Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1946)

Direct Efforts At School Kids For "Marker " A campaign aimed at school children was devised by manager Richard Feldman to exploit a special show, which included "Little Miss Marker," at the Paramount theatre in Syracuse, N. Y. Feldman personally visited every central school in Onondaga County a week ahead of playdate, telling the story to the principals who, in turn, spoke to the students about it. The Board of Education sent out a letter to all principals and teachers in Syracuse eight days before playdate. The letter said in part: "If attendance warrants, other pictures in a Library of Children's Pictures will be brought to Syracuse. . . . This picture is commended as one worthy for children to see." Considerable newspaper publicity was garnered. Nineteen days ahead of playdate the Herald Journal ran a two-column lead story followed by a three-column story and a picture of Shirley Temple, star of "Little Miss Marker," 11 days in advance. The Post-Standard used, an editorial and onecolumn story with picture of Shirley Temple. Effective Display Set Up In Lobby for "Time" A shadow box was used in the lobby a week in advance to promote the playdate on "Till the End of Time" at the Voge theatre, East Chicago, Ind. Heart-shaped cutout heads, an 8x10 still from the picture and the title were illuminated from the rear. Novelty money wrappers were used 10 days in advance of opening. 5,000 weekly programs were distributed from house to house. The campaign was arranged by manager Roy Peffley. Mandel Designs Poster For Football Subject Football is currently much in the public eye. With this in mind, Harry Mandel, publicity director for RKO Theatres, has designed an attractive poster, cashing in on the publicity, for the short subject, "Football Highlights of 1946." Copy on the poster reads : RKO-Radio 'Football Highlights of 1946'. See . . . the most thrilling plays from the 12 top football games of the season." The 12 games covered in the short subject are listed in a box at the bottom of the poster. Kiddie Shows Build Goodwill The Saturday morning kiddie shows that manager Arthur S. Murch, Jr., started at the North Shore theatre, Gloucester, Mass., last June have become an important and permanent part of the town's weekly activities. The shows also have built goodwill with parents, Child Care Council, schools and churches. CONTEST BIG DRAW IN SLUMP PERIOD A popularity contest, which was conducted over a period of eight weeks through a tieup with the Moncton Flying Club, greatly aided playdates at the Kent theatre, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. Interest ran high, voting was brisk and attendance held up during a time that ordinarily is a pre-Christmas slump. For the contest, ballots were passed out for patrons to write the name of the person they wanted to vote for. The winner received 10 hours free flying instruction. Manager J. Warren Fenety, who arranged the tieup, also promoted a full-page cooperative newspaper ad from the flying club. Arranges Merchant Tieup For "Miracle" Date Considerable attention was attracted to manager Harry A. Rose's playdate of "The Cockeyed Miracle" at the Majestic theatre, Bridgeport, Conn., through a tieup he arranged with a confectioner. In the window of the Economy Candy Company, a large sign plugged the picture and featured a photo of Keenan Wynn in top hat. Copy on the sign requested passersby to guess how many candy kisses the hat would hold. Guest tickets were awarded to 10 winners. 5,000 imprinted "For Girls Only" booklets were distributed. A cooperative newspaper ad ran in the Sporting Nezvs. Mats, Stories Planted In County Newspapers Two and three-column mats and stories were planted in Westchester County newspapers on "Canyon Passage" and "Madonna of the Seven Moons" by manager Michael Stranger to exploit the double bill at the State theatre, White Plains, N. Y. A 15minute quiz program was promoted over WFAS. Four window tieups were arranged in central locations. W. T. Grant's used a counter display. A reader board and a lobby display in the Roger Smith Hotel plugged the playdate. Books Old "Abner" Film For Sadie Hawkins Day Taking advantage of the publicity over the national contest to find a suitable drawing of "Lena the Hyena" to use in the "Lil' Abner" comic strip, manager Arthur Turner booked the 1938 version of the Yokum family in Dogpatch, namely "Lil' Abner," on Sadie Hawkins Day at the Parsons theatre, Parsons, Kan. The idea of re-booking the picture was suggested by the Parsons chief cashier, Helaine Wright. Turner reports that the results of the special show were nothing short of terrific. A pre-Sadie Hawkins Day show is planned as an annual event. Revolver Points To "The Killers" For Klafta A giant cardboard revolver was set up in the lobby three weeks in advance to exploit manager Leonard Klafta's date on "The Killers" at the Paramount theatre, Kankakee, 111. A target card had copy reading : "Flash !' 'The Killers' are coming." The title was painted to resemble bullet holes as though the title was shot into the target. Klafta used 500 stickers, reading : "Kilroy was here ! But he scrammed when he heard 'The Killers' were coming to the Paramount." Due to a mixup on an accessory order, no stills were available on the picture. Using the backs of stills from another picture, Klafta wrote: "The suspense of 'The Killers' is so great we do not want to spoil a moment of your enjoyment of the picture by revealing any scenes from the picture." Merchant Tieup Highlights Campaign on "No Love" An advantageous tieup with the Zeswitz Music Store was arranged by manager Larry Levy to promote "No Leave, No Love" at the Colonial theatre, Reading, Pa. The store distributed 2,000 "keys to Van Johnson's heart," one of which would unlock a large red heart on the six-foot cut-out figure of Van Johnson placed in the lobby. Inside the heart was a $25 Savings Bond. The store used a full window display and 17 spot announcements over the radio to exploit the promotion. 5,000 heralds, window and counter cards also helped to advertise the tieup. A large truck was bannered with playdate copy and used for street ballyhoo. 10,000 special tabloid newspapers were passed out from house to house, in parked cars, on street cars and busses. Ties In with Boy Scouts For "Men of Tomorrow" Manager Mel Jolley tied-in with the local Boy Scouts to publicize his engagement of the short subject "Men of Tomorrow" at the Marks theatre, Oshawa, Ontario, Can. Jolley obtained a write-up in the Scout News, urging all scouts to see the picture. A synopsis also was carried in the same issue. A letter was dispatched from the District Commissioner for Scouts in Oshawa to all scout masters in the city. They were all urged to advise the boys in their Troops to see the film. A letter was placed on the bulletin board in the Scout Hall. Radio Tieup Sells Playdates Manager W..T. Hastings has arranged a tieup with radio station KLZ whereby the playdates at the Orpheum theatre in Denver are plugged on a 15-minute weekly program and by 10 spot announcements weekly. MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE, DECEMBER 28, 1946 51