Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1936)

November 28, 1936 MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE 99 "Swing Time" Display at Exposition Swinging Around With "Swing Time" Out in Cleveland the team of Ed Miller, manager, and Mort Goodman, publicist at Warner's Hipp, tied in with the Great Lakes Exposition handwriting analysis booth and offered a picture of Astaire or Rogers with each analysis (see photo). Banner giving message about free photos was placed on front of concession stand. Some nice publicity was also gleaned by tying in with Fred Astaire's personal appearance on the Packard Radio Hour, new Packard was on display in lobby with salesman in attendance during entire run of picture and contest was planted in Cleveland News with tickets going to those identifying Astai re-Rogers dances from past pictures. In Morrilton, Ark. Raleigh Sharrock at the Palace ran teaser ads in the Morrilton Democrat with lines spotted throughout paper reading "It Will Soon be Swing Time." Window cards were planted in stores throughout city, ad sheets in surrounding towns and Packard entry card blanks were distributed. Over in Brooklyn, N. Y. Louie Fishkin at the Commodore Theatre promoted local men's haberdasher for window display of evening clothes, center of display carrying large outout of the star with playdates. Ice cream parlor featured a "Swing Time" drink, photos of the stars were paid for and distributed by merchant whose ad was on reverse side and music store devoted window to display of "swing instruments," sheet music of hits from picture and cutout of Rogers. Ending in Wilkinsburg, Pa. With Dick Brown at the Rowland staging a Packard parade opening day with agency paying cost of banners, gas and furnishing the drivers. Cooperating merchant paid for cost and distribution of "Swingtime" tabloids, menus, paper bags and napkins bore picture imprint, local shoe shop devoted a window to tap and ballroom shoes. "Have You Contributed Irately}' Borrensen's "Tiger" Heralds For his "Bengal Tiger" date at the Strand in Minot, N. D., H. F. Borrensen distributed gaily colored heralds carrying names and positions of players on local football teams, lower part of which were devoted to picture plug and playdates. Week ahead of opening "H. F." also mailed out government postcards which he singed around edges, copy reading, "Red hot news," etc. Lumber Wagon Bally Used for "Come and Get It" Harold Evans of Loew's State, St. Louis, used a big lumber wagon piled high with giant logs sniped with banners as a ballyhoo for "Come and Get It." The stunt stopped traffic in the main intersections, attracting plenty of attention everywhere it went. Evans turned out 5,000 special heralds playing up the "Father Versus Son for a Woman" angle. These were distributed to women leaving work in the downtown business sections and he also had theatre employees send cards to friends commenting on the picture. Hal also planted several features including the "Do You Remember ?" series, a special article on Reeves Espy stressing Espy's large acquaintance in St. Louis, and a story on Frank Shields' well-known tennis ability on the sports pages. "Have You Contributed Lately}' Three-Language Herald Sells "Crespi" in Tel-Aviv "The Crime of Dr. Crespi" was introduced to patrons of the Migdalor Cinema in Tel-Aviv, Palestine, with a striking sixsheet mounted over the marquee and augmented by a series of three-sheets posted on billboards throughout the city. Unique heralds carried the following captions in Hebrew, German and English: "Blow your breath on this red spot. If the spot turns blue — see a doctor ! If the spot remains red . . . See Eric von Stroheim in "The Crime of Dr. Crespi." Arc Lamps in Front of Metropolitan Strong Boston Campaign For Mirrophonic Installation Premiered vigorously in the Hollywood manner was the campaign that introduced the installation of the new Mirrophonic sound system at the Boston Metropolitan sponsored by Manager Taylor and Gene Fox working with Bert Sanford and Lon Hacking of Erpi. Drive opened with a press breakfast and was followed during the afternoon with a bannered plane flying over the city during the visit of the dirigible Hindenburg. For two days the decorated Erpi sound truck was spotted at downtown corners playing music through the portable Mirrophonic installations. Truck was also used at the theatre during evenings tied into a broadcast over WAAB wherein patrons leaving the theatre were asked to give their opinions of the new sound. Battery of sun arc lamps (see photo) were spotted on theatre front for the opening. THE GOOD EARTH 99 Whether it's Chinese you want, or Modern, we can give it to you. In fact we can give you about any design you want, even one of your own devising, . . . which is one reason why you'll find Alexander Smith Carpet in the majority of the country's most successful theatres. ALEXANDER SMITH CARPET