Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

'Mark Twain' Plug SHOWMEN PERSONALS Landed by Kline As an attractor on his date for "Mark Twain," R. Lee Kline at the Orpheum in Philadelphia, used a Santa Claus on the street to warn people of the deadline of mailing their overseas gifts. The man carried a sign on his back reading : "Mail that Christmas gift now, then enjoy," etc. He also handed out cards bearing the same message. Kline contacted the WAC office in New York and obtained a lot of material for a lobby display board. The idea was to show where our armed forces see their movies overseas in the battle area. A card at the bottom of the display stated that the boys both here and overseas had seen and applauded "Mark Twain". Permission was secured from the Board of Education to present each student of the high and junior schools with specially prepared blotters. Public libraries posted material and stills on their bulletin boards and a number of bookstore windows were promoted. Showmen's Calendar: 1st, New Year's Day; Paul Revere Born 1735; Emancipation Proclamation 1863. 4th, Utah Admitted to Union 1896; New Mexico Admitted to Union 1912 ; First radio chain broadcasting 1923. 7th, Telephone communication between N. Y. and London established 1927. 11th, Alexander Hamilton Born 1757. 15th, First locomotive built in 1831. 17th, Benjamin Franklin Born 1706. 18th, Daniel Webster Born 1782. 19th, R. E. Lee Born 1807 ; Edgar Allen Poe Born 1809. 24th, Gold discovered in California 1848; First demonstration of telegraph by S. F. B. Morse 1838. 25th, Robert Burns (poet) Born 1759. 29th, William McKinley (2Sth President) born 1843. 30th, Franklin D. Roosevelt (32nd President) born 1882. In Nev/ Posts: Lew Breyer, Bijou theatre, Holyoke, Mass. Bill Huffman, Warners' Stanley, Atlantic City, N. J. Florence Kipp, Lyric theatre, Cincinnati, Ohio. Fred DeLay, Family theatre, Cincinnati. William W. Johnson, Graphic Theatres district manager, headquartering at the Colonial, Belfast, Maine. Harry B. Vincent, district manager, Florida State theatres, St. Petersburg, Fla. W. C. Ricord, assistant to Harold Fitzgerald, Fox Wisconsin theatres, Milwaukee. K. D. Bruce, Isis theatre, Kansas City, Kan. Chuck Barnes, Granada, Kansas City, Kan. Babe Cohn, Uptown, ansas City, Kan. Murray LeBoss, general manager, Cinema Circuit, Inc., New York City. Harvey Smith, Southeast director of Red Cross hospital motion picture service, Atlanta, Ga. Happy Birthday: Elmer Holmberg, Howard Hansen, J. La Vender, Harry Karp, J. A. Campion, John C. Sheridan, Louie Charninsky, Carroll T. Wilson, James A. Owens, Lonnie A. Wallis, Roy E. Glidwell, F. X. Storino, Albert Rocke, Milton F. Honeck, Philip Rand, Eugene H. Bunn, George Sutermaster, Orville Rennie, Jack Essick, James Embry. Joseph K. Shanahan, Walter J. Sargent, Jack Harris, Steve Rodnock, Donald R. Hoagg, Floyd D. Morrow, Esteban C. Gonzales, Jack Kember, Earle G. Sheetz, Kermit Prince, Wells Witt, Nevin McCord, Kermit B. Carr, James F. Doyle, Fred R. Rodley, Jerry Montizambert, R. W. Christopher, Charles Lancaster. Junior Showmen: Susan Louise, to Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Freeman. The father manages the Towne theatre, Allentown, Pa. Various Contests Highlight Katz's Hallowe'en Party Reported as the first of its kind at his theatre was the Hallowe'en party arranged by Phil Katz at the Centre theatre, Pittsburgh, at which seven performers put on the show. The front of the house, inner lobby and the sides of the screen were bedecked with skeletons and witches. A full page was used in the weekly program to publicise the special show for kids and advance publicity came from a 40 by 60 lobby board which was used outside the theatre. Pie eating, cracker eating-whistling, pie eat ing and baby bottle drinking contests were arranged, with prizes given through the cooperation of Melwood Drug, sponsoring merchant. Orange and black cardboard cats were also distributed by the merchant, with his imprint. Promotes Co-op Ad For the engagement of "Mrs. Parkington" at Loew's Poli, Springfield, Mass., Sam Horwitz, assistant to George Freeman, promoted a twocolumn cooperative ad from Lilian's Beauty Salon. The ad featured a large cut of Greer Garson together with cast and playdates. Balking about turkey • • Our engineers know what's cooking in projection booths large and smalL They may mix a lot of ingredients and do a Hit of stirring, but out comes that tasty morsel, always the specialty of the house-SERVICE. In fact, Altec Service, as dished out by them, will make you give thanks every day in the year. Write us for the recipe. Cotton Personal Sells 'Went Away In Baltimore The highlight of Gertrude Bunchez' "Since You "Went Away" at Loew's Century, Baltimore, was the personal appearance of Joseph Gotten, who made a plea for Red Cross blood donors at a 3 a.m. war workers' show. A one a.m. press conference was held with the Morning Sun Press with art and two-color story on the interview mentioning the attraction and theatre. Accompanying two of the local critics to New York for the screening of the picture several weeks ahead of its opening in Baltimore, Gertrude reaped the benefit of an advance story from both Gilbert Kanour and Norman Clark. It was also arranged with Station WCOA for a 15-minute program without cost to the theatre using the radio name of Frank Fan, used exclusively for Loew's theatres. This program went on the air at 6 p.m. and consisted of Hollywood gossip supplied by the studios and put into script form, with plugs for "SYWA." Contacting the Retail Merchants Association, four Bond windows were promoted from leading department stores and tied directly to the picture. 22 by 28 cards were also landed in other merchants' windows, bowling alleys, bus station, etc. Posters were placed on the registration desks of leading hotels and announcements on the attraction went in 13 wa*plants. Allison Has Spent Entire Career in One Spot Gerald Hugh Allison, who was born in Shippensburg, Pa., October 30, 1913, started to work at the independently owned Victory theatre there early in 1939. Gerald's first job was taking tickets and ushering, however, having a hankering for projection, he now has an operator's license in addition to managing the Victory. 58 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 25, 1944