Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1943)

30 MOTION PICTURE HERALD August 21 19 4 3 A Man, a Horse and a Campaign' And a IV astern Star Is Made THIS is a story of how a star was made. Its is the story of a campaign which added to the ingenuity of motion picture exploitation and publicity the advertising principles and methods of a toothpaste manufacturer. The star is Republic's Roy Rogers, and his horse Trigger, and this is how it happened. Gene Autry, top Western box office star, and for two years high up in the charmed circle of Hollywood's ten biggest moneymakers, was U. S. Army bound. Time was short. Republic, and its customers, wanted a successor in a hurry. So, driven by necessity, the studio decided upon a record-breaking appropriation for the buildup of the man they hoped to crown "King of the Cowboys." Promotion Went Into High With Rodeo Appearance By October 25, 1942, nine months ago, the Rogers' promotional program was in high gear. On that date he appeared in New York's Madison Square Garden, at the World's Championship Rodeo. Roy took only the proverbial bull by the horns, leaving the rough stuff to the professional cowboys out for cash prizes, but he got top billing, and during his New York visit appeared on Fred Allen's radio program, was photographed at Randolph Field, and exchanged with Mayor LaGuardia a pair of silver spurs for the keys to the city. In the whirlwind campaign that followed, the name of the man who was to be Gene Autry's successor became known to public and exhibitors alike. Cowboy Autry's rise to fame was slow but steady, but Roy Rogers' name was shot across the cinema horizon like a fighter plane headed for its target. Through national magazines, newspapers, rural weeklies, billboards and the air waves, the campaign has deluged the American public with volumes of Roy Rogers material. By topping press and radio publicity and advertising with personal appearances of their Western star, Republic has seen to it that few are the Americans who have neither seen nor heard of Rogers. As a result, exhibitors not only have found themselves with a name to substitute for Gene Autry, but are finding also that their Western-fan patrons are more concerned with who is heading the cast then with the title. Engaged in Six-Week Tour Of American Army Camps Leaving New York in October of last year, Rogers appeared with the rodeo in Boston and Buffalo. From Buffalo he went to Toledo, to participate in the Community Chest Drive. Then followed a six-week tour of Army camps, with 136 performances in 20 days. Roy ended that phase of his campaign in Las Vegas, where he was named Grand Marshal of the Helldorado celebration, and where he checked in to his hotel astride his horse Trigger who, holding n pencil in his mouth, signed the register with an X while cameras clicked. When time again allowed he took to the road, making personal appearances from coast to coast, calling on children at orphanages in Washington and Texas, performing for soldiers at camps, USO Canteens, Stage Door Canteens and participating in War Bond drives. His personal appearances hit a climax two weeks ago when he appeared at the Oriental theatre in Chicago in conjunction with the first run of his "Song of Texas." Even the studio has lost count of the number of his personal appearances. In conjunction with the Rogers' tours, Republic has plastered billboards from coast to coast with advertisements of their cowboy star, reading: "Roy Rogers — King of the Cowboys — 'Trigger' — Smartest Horse in the Movies — Appearing in Republic Pictures — Satisfying America's Demand for Western Romance !" Republic points out that the display concerns Roy and Trigger only, all without reference to the title of any picture. There followed in the wake of this combined exploitation and advertising a great flood of publicity in fan and general magazines, daily newspapers and weeklies. Photographs of Rogers, usually in the company of Trigger, appeared in display windows, pamphlets and all types of periodicals. Roy astride Trigger rearing up on his hind legs, decorated the cover of Life Magazine's July 12th issue, with a feature story inside. In exploitation, all chapters of the Junior Rodeo Fans of America, a national organization, are kept informed by Republic where and when Roy Rogers films are showing, and in many cases exhibitors are feeding their local chapters with the same service. Past and Present Cowboy Kings Unique Stunt There are two albums of Roy Rogers Cowboy Songs, published in cooperation with Republic. The company is prepared to provide exhibitors with the sheet music albums at reduced prices for promotional prize contests or tieups with music stores. One exhibitor worked out his own exploitation idea. The Skouras Victory theatre in Bayside, N. Y., booked William S. Hart's "Tumble Weed," ran it with "Idaho," starring Roy Rogers, and advertised the program as "King of Cowboys, Past and Present." The first known Western star was Max Aronson, former vaudeville actor, who, as Bronco Billy Anderson, directed, produced and starred in screenplays written by Max Aronson, turning out one a week for 376 consecutive weeks. In the season just ended, Roy Rogers starred in eight big-budget (some $350,000 per picture) films for Republic, with eight more big-budget pictures scheduled for the new season. Republic executives have emphasized that through consistent use of trade paper advertising, the exhibitor has been kept abreast of the progress of the national campaign, conceived and supervised by Charles Reed Jones, Republic's director of advertising and publicity. Report 100 Per Cent Rise on Rogers Films At their recent sales meetings Republic officials announced that film rental grosses on current releases had reached a new high, surpassing all expectations, and that the gross receipts on the Roy Rogers big-budget films were 100 per cent above last year. James R. Grainger, Republic president, has attributed the 100 per cent rise in receipts on Rogers' films to the increased production budgets, and the advertising and exploitation campaign on the films. And no small percentage of the expenditure went into the personal promotion of Roy Rogers, "King of the Cowboys."