Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

Exploit "Gilda^^ Through Dance Hall Tieups Tieups with leading Boston dance halls which sponsored "Gilda Glide" dance contests resulted in exceptional publicity breaks in connection with the opening of "Gilda" at Loew's Orpheum and State theatres in that city. Publicists George Kraska and Joe Di Pesa, Jack Mercer, manager of the Orpheum, and Jim Tibbetts, manager of the State, worked together in effecting the tieups with the dance hall management, awarding small cash prizes to winning couples and theatre guest tickets to runners-up. The Boston branch of the Arthur Murray dance school tied in with the picture, incorporating theatre and playdate mention in regular newspaper ads. The school also arranged to furnish a dance team to demonstrate the "Gilda Glide" in the Oval Room of the Copley-Plaza Hotel, with resultant publicity. Life-size cutouts of Rita Hayworth as "Gilda," the theatre and playdate were spotted in hotel lobbies. Merchandising displays promoting the film were set with many of the city's leading stores covering women's wear, handbags and jewelry. Sets Radio Contest Station WORL conducted a contest on its "Mary Ruth" program, awarding theatre guest tickets to listeners sending in the correct titles of previous pictures in which Miss Hayworth starred. Orchestras in leading hotels featured music from the picture, with theatre plugs. An invitation was extended to all women named Gilda to be guests of the State on opening day, after proper identifica' tion had been furnished. The Boston American, Record and Traveler used art on beauty pages, and Royal Crown Cola bannered its fleet of trucks, exploiting the film. Additional tieups were made with music shops handling Decca records, tobacconists, and chain drug stores which carry Max Factor make-up products. OH! FOR THE LIFE OF A BABY BALLYHOO Quizzes Patrons of Community On Likes and Dislikes Ralph G. Tiede, manager of the Community theatre, Welland, Ontario, recently instituted a survey of his patrons' likes and dislikes. Ralph circulated "patrons' quiz cards," asking for information on what advertising medium was most effective in arousing their interest in coming attractions. Other questions asked were, "Would you like a matinee performance each Thursday ?" "Would you like Western pictures more than once a week ?" The card also invited patrons to submit titles of features they would like to see again. Theatreinen playing "Life With Baby" should have no difficulty creating word-ofmouth comment with the use of a street ballyhoo such as this one used by Al Frank, manager of the Fond Du Lac theatre. Fond Du Lac, Wis. Amateur .Hour Draws Big For Perry at Liberty A variety amateur hour presented from the stage and sponsored by a local merchant drew tremendous business for manager Fred Perry at the Liberty theatre, Cumberland, Md. Perry reports that hundreds of people were turned away because the house was filled to capacity. McCrory's, sponsors of the show, have sanctioned a weekly amateur hour as a result. School Hook-Up For ''Bandit" Through a tieup arranged with the Syracuse Board of Education the "Robin Hood" album of records were played in junior high and high schools throughout the city to exploit the engagement of "Bandit of Sherwood Forest" at the State Theatre. Manager H. S. Mortin reached approximately 50,000 pupils by this means. Mimeographed letters signed by the director of the English Department of Public Schools also were sent to all English teachers instructing them to encourage all pupils to see the picture. 5,000 bookmarks were distributed to the Public Library and eight suburban branches. A cooperative newspaper ad featured by a photo of Anita Louise, star of the picture, was arranged with Dey Brothers department store. Five window displays were set, featuring the record album. Mee Uses Novelty Mat for Ad As a novelty newspaper advertisement manager Cyril Mee ran the "Star Gazing" mat from "The Enchanted Forest" press book, with theatre and playdate listed below, to exploit the engagement of the picture at the State theatre, Harrisonburg, Va. Promotes Window Displays For his date on "Abilene Town," J. G. Samartano promoted window displays with F. W. Woolworth, featuring the music from the picture, and with Liggett's Drug Store. Samartano manages the State theatre in Providence, R. I. Third Dimensional Displays — are featured at the Alexandria theatre, San Francisco. Manager Walter Chenoweth, in conjunction with Frank A. Duino, house artist, creates these striking and original exhibits to publicize the theatre's coming and current program. Still displays also come in for special attention. 60 MOTION PICTURE HERALD. MAY 25. 1946