Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1945)

I War Showmanship Contenders The showmen listed below have contributed and reported on their campaigns to aid the W effort. Their material is eligible for consideration by the Judges for the Quigley War Showmaj ship Award. " { JAMES BERGEN JACK FOXE WILLIAM F MUIR T ▼ 1 kl> I /^IVI la IVI V 1 l\ RKO Dyker. Brooklyn. N. Y. Columbia, Washington, D. C. Colonial, Belfast, Maine CHARLES BOSCHART GEORGE FREEMAN JOE NEVISON Tujunga, Tujunga, Cal. Poli, Springfield, Mass. Bromley, Philadelphia, Pa. ROBERT BOWMAN THOR HAUSCHILD MIKE NICHOLAS Warner, Erie, Pa. Arcade, Cambridge, Md. Patio, Brooklyn, N. Y. JOSEPH BOYLE SID HOLLAND JOSEPH SAMARTANO Poll Broadway Norwich, Conn. Palace, Akron, Ohio Loew's State, Providence, R. 1. LIGE BRIEN GENE KEENAN IRVING SCHWARTZ Enright, Pittsburgh, Pa. Burns, Newport, Vt. Boston Road, Bronx, N. Y. AL BUiST R. LEE KLINE BOYD SPARROW Rial+o, Westfield, N. J. Orpheum, Philadelphia, Pa. Loew's, Indianapolis, Ind. GERTRUDE BUNCHEZ EDWARD J. LEVEN D. T. STALCUP Cenfury, Baltimore, Md. Telenews, San Francisco, Cal. Gem, Etowah, Tenn. HAROLD F. CHESLER JOHN M. LEVITT MIKE STRANGER Princess, Bingham Canyon, Utah Court, Newark, N. J. Loew's, White Plains. N. Y. MARLOWE CONNER RUTH A. McCarthy JEFF SULLIVAN Capitol, Madison, Wis. Palace, Lorain, Ohio State, Boston, Mass. ROBERT COX LOUIS MARCKS VAUGHN TAYLOR Kentucky, Lexington, Ky. Colonia, Norwich, N. Y. Rialto, Phoenix, Ariz. SID J. DICKLER RITA MORTON BURGESS WALTMON Belmar, Pittsburgh, Pa. RKO Albee, Providence, R. I. Princess, Columbus, Miss. Schine Managers Report On Bond Activities Schine Circuit headquarters in Gloversville, New York, announced special activities and stage presentations in conjunction with all the Bond premieres. In Lexington arrangements were made to have the Army show from Fort Knox appear at the theatre. This was a company of 70 men who gave a very brilliant performance. Ticket sales for the premiere were handled, in addition to the theatre stafif, by the Junior Chamber of Commerce, Lion's Club, and every War Bond worker. At the Glove theatre, Gloversville, a Bond Auction was held in conjunction with a stage presentation, with a $20,000 additional sale of "E" Bonds being received through the articles auctioned off. This included two pairs of nylon stockings, which brought $13,000 in "E" Bonds. The entire program was broadcast over the local station WENT. Anyone 'phoning in to the theatre and purchasing a bond had their name announced over the air. Additional bonds were sold through this medium. In every situation full page and double truck ads were promoted with the cooperation of local merchants. Marcks Displays Combat Paintings Louis Marcks, manager of Schine's Colonial theatre, Norwich, N. Y., secured a set of fullcolor combat paintings and built a lobby display three by six feet and freshened up his Bond booth with new advertising appeal. All heralds that were used on the theatre mailing list and through other distribution had special Bond plugs. Through personal contact of local war plants, announcements were made to all employees on the theatre's Bond premiere, in addition to cards being placed on the bulletin boards. Qergymen mentioned the premiere from their pulpits, and the Chamber of Commerce came through with a plug for the show in a bulletin to all members. Mayor James Flanagan appeared as guest speaker on stage for the opening of the drive, as did other local dignitaries, and the schools cooperated by informing students of the show. Souvenir tickets, at no cost to the theatre, were printed up, and Lou says the special show netted $260,000 in Bond sales. Other Circuitmen Also Active Sid Holland at the Palace in Akron, Ohio, enlisted the support of members of his stage shows over a week's period. Artie Shaw invited large Bond purchasers to visit his dressing room, where he autographed the Bonds. Included in Vaughn Taylor's Bond drive at the Rialto theatre. Phoenix, Ariz., was a special Children's Bond and Stamp premiere, set for a Saturday morning. RKO donated the feature, "My Pal Wolf," which was augmented by color cartoons and a small stage presentation. Vaughn then contacted the head of the "Schools at War" program and distributed notices for the children to take home with them. The notices carried information to the effect that each child who purchased a Bond or $1.00 worth of Stamps would be admitted free to the special show. Vaughn says the show netted $42,375 in Bonds. Much was made locally in the papers when, through the efforts of Bob Cox, Kentucky theatre, Lexington, Ky., a football, used recently in the Kentucky-Tennessee game, was auctioned off on stage at a Bond rally and went under the hammer for $105,000 in War Bonds. The sealed bids for the pigskin were opened by Bob, the sale itself being under the auspices of the Junior Chamber of Commerce. The Junior Chamber arranged a series of vaudeville shows to be presented at the scholos in an effort to stimulate Bond sales, at which Cox was the master of ceremonies. All theatre ads carried a War Bond Auction slug, various merchant cooperative ads were promoted and the local newspapers came through with stories and art work. The Football Auction brought in $106,000 in Bond sales; the Bond Auction, $60,000; Free Movie Day, $4,600, and the Bond premiere, $501,000, or a total of $671,600. In conjunction with the first public inspection of the B-29 Bomber at Washington's National Airport, Jack Foxe, manager of Loew's Irving Schwartz at Loew's Boston Road theatre, Bronx, N. Y., rigged up a six-foot screen over his main entrance on which he projected a picture of President Roosevelt flanked by a banner phigging the Sixth War Loan Drive. Columbia theatre, sent the Trailer Carawi with disc recording system and public addrif; system out to the airport, together with ty writers. Bonds, applications, typists and ' girls to take applications. After one of the professional football gar"; on a Sunday night, the Redskin players ca ; down and autographed all Bonds purcha: \ in the Trailer Caravan, which was located i front of the theatre. In conjunction with tL, 30-piece Boys' Band and 25 girls in eveafji attire took applications. Jackson Weaver, ifi nouncer from WMAL, urged passer sby to Vi Bonds. He also interviewed wounded veil* ans. The ballyhoo was built up in advance broadcast, plus stories in all four papers. Uses Bond Slugs on All Ads f Arnold J. Coffey at the Carolina thea Hickory, N. C, carried Bond slugs on all ads and heralds before and during the dr: Guest speakers appeared on stage during drive to make a plea to the audience from stage and plenty of three and one-sheets w displayed in the lounge, lobby and through the theatre. Bond sales were solicited o' the telephone from the theatre Bond bo(;i, etc., and Arnold promoted a full page of operative ads from local merchants, toget r with scene mats and other newspaper public ,'. As a constant reminder to purchase Bot,i, Charlie Pincus at the Paramount Utah in i 'X Lake City, carried a banner across his marq le with copy reading : "Put a Bond in the B; k for Your Yank." In Erie, Pa., Bob Bowman at the War r tlieatre had an eye-arresting lobby display. l b contacted one of the local war producing pk s and borrowed materials made of plastics : ;d used by the Armed Forces. The display ^ planted directly opposite his War Bond be in the lobby. • | D. T. Stalcup at the Gem theatre, EtoW Tenn., in his 626-seat house, held a Bond j miere of "Rainbow Island," which was j sponsored by the local Lion's Club. Sc?; articles were donated for a Bond auction. ') 60 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 20, |^