Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

54 MOTION PICTURE HERALD July 3, 1943 Promotions Highlight "Stage Door Canteen " Parades; Special Nights; Radio Tieins Feature Pre-Release Campaigns Comprehensive campaigns have been arranged by theatremen in connection with the pre-release engagements of "Stage Door Canteen" in several important key-city situations. Highlights of the various campaigns are herewith listed for the Loew theatres in Cleveland, Syracuse, Canton and Norfolk, Va. Howard Burkhardt, of Loew's State, in Cleveland through the co-operation of the Cleveland Press, landed considerable newspaper publicity, since the picture was first shown at the U. S. Marine Hospital. On opening night a parade of air cadets, navy and marine personnel marched through the principal streets to the theatre. Members of the armed forces representing the United Nations were among the guests. Inside the theatre a presentation by Emanuel Hussonye of an original oil painting dedicated to "Stage Door Canteen" was unveiled in the lobby with important city officials, directors of the canteen and members of the art school present. Special Nights Staged Each night a prominent citizen was selected by Norman Siegel, Cleveland Press columnist, to act as officer of the day at the theatre. These individuals were chosen for their meritorious service as civilians in helping the war effort. Local "Stage Door Canteen" hostesses were presented to the movie audiences every evening after the run of the film and appeared in their regular uniform aprons. Two contests, which garnered additional publicity, were arranged. The Cleveland Press ran a "name the band" and stars identification contest for five days prior. The Cleveland Plain Dealer contest was based on "How I Met My Soldier Sweetheart." A $50 bond went to the winner and guest tickets to the runners-up. Special arrows were posted in selected locations with copy reading: "This way to the biggest thing to hit the screen 'Stage Door Canteen' at Loew's State." All music shops used both the sheet music and records for attractive window displays. Prior to the opening of "Stage Door Canteen" at Loew's State, Syracuse, Vaughn O'Neil secured the co-operation of Mayor Thomas E. Kennedy, who recommended the picture. This story broke in all local newspapers and was the start of an effective campaign. American Legion Cooperates Through the co-operation of the American Legion, a street parade was held on opening night with the band playing in front of the theatre. The 40/8 of the Legion arranged to have their champion Male Chorus render a few songs from the stage of the theatre. Ushers were placed at prominent intersections of the city reading local newspapers which carried huge art breaks on "Stage Door Canteen," and four boys, carrying portable radios with the title and play dates printed on them, rode the local busses and cars, playing the song hits from the picture. Local newspapers co-operated with feature stories and art. More than 20 prominent stores carried window displays on the sheet music, records and cosmetics. Special one-sheets were placed on the recruiting boards of the WAAC and Red Cross. Local radio stations gave the picture numerous spot announcements and featured the song hits from the picture for several days prior to the opening. Tieups Found Effective In Canton, William Brown, of Loew's Theatre, arranged several good tie-ups including the Canton Traction Company, which placed 11 x 28 cards on every one of their busses ; Crown Taxi Company used 50 streamers on the rear bumpers of their cabs ; Harter Bank and Trust Company used a special window, in addition, the First National Bank used a special display right in the center of their banking room. The Ohio Power Company used both a window and inside display on the picture and both the Gray Drug and Finney Drug Companies used special window displays with "Stage Door Canteen" receiving full credit. All local newspapers played up the picture's opening with art of the numerous stars in the picture and a co-op. ad, 4 columns by 5 inches deep featuring a photo of Cheryl Walker. Roscoe Drissel, Loew's, in Norfolk, utilized the popular song hits in the picture as well as the name bands, and tied up on both sheet music and records with the numerous merchants. A jewelry tie-up resulted in another effective window. Joe Samartano, manager of the Poli-Palace, in Meriden, Conn., visits the Round Table on the first lap of his vacation. Institutional Brochure Issued by Warnermen To attract the patronage of new residents in the West Philadelphia area, Larry Graver, District Manager for the Warner key j theatres in Philadelphia, and Ben Blumberg, manager of the Warner State Theatre, worked out a pamphlet which describes i all the advantages of the State Theatre and the various methods of reaching the house. With the theatre situated only 15 minutes from the center of town by almost every kind of transportation, the problem was to inform new families and potential customers that there was, just a short distance away, in their own neighborhood, a theatre which could be judged favorably with any theatre anywhere. Securing the names of ( new families from the Boards of Trade, and Real Estate Boards, and by a canvassing program by a group of four women employed by the theatre with a house to house questionnaire, one of these pamphlets has either been delivered personally by members of women's clubs working in cooperation with the theatre, or been mailed. When the campaign is completed, every new family in the area will have become acquainted with all the facts pertinent to the theatre. The pamphlet was printed in red, white and blue, and on the front was a passage from Dr. Russell Conwell's famous essay, "Acres of Diamonds." The copy read as follows : "Do you know — The Story About Acres of Diamonds. A youth searches the world over for a fortune . . . then finally finds it in his own back yard. . . And do you know that one of the world's finest palaces of entertainment is the State theatre, located in the center of West Philadelphia at 52nd j and Chestnut Sts., where the finest pictures are shown first in this area." The inside spread of the herald carried j copy about the theatre and was illustrated with photographs and drawings of the front, the interior, with particular emphasis laid on the cooling system. The back of the folder was arranged in the shape of a red, white and blue "V" and carried copy on the coming list of attractions, with space devoted to the selling copy 1 on War Bond sales. Plane Identification Contest Opens "Bombardier" for Flex A newspaper contest was landed by Jack Flex at the Keith theatre, in Syracuse, in advance of "Bombardier," in which contestants were asked to correctly name the types of planes pictured in silhouette. A quiz contest was also run in which readers were requested to list the names of leading general officers of Allied Nations in command of Air Forces. Special heralds were distributed to all Air Corps Cadets now in ! training at the University of Syracuse and ! to all personnel of the Army Air Base located at City limits. For "Happy Go Lucky," Flex got all sheet music and record dealers set for window and counter displays of the song hits 1 with special backgrounds made up of title pages and scene stills mounted on beaver i board. The house organist, Paul Forster, featured the song hits on his program a week in advance of the opening and special j slides were made up for community sing j1 ing on the Saturday night program.