Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1940)

July 13, 1940 MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE 43 Americanization Stressed By Indiana-Illinois Theatremen Patronage of Indiana-Illinois circuit's Voge, in East Chicago, Ind., depends largely upon steelworkers and their families representing some 27 nationalities. The majority of these groups speak only their mother tongues and cling to the old customs, according to Manager Maurie Parfrey. It was this situation that motivated the theatreman's project of special Americanization programs for grade and high school students, put on for two days with the support of local organizations. Following the successful procedure used by the circuit last year, Parfrey approached representative patriotic, civic and administrative groups which were sold on participation and agreed to pay all costs. With the heads of the schools concerned, morning and afternoon schedules were set up for the guidance of the students who paraded from schools to theatre, headed by bands, color guards, police escorts. Newspaper publicity was widespread in advance and after the showings. Participating organizations were the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Chamber of Commerce and junior association, Kiwanis, Lions and Elks Clubs, East Chicago Bar Association. The programs, running an hour and a half, started with patriotic talks by prominent locals, followed with the "to the colors" ceremony and pledge of allegiance to the flag. The screen units were the short subjects, Year of Dark Contrast, Bill of Rights, Old Glory, Sons of Liberty and Community Sing No. 10, the latter finishing with the singing of the national anthem. Conducted jointly with Manager Jack Albertson, at the circuit's Indiana, in nearby Indiana Harbor, the showings were reported to have drawn an attendance of over 5,000 students. In Elkhart, Ind.. Art Wartha, manager of Indiana-Illinois' Elco, highlighted his "Americanization Week" celebration with a welcome to Raymond Kelley, national commander of the American Legion, in town for the civic celebration. To view the special program of patriotic short subjects, Wartha arranged with local school heads for special morning shows, with representatives of civic and fraternal organizations on hand to address the children. MGM's "The Flag Speaks" was featured in the screen program. The ceremonies, witnessed by some 4,000 school children, included colors presentation ceremony by the American Legion color guard, in addition to other patriotic observances. "Men j Burlesque ' Aids Charity Fund To raise funds for the underprivileged children of Plainview, Texas, Manager Chet McSwain prevailed upon the dignified members of the local Kiwanis Club to sponsor his annual men's burlesque on the stage of the Granada Theatre, in which conventional bathing beauty and talent revues were amusingly cartooned. The theme of the advertising was emphasized with a figure of a female bathing beauty topped with the head of a cigar smoking male. Copy stressed such superlatives as stupendous, gigantic, colossal, etc., etc. Following the usual procedure, leading local businesses were represented by the participating Kiwanians and identified with such burlesque names as "Miss Flicker," "Miss Ten Cent Store," "Miss Gas Pipe," "Miss Elevator," etc., as comic labels for the stores represented. Publicity featured newspaper interviews with McSwain and outside advertising was made amusing by ordinary lettered burlap sacks hung from the marquees of buildings •on the main street. The stage setting was made up of bear grass, willow trees, cactus and sun flowers backed by burlap bags which carried gag copy. Platform placed center stage and covered with green grass was used by the entrants who posed in the usual manner. The master of ceremonies identified -each entrant, giving the merchant concerned a laugh or two in the sponsor's plugs. At the end of the show, all contestants were called on stage where the prizes were awarded. Chosen for laughs, the prizes included oversize shaving mugs, pots of grass, etc. "LET'S HEAR FROM YOU" Erickson Invites Patrons To Play "Singapore" Tunes Unique lobby stunt was arranged by Manager E. R. Erickson at Warner's Rhodes in Chicago ahead and during run of "Road to Singapore." Studio piano with sheet music of hit tunes from the picture were set up and patrons invited to seat themselves and bat out a few numbers. Appropriate tiein -card was placed on piano. Additional gag slant was a set of drapes hung in corner of lobby with card reading : "Peek in and see Dorothy Lamour in person," etc. Card on inside read : "Darn it ! She was here, but she has left. See Dorothy Lamour in," etc. Sarong was conspicuously planted on chair. "LET'S HEAR FROM YOU" Cat Resemblance Contest Inaugurated by Laby George Laby's campaign on "Pinocchio" at the Victory., in Holyoke, Mass., sure was the cats, since the theatreman started something for himself when he advertised in local daily for 10 kittens most closely resembling Figaro, owners to bring the felines down to the City Hall lawn at a designated time. According to humorously handled newspaper stories, practically every kid in •town with a cat arrived on the doorsteps of the Mayor's office to enter his pet in the resemblance contest. Prizes were awarded in connection with the stunt which created -plenty of word-of-mouth comment. Crawford Clothes Appeal Stressed on "Susan" Date Stressing the star's clothes appeal as illustrated by the styles worn in "Susan and God," Charlie Taylor, Buffalo Theatres ad head featured his campaign on the picture with a six-day radio contest over WGR, the prizes awarded for the best 100-word letters on the subject "Do you agree that Joan Crawford is the best dressed woman on the screen ?" Star's popularity in the drawing area was hooked up to a tiein with Greyhound Busses traversing the suburban territory. These carriers were decorated with strip banners reading "Take this bus to Shea's Buffalo to see," etc. On a similar tiein the New York Central distributed special heralds in a 50mile radius. Weighing machines in front of five-and-tens were used on a guest ticket tieup with certain numbers on the weight tabs entitling holders to free admissions. Patron list of local little theatre was informed of the picture which in play form had been shown by the amateur group. "LET'S HEAR FROM YOU" Patrons Roll Cantor's Eyes For "Little Mothers" Gag Lobby stunt arranged by John Schultz at the Liberty in Sharon, Pa., for "Forty Little Mothers," and one which he reports as giving his patrons a great kick, consisted of a compo board circle on which were painted the eyes of Eddie Cantor, revolving disc of the star's face with eyes cut out was then tacked directly over the board and patrons were invited to spin the face. If it stopped in the proper place with the eyes showing, guest tickets were awarded. Tieup was effected with local jeweler, whereby Schultz promoted 40 baby spoons to be given to the first 40 women attending show opening day. Cooperating merchant in addition to plugging the stunt in his window ran a two-column by six-inch ad. Station WPIC plugged hit tune from picture, roving cameraman ostensibly snapping passersby, distributed cards reading: "We didn't take your picture, but for the funniest picture of the year see," etc., and through tieup with distributor of record machines, cards were placed on all machines in the valley plugging hit tunes. "LET'S HEAR FROM YOU" Contests Aid Deering's "Tom Edison" Campaign Planted in two of Houston's dailies were contests arranged by Round Tabler Francis Deering in advance of "Young Tom Edison" opening at Loew's. First slant offered set of fine records to persons presenting most antiquated Edison talking machine at the theatre. All machines so received were on display in the lobby ahead with appropriate tiein card. Second contest which was conducted on the sports page of the paper carried voting ballots on which contestants were requested to name the Softball player whom they considered most valuable to the Houston team. Player receiving most votes was presented with a trophy from Mickey Rooney.