Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

Exploiting the New Films How the recent pictures are being sold c the first run and pre-release date showin NONE BUT THE LONELY HEART Exclusive of feature stories resulting from interviews granted by June Duprez, one of the stars of the film production, "None But the Lonely Heart" was accorded 2,800 free lines of publicity in connection with its San Francisco premiere at the RKO Golden Gate theatre. In addition, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Call Bulletin and the Saturday Examiner broke special interviews and photo breaks of Gary Grant, who visited the city just prior to the opening and consented to meet the press at an informal luncheon. All details of the campaign were handled by manager Clifif Geisseman and publicist Helen Wabbe, and resulted in one of the most outstanding campaigns ever put over in that city. Miss Duprez made personal appearances at each performance on opening day of the picture; she appeared on 18 radio programs, including three network shows and was used by Station KPO for 15 minute programs in which she dramatized several scenes from the film and which were recorded and rebroadcast during the week. Publicized at Shipyard and Stage Door Canteen The btar also appeared in support of the local War Chest at three of the Kaiser Shipyards, where she was pre-sold through the yards' own publicity media (cards, public address system and house organs). Additionally, she entertained at the Stage Door Canteen; tied in with the apparel industry's Market Week, resulting in an outstanding publicity break in the Shopping Nezvs, which is distributed to 350,000 homes in the area, and attended other functions. Other highlights of the campaign were : a contest planted in the San Francisco Progress; public and lending library promotions, and the distribution of 10,000 bookmarks ;• and window tieups with the Emporium Store, City of Paris, O'Connor and Moffatt, Hale Bros., White House, Magnin's and Livingstone's. Contacts British Empire Society In Providence In Providence, at the RKO Albee theatre, David Levin, manager, and Rita Morton, publicist, tied the special mailing list of the 750 members of the British Empire Society and notified them of the engagement, stressing the London background used in the picture and the fact that the author of the book from which the picture is made, Richard Llewellyn, is English. A special lobby display was utilized revolving around the Life feature on the picture and was erected a week in advance of the opening. A special herald was prepared for house-tohouse distribution, which featured a cut of Gary Grant and love angle copy. Special radio promotion was used on all four stations, using seven spots on Stations WJAR, WEAN, WFCI and WPRO the day before and day of the opening. The copy here, too, stressed the love angle to appeal to the women. A 9 by 15 wall banner was used on the side of the theatre, visible the length of the street. Five leading downtown restaurants used menus with theatre imprint, and the entire bus and trolley system, 525 carriers, used a card on the picture. Other items included a special trailer two weeks in advance ; underline in the newspaper ads 10 days ahead; a four-column cut in the November 20th Journal American theatre section and the Sunday Journal roto section featured Ethel Barrymore, mentioning the picture and using a scene still of her and Gary Grant from the picture. All advertising stressed the love angle, with such copy as : "Three women "ME? I'm Ernie Mon...ond I won't sloy put! Booslful. .swoggering ...reslless.-odoreil by all women, daimed by three! From eoch he took something ol hfe and love! CARY Grant ' ^ Barrymore BARRY FITZGERALD Miss ETHEL JUNE DUPREZ • JANE WYATT GEOBGE COUlOUWS • DAN DURYEA K)MAM BOHNEN • KONSTANTiK SHAYNE Ff om iho novel by Richo'd llewellyn, ourhor ol "How Gfeen Wos My Volley." £xlra.' WALT DISNEY'S 'Trombons Trouble' in Tethnicolw w ■SSr TOMORROW "1 9 A.*. RKO PALACE Extensive newspaper campaign employing forceful dramatic impact was used by publicity director Harry Mandel of RKO Theatres] to herald world premiere of "None But the Lmtely Heart" at the Palace in New York. loved him — reckless, ruthless, caring for none he took their love and gave them nothing ir return." KISMET Ed Fitzpatrick, Loew's Poli theatre. Water bury. Conn., set a big Wheel of Fortune ih his theatre lobby for 2 weeks prior to the play date of "Kismet," with guest ticket giveaways on the red numbers, as part of his publicity come-on. In the theatre lobby he also hung a string of sparkling 24 inch cutout title letters. In the line of tie-ups, Ed effectively arranged for window displays at three music stores to plug "Tell Me, Evening Star" and "Willow in the Wind" ; a window display on costume jewelry in the largest local department store ; four drug stores and two toy stores with full thea-i tre credits in connection with their sale of' the "Kismet" game. Two 30 by 40 photos were planted in the windows of empty downtown stores with appropriate picture and theatre copy. Fitzpatrick also set a book store contest with guest tickets to the person naming the greatest number of former Ronald Colman film hits. He landed three insertion coloring contests in the local newspapers, also, and the brilliantly colored 24 sheet, which was waxed on the theatre lobby floor, were additional plugs. The Macmillan Publishing Co. devoted two complete windows on Fifth Ave. to accessories publicizing the engagement of "None But the Lonely Heart" at the RKO Palace in New York. Druggist Sponsors Club Phil Katz for his serial "Adventures of the Flying Cadets," the Centre theatre, Pittsburgh, has promoted Liggett's Drug Store as a sponsor for his kiddie Saturday theatre club. The store prominently displays a card calling attention to the special show at the theatre. Membership cards are distributed each week by the doorman. 44 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 2. 1944