Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1936)

104 MOTION PICTURE HERALD November 28, 1936 WHITE CHRISTMAS TREES PLANNED {Continued from preceding page) ducer. During the course of the show the chorus will work the audience to take up a free-will collection for the fund. The showing is sponsored by the Houston Press, which goes heavily for stories and photos weeks ahead and aside from the good-will created, Francis reports that last year the revue boosted receipts over the same period the year before some 25 per cent with a better showing expected this December. A twelve-day tieup with the Toledo Blade has been effected by Wally Caldwell, Loew's Valentine, Toledo, for the Elk's Poor Relief with wearing apparel collected by the theatre. Wally put this same stunt over last year and says the stunt nets the theatre a two-column story with art daily. Another gag used by Caldwell last year was two six-foot boys dressed like Santa Claus with Laurel and Hardy 36-inch papier mache heads parading through crowds daily advertising current short. White Christmas Trees Featured by Holden Outstanding decoration in the lobby of the Capitol, Atlanta, is to be a white Christmas tree, reports Earle Holden, an annual stunt started three years ago and a different twist to the usual holiday decoration. Holden takes a regular green tree, has it sprayed with white calcimine and put up after the paint dries. Red and green balls with plenty of silver icicles are used with all colors spotted. For proper effect, says Earle, care must be taken in the spraying to cover every inch of the tree. Dancing school Yuletide prologue with 40 children from four to 15 is set for week ahead at each performance and the sale of book tickets for gifts is also being plugged. At the Fox Midwest theatres in Fred C. Souttar's district, much activity is arranged to stimulate business. Autos have been promoted to be drawn for on night of Dec. 24th, and patrons who attend any performance during the week ahead of the drawing and fill out attendance card are to be eligible for the prize. Shirley Temple dolls, radios and similar gifts are also to be used and matinees for the underprivileged children are also in order. The Associated Civic Clubs of Clearwater, Fla., will handle this year's Empty Stocking Fund benefit this year with Del Padgett, at the Capitol Theatre, thus eliminating the previous numerous local talent shows put on in other years to raise money for the needy. In addition to concentrating all these activities, the show will also insure the theatre a capacity house. With the Lions' Club, Del is arranging a free kid matinee for Christmas morning, when toys and candy are to be distributed. For his December drive at the State, Watertown, S. D., Mike Guttman is setting a deal whereby patrons will be given specially made up Christmas tickets to the theatre with every five dollar sale and to those paying up bank accounts. Mike is also offering a checking service for patrons. Some layout is used for groceries and cosmetic stores. With the copy set up in form of a Christmas tree, Ed Selette's laundry card idea will be used by him again this year at the Albany, Albany, N. Y. Top part of the card is for the theatre copy with cut of Santa below and laundry name and address at the bottom. From Frank La Falce, Warner Theatre Washington zone ad head, comes a further report on special cartoon shows to be put on in the Washington and out-of-town houses. At this writing, Pop Eye, Betty Boop, Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphony shows are set, these to be labeled 'All-Star Cartoon Shows" and to run approximately 90 minutes. Already tried in a few spots, La Falce reports this outgrossing any previous cartoon show they have ever put on. Krendel Makes Strong Drive On Theatre Tickets for Gifts Special hard tickets packaged in attractive Christmas envelopes are being pushed as appropriate holiday gifts in a strong drive by Dan Krendel, at the Tivoli, Toronto, with local stationery stores encouraged to put them on display and sell them on a percentage. Blocks of these are also being disposed of by merchants to give away with purchases over a certain figure. Each member of the staff has been allotted a certain number with prize for the one selling his quota first. Staff also receives the regular commission. Special trailers suggesting that the cutouts in the lobby and display of the tickets and other means are used to plug this angle and Krendel expects handsome returns. During the week when the schools were closed last year, Dan put on special morning shows. Few days ahead of school closing every prominent school was circularized with die-cut colored Santa heralds, copy plugging the shows and prizes to be given. On arriving at the theatre children dropped coupons with their names in a box at the door and about half-way through the show of special shorts, winning names were flashed on the screen and the lucky youngsters presented with their gifts. Krendel reports the morning shows adding considerably to the week's grosses. Best Decorated Home Contest Worked by Limerick and Paper In cooperation with the Times-Review, his daily paper, George Limerick, skipper of the Yale and Palace Theatres, in Cleburne, Texas, is featuring a Best Christmas Decorated Home contest in which householders will be invited to participate in three classifications, two-story homes, apartment houses and duplexes, one-story homes and cottages. Prizes to be given in each division are: silver loving cup, first, and offered by the local in each division are, first, a silver loving cup bv the chamber of commerce plus a 90-day pass to the Yale Theatre; second, a 60-day pass, and third, a 30-day pass. Paper is now running daily page one entry blanks and follow-up stories with winners to be selected on Dec. 22 and announced in a special Christmas edition on Christmas Eve. The contest insures Limerick front page publicity every day during the shopping season. Celebrated by the entire city on Dec, 12 is Santa Day, sponsored by all local business men. On that day Santa, suitably costumed, will be on view and introduced officially in a mammoth parade, in which the theatre will be represented with a fancy float advertising current and coming attractions, copy further extending the season's greetings to the community. Santa will also be used as a bally by Limerick, with the Old Gent parading the streets with back-banners week ahead reading : "Come See Me at the Yale and Palace" and the day before : "I'm Staying Over in Cleburne Tonight to See the Big Xmas Preview at the Yale." As Christmas Eve is an occasion locally for high jinks by the younger set, George is putting on a special preview that night starting at 11 :15. Limerick's annual decoration of the inside and front of the Yale Theatre has become an ace attention-attractor for the house and this year the interior will be hung with red and green Japanese rope from which glitter icicles are to be suspended. Lobby will have an elaborate setpiece with illuminated and decorated trees on each side. Front will feature a 25-foot shadow box carrying season's greetings and around the marquee there will be 200 pounds of Louisiana smilax, a green holiday foliage very popular in those parts. Varicolored lights will be planted thickly among the smilax. "Blaze of Glory Week" Scheduled by Davis In Canada, the day after Christmas is Boxing Day, a legal holiday, and all business places close on Thursday night before and open on the following Monday morning. So as to take advantage of the school recess during this time and to build up the slump after the holiday celebration, Walt Davis, at the Capitol, Regina, Saskatchewan, has scheduled a "Blaze of Glory Week" which is to follow up his usual Christmas campaign. The "week" is to start on Dec. 28th, with a "Dad's Night," which allows fathers to bring their wives and children as guests on one ticket, a sort of family night idea which Davis finds profitable on off days. The following morning a "Popeye" show is on tap and on Dec. 31 morning a Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck party is arranged with stage show and local kid talent. Gifts and a wiener roast are included. Another highlight is a big amateur stage show for New Year's Eve. The usual pre-Christmas decorations are also in line, including blocks of ice on the sidewalks with trees stuck therein. Extra screen attraction sponsored by several of the more prominent stores is a locally-made reel of the holiday activities to be shown at the theatre. {Continued on page 106)