Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1955)

owmen In Bob and Melba \\'alker attended MGM’s Ticket-Selling Workshop in Denver on January 12th, and it made front page news in the Fruita, Colorado, Times. They also have a good-sized ad, headlined ‘‘You Made Us Blush With Pride’’ — in acknowledgement of the public reaction to their new giant screen, CinemaScope equipment and Mirrophonic Sound, plus editorial appreciation. T Art Cauley, manager of the Paramount theatre, Peterboro, Ontario, sends us photographic evidence of his shining campaign on "White Christmas” — which made the holidays pleasant at the box office. T Lou Cohen, manager of the Poli theatre, Hartford, Conn., tied in with a local car dealer for a newspaper ad displaying the beauty of the 1955 car and Elizabeth Taylor’s face to advertise “The Last Time I Saw Paris.” T Tony Masella, manager of the Poli Palace theatre, Meriden, Conn., promoted a cooperative newspaper page with advertisers offering substantial gifts to the first baby born in Meriden in 1955. T Bob Anderson, manager of Jacksonville’s Main Street Drive-in theatre, drew crowds for a week with a high diver leaping from a 110-foot tower into a tank of water covered with burning gasoline. This was in addition to his regular double-feature. ▼ Bob Skaggs, manager, Florida Theatre, Jacksonville, sent 1800 copies of a letter extolling the musical merits of “Deep in My Heart” to members of the Civic Music Association prior to his first run of the picture. T Joe Taylor, manager of the Hillsboro Drive-in theatre at Tampa, scored a hit with his patrons when he booked in Will Hill’s miniature circus of trained dogs, ponies and pigmy elephants. ▼ Lou Cohen, manager of Poli theatre, Hartford, Conn., has had a two-column story on the front page of the Sunday paper two weeks running for his “Exquisite Form” contest to tie in with “Vera Cruz,” in addition to inside page story with art and free radio plugs. ▼ Norm Levinson, who has been ably assisting Lou Cohen at the Poli theatre in Hartford, is leaving to become M-G-M press representative in Minneapolis, and our good wishes go with him. ▼ Joseph Boyle, manager of the Poli theatre, Norwich, Conn., sends tear sheet of his attractive ad for “There’s No Business Like Show Business” at bottom of page and art and caption break at the top. Seymour Morris had so many “theatre rentals” as sponsored Christmas shows, that he is now going over the list to add second and additional shows which weren’t previously credited, such as Lou Hart’s repeats in Watertown, moved over from the Avon to the Olympia, on account of similar bookings. T Elaine S. George really turned in smalltown school coverage for “Julius Caesar” at the Star theatre, Heppner, Oregon, with everything top-level for Shakespeare. He couldn’t have done better with a personal appearance. Study guides — and school busses — within a fifty-mile radius. She’s one of the best small town showmen in the country. T Frank W. Schaffer, manager of StanleyWarner theatres in Staunton, Va., tied up with a local bank, which had in turn, a conviction about comic books, so the theatre gave gift tickets for quantities of objectionable comic books brought in to the bank, and thus retired from circulation. T Morris Rosenthal, manager of the Poli in New Haven, advertised ten questions on “Vera Cruz,” with the answers printed on the classified page, and offered a $25 bond for first prize in the contest. FIONEER Qualatex Balloons • are inexpensive, easy to distribute • have real toy value as premiums • carry name of your movie and theatre far and wide Get ideas, samples and imprint information from our Premium Dept. . . . Timely news supplementing the special monthly department covering all phases of refreshment service. Candy Manufacturers Cite Peanut Products Shortage Peanut candy, salted peanuts and other peanut products will be higher in price and more difficult to buy in 1955 unless additional supplies of peanuts are imported to augment domestic production, according to a report pieseiited to the Tariff Commission in Washington, D. C., recently by Charles F. Scully, president of the Williamson Candy Company, Chicago, and chairman of the Peanut Committee of the National Confectioners Association. As spokesman for the association, Mr. Scully explained at the hearing that domestic production of peanuts has been drastically decreased by drought conditions in southeastern and southwestern growing areas. “Government reports indicate,” he said, “that the total 1954-1955 crop of peanuts IS estimated at over 34% less than the 1953-1904 crop and 47% and 50% less respectively in the southeast and southwest areas where most of the Spanish peanuts — t le principal type used by confectionery manufacturers — are grown/’ To relieve the situation, Mr. Scully said that the confectionery industry asks that all restrictions on importation of peanuts be removed until August 1st, 1955, and that a hearing be held then to determine what 1 esti ictions, if any, should be imposed. • Nestle Salesmen Transferred A number of territorial changes for salesmen in the Bulk Sales Division of the Nestle Company, Inc., White Plains, N. Y., has been announced by Thomas F. Corrigan manager of the firm’s Chocolate Coating and Cocoa Division. They include the transfer of John F. Conley to Los Angeles as an associate of Frank S. Barbaro. Mr. Conley was previously responsible for the Ohio, western Pennsylvania and western New \ork, northern Kentucky and West Virginia territories. James J. Flynn, who I^s covered New Jersey and up-state New York, will succeed Mr. Conley and have his offices in Cleveland. James J. McGrath, who has been associated with Nestle’s General Lines Sales Division for several years, has been appointed to the Bulk Sales Division to succeed Mr. Flynn. • Pizza Ovens Marketed New counter pizza ovens, designed to bake either 16 or 20-inch pizza pies, have been placed on the market by Harvic Supply Corp., New York City. The ovens have one deck and an exterior of stainless steel. 38 MOTION PICTURE HERALD. JANUARY 29. 1955