Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

E. C. Callow Sets Campa ign A imed At Club Women A campaign aimed at 50,000 club women in Philadelphia and an additional 20,000 in the suburban areas was arranged for the opening of "Stairway to Heaven" at the Boyd theatre there. The campaign was directed by Everett C. Callow, advertising director for Warner theatres in Philadelphia. A series of special screenings was held for board of governors and club presidents of the women's organizations. They in turn mailed out 10,000 cards, which read in part : "I have just had the motion picture experience of my life ! It was my privilege to attend a private screening of 'Stairway to Heaven,' which is not only an extraordinarily good motion picture, but is also advanced in every phase of production." The cards concluded: "I am sure you will want to see 'Stairway to Heaven.' " Ties-up With Night Club For Singing Contest Through a tieup with a local night clubrestaurant a girl singing contest was promoted by manager Ansel Winston at the RKO Coliseum theatre, New York, N. Y. The contest is held each Tuesday night with the winning girl being given a week's engagement at Joyce's Manor for which she is paid $50. The night club also runs a weekly cooperative ad in the Bronx Home News, displays signs and uses spot announcements several times each evening over the public address system to publicize the contest tieup. UNIFORMS IMMEDIATE DELIVERY! USHER — USHERETTE CASHIER UNIFORMS SEND FOR NEW 1947 ILLUSTRATED BROCHURE BANNERS MARQUEE VALANCES _ FLAGS — BANNERS NOW READY COOL BANNERS HOLLYWOOD ADVERTISING COMPANY 600 West 45th Street, New York City 1914 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, Cel. t 0* « I 20 ycari in mow wvny PERSONALS In New Posts: Bill Schleiger, manager, King theatre, Albia, Iowa. Evan Thompson, Fenway, Bronx, N. Y. Jack Hamilton, Sylvan, Washington, D. C. Donald Holcomb, Florida, Tampa, Fla. Lester Persall, Martin's, Piedmont, Ala. Francis Steel, Seminole, Tampa, Fla. Royce Winkelman, Charles, Charles City, Iowa. Hugh McGinnis, Loop, Chicago, 111. fames Davie, RKO, Vancouver, B. C. Dan Newman, publicity manager, Studebaker, Chicago, 111. Assistant Managers: Joe Young, Daly theatre, Hartford, Conn. Wedding Bells: Art Downard, manager of the Arrow theatre, Cherokee, Iowa, to Patricia Ann Scoles of Webster City. Birthday Greetings: M. L. Silverman, Ned Gerber, Charles W. Felter, Vincent Gulli, R. F. Hotz, John A. Schwalm, Jack M. Scherzer, Mae Shapiro, Bernard L. Crawford, Henry Dorsey, L. Joseph Ryan, Orville Finkboner, Don G. Dugan, Leo W. Shuppert. Arthur K. Dame, Lawrence J. Nordine, Edwin Pettett, Al Liebman, Morris Hatoff, Robert Todd-Robertson, L. W. Carroll, Roscoe Jones, Seth H. Field, Herbert James, John S. Davies, William A. Agnew, Maurice W. Lathrop, Joel C. Webb, Louis Colantuono. Joseph Kligler, Paul O. Brake, Russ Kitchin, Ben H. Sommers, Jack E. Sarphie, Joe Joel, Harold J. Schmidley, Bertell Kennerson, Reed D. Yowell, Richard M. Kennedy, Albert B. Lourie, Augie C. Berkholtz, Frederick M. Ross, F. E. Howland, Louis Liss, Paul Reynolds, Steve McManus. Promotes Radio Tieup for "Dorseys" in Reading A tieup was promoted with a popular local radio talent show to exploit "The Fabulous Dorseys" at the Colonial theatre, Reading, Pa. Manager Larry Levy set the tieup with "Dr. Saul's Teen Age Variety Show" heard over WRAW. The most talented musical brothers were selected by audience write-in vote. The program is sponsored by an optical company, which ran a cooperative newspaper ad in advance and used a window display to promote the contest. In addition, Levy promoted twoco-op ads with the Zeswitz Music House. MIMIC IN BLACKFACE DRAWS BIG CROWDS Hundreds of passersby were attracted to a repertoire of "The Jolson Story" music apparently sung by a blackface song and dance man in front of the Highland theatre, Los Angeles, Calif. The minstrel was a mimic and performed in pantomime while the Jolson tunes were played from a secluded phonograph. The stunt drew such crowds cf people that police were required on more than one occasion to handle them. The promotion was thought up and executed by manager Jimmy Mastro. City-wide Tieup Heralds Opening Of "Calendar" Through a tieup with the Retail Trade Bureau of Portland, Ore., city-wide attention was focused on the opening of "Calendar Girl" at the Broadway theatre there. Jack Matlack, advertising and publicity director for the J. J. Parker theatres, arranged the campaign. The contest was run as part of the national "Calendar Girl" contest conducted under the sponsorship of Republic Pictures and Brown and Bigelow, calendar advertising firm. The retail bureau sent out three separate bulletins to its members, urging them to tie-in with the contest and publicize it among their employees. Many members placed announcements regarding the competition in the pay envelopes of feminine employees. One of Portland's largest department stores featured its contestant in person in one of its busiest store windows, creating widespread attention among sidewalk crowds. A loudspeaker blared information about the girl representing the store, and the contest. Speakers were sent out to civic and social groups, advising them of the contest and asking members to enter. Cashiers at the three Parker theatres in Portland finished all phone conversations with the query : "Have you entered our 'Calendar Girl' Contest?" In addition, tieups were arranged with florists, photographers, etc. A recording machine in the lobby played music from the picture. Lobby Guessing Contest Used for "Verdict" A lobby contest helped to promote manager H. F. Wilson's playdate of "The Verdict" at the Capitol theatre, Chatham, Ontario, Canada. For the contest, Wilson used a glass jar full of coins with a sign reading: "What is your 'Verdict?' Can you estimate the number of coins in this jar? Fill in the card with your answer and win free passes to see, etc." 50 large-size arrows were posted in store windows and on telegraph poles along the main streets. 2,000 circulars, paid for by merchant ads, were distributed. 2,000 summons-type heralds were passed out in cars along the main street and in parking lots. Runs Special Show for "Song" Manager Buzzy Mixson ran a special show for the students of Williston high school and grammar school to exploit "Song of the South" at the Arcade theatre, Williston, Fla. Mixson emphasized the fact that this time he wanted the children to preview the picture and let their parents know what they thought about it. All faculty members and bus drivers received passes. 52 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, APRIL 19, 1947