Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1936)

100 MOTION PICTURE HERALD November 28, 1936 MANAGERS REPORT YULETIDE IDEAS Checking and Mail Services Included by Harry Brown, Jr. In the lobby of Shea's Paramount, Newport, R. I., Harry Brown, Jr., is set two weeks ahead to put up a replica of a regulation mail box in charge of Santa Claus. Paper and pencils are provided for children so they can write letters direct to Santa Claus with lists of presents they desire. The signed letters are then sent to parents with a personal letter from the theatre. Brown reports this as a natural and forwards accompanying photo to show how it was done by him in Newark some time ago. At the same time, a free checking service is to be inaugurated for convenience of patrons and where shopping bundles may be left while they are seeing the show. This is being strongly publicized in ads, lobby and trailers. Attractive holiday greeting cards with coming attractions are to be forwarded to all names on mailing list. Presents to be given away at Brown's children's club will be displayed at foot of large tree and special engagement of Kiddie Revue from Station WJAR in Providence is also set with local youngsters featured on the program. Gala juvenile stage festival in charge of popular dancing teacher will be put on for three days ahead of Christmas. Drachman's $1,000 Gold Rush Set for Week Before Xmas Pre-holiday program already set by Roy Drachman, at the Fox, Tucson, is now in operation with the next big event, a style and beauty show, slated for Dec. 11. This is put on with department store and beauty shop, show combining displays of newest hair dress and women's fashions. On Dec. 17 Drachman starts his second annual Gold Rush, a giveaway of $1,000, split into six prizes. Eight hundred of this was promoted from merchants who give numbered tickets with purchases for the prize drawing. Tieup is made with merchants only on one street, one of the most important, with stores paying for their share of tickets and space in double-truck coop pages. Last year the stunt drew a crowd of over 10,000, with the Governor and Congresswoman Isabella Greenway on stage to draw the winning numbers. On Dec. 18 a Packard car giveaway is set for the benefit of the local baseball team, and on Dec. 23 the theatre is putting up a new Chevrolet with six merchants in to underwrite the cost. On Dec. 24 Drachman is in charge of the Christmas civic party in which Tucson plays Santa to the poor children. A 30-foot tree is set in front of the house, the entire block roped off, band to make music, high school choir to sing carols, ministers of different denominations to offer benediction, city officials on platform and boy scouts on hand to usher and direct traffic. Fruit, candy, etc., is given the children from a fund obtained by sale of newspapers on the streets by members of the Big Brothers Club, an organization that functions, but once each year— at this time. All RUSSIAN T HIST LEW EED BECOMES XMAS TREE Operating out in western Kansas last year, R. M. Thomason found that the summer dust storms had dried and burnt up everything so that no evergreens could be found for his usual Christmas tree. Not one bit stymied, "R. M." dug up a large Russian thistleweed, had it whitewashed, sprinkled silver glitter upon it and placed the plant in his lobby, labeled "A Kansas Christmas Tree". lunch clubs compete to see which can raise the most money with the theatre offering a cup to the winner. The adults dress like kids, sell papers from a nickel to a dollar (and no change) with the paper putting out a special Big Brother Edition on the tieup. Louie Charninsky Reports Lucky Number Toy Stunt To start on Thanksgiving, Louie Charninsky has planned a lobby display at the Capitol, in Dallas, where many worthwhile toys promoted from local department store will be shown and given to children holding the lucky numbers, drawing to be held at the theatre the Saturday before. In return, Louie is printing numbered coupons with name of store and date of giveaway. Each child attending the Capitol between the two holidays will be given coupons also offered at the store with purchases. Prize toys are set under large tree suitably decorated, with baby spots and blue slides added for further atmosphere. Louie also has his Santa Claus to work the lobby and distribute candy. Toy shows for underprivileged children are also in order and Charninsky is using the National Screen trailer carrying holiday greetings. "Have You Contributed Lately?" Harry Brown's Mail Box Stunt in Newark Many Yule Activities Set At Cleveland Loew Houses From Milt Harris, Cleveland Loew Theatres head publicist, is reported a long list of tieins that promise to repeat last year's success, the most unusual probably being the selection of eight singers from the nationally known Acepella Choir to visit with a Town Crier, leading restaurants and hotel dining rooms. The group of four boys and four girls sings carols and after which the Crier opens scroll and in Colonial fashion announces screen attractions at the State. Parties for the youngsters are much in evidence. Arranged by Col. Harry E. Long, division manager, tiein has been made with local branch of the I. J. Fox fur company to cooperate on orphans' party, the fur company supplying each youngster with candy and toy plus transportation to and from. Newspaper tieups feature a "Bury the Tree" stunt with the Cleveland Press at Loew's State and Stillman wherein readers are invited to bring toys, clothing and nonperishable foods to be placed around tree until it is almost covered. Same idea is put on at the Loew's Park on the East Side and the Granada on the West Side with neighborhood papers. To build interest in preChristmas activities put on by all three local papers such as prize fights, wrestling matches and mammoth Yuletide show at Public Hall, Loew's cooperates in every way possible in exchange for credits to the organization. Christmas decorations are lavish in all the Loew houses. In the State lobby, department store is decorating tree with trimmings and toys and there will also be a Santa distributing candy promoted from local factory in exchange for credits. Plans are now in work for John Newkirk's ninth annual Community Christmas Tree at Loew's Granada where tiein with the Lakewood Post and fire department makes possible reconditioning of toys for distribution to the needy. Loewmen Jack Lykes, Arnold Gates and Everett Steinbuch are all taking prominent parts in putting over these various Yuletide activities. Thomason Offers Xmas Box In Lobby Guessing Contest At the Uptown, in Sedalia, Mo., Manager R. M. Thomason has a complete schedule arranged that covers toy matinees, baskets of food for needy families, free package wrapping and mailing service plus checking, local talent dancing school revue and kid matinees. For a guessing contest with a different twist, Thomason has promoted a large box wrapped in holiday ribbons to be given the patron guessing its contents. Merchant's name will be the only clue and after the first box has been won, similar further boxes will be offered from other stores in a similar manner. Ballots will be made available in the lobby and winners presented with their prizes from the stage. Booklets with institutional copy and attractions for the coming season are also contemplated as is tiein with local organizations for benefits, a percentage to go to the local good will fund.