Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

Beilina ina ^Tjjproac L Elmer DeWitt's Good Displays THE SOLID GOLD CADILLAC— Columbia Pictures. Solid is the word for this comedy hit that stopped traffic on Broadway for two years. Judy Holliday tops her own records for laughs, with Paul Douglas as her co-star, and a great cast. She’s the dizzy blonde that gave Big Business the business. He’s the Wall Street tycoon who’ll give anything for her proxies. Preview audiences have laughed themselves into the aisles; and critics say it’s the funniest picture ever. Try it on your local money-men and financial geniuses. 24-sheet and all posters have proper portrait art of the amusing star, and the press-book generally is solid gold. Four-page herald keys the campaign. Newspaper ads in generous array, ranging from large to small, with the selling suggestion that anything can happen. And, as usual, the special 35<+ composite campaign mat for small situations gives you seven ad mats and slugs, plus two publicity mats, all good. You can afford to advertise this as something way above the average in entertainment values. Lots of commercial tieups — Columbia has made the first one on record with a Wall Street house and their 55 branches throughout the country. Cadillac dealers are a natural, and they may even have a solid gold model in stock. A stock certificate may be printed from mat No. 4-A and you can declare a dividend for by-line writers and opinion-makers. Special treatment for drive-ins includes a “Cadillac Night” — which would make news. All sorts of auto tie-ins will prosper. There’s a theme song, and theatre ticket suggestions. THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE — 20th Century-Fox. CinemaScope, in color by DeLuxe. John O’Hara’s flaming portrait of the jazz age, and the guys and gals who made it rock ’n’ roll. The wonderful era when everyone was beating out the rhythm of so many wonderful songs! Gordon MacRae, Dan Dailey, Ernest Borgnine, Sheree North and all-star musical cast. Four great record albums to boost the music! Fred Astaire Dance Studios in a national tieup. More ways to use song-anddance for ticket selling than you’ve ever seen before. 24-sheet is a splendid piece of pictorial art for your lobby or marquee, and all posters have similar merit. Newspaper advertising in wide variety for size and shape, sufficient to give ample choice in any situation. Excellent teaser ads, two sizes, three styles — more than we’ve ever found in a press book as a bonus for showmen. Pick out the kind of teasers you like best and throw them in, as an extra. Large display ads are all good, and the special mat, at 35c from National Screen is labeled for drive-ins and small theatres, with nine ad mats and slugs, two publicity mats, all for the price of one ad mat. Two-color herald keys the campaign. TEENAGE REBEL— 20th Century-Fox. CinemaScope. A grown-up picture for grown-up emotions. Recommended for everybody, except adults with a guilty conscience. Starring Ginger Rogers, Michael Rennie, and introducing Betty Lou Keim, new 17-year old starlet. We challenge you to stop talking about “Teenage Rebel” twenty-four hours after you’ve seen it. 24-sheet and all posters have the same theme, of the teenage rebel, in sorrow and shame. You can use this slant — for there is no other. Two-color herald from Cato Show Print has the same approach. A set of two-door panels sets the purpose of the picture in all-type display. Newspaper ads are strong, and a number of 2column teasers pound hard at the basic advertising idea, with eight different kinds of copy. The special composite mat for drive-ins and small theatres is especially complete, with eight ad mats and slugs, two publicity mats. One ad reads “If you’re 16, you’re old enough to see ‘Teenage Rebel’ ” — but bear in mind this is primarily for adults. THE BOSS — United Artists. The private life of a public enemy, who almost named his own president. “The Boss” is celluloid dynamite in an election year. Powerful interests, whose names would amaze you, have tried to prevent you from seeing it. Based on actual fact, a story of corruption that did take place, and was exposed. A two-bit tin-horn, spawned in the gutter, who brawled, bought and battered his way up until he held the Government in the palm of his hand! No posters larger than the 3-sheet but the one-sheet has a strong theme for art displays. John Payne is “The Boss” in the film story — and he plays his role to the hilt. Names have been changed, but he’s still “The Boss” that was well known to Washington columnists. A tabloid herald packs a punch, with all the best selling approach. Newspaper ad mats are strong, and in considerable variety, with a set of small teasers that you can drop in for run-of-the-paper. A special 40x60 has action all over it. The complete campaign mat for drive-ins and small situations has eight ad mats and slugs, and two publicity mats, sufficient for all purposes, and all for 35<f at National Screen. In Defiance Defiance, Ohio — that is, where Elmer DeWitt is city manager for Mailers Brothers Theatres. He was a citation winner in the last Quigley Award quarterly judging, and he proposes to be again this quarter, with three good entries to his credit. We are glad to receive and report such good examples of showmanship. Most recent is a two-page cooperative ad in the Defiance Crescent News, supported by a proclamation from the mayor, announcing October as “theatre and restaurant month” — with 37 eating places and the three Mailers theatres cooperating. He says, “The only cost was the leather worn off my shoes contacting and selling the sponsors.” It’s a big flash, and it sets the new season, for “going out” to the movies, and as a family treat, away from the home kitchen. For “The King and I” he had a complete campaign, with all stops pulled to play a perfect performance. Free news stories in local papers, as well as nearby towns, named the picture as one of the top attractions of the year. Three thousand heralds were used for the engagement at the Valentine theatre, with a very special front display in addition to the newspaper campaign. A 24-sheet was used as lobby display, and special use made of other poster materials. Last month, he had a special news break when CinemaScope was installed at the Mailers’ Drive-In, and he advertised a BIG picture on the BRIGHTEST screen you’ve ever seen. Two thousand visiting firemen, really in town for their convention, were given special tickets for all Mailers theatres, with considerable extra revenue accruing, plus the gratitude of the Fire Department and the Chamber of Commerce. One of the local supermarkets has been using a special guest ticket which takes the whole family to the Drive-In theatre, on a sponsored basis. Numerous commercial tieups have been effected for various pictures on the Fall schedule, and there have been giveaways, with sponsorship, to increase business. It’s a creditable entry from a good showman. First Woolworth Tieup 20th Century-Fox are pretty pleased with the fact that the first commercial tieup for the promotion of a picture with the F. W. Woolworth Company will occur in more than 2,000 stores for the spotlighting of Elvis Presley’s first film, “Love Me Tender” — and, incidentally, Walter Winchell said that Elvis’ manager is the same man who sold “Hadacol” so very successfully in the South. MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE SECTION, OCTOBER 20, 1956 41