Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

Exploiting the New Pictures How the recent pictures are being sold at the first run and pre-release date showings A NIGHT IN CASABLANCA Taking his cue from the many zany night club scenes in "A Night in Casablanca," manager Walter Kessler spotted 1,000 table tent cards in downtown restaurants to exploit the picture at Loew's theatre in Canton, Ohio. Copy read: "Reserved for the Marx Brothers." Night clubs in Canton featured the hit song revival from the film, "Who's Sorry Now," with band leaders giving picture and playdate credits. A four-day cooperative newspaper ad campaign with total lineage running over 2,000 lines was promoted. This excluded the theatre's regular ad budget. Two-column art breaks were planted two days in advance in local papers and also on opening day. Radio spot announcements were used extensively on WHBC to ballyhoo the opening. Songstress Lisette Verea was the subject for window displays at Arnold's Beauty Salon, Nussbaum's Jewelry Shop, Kresge's and the Finney Drug Company with blowups of stills being used in most cases. Lois Collier, who plays one of the feminine leads, also was brought in on exploitation tieups. The Gertzman Hat Shop featured Lois in a counter display, while the Stern-Mann Company included scene stills of Miss Collier in a sportswear window display. Street Ballyhoo in Boston Publicists George Kraska and Joe DiPesa used a street ballyhoo to promote the playdate at Loew's State and Orpheum theatres, Boston. A man dressed as Groucho Marx roamed the streets in the theatrical center for several hours each day in advance of opening with a card on his back reading: "If you think I'm looney wait till you see the Marx Brothers in 'A Night in Casablanca'." Special cards were printed for merchant distribution in advance of playdate. The cards were silk-screened and measured 11 x 14, with appropriate copy reading: "We're all spending 'A Night in Casablanca'. See us iii the morning." Cooperative newspaper ads were arranged with Rogers Jewelry Company, Washington Jewelry Company and Elsie Parker Beauty Parlor. Window dispkys were set with Jordan Marsh Company and R. H. White Company featuring stills of Lisette Verea and Lois Collier. Tieups were made with music and tobacco shops for counter and window displays. In Hartford, Conn., manager Lou Cohen promoted a "Goofy" contest sponsored by the local newspaper. The following story was planted: "The Marx Brothers have a 'goofy night' IVE WAITED:? YEARS JAME RUSSELL so I'M FIRST IN UHt OHUm THIIR 10 45 AM Here's an eccmomical stimt -which attracted attention to the "Young Widow" date at the Loew theatre in Dayton. Usher seated in chair admiring photo of Jane Kussell, and large sign tell the story. in Casablanca, which is coming to Loew's Poli theatre. The management is asking moviegoers to write about their 'goofy nights', an unusual event, maybe an embarassing or nightmarish or just plain 'goofy'. For the best letters received by the contest editor at Loew's Poli, the management offers three cash awards of $10, $3, and $2, and 10 -pair of guest tickets to 'A Night in Casablanca'." DO YOU LOVE ME? For the opening of "Do You Love Me?" in Hartford, Conn., a joint theatre campaign was conducted by managers Lou Cohen and Fred R. Greenway of the Poli and Palace, respectively. Topping the campaign was a "Harry James Trumpet Contest," announced through the local newspaper and by theatre trailers. Prizes were promoted from local merchants for winners. Runners-up received guest tickets and photos of James, who is featured in the picture. Sets Record Tieup A tieup was arranged with the Connecticut distributor of Columbia Records for the distribution of 22x28 stencilled window cards. The record company also ran cooperative newspaper ads and used counter displays. Another record tieup was made with G. Fox and Company, one of the largest department stores in the East, with mention of Dick Haymes in co-op newspaper ' ads, and with window displays. A "Spot the Singer" radio show was pro moted over a local station. Winners on the quiz show received guest tickets. Participants on a "Man on the Street" broadcast discussed the picture, stars, etc. Joe Girand, local disc-jockey, gave guest tickets to the first 25 listeners who listed the most recordings by different artists of title tunes. Beauty salons, furniture stores and music shops ran co-op ads tying-in with the picture. Hit tunes from the production were played at theatre intermissions at both theatres for a month in advance. Night club and hotel band leaders were contacted to plug the music from the picture. A juke box (playing Harry James and Dick Haymes recordings) was set up in the lobby of the Poli. Imprinted record bags were distributed by downtown Hartford music shops. Window displays were arranged at grocery stores. Stationery stores used window tieups on the Dick Haymes and Maureen O'Hara endorsement of Shaefer's Ink. ONE MORE TOMORROW Due to the rationing of newspaper space, radio was used extensively to advertise "One More Tomorrow" playdates in Dallas and Memphis. In Dallas, manager Dick Foy of the Palace theatre arranged several radio tieups. Carol Weaver, star of the radio show, "Sweetest Story Ever Told," sang "One More Tomorrow" as the feature song of the program, giving theatre and playdate credit. A 100-word plug was promoted on the Lone Star Gas Company radio show over WFAA. Walter Kuehn, director of recorded song programs for both WFAA and KGKO, used plugs twice daily on the two stations for a week. Roy George, program director for KRLD, played the title song on the "Battle of Hits" broadcast with screen credit. Alta Faye reviewed the picture on her weekly program over WRR. The Louise Record Shop's program used a 100-word plug for five days. Good News Breaks Newspaper breaks included a two-column ■feature on Ann Sheridan in the News; twocolumn cut in the amusement section, and a fashion feature on the women's page of the Times Herald; two-column cut on the front page of Bill's Bugle and a two-column cut in the SMU Campus. Window displays were arranged with Lone Star Gas, Melody Shop, Grand-Silver, Harris Record Shop and The Record Shop. An elaborate theatre front was devised to emphasize the five-star angle. Manager Jim Barnes of the Warner theatre, Memphis, also faced with a shortage of (Continued on opposite page) 62 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JUNE 15, 1946