Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1951)

SHOVfMCN IN ACTION Howard McGill, manager of the Brundidge theatre, Brundidge, Alabama, says his is the only theatre with an “Oscar” on the marquee, for good movies. ▼ Charlie Jones, manager of the Dawn theatre, Elma, Iowa, and one of the best small town showmen in the country, in with news of his Movietime block parties, so successful they had to do it over again. ▼ Hugh S. Borland, manager of the friendly Louis theatre on Chicago’s southside, doing an “Inquiring Reporter” — in person — to ask leading questions about the habits of movie goers. T Morris Rosenthal, manager of Loew’s Poll theatre. New Haven, has organized a Leslie Caron fan club in local high schools, and has 2,000 members signed up. T Lem Sampson and Bob Spodeck, of the Art Cinema, Bridgeport, advertised : “Only two kinds of people should see ‘The Lavendar Hill Mob’ — those who see movies regularly and those who don’t. T Tom Grace, manager of the Eastwood theatre. East Hartford, Conn., going all out to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the theatre, with maximum public relations value. T Mrs. Elo McDonald, who says she has to work out an attractive gimmick to exploit a picture on her limited budget, used large sheets, mimeographed, as outline drawings in a coloring contest for “Alice In Wonderland.” T John W. Michaels, manager of the Mercury theatre, Buffalo, instead of inviting Important People to a preview of “A Christmas Carol,” will show the picture to 300 orphans from Catholic and Protestant homes, with popcorn and publicity. V Walter T. Morris, manager of the Pike theatre, Knoxville, Tenn., a member of the Round Table since its inception twenty-two years ago, brings his biographical information up to date for our files. T Sid Kleper, manager of Loew’s College theatre, New Haven, used the 2-page herald from National Screen on “He Ran All the Way,” with the back page devoted to a football contest. ▼ Leonard Tuttle, manager of the Little Neck theatre. Little Neck, L. L, mailed 100 letters to doctors with an invitation to see “People Will Talk” (and then, talk to people) . ▼ W. Griffith Mitchell is engineering a mechanical display known as “Screechie, the Little Lost Dischord” for a local departmnet store in Rochester, N. Y. Fred Lienhardt, manager of the Glarus theatre. New Glarus, Wise., tops “Moviesta” as a name for special shows, with his “Hillbilly Smorgasbord” program of mountain music and fun. ▼ Harry A. Wiener, manager of Schine’s Eckel theatre in Syracuse, praised in the circuit’s “Reel News” for his handling of “Goliath” on tour, as exploitation for “David and Bathsheba.” ▼ Frank Manente, manager of Loew’s Esquire theatre, Toledo, had a boy on the street, reading a colossal copy of “Red Badge of Courage” to sell both book and film. ▼ John DiBenedetto, manager of Loew’s Poll theatre, Worcester, Mass., sold candy at his concession counter, as an advertising tieup for “An American in Paris.” T Ted Davidson, manager of Warner’s Ohio theatre, Lima, Ohio, in with his campaign on “The Tanks Are Coming” as an entry for the Quigley Awards in the fourth quarter. T National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, 120 Broadway, New York, supplying free advertising mats and slugs for the new “March of Dimes,” which runs January 2 to 31, inclusive. T Lester Pollock had a gal with a gamin hairdo giving out free samples of perfume as lobby advertising for “An American in Paris,” at Loew’s theatre in Rochester. Robert Elliano, owner-manager of the Colonial theatre, at Walnut Beach, Conn., has been elected Chief Barker of the Variety Club of Connecticut, Tent No. 31, at New Haven. Kenneth Sniffin, manager of the President theatre, Manchester, Ga., in with photos and story of the Martin Trophy, awarded by the Martin Theatres to the most popular football hero in local scholastic games. ▼ Albert Pickus, manager of the Stratford theatre, Stratford, Conn., encountered an unexpected “show stopper” the other evening. An excited lady patron announced that the soft animal she had been petting, inside the theatre, was a skunk. News of the friendly visitor landed on page one. ▼ Matt Saunders, manager of Loew’s Poll theatre, Bridgeport, had plenty of newspaper breaks for “An American In Paris,” including a cooperative ad page, a coloring contest, an art show and editorial mention. T E. C. Grainger, in New York headquarters office of Shea’s Theatres, applauding the fine appearance and selling approach of the candy counter at Shea’s theatre in Astabula, trimmed for Hallowe’en. T Sam Torgan, manager of the Keith theatre, Lowell, Mass., had the Lowell High School band out to welcome an RKO Pathe short film, “Here Comes the Band.” T Harry Shaw, division manager for Loew Poli-New England theatres, was honored by the New Haven Advertising Club for his efforts in behalf of the Club and the city as a whole. “Harry Shaw Day” was proclaimed for a man who is always willing to go all out in the promotion of good will. Ben Domingo, manager of the Keith Memorial theatre, Boston, arranged this multiple hookup with four disc jockeys (in person) four major network stations and, two local newspapers to give two lucky winners "Two Tickets To Broadway" in a sponsored trip to New York for those who selected Boston's favorite disc jockeys, in a proper tieup with the picture's tunes. It took a big lobby sign to display all of this fascinating piece of promotion. 44 MOTION PICTURE HERALD. NOVEMBER 24, 1951