Motion Picture Herald (Sep-Oct 1941)

56 MOTION PICTURE HERALD October II, 1941 EXPLOITATION BRIEFS FROM A-FIELD Institutional stories have been planted in the local daily by J. H. Feulner, manager of the Des Plaines, in Des Plaines, 111., more recent of which were accounts of his reduced prices for service men, ear phones for the hard of hearing and kid matinees. V As a street attractor ahead of "They Met in Bombay" at Loew's, in Indianapolis, Manager Bill Elder sent a couple out covering downtown area, each carried a suit case lettered on both sides reading: "I'm on my way to see," etc. V Touring the streets of Lexington, Ky., ahead of "Frank Buck's Jungle Cavalcade" at the Schine Ben Ali was float arranged by city manager Lew Hensler on which were seated negroes dressed as African savages and beating tom-toms. For further effect man inside gorilla skin cavorted about the truck. V Cut out from a 24-sheet was giant figure of Betty Grable which was used by Artie Cohn of the Warner Roosevelt, in Philadelphia, ahead of "Moon Over Miami." Combined with colored blowup and transparency the display measured approximately 16 feet in length by eight feet in height. V Handled along the lines of Army vs. Navy for romance and laughs, was the special Army and Navy week programs arranged by Cassius Smith of the Annex in Detroit and Hyman Bloom at the Regent, each of which played "23>y2 Hours Leave" and "Sweetheart of the Navy." Both lobbies two weeks in advance carried tent displays, Army and Navy equipment, huge turret, guns, etc. Special fronts carried such copy as "Army cheering section, enter here" and the same for the Navy. Public address system plaved military tunes. V "Spook party" invitations were placed in all local hotel key boxes by Ralph Ayer, Stuart, Lincoln, Neb., during his "Whistling in the Dark" campaign. V A breakfast and early screening of "When Ladies Meet" for local emporium salesgirls was a feature of the campaign for the film put over by Jimmy Redmond, Bonham, Fairbury, Neb. V Two women stood at a busy local intersection and gossiped loudly about "When Ladies Meet" as one of the features of the ' When Ladies Meet" campaign put over by J. W. Pickett, Rivoli, Hastings, Neb. V A photographer roamed the streets taking photos of local women, handed them cards, and explained that those whose photos appeared in the lobby of the Victoria would receive guest tickets, during the Shamokin, Pa., 'When Ladies Meet" engagement campaign put over by Clem Reck. V By using a transparent mirror and an electrical connection, George Avis, Loew's, Baltimore, fixed up a "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" box which showed first a picture of Dr. Jekyll and then a change to a shot of Mr. Hyde. MAYOR PROCLAIMS YORK-ARMY WEEK Tying the war defense program to the opening of "Sergeant York" at the F. & M. Missouri Theatre, in St. Louis, the Mayor issued a proclamation setting aside the week of the date as "Sergeant York Army Week". Proclamation especially urged the public to see the picture. Follow-up was tied in with all the American Legion posts of the city, wherein letters were mailed to all local Legionnaires, urging attendance. Letter called the picture a "must see" film. Procuring a wing of a plane which recently crashed nearby North Adams, Mass., Francis Faille at the Paramount for "I Wanted Wings" painted the wing up with picture copy and surrounded it with stills. In addition, other paraphernalia was promoted from recruiting office and planted in leading store window with appropriate tie-in copy. V The winner of a local midget auto race was presented with a "Mickey Rooney Cup" as one of the features of the "Life Begins for Andy Hardy" campaign executed by Bob Portle, College Theatre, New Haven. V Real showmanship, resulting in tremendous publicity in every local newspaper, was displayed by Bill Elder, Loew's, Indianapolis, in connection with the showing there of the "Crime Does Not Pay" short subject, "Coffin on Wheels." Elder arranged for a local judge to sentence all traffic violators to see the picture. V With pine trees plentiful around Medford, Oregon, Jack Matlack for the date on "Shepherd of the Hills" at the Hunt Craterian chopped down a few and used them as part of his atmospheric front. Entire boxoffice and sides were covered with birch bark over which were planted scene stills and six sheets. CHARNINSKY'S "GEESE" HAVE PAPERS CALLING Louie does not state his intentions in his letter telling about the exploitation planned for "Wild Geese Calling" and received in advance of his opening at the Capitol, Dallas. Charninsky caged a flock of geese in his lobby, then sat down and hoped the geese would not break out and roam the streets and have the papers gag it with "Calling All Wild Geese". Tip-off on the general idea is the postscript in Louie's letter which reads: "Yon know the answer." When Frank Buck's "Jungle Cavalcade" opened at the Warner Metropolitan, in Washington, D. C, it received special attention from Frank LaFalce, director of advertising and publicity and manager Charles Grimes. One of the items in their campaign was the creation of an actionful front with "see" copy, scene stills, and six sheets. V Folks in Cleveland were recently made ghost-conscious through the efforts of Dave Bachner for "Hold That Ghost" at Warner's Hippodrome. Streamers were attached to cleaning bags, cards distributed to all music counters and record dealers and salesgirls distributed special heralds. V Lining up two of his staff, one tall and thin and the other short and fat, R. T. Barry at Warner's Capitol, in Chicago, dressed them in sailor uniforms and sent them out with back banners heralding his opening of "In the Navy." Smaller of the lads was also used for lobby stunt wherein he swung a mop and pail with back sign reading "I'm busy mopping up preparing for the big crowds that will be here next week to see," etc. V Envelopes marked "Spook Insurance," inside of which were matches attached to cards giving details about "Whistling in the Dark," were distributed by Norman Hicks, State, Raleigh, N. C, during his campaign for that film. V Planted at side of the Ritz Theatre, in McGehee, Ark., by Manager Ralph Lehman ahead of "Moon Over Miami" was 24sheet cutout of Betty Grable, top of which reached well above the marquee. Placed at an angle, the display could be seen from the main street where it is reported to have attracted considerable comment. V Made to resemble the entrance of an air raid shelter was the display created by Julius Lamm at Warner's Uptown, in Cleveland, for "Underground." A blowup of an action shot was placed in the doorway with the opening guarded by machine gun and camouflaged with sandbags. Also in connection with this picture, Lamm distributed "V for Victory" heralds. V Old-fashioned horse and buggy appropriately bannered with "Jekyll and Hyde" copy was promoted by Sam Gilman for street bally on that date at Loew's, in Harrisburg, Pa. To tie in with the recent gasoline restriction, copy on carriage read: "Save gasoline, we're using our gasless buggy on our way to see," etc. V Man dressed in Argentine style playing a guitar toured the streets of New Haven, ahead of Ted Teschner's "They Met in Argentina" at Loew's Poli-Bijou. Music counters displayed Argentine music, displays were landed in travel bureaus and bookshops and a contest was held over Station WELI with folks invited to guess names of songs played from the picture for guest tickets.