Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1945)

TIMELY NEWSPAPER BREAKS PUBLICIZE "FIGHTING LADY' Schools and Organizations Also Cooperate to Promote Film Attraction Theatremen across the country who are opening with "Fighting Lady" are reporting some excellent campaigns to put over the date, as witness that of William Egan at the Princess theatre, Sioux City, la., who tied the opening into the advent of the nationwide brownout. About a week in advance of playdates, Bill held a screening to which press, radio, school, women's organizations, key store executives and Army and Navy representatives were invited. This led to the expected word-of-mouth advertising, plus the use of selected quotations in newspaper ads and radio spots. For newspaper coverage, Egan was liberal in the use of quotes from Time Magazine, wellknown news and trade papers and localities who had seen the film. An additional break was had when a local boy was discovered in the film by his parents who attended the opening day. This too was good for further newspaper breaks. Extra space was also garnered since Lt. Robert Nelson, Sioux City's first air ace, appears in the film too. Stage announcements were made in this connection, advising the audience to watch for the flyer in his plane No. 5. Stresses Brownout Propaganda All ads carried a note about the brownout or box office times for brownout propaganda. For his street ballyhoo, also tied to the brownout, Bill constructed a "light machine" by which a couple of small boys turned a wagon wheel and activated a generator into producing a light to splash against the marquee to make it look like a reach machine. A packing case, an auto headlight, generator, small lights, etc., combined with a stovepipe made this a real attraction as it toured the streets a week prior to the opening. When the picture was on, Egan had the machine out front with the boys working the light all the time. Signs on the side stated that they were generating their own electricity Lt. Snyder, Recreation Officer, erected this effective display for the screening of the Nav production, "The Fighting Lady",' when it was shown to officers and enlisted men of th U. S. Naval Air Training Station at the base theatre, Quonset Point, R. I. William Egan, Princess, Sioux City, la., used a light-machine ballyhoo which he tied directly to his "Fighting Lady" date and the brownout. so that patrons could be sure to see," etc., etc. Through the efforts of local Navy recruiters, two windows were landed right on the busiest corner in town. The tieup was made by the Navy on radar recruiting. For radio coverage, Stations KTRI and KSCJ plugged the picture and quoted persons who had attended the screening. Miscellaneous advertising included posting of trash cans around the busiest corners and special art work cards were planted on bulletin boards of schools. Also to put over the brownout, Bill built a display with a compo board lantern hanging in a church belfry and shining flitter for embellishment. Paul Revere's horse was shown looking around the corner of the church a la comic, with copy reading: "Like Paul Revere, this is the lantern we'll have out front to guide you to the best show in town every night of the Brownout," etc. In addition, Egan held a brownout party and lighted his canopy with Chinese lanterns and had flares burning at the curb. He also rigged up an old-fashioned kettle with tripod with a flare furnishing the fire. A sign alongside read: "We are cooking up all sorts of fun, entertainment," etc., etc. Navy Delegation Attends In Bridgeport, Conn., Harry A. Rose at the Majestic theatre held a Friday morning screening which was attended by most of the city's industrial heads, radio, press, Chamber of Commerce, Navy officials, etc. Station WIIC came through with plugs. On the opening night of the film the theatre front was decorated with American flags and a delegation of Navy heads attended. Lt. Com. Brendel introduced from the stage a real Fighting Lady, Ensign Norris, a Navy nurse just returned from the Pacific. He also introducec a local lad just returned from overseas. In Fox News No. 47, the last shot show; Admiral Nimitz urging every American to see the picture. Harry arranged with the circuit' theatre next door to run this shot all week. To boost "Fighting Lady" manager Lou' Cohen, Loew's Poli theatre, Hartford, Conn., landed a photo and feature story on the theatre page of the Hartford Times concerning a local lad, Lt. Joseph Meotti, who was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Gold Star by Admiral Davidson in the film for bravery in action. Capitalizes on Local Boy Angle Since Burgess Waltmon at the Princess theatre, Columbus, Miss., was currently playing "Fighting Lady" when the Tokyo bombing j recently took place, the local radio stations mentioned in their newscasts that Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, who was leading the carrier attack on Tokyo, was in the picture. Newspaper coverage included four editorials, special stories, extra newspaper space, etc. And since William Murray, a local Marine photographer, home on leave, was one of three shown in the trailer of the picture, Burge played this up to the limit with a special newspaper story, 15-minute interview over WCBI, and talks before local schools. Burge also planted a lobby display of the Marine's Pacific photographs, which was good for breaks. Birney Imes, local editor, saw the picture at a private Navy screening six week's previous to its engagement at the theatre, and while on a tour as a guest of the Navy. Mr. Imes lauded the picture and mentioned its playdates in talks before four civic clubs. an. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH 17. 1945