Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1947)

Novel Campaign Builds "Jolson" In Trinidad An excellent campaign on "The Jolson Story" — up to the best standard of the Managers' Round Table — arrives by post from manager Percival B. Singh, of the De Luxe theatre, Port of Spain, Trinidad, B.W.I. We welcome Mr. Singh as a new contributor, not only for the quality of his showmanship but because this campaign was prepared under unusual difficulty and with limited cooperation due to wartime restrictions, which are not yet lifted in this British territory. Leading with the Governor of Trinidad, Sir John Shaw, and Lady Shaw, as invited guests at the premiere, the campaign was elaborate in all departments, through a full series of newspaper advertisements and cooperative layouts, and unusual use of radio, from spot announcements to a broadcast from the theatre lobby on opening night. A special tie-up with Coca-Cola not only provided a newspaper campaign in itself, but the beverage was served free to patrons during the first four days of the run of "The Jolson Story." Mr. Singh's outdoor campaign was interesting and spectacular, with plenty of 24sheets, in addition to smaller posters. He used a heavy coverage of window cards, street car cards, and two kinds of special heralds. An unusual "Jolson" contest captured the town, with prizes for "finding" a Jolson character at large among street crowds; somewhat of a feat, in Trinidad. Fletcher Arranges Tieup With National Saving The highlight of manager Leslie Fletcher's campaign for "The Green Years" at the Carlton Cinema, Chapel Bar, Nottingham, England, was a tieup with National Saving. A special display was placed in the National Saving Committee's window in the center of town. The slogan used was "Save for 'The Green Years' ahead and don't forget to see the greatest film of all time showing at the Carlton." SAVE ! Use Filmack's Prevue TRAILER SERVICE CUTS COSTS JN HALF! Mammoth plastic egg shell and silken, feathery chick, etc., made an unusual and effective table display for manager Ed May's advance promotion of "The Egg and I" at the swank Lincoln theatre, Miami Beach, Via. The girl is June Diamond, tvho graces the theatre candy counter. Brown Uses Teaser Cards To Promote "Bedelia" Thirty-five thousand special "Bedelia" teaser cards were used by manager Bill Brown to exploit the playdate of the picture at the Poli-Bijou theatre, New Haven, Conn. Two thousand five hundred of the cards were mailed through the Yale University post office branch to teachers and students, 500 were placed in all parked cars on the streets, in garages and parking lots and the remaining 500 were distributed at the Yale Bowl during a baseball game. Street Ballyhoo Attracts Attention to "Spring" A barefoot boy dressed in patched overalls and a straw hat carried a fishing pole through the streets to promote the engagement of "Suddenly It's Spring" at the Bison theatre, Shawnee, Okla. A sign on the boy's back tied-in the ballyhoo with the opening of the picture. Manager Elmer Adams, Jr., also used benches in the lobby with signs, reading: "Reserved for sweethearts . . . because 'Suddenly It's Spring' at this theatre." Uses Carrots for "Bugs Bunny" Manager John H. Arnold had his ushers and cashiers wear carrot corsages to promote a "Bugs Bunny" birthday celebration at the Yale theatre, Houston, Tex. In fact, Arnold wore a carrot in the lapel of his coat so that he could explain that the "Bugs Bunny" show was coming to the Yale. Brown Promotes "Song" Window An attractive window tieup was arranged by manager A. J. Brown with Burton's clothing store to promote his engagement of "Song of the South" at the Empire theatre, Cardiff, Wales. IN NEW POSTS: Leonard Freid, Hollywood theatre, Eau Claire, Wis. Charles Thomas, State theatre, Charlotte, N. C. Dick Horton, Rialto theatre, Durham, N. C. John Kohler, Reade's Paramount; Sabie Contie, Reade's Oxford; both in Plainfield, N. J. Jack Cummings, Drive-in, Providence, R. I. Joseph Argentio, E. M. Loew's theatre, Baltimore, Md. Vincent Tillota, Elliot theatre, River Rouge, Mich. Wally Nikkel, Roseville theatre, Roseville, Mich. Vernon Powell, Crescent theatre, Louisville, Ky. Jack Powell, Shelman theatre, Louisville, Ky. Royce Winkelman, Charles theatre, Charles City, la. Assistants: William Christiansen, Warren theatre, Torrington, Conn. Richard "Devine, Auditorium theatre, Lynn, Mass. Fred Baker, Star theatre, Concord, N. H. Elmer Berry, Center theatre, Detroit, Mich. Bob Westerman, Loew's, Harrisburg, Pa. Joe Young, Daly theatre, Hartford, Conn. BIRTHDAYS OF THE WEEK: George Fen nelly Les Kaufman . Dick Pritchard Thomas Muchmore Harry Rinzler Harry Alberth Seymour Katz Melvin Dinger Hyman Shapiro Hubert Schrodt Will Glaser W. L. Snapp Gene Michael Marvin Huban borge iversen James O'Kelly Ira Eschay Carl Beals Ben Griefer Rupert Koblegard Jack Nelson Martin Weinstein A. H. Roberson Arthur C. Bowden Lee Cole Harry Haycock Rene Poelmans N. J. Banks Joe Hewitt Murray Bracker James Delaney A. R. Hiland E. V. Gassaway Irving Lambert Dick Detwiler Sam. Cunningham Elwood Blanc George Mooney Joe Klein C. T. Spencer Samuel Leffler George Stoves Harold Teel Harold Pearl Albert Pollock Don T. Palmer Sidney Miller Frederick Radtke Mark Berkheimer O. Beer Paul Field Paul Kleinerman APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE 1270 Sixth Avenue, New York 20, N. Y. Name Position Theatre Addr City State Circuit Absolutely No Dues or Fees 52 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JUNE 7, 1947