the New Roxy, Seattle. . . . ROBERT HICKS, manager of the Empire, San Antonio, Texas, found the Barthelmess memory stunt outlines in First National's merchandising campaign on the picture to his liking and tied the idea to his local newspaper. It found ready response from patrons, he reports. . . . HARD TO GET! You bet it's hard to get a window on Fifth Avenue, New York City, such as the one shown in the photo above, but Martha Wilchinsky, -formerly of the Terry Turner office at Radio City, and the Disney office, succeeded in tying up the Southern Pacific Lines with current Mickey Mouse and Silly Synnphony attractions, as well as Disney Motion Picture Academy awards. The display created lots of comment. ED. M. FAY, operator of Fay's Theatre, Providence, R. I., and houses in several other cities, used a diversified collection of some 50 stills to play up production values of "42d Street." The frame had strip lights on top and bottom and a gold background. It made a most elective display and caused plenty of comment on the attraction. . . . J. ELMER REDELLE, in charge of the Victory, Dayton, Ohio, took advantage of the topical timeliness of "Elmer the Great" through a newspaper stunt which requested readers to name an all-star or championship team of players who at one time or another had played with a Dayton club. Much local interest was aroused. HOWARD WAUGH is ahvays several jumps ahead of the parade when plugging trade for his Warner Theatre, Memphis, Tenn. Althotigh the "Old Maestro" will not play "Gold Diggers" for several weeks he has already distributed hundreds of SYz by AYz telephone pads which carry advertising copy on the forthcoming film and admonition to watch for playdate. Catchline was: "'Watch for the date on Seventh Wonder of the Show World." . . . CHARLES R. STOFLET, formerly of Ludington, Mich., and for the past year manager of the Margie Grand Theatre, Harlan, Ky., Is one of this industry's latest gift's to the staff of Kentucky Colonels surrounding the colorful personality of Governor Ruby Laffoon. Salutes are again in order. . . . GEORGE DELIS, manager of the Palace, Canton, plugged "King Kong" with a herald which carried "terror" copy and photo of three characters on one side and a jigsaw puzzle scheme on the reverse. Puzzle was purported to have been devised by Robert Armstrong for amusement of Fay Wray and Bruce Cabot while all were en route to Skull Island and consisted of a picture of Armstrong and his friends. Armstrong accused friends of hiding pieces. Patrons were invited to piece the puzzle together, exonerate friends, who refused to answer, and thereby earn a free show. 500 heralds carried complete puzzles. ... JACQUES SHELLMAN, former movie editor and theatre contact man for Baltimore Stmpapers, handled the exploitation for Morris A. Mechanic, proprietor of the New Theatre, Baltimore, on "Cavalcade" and did a corking job, we hear. Popular prices were stressed. With all Jacques' experience as a newspaperman he failed to supply this department with details of his campaign. Next time, maybe? . . . FRANK BARNES, skipper of the Dickinson Theatre, Lawrence, Kansas, is gaining the good will of the University of Kansas students by admitting fraternity members free on designated nights. . . . MIKE WESHNER, impresario of the Fabian Theatre, Hoboken, N. J., helped "42d Street" roll up a most satisfactory gross by sending out over his entire mailing list postal telegraph blanks bloivn up to 17 X 11. Copy reads "Hello, Everybody — Stars Galore and what a score has 'Aid Street' — Action — Drama — Ftt n — Stu pense. A cast that's hard to beat — Warner Baxter— Bebe Daniels — Ginger Rogers, Too — Potvell — Brent — Merkel — Keeler — Just to name a few — Take a tip, don't let it slip — When you see it billed — Of course, it's Warner's and you'll be tlyrilled," etc. And may we add that Mike's someti/hat of a poet — whether you know it — or not. . . . C. C. McDERMOND, In charge of the New Stadium Theatre, Salt Lake City, now nearing completion, is keeping his house In the limelight by sponsoring a baseball club made up of a combination of youngsters and veterans. . . . NELSON HAMPTON, new chief of the New Strand Theatre, Birmingham, Ala., recently made a splendid food advertising tieup with a local newspaper. Names of a large number of residents of the city placed in food store ads throughout the paper were redeemable in pairs of ducats for "Rain." The paper came throtigh with a large announcement ad. . . .