Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1946)

Stage Program with Horror Show Gives Business Extra Boost It is the belief of manager Willis E. Shaffer that his patrons are interested .in a change of pace from the regular diet of motion pictures. Consequently he has put on various stage shows and special programs at intervals throughout the year. The extracurricular programs at the Orpheum theatre in Atchison, Kan., have proved successful. A recent program was an "Asylum of Horrors" show, featuring Dr. Silkini and company. This was strictly a midnight show and in his campaign to exploit the program Shaffer appealed directly to teen-agers. It was advertised not as a spook show but a thrill show with more thrills than scares. The exploitation was handled in circus style with one-sheets in all business houses, hotels, etc., starting 10 days in advance. A special front was designed, consisting of three-sheets mounted on large display boards. One-sheets were posted on the sidewalk in front of the box office and in other choice spots all over town. Several display boards were filled with stills and other material sent by Dr. Silkini. A teaser newspaper campaign was used to publicize an advance ticket sale, the stage show and the price. All employees participated in the selling of the tickets, which were priced at $1. The price was advertised on the theory that the advanced scale would have a tendency to impress the public with the idea that the stage show was something special. Faint checks were given out with each admission at the box office one week in advance. Copy on the cards read: "Kindly fill out this card (print name and address plainly) and keep in your pocket in case you pass out when the Frankenstein monster is turned loose." Radio station KVAK conducted a special advance campaign, employing two announcers. They used weird music and hideous laughs as a sound background. The radio exploitation was held for a week in advance. Tieups Benefit Seattle Houses Several stunts have been worked out to good advantage recently by J. J. Engerman, advertising manager of the Sterling Theatres in Seattle, Wash. For a child personality contest in 10 suburban houses, a tieup was arranged with a photographer at no cost to the theatres. Children's photographs were put on display and each week a winner was selected by the University of Washington's drama professor. At" the end of 10' weeks, a grand winner was chosen for a Hollywood contract and given a screen test by United Artists. The theatres were mentioned in all newspaper ads run by the photographer. A tieup was effected with downtown and suburban bowling alleys. Each week a full page of advertising is devoted to theatre listings and the theatres' program of current events placed in each bowling alley. In return, a pair of theatre passes for each alley is awarded to the highest male and female bowlers each week. A third tie-in was arranged with the Northwest distributor of children's "jeeps." Through the tieup a giveaway contest was run for four weeks. On the fourth Saturday a drawing was held and the "jeep" awarded to the holder of the lucky coupon. Unusual Lobby Displays Used by Reid in London An attractive lobby display was designed by manager Alec Reid to exploit his engagement of "Love Letters" at the Plaza Cinema, Southfields, London, England. The display consisted of a small table with a bright cloth, reading lamp, inkstand and a pen laid over a half completed letter. On the wall, a large tear-off calendar was set at playdate with "For 3 Days" added. A large art display board carried the picture title, etc. For "Two Sisters from Boston," Reid stressed that the picture was produced by Joe Pasternak, who made the early Deanna Durbin successes. The Durbin pictures had proved very popular at the Plaza Cinema. Reid used a photograph of the producer and a biography on a display board in the lobby along with a list of his previous pictures. TeaserCampaign Draws Attention To England Date Considerable ingenuity was employed by manager Arthur Wolfson in his exploitation for "Perfect Strangers" at the Rex Cinema, Salford, Lancashire, England. Without the couple's knowledge, Wolfson photographed a sailor and a Wren walking together and used the picture on a showcard with question • marks all around it. On one side of the photograph copy read : "Stop ! is this you ? This is a photograph of two perfect strangers." On the other side were the words : "If these two perfect strangers will visit the Rex Cinema and see two more 'Perfect Strangers' (Robert Donat and Deborah Kerr) a pleasant surprise awaits them." Donat plays the part of a sailor and Deborah Kerr that of a Wren in the picture. The climax came when the actual sailor and Wren presented themselves at the box office and were personally escorted by Wolfson to two of the best seats. A unique and topical tieup also was arranged with a local butcher. On either side of the showcase were cartoons, one depicting a thin emaciated man sitting down to a' meal of one solitary carrot on the plate. Overhead , were the figures 1946. Completing the cartoon was another man, stout and jovial, with a huge meal set in front of him. Over this were the figures 194 ? The caption under the cartoon was "Till We Meat Again!" The second cartoon showed the interior of a butcher shop with the butcher (dressed only in straw hat and striped apron) playing dice over the counter with a male customer by whose side is a pile of butcher's garments which he had won. Overhead hung a large, juicy steak. The caption read: "Playing for high steaks." Tying-in with the butcher display, a slide was run on the screen, reading: "Is it you? Have you seen yourself in Parkers, the butchers? Then come and see 'Perfect Strangers' and you will be pleasantly surprised." Book Stressed in Campaign For "Tom Sawyer" Date Emphasis was placed on the all-time popularity and literary importance of Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" to exploit the playdate of the picture at the State theatre, Bellevue, Ohio. The campaign was arranged by manager Tom Wolf. Letters were sent to English teachers and school principals inviting them to see the picture as guests of the management. Teaser ads reminded parents that the book was a childhood favorite. Mayor Opens Schine Jubilee Manager Pearl Bryant had the mayor of the town as her guest to start the Schine Silver Jubilee Celebration at the Federal theatre, Federalsburg, Md. you arc user oi special trailers, you know FILM ACKS service and quality can't be beat! Filmack's the ideal source for your future trailer needs. Write us lor iniormation and proof of FUmack advantages. FILMACK 1327 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE, NOVEMBER 2, 1946 59