Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1940)

August 3, 1940 MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE 59 Kids Collect Rock to Advertise Date On "Million BC" Following Ted Kirkmeyer's recent promotion of used auto tires from among his local youth, R. W. Ferguson, now reports the collection of lettered rock by the youngsters of Osawatomie, Kan., for a buildup on "Million B.C." at the Osawa. Newspaper ads announced that children under 12, bringing rocks lettered with title, theatre and date, would be admitted for five cents. Over 400 responded, the rocks being saved until the day before opening when Ferguson had them distributed around town between five and six in the morning. A puzzle novelty also greeted enthusiastically by the youngsters was made up by the theatreman in the form of jigsaws, from heralds on the picture. Heralds were pasted to mat board and divided by a cutawl machine. When this served its purpose, the theatreman announced another offer, similar to the rock project, this time the kids being invited to bring bones twelve inches or longer to the theatre in exchange for free admission to see the opening chapter of a new serial. As Ferguson tells it, the butchers were besieged for bones and the locals who phoned the theatre to inquire were told the collection was to be used to advertise the picture. Comparison Copy Used for Displays This was done in many ways for window and other display. Set alongside of horsehead skeletons and other material atmospheric of the picture in store windows, the copy was to the effect that the bones were representative of animals in the picture. As an instance, a leading hardware store plugged aluminum wear and the date with copy such as, "In the form of ore and sand this Pyrex flame-wear and ovenwear has lived since "One Million B.C.," etc., etc. In other windows, the title and date were spelt out with bones. The utilities company made up an exhibit of a prehistoric camp fire to plug modern cook stoves. The copy : "This was the only form of cooking used in," etc., etc., "compare it with," etc. Comparison displays were also planted in drug stores for exterminators, in farm supply stores for farming implements. Restaurants advertised, "T-Bone Steak Special, the Size of a Dinosaur," etc. Parade Features Campaign The comparison idea was also carried out in a street parade of a Saturday afternoon, units including Boy Scouts, high school band, other youth organizations and fleet of bannered Chevrolet cars. What the Scouts might have been in the period of the picture was compared with the 1940 members. The same was done with the autos to show old and new transportation. Theatre front was in keeping with the personnel dressed accordingly. Newspaper support was topped with a page co-op promoted by Ferguson, all copy further tieing in the "compare" slant. Incidentally, the manager sold the ads in person, making a profit on the page as he did on the sale of the bones as fertilizer after the date, bringing the entire cost of campaign down to a few dollars. He reports the down to a few dollars. NEARINC THE HALFWAY About the best commentary on the enthusiasm shown by entrants on the Quigley Awards is indicated in the number of winners in the Third Fortnight of the Third Quarter, a tivo-week period that marked one of the worst heat spells this country has known. Despite these handicaps, sufficient high-grade showmanship was displayed in the Third Fortnight to roll up a total of 5 9 Awards to 56 entries, the added three voted because of double-credits as shown. H. M. ADDISON Olympic, Watertown, N. Y. GEORGE BANNAN Van Wert, Van Wert, O. JOHN BARCROFT RKO Palace, Columbus, O. RAY BELL Loew's, Washington. D. C. LIGE BRIEN Prince, Ambridge, Pa. LOU BROWN Poli, New Haven, Conn. BILL BURKE State, Fostoria, O. WALLY CALDWELL Valentine, Toledo, O. EV CALLOW Warners, Philadelphia, Pa. M. H. CHAKERES Regent, Springfield. O. LOU COHEN Poli, Waterbury, Conn. G. W. COLEMAN Arcade, Springfield, Mass. RALPH CRAIG Adelphi, Reynoldsville, Pa. GENE CURTIS Paramount, Syracuse, N. Y. FRANCIS DEERING Loew's, Houston, Tex. JERRY DEROSA CARL FISHMAN Paradise, Bronx. N. Y. E. V. DINERMAN RKO, Cincinnati, O. JOE Dl PESA Loew's, Boston, Mass. R. W. FERGUSON Osawa, Osawatomie, Kan. M. E. FERRERA Dixie, Abbeville, La. ED FITZPATRICK Poli, Waterbury, Conn. JOSEPH FRANKLIN Mayfair, St. John. N. B., Canada ARNOLD GATES Park, Cleveland, O. EDGAR GOTH ELIHU GLASS Paramount, Stapleton, S. I., N.Y. KEN GRIMES Warner, Erie, Pa. JOHN W. GUITON, JR. Rialto, West New York, N. J. BILL HOCK Enright, Pittsburgh, Pa. GEORGE HUNT, JR. Loew's, Louisville, Ky. BILL JOHNSON Ft. Plain, Ft. Plain, N. Y. A. J. KALBERER Indiana, Washington, Ind. RAYMOND J. KENNEY Cosmo, Chicago, III. FRANK V. KING Midland, Newark, O. GUS LAMPE HARRY UNTERFORT Keith, Syracuse, N. Y. M. A. LIGHTMAN, JR. Malco, Memphis, Tenn. EDDIE McBRIDE State, Providence, R. I. J. R. MAC EACHRON Paramount, Jackson, Tenn. HIRAM MEEKS Rialto, Morrilton, Kan. SID MESIBOV Warners, Philadelphia, Pa. C. C. PERRY Loew's, Norfolk, Va. LES POLLOCK Loew's, Rochester, N. Y. WOODROW PRAUGHT Chateau, Rochester, Minn. H. W. REISINGER Bijou, New Haven, Conn. CARL ROGERS Regent, Harrisburg, Pa. LEO ROSEN Troy, Troy, N. Y. JOE RYAN Eastman, St. Cloud, Minn. BILLY SAXTON Century, Baltimore, Ohio CHARLES SCHLAIFER United Artists, San Francisco JOHN A. SCHULTZ Liberty, Sharon, Pa. CHUCK SHANNON Boulevard, Pittsburgh, Pa. ALEC F. SMITH Empire, Islington, London W-CLYDE SMITH Paramount, Hot Springs, Ark. ARNOLD STOLTZ Avon, Utica, N. Y. H. S. TWEDT Lido, Manly, la. RAY WHEELER Roxy, Laporte, Ind. CHARLES WINCHELL Minnesota Amusement Co. Minneapolis, Minn. W. D. YEAKLE Kentucky, Danville, Ky. The Third Quarter Competitions now near the Quarter halfway mark with the current Fortnight — the fourth — and three more to go before the Third QuarterMaster Plaques, Medals and Citations are voted. It should be a merry battle, according to the representation of different operations, circuit and independent, participating in the fast going. As noted above, IS circuits are listed for the honors. In addition to the domestic winners, we are pleased also to include Alec F. Smith, of London.