Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

Spring Is Harbinger of Showmanship Drives Spring showmanship drives are underway or about to begin in various sections of the country. Regardless of location circuits are stressing the return to the old-time brand ot showmanship which fell by the wayside during the lush war years. The Florida State Theatres, with headquarters in Jacksonville, inaugurated an eight week drive April 6th. Known as the "Frank Rogers Spring Festival Celebration," the drive is in recognition of the achievements of the president of the circuit during the past five years and his 40th anniversary in show business. Prize moneydivided into three groups, will be awarded to circuit showmen for theatre operation and maintenance, candy and popcorn, sales, promotion and exploitation. Manual Points Way to Showmen The circuit's advertising and publicity department has distributed a comprehensive manual covering all phases of the drive, including several pages devoted to suggestions for exploiting playdates. Suggestions include Saturday midnight shows, dancingschool contest, cartoon shows, queen for a day or lady for a day contest, flower show in the lobby, classified newspaper contest, Cinderella contest, bathing beauty competition and many others. The manual also suggests mayors' proclamations, cooperative newspaper ads, radio and merchant tieups, heralds, bus and street car cards, post cards, imprinted paper napkins, etc. The Minnesota Amusement Company, with headquarters in Minneapolis, is conducting a 1947 MayJune Drive with C. W. Winchell, vice-president, as drive chairman. Cash prizes of $2,075 will be awarded in the drive period. In the manual, prepared by the advertising and publicity department, for distribution to managers, emphasis is placed on the annual crop of school graduation parties. "Enterprising managers," according to the manual, "have developed this patronage to a point where each Spring it means many thousands of dollars in extra business." Hints for Graduation Parties Most success is reported where managers start early in contacting school officials, class presidents or entertainment committees, selling the idea of enjoying the final school celebration or social function with entertainment at the theatre. The following observations concerning graduation parties, gleaned from experience of previous years, are pointed out in the manual: "Contact nearby schools in person, outlying schools by letter. Outline advantages, economy and entertainment value of the plan. "Some managers have joined forces with restaurants in selling a dinner and a theatre party. Others have sold local merchant associations to sponsor theatre parties for graduation classes from schools in adjacent territory. In these clays of youth delinquency, school authorities are apt to look askance at a class dance in favor of the students having a theatre party in a wellsupervised theatre." A 13 week "Schine Showmanship Drive ' recently got under way with regional managers' meetings in various cities. The circuit has headquarters in Gloversville, N. Y. In the Schine drive, pictures which need extra selling will be designated "Bonus Pictures." Managers are encouraged to redouble their exploitation efforts on these pictures and submit their completed campaigns to a home office committee which will appraise them solely on their exploitation value, and credit the managers accordingly with a number of points. At the end of the drive, managers with the greatest number of points will be awarded cash prizes. Letter Writing Contest Aids "Miss Pilgrim" A letter writing contest was arranged through a tieup with a local merchant by manager Frank Lanterman to exploit "The Shocking Miss Pilgrim" at Reade's Jersey theatre, Morristown, N. J. The Morristown Typewriter Exchange offered a portable typewriter to the person submitting the best letter on "What the typewriter has meant to me in school or business." Heralds publicizing the contest and the picture were distributed. Display Draws Attention To Special Attraction An eye-arresting lobby display was set up by Manager Tony Cirasio to advertise a special attraction which he himself arranged at the Alhambra theatre, Philadelphia, Pa. Cirasio gathered together prints of official prize fight pictures of the past 20 years, edited and spliced them together into one subject which he used as an added attraction. To publicize the show, the lobby display was set up. It consisted of pictures of famous fighters in characteristic sparring poses and a still from the Louis-Galento fig-ht. Uses Dice Game for "Luck" Manager Ted E. Waggoner built a miniature dice table and used it in the lobby a week in advance to promote "Lady Luck" at the Wallace theatre, Tahoka, Tex. Each lady attending the theatre was given the chance to roll five dice and add the top numbers to give her a score. The 15 winners, out of a total of approximately 1,000 women, received free tickets to see the picture. Press Coverage, Tieups Promoted For "Duel" Date A series of striking newspaper ads backed by special feature stories with art on the various stars in the local press heralded the southern premiere of "Duel in the Sun" at the Colony theatre, Miami Beach, Fla. The campaign was arranged by manager Arthur Bookbinder and Paramount publicist Tom Jefferson. An airplane banner was employed to get the playdate message across to the beach and racetrack crowds, estimated at upwards of 175,000 persons. A tieup was arranged with local high school students to wear the "Duel in the Sun" T-shirts. Bumper strips were used on all jitnevs covering Venetian Way. Wide distribution was accorded a special tabloid throwaway. Through a tieup with Ronrico rum, cocktail coasters were supplied to night clubs, hotels and bars throughout the city. A special "Duel in the Sun" race was promoted at the Gulfstream Racetrack. Radio played an important part in the campaign. with special announcements breaking many times daily over the four local outlets. Holden Sets Coloring Contest A coloring contest was arranged by manager Earle M. Holden to publicize "Song of the South" at the Center theatre, Hickory, N. C. 1,500 contest heralds were handed out, mostly at a Saturday kiddie show. Post cards, exploiting the playdate. were mailed. Book marks were distributed at the librarv. 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 Weit 45th Street, New York City 1914 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, Cel. 20 ¥€AR* IN SHOW ^US^N^1 MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE, APRIL 26, 1947 53