Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

Exploiting the New Films How the recent pictures are being sold at the first run and pre-release date showings COD IS MY CO-PILOT The selection of Macon, Georgia, to launch the world premiere of "God Is My Co-Pilot" was by way of tribute to a home town boy, Col. Robert Lee Scott, Jr., whose biographical best seller of the same title is the basis of the film production. To Lamar Swift, city manager, and Kathleen Lamb Whalen, publicist of the Lucas & Jenkins theatres in Macon, and to the Warner exploitation staff under Mort Blumenstock goes credit for a cleverly conceived and smartly executed campaign which aroused state wide attention and a veritable frenzy of enthusiastic cooperation from the people of Macon. A dozen committees, with Phil Buchheit, general manager of Macon's News and Telegraph as general chairman, and including Mayor Charles Bowden ; Lamar Swift and other civic leaders, started an extensive publicity campaign two months in advance of the premiere. Admission for the opening was set at $10 a ticket, with all proceeds going to Army Air Forces Aid Society. A special War Bond drive was set up in response to offers of Macon citizens to do everything possible for the war effort in appreciation of being granted the premiere. Lamar Park, opposite the Grand theatre, where the picture opened, was renamed Scott Park for the day and was the scene of a War Bond rally just before the premiere. Statewide Participation Augments Local Activity Statewide participation was organized by Mayor Bowden's committee, with Governor Ellis Arnall of Georgia issuing a proclamation naming February 21 as "Robert Lee Scott-God Is My Co-Pilot Day" throughout Georgia. Merchants of Macon, under sponsorship of the Macon Retail Merchants Bureau, arranged to hold a city-wide window display contest, with all stores and shops participating. War Bonds and other prizes were awarded to designers of the best windows tied in with the premiere. To eliminate all possible travel, use of gas and other activity requiring materials essential to the war effort, only three screen celebrities were brought to Macon by invitation of the A.A.F.R.S. The trio included Dennis Morgan, who plays the Colonel Scott role in the film ; Alan Hale and Janis Paige. They provided sufficient glamor to spark public interest for a sell-out benefit premiere plus an enormous War Bond sale. The stars also toured nearby Army camps for visits with trainees and returned veterans. At Warner Robins Field they dedicated a new radio station, orientation center and lounge for flyers back from battle fronts. Gasless Parade Highlights Preopening Celebration A big feature of the premiere ceremonies was the gasless parade from the railroad station to the City Hall, where the Mayor held a reception and presented a 12-foot key to the city to the visiting stars. Flags of all nations decorated the entire line of march. Among units participating in the 48 parade were more than eighty horse-drawn vehicles, including many beautiful floats, an Army Band from Camp Wheeler, 100 members of the Women's Army Corps, a detachment of Red Cross girls, Georgia State Guard, Girl Scouts, a fleet of Chinese rickshaws, a group of Boy Scouts with two 40-foot Flying Tiger dragons symbolic of the Chinese war theatre where Colonel Scott won fame, a delegation of Chinese Boy Scouts and elders from Augusta, the Lanier High School Band, Georgia Military College Band, and many other colorful features. A detachment of lady M. P.'s also was assigned by Camp Wheeler as part of the official police force for the parade. Chamber of Commerce Sponsors Additional Festivities A Possum Hunt, barbecue, Negro singing and other festivities were staged the night before the premiere under the auspices of Macon's Junior Chamber of Commerce. An extensive coast-to-coast radio broadcast, with exhibitors tied in, was set up with John B. Kennedy, famous commentator, who was in Macon to participate in the premiere, and who interviewed Colonel Scott, Governor Ellis Arnall of Georgia, Mayor Charles Bowden of Macon, Dennis Morgan, Alan Hale, Jani= Paige and other celebrities. To exhibitors in the cities carrying the broadcast, which went over 198 stations, Kennedy sent advance letters inviting them to listen in. Additional local and regional radio coverage was derived from the two Macon radio stations, WMAZ of the CBS network, and WBML of the Blue chain. They carried frequent announcements for many days in advance of the premiere. The two stations jointly carried special pickup broadcasts from five different points where "Co-Pilot" events took place — the Mayor's office, Warner Robins Field, Grand theatre front, Grand theatre stage, and Civic Auditorium. THIS MAN'S NAVY Under the skillfull direction of Frank Heusn and Walter Kessler of the Loew theatre, and Charles Deardourff of the MGM exploitation staff, "This Man's Navy" made its world bow in Akron, Ohio, supported by a city wide demonstration in connection with Wallace Beery's personal appearance at the premiere. A meeting was arranged three weeks in advance of the opening at which representatives of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Loew's theatre, Goodyear Aircraft and city officials and industrial leaders of Akron attended. At this meeting it was decided to make the world premiere a citywide celebration and the cooperation of all concerned was secured. Announcement of this meeting was made the following day and included art. Stories on the sale of tickets, appearance of Wallace Beery, time of shows, etc., appeared at frequent intervals, increasing a*s the date of the opening approached. A full page of art appeared in the roto section the Sunday prior to opening as well as a 4-column layout in the regular amusement page. A national ad campaign totaling 1400 lines was used in addition to the regular theatre space. Three eight-column quarter-page art layouts were obtained on the appearance of|; Wallace Beery on successive days. Also used was a large photo showing the enormous crowd in front of the theatre on opening night. Arrangements were made to close off the,, current attraction at six o'clock oh opening night and open with a reserved seat showing at 8:30. Tickets for this performance were placed on sale at the boxoffice two weeks in advance. Radio announcements were used periodically over stations WAKR and WADC every day for a week in advance; fifty 24-sheets were posted in the city and suburbs; 200 bus cards were used a week in advance and 500 special window cards were distributed with special copy welcoming Wallace Beery to the city On all utility poles in the downtown business |W section, red, white and blue shields heralded the star's arrival with an announcement of the premiere. Hotels cooperated by placing table cards in restaurants and dining rooms calling attention to the opening with full details about the reserved seat performance. Special cards were also posted near the registration sections and 'if space was provided for the display of colored enlargements of the star with picture and thea |cs tre caption. The Akron Retail Merchants Association |0| sent definite instructions to all members by way of a letter endorsing the picture and requesting full aid in arranging displays to promote the premiere. ic lif 3! Still nd *er< Direct Sales Message Reaches Workers at War Plants It is estimated that over 150,000 war workers read special notices on the opening which were placed on bulletin boards at Goodyears, Sieberlings, General and Goodyear Aircraft plants. The Goodyear companies, in addition, made special window exhibits of war equipment available to cooperating merchants. Blimps, aircraft and other miniature models were supplemented with scene stills from the film production and many outstanding displays resulted. Advance and current stories were landed in all foreign newspapers, labor publications and the Masonic Weekly and in out of town papers as far distant as Youngstown, Canton and Cleveland. A ten foot miniature dirigible and 25 ft. display with scenes from the Lakehurst Training Station was used in the lobby well in advance of the date. The arrival of the star in the city was the signal for a burst of newspaper publicity covering Beery's activities, during which he made numerous visits and talks at defense plants, was interviewed by the press and on the radio, was guest of honor at luncheons and public functions and climaxed by his appearance at the premiere. A capacity crowd, composed in the main of war workers on late shifts, greeted the star at the film opening. Mayor Slusser of Akron read a telegram from the Governor of Ohio expressing his regret at being unable to attend. The Governor expressed thanks to M.-G.-M. and to Mr. Beery for assisting to bring home to the nation a greater understanding of the state's contribution to the war effort. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH 3, 1945 I ii 3