Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1956)

SL olvmen in on JMiltvauhee ^.s F'rec Visit Vo New York MILIVAUKEE : With wonderful cooperation from Columbia Records and the l\Iilwaukee Journal and United Airlines, Harry Boesel, manager of the Fox Palace theatre here and Bunny Brunner, head of advertising for the Fox-Wisconsin theatres, were able to create a terrific promotional campaign on “The Benny Goodman Story” that was climaxed with an almost unexpected coast-to-coast television tieup, which has never been accomplished, to our knowledge, by a local theatre. The first stunt was asking patrons to sign a giant card that was in the lobby three weeks prior to opening. The card was addressed to Steve Allen from the Fox Palace theatre, Milwaukee. On the other side was a message to Allen that the undersigned would be on hand when his picture opened there February 22. It was signed by Harry Boesel. It was filled with signatures. The assistant manager, Ted Bindrich, took the giant card to the post office for mailing. Two contests were featured on the picture and entry blanks given out in the lobby. The one contest was sponsored by Webcor. The first prize was a W'ebcor Ravinia Fonograf or Webcor Tape Recorder. Second prize a Webcor Holiday Fonograf and 20 Benny Goodman albums from Columbia Records. The Webcor people ran a five column display ad in the paper tying in the picture at no cost to the theatre. They also had radio announcements. The Columbia Records contest not only gave a trip for two to New York but tbe winner won a trip for their favorite disc jockey and one to New York also. The winners would fly via United Airlines. Columbia dealers distributed the entry blanks in their stores as well as in the theatre lobby. 150 window tieups were made. special screening was held for the 18 top disc jockeys here. They were told of the contest and a picture was taken of them with a clarinet for the ad IMiss Brunner was planning. The full page ad Bunny Brunner laboriously worked on included the pictures of the 18 top disc jockeys plus the contest and the prize. It was underwritten by all the Columbia dealers. This ad and the contest got a full five minute plug on Steve .•Mien’s Tuesday night’s program, February 21 at 11:35 P.M. iMilwaukee time. This is how it happened. On that same day at 5 :30 P.M. Miss Brunner, Harry Boesel and Bill Farr from Columbia Records went out to Billy Mitchell field and gave the United Airlines stewardess, Sydney Ashton, the full page ad and told her of the contest. They asked her, when she arrived in New York that same night, to try to get it on Steve Allen’s television program and give the Palace theatre a plug on their contest. Charles Tucker, manager of .Schine's Holland theatre in Bellefontaine, Ohio, set up a hitching rack in front of the theatre a week in advance of “The Lone Ranger” playdate with the sign, “Reserved for ‘The Lone Ranger’ and ‘Silver,’ ” and further stated that anyone riding a white horse to the theatre on Saturday would be admitted free. T Sam Clemmons and Bob Swanson of Schine’s Ben AH Theatre, Le.xington, Ky., promoted a large basket of apples which they displayed with “apple for the teacher” plugs for “Our Miss Brooks.” They also distributed imprinted blotters for the picture in schools, libraries and stores. T Matt Saunders, manager of Loew’s Poli theatre, Bridgeport, Conn., ran a good Valentine Day type coloring contest for “Forever Darling” in the local newspaper, picturing the faces of Lucille Ball and De.«* Arnaz. T Dennis J. Rich, manager of the Stanley Warner Cameo theatre, Bristol, Conn., advertised that 20 free passes were being put in ten cent packages of popcorn for his Saturday morning kiddie show. T Box Cox, manager of the Kentucky theatre, Lexington, reports that on the opening night of “picnic” the pledges from one of the University of Kentucky fraternities will hold a full-fledged picnic in the theatre lobby. They will spread blankets, have a radio, hot dogs, etc. from a local restaurant, and all the trimmings and will be dressed for a summer picnic too. Sam Gilman, right las usual! delivers a "Picnic" basket to Bob Sokolsky, movie editor ot the Syracuse Herald-Journal, as a pertinent bit of promotion for the picture at Loew's State theatre, Morris Rosenthal, manager of Loew’s Poli theatre. New Haven, Conn., promoted a newspaper ad on “Picnic” from a super market with photos of Rosalind Russell and William Holden in the center. ▼ When manager Jerry Duggan of the Paramount theatre, Kenora, Ontario, played "Hansel & Gretel,” he did a selling job in tbe neighboring community of Keewatin and arranged for them to charter four special busses to transport the small fry to his theatre — didn't hurt his box office. ▼ John DiBenedetto, manager of the Poli theatre, Worcester, Mass., had two men on horseback tour the town with printed signs on their backs to advertise “The Last Hunt.” Bashful Harry McWilliams, at left, smiling but dodging the camera, assistant director of publicity and exploitation for "Oklahoma!" in Baltimore for the opening ot the Todd-AO picture, at the Film Center theatre — poses with I. M. Rappoport, president of the theatre company, Richard Roe, motion picture editor of the Washington Post and Times Herald, and Morris Mechanic, dean of Baltimore showmen, who greet the expansive film. MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE SECTION, MARCH 24. 1956 45