Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1942)

December 19, I 942 MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE 61 THANK YOU, DONALD NELSON! The Quigley Awards Committee has called to my attention your outstanding promotional campaign on the collection of scrap material. I want to offer my personal congratulations and hope that your winning of this recognition will inspire you to further efforts in the future on behalf of the national scrap drive. The motion picture industry can be a very powerful influence in educating the American public on issues of vital importance to the War Production Board and I know that I can count upon you to give us the utmost in cooperation. Sincerely, Donald M. Nelson Mr. George A. Hunt, George A. Hunt Theatres, Medford, Oregon The people of Medford, Oregon, were let in on the fact that the George A. Hunt theatres had won a Citation from Donald Nelson, head of the War Production Board, for the best campaign to get in the scrap. The letter of commendation was reproduced in the above form in the Medford 'Mail Tribune' in a quarter page ad. Recruiting Office Cooperates On "The Navy Comes Through" Through the cooperation of the local Navy Recruiting office in Providence, ahead of "The Navy Comes Through," George French, manager, and Rita Morton, publicist, at the RKO Albee arranged for a special lobby display of some 30 official U. S. Navy photos snowing actual shots taken aboard aircraft carriers, at submarine bases and various other Naval bases. A special "Know Your Rank" display of posters showing the various insignia of the Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard was also featured. The Recruiting office also put stickers, supplied by the theatre, on all their A boards in the downtown area advertising the picture with the following copy: "See the Navy in action. Pat O'Brien, George Murphy, Jane Wyatt in 'The Navy Comes Through,' RKO Albee." A tieup with the local Maritime Service Recruiting office brought 16 mm Merchant Marine training film with sound and was shown in the outer lobby daily. Two men from the Maritime Service office showed the film and distributed literature on their branch of the Service. At a special show, fifty young men were inducted into the Maritime Service on the stage. Local Naval outfitters used stills and a one-half sheet with theatre credit and copy n their naval clothing window, while another store used a large Maritime poster with a message from Admiral Land, stills from a picture and a credit card. Since Pat O'Brien was made an honorary member of the Chief's Club at nearby Camp Endicott in recognition of his efforts in entertaining the men at a recent personal appearance there and also because he played the part of a Chief Gunner's mate in the picture, a portrait of the star as he appears in the film was presented to the Club. For the opening night itself, letters were sent to the commanding officers at the nearby camp inviting them to attend. The officers and men from the local Navy Recruiting Office also attended in a body and the entire trolley and bus system carried card advertising on the picture. Community Sing on Street Launches "For Me and My Gal" Reported as one of the most successful stunts ever carried out by Frank Murphy at Loew's State, in Syracuse, was the street community sing held in advance of "For Me and My Gal." This was promoted through the War Bond Committee and the sing was handled by a local radio singer and local pianist; MGM's Frances Parker was in town with the Cinema Arts and she assisted in the distribution of song sheets through the crowds that had assembled. Needless to say, the hit tunes from the picture were sung. Johnson's Thanksgiving Co-op A full page of cooperative ads for Thanksgiving Week was promoted by Bill Johnson at the Diana theatre, in Medina, N. Y., with a banner head across the top reading: "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition. So say these Merchants and the Diana theatre with these Great Thanksgiving specials in bargains and entertainment." A large two column cut of Bette Davis was featured together with picture copy. Stoltz Distributes Entertainment Tickets Distributed in regular railroad envelopes was the ingenious entertainment ticket printed in coupon form by Arnold Stoltz at the Avon in Utica, N. Y., for his dates on "Pittsburgh" and "Half Way to Shanghai." When folded, the outside of the ticket bore the following copy : "Don't travel this year ! Help a fighting man enjoy his precious leave or furlough. If you want to take a trip . . . See this tip inside." When opened, the following was the first to meet the eye: 'If you must travel, get a ticket to PITTSBURGH. You'll love it because it's this year's hit photoplay and the co-feature is HALF WAY TO SHANGHAI." The balance of the ticket was devoted to small size cuts of scene stills and such copy as: "Travel this entertainment packed show route for a gala treat," etc. Merchant's ad on the reverse side paid for entire cost of printing and distribution. "Here We Go Again" Announced by Radio Station Not being able to buy station breaks to sell the radio stars of "Here We Go Again" in connection with their weekly broadcast, Marlowe Conner at the Capitol, in Madison, Wis., asked the announcers at the station if they would start their program daily before and until the picture ended with the words "Here We Go Again With Another Campus Jamboree," etc. The station agreed to do this gratis and in addition they occasionally put in a word or two about the picture and theatre.