Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1956)

Exploiiaiion Ms JVo Longer Ours Alone Hardly a week passes that we don’t find, either in the advertising trade press, or in newspaper items that appear in our mail, evidence that the theatre manager is no longer running all of the exploitation devices in his business neighborhood — and that’s to be regretted, because it means, as National Screen say in their advertising, “Everybody is getting into the act’’ — and especially, the amateurs, who should be depending on us. Currently, we have an example from station CKNW, in Vancouver, city of showmen, who tell the story of their “king-size promotion’’ of Orange Crush, in their cute house-organ, “Top Dog’’ — we always read page 2. But this is typical theatre promotion, and so is “Rain, Snow or Shine” — an Orphan’s Benefit, which is sponsored, as are all good promotions for theatre or otherwise. Nor are these merely audible — they are strictly visible, on the air and on the street, as ballyhoo for the “Top Dog” in Vancouver stations. Similarly, in “Tracks” — published by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, we find an item from Denmark, of all places, where a train was stopped at a local station, where a manufacturer gave free underwear to the fattest, the tallest, the handsomest man — and, of course, to all the ladies — as advertising for a textile show, soon to open in the town of Herning. Naturally, it made all the papers, including a house organ in America. The Press Clams-Up For "Carousel" One of the most natural point-of-sale campaigns for 20th Century-Fox’s “Carousel” is being conducted with the cooperation of the State of Maine, and linked with Capt. Enoch Snow, who is a name in the cast, with the Capt. Enoch Snow who originated Snow’s clam chowder and has a seafood company in Maine. This links up properly with the clambake in “Carousel” and will be celebrated in various ways. Certain selected members of the press have received packages containing a typical State of Maine clam dinner, and at midnight, Tuesday, of this week, another clambake was held, prior to the preview of the picture at the Roxy on Thursday, when the press again had an opportunity to clam-up. Praises New Product Seymour Morris, in his “Hot News” for aggressive showman from Schine’s publicity department, Gloversville, says: “It is a real pleasure to see the way the boys are going after the great line-up of product which we are playing in our theatres. We hope this kind of selling rubs off and we’ll see a lot more of it in the Spring season.” WHO DO YOU PICK AS THE DEADLIEST KILLER CHIEFTAIN OF THEM ALL? 1. The deadliest killer-chieftain of them all was over seven feet tall. Was he GERONIMO? 2. The deadliest killer-chieftain of th em all was a big man weighing nearly three hundred pounds. Was he CRAZY HORSE? 3. The deadliest killer-chieftain of them all was killed in battle by a U. S. Cavalry Captain in 1864. Was he MANGAS-COLORADO? 4. The deadliest killer-chieftain of them all was the leader of the Mimbreno Apaches. Was he SITTING BULL? 5. The deadliest killer-chieftain of them all was also known as Red Sleeves. Was he RED WING? 6. The deadliest killer-chieftain of them all was the last of the Apache tribes to make peace. Was he COCHISE? MAKE A SELECTION AND THEN SEE HIM IN EXCITING "FORT YUMA." STARTS SUNDAY — SCHINE'S GLOVE. John J. Corbett, manager of Sehine's Glove theatre, Gloversville, N. Y., handed out this rather interesting if bloody-thirsty list to juvenile admirers of great Indian fighters — and can be used other places. **8:30^^ Plun Mn the JXews Sam Horowitz, manager of the Harlxu' theatre, Brooklyn, is conducting a campaign to ascertain if his audience wants the main feature at 8 :30 p.m. instead of the usual late hour show of 10 p.m. with the second feature closing the bill. He gets out an attractive folder, describing the idea, and the reasons for it, and says it has been a very successful promotion for Sunday night business. Folks prefer to see the main feature at the earlier hour, and get home at a reasonable time for next day’s business. The folder included a ballot, to be filled out and deposited in a box in the lobby, and the voting has been in favor of the new schedule. Supplementing the folder and ballot distribution, Sam used a special 40x60 three weeks in advance, a special trailer on the screen, and the regular weekly program, mailed to thousands of Bay Ridge homes, carried the story. All front display and poster advertising near the theatre accented the new hour for the main picture. Patrons who voted and gave their names and addresses received a postcard acknowledgement with the result of the poll and the theatre had a check on its mailing list. The journey to Jamestown, for the world premiere of "Forever Darling" — in spite of the wind and the rain and the sleet and the snow — was a big success. 4bove, you see the marquee signs at Dipson's Palace theatre, where they had two premiere audiences, most of them on the street outside: and below. Mayor Sanford, of Jamestown, pouring, for Lucy and Desi; and at right. Richard Kemper, division manager for Dipson Theatres, with the stars in an off-side moment. MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE SECTION. FEBRUARY 18. 1956 35