Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1955)

Sk owmen in ^.^ction John Murphj’, in charge of all Loew’s theatres outside of New York City, was in Atlanta — you have to get out of town to meet him — and somehow we never realized what a hunk of territory comes under his jurisdiction ! From Boston to San Francisco, and from Toronto to New Orleans, with way-stations. T Ernie Emerling was down there, too, visiting with Paul Jones, who by-lined that “Something Wonderful Has Happened to the Movies” section in the Sunday Atlanta Jaurnal & Constitution, which rates topapplause in Ernie’s Movie Memo, the best newspaper appreciation and press relations issue in film industry. ▼ Mayor Hartsfield of Atlanta is one who likes movies — and likes to go to the theatre to see them. He also likes popcorn — and says he would like to have popcorn — in Todd-AO ! T Hugh Becket, manager of the recently reopened Moore theatre, Salem, Oregon, decided to convert the theatre’s expansive mezzanine into an art gallery, with 32 paintings on view, under the direction of Robert Kirsten. T One hundred thousand window streamers, crediting “Daddy Long Legs” have been distributed to music dealers by Capitol Records as part of extensive film-keyed promotion featuring the new dance, “The Sluefoot” from the picture. T Paul Levi, manager of the Pilgrim theatre, Boston, came up with an attentiongetting contest for Columbia’s “Five Against the House” — which had a full week’s run on station WBZ — to find a “sizzling” new name for Kim Novak, star of the picture. ▼ Michael Stranger used a good stunt to promote “Five Against the House” at the Plymouth theatre, Worcester, Mass. He conveniently “lost” thirty-five old pocketbooks, spreading them all around town, each containing a note — “Don’t gamble, return this wallet and receive guest tickets” to see the picture. All the purses were returned by honest customers. ▼ Herman Kopf, manager of Schine’s I\Iilford theatre, Milford, Del., worked up a Bathing Beauty contest on stage, to be sponsored by the very active Junior Chamber of Commerce. The club sold tickets in advance, and selected “Miss Del-Mar-Va” for entry in Virginia. It is the eighth time for the contest. ▼ Joe Borenstein, manager of the StanleyWarner Strand theatre. New Britain, Conn., sold an alert merchant on a cooperative ad and lobby for “The Prodigal.” Irving Hillman, manager of the Roger Sherman theatre. New Haven, Conn., ran a cooperative newspaper ad topped by a picture of Ernest Borgnine, star of “Marty”, who is a former New Haven resident. T Bernie Brown, manager of the Pickwick theatre, Greenwich, Cann., in his newspaper ads points up his low price of 50c for adults and 20c for children for two big CinemaScope pictures, “A Man Called Peter” and “Captain Lightfoot.’’ T George E. Landers, Hartford division manager of E. M. Loew’s Theatres used newspaper advertising to tie up Hartford’s new pigeon-hole parking building with “5 Ag.iinst the House” after seeing a pigeonhole parking garage prominently used in the picture. T Robert Ferber, manager of the Trans-Lux Colony theatre on East 79th Street, New York, promoted his nosegay corsages for the first hundred ladies in line on opening day of “Camille” return engagement. ▼ Jack Sanson, Stanley-Warner Strand theatre manager in Hartford, sneak previewed “Tall Alan Riding” and the local newspaper ran the story with a four column head. ▼ A1 Clark, manager of the Bijou theatre, Springfield, Alass., had 4,000 bags overprinted with information on “5 Against the House” and lined up eight super markets to use the bags two days prior to the opening of the picture. T Alickey Rose, manager of the Michigan theatre, Detroit, used the Bantam Book edition of Graham Greene’s best-seller to exploit “The End of the Affair.” He tied up with the distributors of Bantam Books to place inserts in 3,000 of the books and send bulletins to all dealers, also placing posters in 100 drug stores throughout the county. Jim Hardiman, advertising and publicity director for Odeon Theatres, Canada, had these blood-stained hands plastered all over town, and used the black teaser ad, above, to advertise "Simba" — a story of the Mau Mau terror in Africa, which will be released by Lippert Pictures in this country. Ray AIcNamara, manager of the Allyn, Hartford, Conn., lined up an impressive campaign for “Strategic Air Command,” with the print flown from New York by helicopter. A military committee, headed by Alajor Warren F. Aloore, in charge of Air Force recruiting for the state participated in opening night ceremonies, with WAF’S serving as usherettes. T Russ Barrett, manager of the Capitol theatre, Willimantic, Conn., promoted a TV set from a local merchant for a Saturday kiddie show give-away and the merchant received full credit in the theatre’s newspaper ads. ▼ Burton Putnam becomes manager of Smalley’s theatre in Ft. Plain, New York and joins Alanagers’ Round Table simultaneously. Membership card is in the mail and we hope to be receiving campaigns for f'ntry in the Quigley Awards competitions. Universal is holding sneak-previews in 32 exchange cities to prove that "The Private War of Major Benson” is NOT a sleeper — they knew all the time that this was one of the best pictures in years — and reviewers are raving about if in every paper you pick up. Here are a group of happy Universalities, local circuit heads, buyers and bookers, part of the turn-out of exhibitors at the RKO 86th Street theatre, on a recent evening. MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE SECTION, JUNE 18. 1955 39