Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1937)

May I , 193 7 MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE 79 MARATHON RUNNERS. The thousands along fhe route of the annual Boston Marathon saw two runners with back-banners reading they were running to see "Personal Property" at Loew's, the plant arranged by Joe Di Pesa. Newspaper Contest Tops ' 'Star ' 'Drive Taken from the theme of the picture was the very successful contest put on for the Music Hall date on "A Star Is Born" wherein the New York Evening Journal cooperated in selecting a girl from the metropolitan area for the prize of a trip to Hollywood and a screen test at the Selznick studios, producers of the picture. Topping the advance, put on by Hazel Flynn's Music Hall ad department, working with Monroe Greenthal's U. A. crew, the contest ran ten days with thousands of entries reported by U. A. Winner flew via United Airlines. Cross-word puzzle planted in the New York Mirror proved another effective newspaper tiein. Numerous radio tieins also were efTected. For outdoors attention, a neon-lighted plane was engaged to fly over the city in advance and two opening days. Wings and fuselage were equipped with signs calling attention to the date. For direct mail, the Music Hall furnished a select list of thousands of names from the files to which were directed engraved cards on the premiere. Public schools were contacted through a display arranged by the MPPDA wherein seven panels with material describing the production of the picture were exhibited at the schools and branch libraries. Store tieins were also emphasized with cooperations effected with many General Electric company stores and dealers for elaborate windows. Macy's used the title in a page ad reading: "72 Years Ago a Star Was Born," referring to the store's anniversary sale. The Kitty Kelly shoe chain also broke co-op ads in the New York papers, as did Lux soap on the Gaynor endorsement. Coiffure ads also were planted. Augmented posting campaign was included. "Tell Us What You Did" Stilt Walker Sells "Top of Town" Adapting Universal's pressbook suggestion, Sam Torgan, Manager RKO Keith Theatre, Lowell, Mass., sent a stilt walker around town in advance of his opening on "Top of the Town." The bally carried a portable phonograph amplifying system which played music from the picture. He also gave vocal plugs, and was bannered with signs giving theatre credits. J II Abo-o-ar-rd! Sunday, May second, is the day; United Airlines terminal at the Newark Airport, the starting point of the Quigley 1936 Grand Awards trip to Hollywood, where on Tuesday, May 4th, the Plaque presentation ceremonies are to be held. Sid Holland, Bronze Grand Award winner, joins the party in Chicago and Lew Chatham, Silver Grand Award winner, in Omaha. Due to the necessity of arriving on time, the Arrangements Committee has been forced to decline invitations for the travellers to stop off and visit with brother Round Tablers but it is expected that brief informal receptions will be held at various stops. Invitations to attend the presentation luncheon on next Tuesday have been accepted by studio executives, directors and stars, among others. Details of the ceremonies will be carried in the news section of the May 8th issue; presentation photos and winners' stories of their Hollywood adventure the week following. A-MIKE Publishes Opposite Reviews In Ad for "Green Light" Now situated at the University Theatre, in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Seth H. Field, Quigley Plaque winner, reports that the old-fashioned bally being "out" in that college section, other more subtle forms of publicity are used to attract the university students. Among these, the college papers are important, and on "Green Light" Fields sends along an ad on that date which had to do with the divergent opinions by a Hollywood observer and the paper's picture reviewer. Alongside of the favorable review by Hollywood's Welford Beaton, was published the pan by the university critic with readers invited to settle the argument by seeing the picture for themselves. Noted in another issue of the college sheet was a neat bit of institutional buildup wherein was recounted the activities of one of the theatre's personnel who, seated in the front row of the balcony at the first screening of each picture with a pad of paper and phone to the booth, controls proper sound by signaling necessary changes in volume during the running of the picture. These changes noted on the pad are then typed and a copy posted in the projection booth to be followed during the rest of the run. "Tell Us What You Did" Takes Bow On "Life" Dealing himself in on the reported scarcity of the new picture weekly, "Life," Ray Howes, assistant at the Granada, Spokane, Wash., cut up a few of the issues and mounted all the pictures for display in front of the theatre. Tiein copy read : "Two ways to enjoy life. Read It Here and Go to tlie Granada." "Tell Us What Yon Did" Publishers Plug "Parnell" Tiein with MGM on "Panicll" to plug the book has lieen set by F. A. Stokes, publishers, who have prepared a 22 by 28 twopanel display for book stores on theatre tieups. One panel contains blowup of Gable and Loy with the other showing reproduction of the book. Publishers are instructing retailers to secure further advertising from managers to elaborate these displays. Armistead Builds Model Of Lyric Theatre Front An ingenious lobby display was that shown in accompanying photo and created by Harold Armistead of the Lyric Theatre in Easley, S. C. Scale model was constructed on a basis of one inch to one foot of the front of the theatre. Miniature frames display one sheets and photos cut from press sheets of coming attractions and are changed from time to time. Harold reports the setpiece as being a distinct eye-attr actor. "Tell Us What You Did" "Jump for Joy" Says Bob That clever program-constructor, Bob McGregor, at the Skouras-Nemo, on upper Broadway, New York, uses a comedy sketch idea for front page of recent announcement. Drawing showed Mr. and Mrs. with Junior doing a dance on the advent of the postman who approaches with their copy of the Nemo program. Copy is headed with "The Jones Family Jumps for Joy," followed with titles and dates of coming week's features. "Tell Us What You Did" Armistead's Model Theatre Front Display