Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

AIR COVERAGE SPARKS TOGETHER AGAIN" GAIL RUSSELL of 'Tfte UninvUtiJ" DIANA LYNN H organ's Creak" CHARLES RUGGLES DOROTHY GISH BEULAH BOND! UJIIEHB STATE THCATRE iEEEHlua 'New York and local critics' reviews help to make this ad outstanding for the engagement of "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay" at the State, Minneapolis, Minn. (Continued from opposite page) in arrangements made by manager Matt Saunders of Loew's Poll, to write short letters on I what they plan to do when they are "Together j Again" with their husbands and sweethearts now in the service. The contest was set for the three days preceding the opening of the ! picture in Bridgeport, Conn. A $25.00 War Bond was given to the writer of the best letter, with the authors of the next ten receiving guest ; tickets. E. V. Dinerman, publicity manager of the RKO Capitol theatre, Cincinnati, and Arthur Mayer, of the Palace theatre in Cleveland, set local radio stations to cooperate with them in finding the most unusual and the most attractive hats in their respective cities as part of their campaigns on "Together Again." j Both stations made several announcements each day for a week before opening, telling of the $100 War Bonds to be awarded to the women wearing the most unusual hat and $25 War Bonds to be awarded to the wearer of the most attractive hat entering the theatres between eight and nine o'clock on the opening night of "Together Again." An impartial jury of local j] fashion experts selected the winners from I among patrons entering the theatres between eight and nine o'clock on the opening night of j the picture. I Joe Longo, publicity man for Loew's State and Orpheum theatres in Boston, Mass., working with the Filene Department Store, arranged a millinery fashion show in conjunction with the picture, which was held on the 'stage of the State theatre. Ten models wore several hats each, which were judged by ten servicemen, each of whom For "Tall in the Saddle" opening on Election Day at the RKO Albee, Providence, Dave Levin, manager, and Rita Morton, publicist, used this effective street ballyhoo. MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE, NOVEMBER 25, 1944 received a number corresponding with one of the models. The soldiers voted and selected the "Together Again Hat" as the one they would best like to see their sweethearts wear when they are "Together Again." The serviceman holding the same ticket number as the model with the winning hat was awarded a $25 Bond. TALL IN THE SADDLE Scheduled to open at the RKO Albee theatre in Providence, R. I., on Election Day, Rita Morton, publicist, and manager David Levin arranged a novel street ballyhoo for "Tall in the Saddle." A boy dressed as a cowboy was mounted on horseback, who rode around the city displaying a sign reading: "We Are Voting for John Wayne in 'Tall'," etc. The cowboy also dismounted in front of department stores, restaurants, etc., and walked around attracting attention everywhere. Two days before opening a select list of prominent persons received tiny cactus plants in clay pots accompanied by a calling card which state : "John Cactus, Esquire, Seen in Tall in the Saddle'," etc. The Campus Florist shop displayed Mexican cactus plants along with scene stills from the picture and full theatre credits. A three-column cut was landed in the Sunday, advance, Providence Journal; a 9 by 15 foot banner was suspended across the side wall of the theatre; radio spot announcements were used over local stations and tie-in spot announcements were broadcast daily for four days on the Hollywood Showtime Hour. Car-cards were posted throughout the city's bus and trolley system and five downtown restaurants used menus with theatre, picture and playdate mention. Irish Sod Sells "Irish Eyes^^ Much was made locally over the large window display in the Jordan Marsh department store through the efforts of "Red" King of ; \ the RKO Boston theatre, Boston, in behalf of ]j j the engagement of "Irish Eyes Are Smiling." l The display consisted of some sod which was |[ flown here from Ireland with photostats, etc., of a letter received from the Lord Mayor and i various bills of lading showing that the soil was flown across on the Clipper. In the background was a large blowup of the stars in the picture, plus scenes from the town where the sod was dug. This resulted in a newspaper break in the Daily Record, a double truck with theatre credit and mention of the fact that the sod was on display at the store. Star Photos Distributed; j Radio, Merchant Tieups I Special notices were sent to all Irish news I papers and publications, 5,000 photographs of June Haver were distributed; music stores dis j played special 30 by 40 blowups of Haver and | Haymes, plus stills and credit cards and special i ads with quotes from critics' reviews were ; blown up for boxoffices. | Radio time was promoted on Stations WCOP, WORL and WMEX with special emphasis on Irish Hours ; special teaser ads ran on the front pages and drama pages of the papers with advance readers going to all city , and suburban newspapers, and the lobby was dressed for the occasion two weeks in advance. 57