Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1942)

60 MOTION PICTURE HERALD December 19, I 942 Two cars were purchased from used car lots and publicized as having been purchased by Mickey Rooney to turn in for scrap. The stunt netted Ted Teschner, manager of Loew's Esquire, Toledo, some good publicity, especially as he turned the cars over to the Boy Scouts, who gave the proceeds to local Civilian Defense. Easson Uses Program To Boost Bond Sales Allan Easson at the Oakwood theatre, in Toronto utilizes the front of his programs for institutional copy. A banner line across the top of a recent one read: "The partial blackout outside, does not dim the high quality of our Gay and Bright Entertainment inside. With the first letters of each word in bold type, the following copy was run vertically down the page: Britain Urges You Better Our Nation's Democratic Stand. Neglect Other Worries." The first thing that struck your eye on reading the bold type letters only were the words: "Buy Bonds Now." Girls in Native Costumes Stimulate Bond Sales Since Paul P. Matuszewski shows Polish films at the Cathedral theatre, in New Castle, Pa. twice a month, he recently built his program around "Love Me Only"; "Children of the Sea" and shorts of Pilsudski. On opening night, Bonds and Stamps were sold in the lobby by girls in Polish costume. The lobby was especially decorated for the occasion and about $3,309 in Bonds and Stamps were sold. Three Scrap Drives Held By Kaufman in One Month In a 250-seater, the Fountain theatre, in Terre Haute, Ind., Abe H. Kaufman reports that since he has facilities for storing only about three tons of scrap, this month he had to put on three different drives. The first two and one-half tons, were turned over to the Boys Club; the second batch, totaling 3,025 pounds, was sold for $12.95 and the money turned over to the local Community Chest Fund; the third drive is still in effect, but will be turned over to some worthy charity. Children are admitted gratis to Kaufman's matinees any day before five o'clock except Saturdays or Sundays, with three or more pounds of scrap. Collects Keys for Scrap On "Glass Key" Date Ralph J. Tully, M & P Strand Theater in Newport, R. I., arranged special advertising stunts for the showings of "The Major and the Minor," and "The Glass Key." For the former, he not only went into the national campaign with Paramount but also arranged department store tieups and used the double card novelty to cover the entire city, the gag being to decide which of two figures was the largest, whereas they were the same size. For "The Glass Key" Tully arranged a tie-up with the Salvage Committee on the collection of old keys and distributed free tickets to those turning in the largest number, the slogan being "A Glass Key ticket for Old Keys." Balducci's Cherry Tree Aids "George Washington" As an attention-attractor for "George Washington Slept Here" at the Norbury theatre, in Ellenville, N. Y., Antonio C. Balducci set up a large tree in his lobby well in advance and decorated it with various types of red berries to simulate a cherry tree. The base of the tree was surrounded by leaves to give a woods effect and a chopping block on the floor had an axe in it. A sign alongside gave the story away, "George Washington Did NOT Chop this Tree Down. See," etc., etc. Here's Tony Balducci with the pile of scrap he collected from the kids at Ellenville, N. Y. Tony runs the Norbury theatre and reports collections very good, despite a heavy rainstorm. Mrs. Antonio C. Balducci, wife of the manager of the Norbury theatre, Ellenville, N. Y., sells some War Bonds to the local citizenry at the theatre's portable Bond booth. Balducci Coordinates Scrap And War Bond Campaigns Antonio C. Balducci, manager of the Norbury theatre, Ellenville, N. Y, has coordinated his scrap and Bond selling campaigns in an unusual manner. For instance, he has rescued a shell from the last war, placed on the scrap heap by some ex-soldier, and used it to help sell Bonds for this war. Tony figured that the scrap value of the shell wasn't as great as the Bond selling value right now, anyway. He says it is solid iron, ten inches high and weighs 16J^ pounds. No one has been able to identify it beyond stating that it is of foreign make. It serves as a crowd stopper. Tony's scrap matinee went over big despite the fact that it rained hard on that Saturday. Children were admitted free provided they brought scrap to the theatre and there were plenty of them. But the weather was so bad that Tony had two boys in hip boots in front of the theatre to receive scrap from the donors and put it on the scrap pile across the street. It was so cold the day the Ladies of the Air Force came to Sudbury, Ont., that Sid Scott, manager of the Capitol theatre, suggested that they put their demonstration on the stage. The offer was accepted with alacrity and this is the result. Prints Blackout Warnings Blackout warnings and instruction on how to proceed in an emergency were printed up in white ink on a black background for the War Council of Utica by Arnold Stoltz, manager of the Avon theatre.