Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

Medina ina ^y^rpproac It THE SEARCH FOR BRIDEY MURPHY— Paramount. VistaVision, in black-andwhite. Have you ever lived before? Will you live again? The whole startling story of the woman called Bridey Murphy. Not for weak hearts or slow minds. It’s a film that dares expose these controversial ideas. What can hypnosis really do? Can we accept the evidence? See for yourself and decide. 24-sheet and all posters have excellent pictorial art for lobby and marquee display. Special herald keys the campaign to accent the publicity which this story has had in the magazines and the press. The best selling book sold 190,000 copies before the ink was dry. They say that 80,000,000 people have been interested in the story. Newspaper ad mats start with teasers to arouse curiosity, and there are large and small display ads for every situation and run. The complete campaign mat, which costs only 35$ at National Screen, is especially well planned, with eight good ad mats and slugs, and two publicity mats. Buy the whole mat on standing order and take it intact to your newspaper man to obtain better results within your regular advertising budget. Even he will like to plan a change in scheme to make his newspaper look different. Two-color herald from Cato Show Print sells the picture with all the best approach. Buy it blank and sell the back page to a sponsor to pay all costs of printing and distribution. You may find that heralds pay their own way. • TOWARD THE UNKNOWN — Warner Brothers. In Warner Color. William Holden, as one of a handful of picked men — ■ the rocket pilots of the U.S.A. The experimental pilots who climb into the unseen, the unconquered and the unknown— probing not only outer space, but the outer limits of man himself. With Lloyd Nolan, Virginia Leith and star cast. A dramatic story, with great personal problems. “To be so much in love, to have so much to hide.” 24-sheet and all of the posters contain art materials for your own lobby and marquee display, more pictorial art for less money than you can obtain in any other way. Newspaper ad mats in fine assortment, and with an advertising supplement which contains more styles, discovered in the early runs and added for their increased value in your campaign. Combination ad mat has five ads and two publicity mats for small situations. The full cooperation of the U. S. Air Force is promised and they will deliver in 812 locations where they have recruiting stations. Special stunts will sell this special stunt picture and you have a big start in the good pressbook and advertising supplement. THE GIRL HE LEFT BEHIND— Warner Brothers. The boy with the barracks bag, Tab Hunter, in “Battle” dress again; and the girl with the overnight case, Natalie Wood, a “Rebel” with a cause! “See here, Private Hargrove” has written a big story about teeners and their love-and-run battle with today’s Army! A lot of it’s wild; some of it’s tender, and most of it’s fun. A very special look at Young America in action. No poster larger than the 6sheet, buy with a good example of pictorial art as a theme, which can be carried through lobby and marquee display. What does a 19-year old boy think first about, these days? Girls. What does he think second about? Two years in the peace time army. With two of the most popular young stars to tell you a warm and wonderful story. Newspaper ad mats are generous and interesting, with plenty of assortment for size and shape. The use of part-drawing, part halftone, makes them different in style from the usual. The combination mat for 35$ at National Screen has six ad mats and two publicity mats, for small situations. A good street stunt is a couple, carrying two suitcases, lettered “I’m Andy” — and “I’m the girl he left behind.” Special shows for local girls whose boy friends are in the service, and contests for cute couples are suggested in the pressbook. Special fan photos and candid pictures to introduce the two young stars are offered, and it will pay to build up this pair for the future. You have a stake in developing new talent for the future of your business. • THE POWER AND THE PRIZE— MGM. CinmaScope, in black and white. In a world of changing morals, it would be easy to push for power and a prize, or a whole fabric of life may be torn. What happens is rich with surprises and tension. Robert Taylor, and all star cast, introducing Elizabeth Mueller, the girl with questionable past, in the story. She’s a new star in a horizon that is demanding new faces and new talent on the big theatre screen. No poster larger than the 6-sheet, and all use one pose in various sizes, for lobby and marquee display. Newspaper ad mats stress the theme of “the girl that didn’t belong” — and there is a good selection in all sizes to fit every exhibitor’s use. The combination mat at 35$ gives you ten ad mats and slugs and two publicity mats for small situations. Twocolor herald from Cato Show Print keys the campaign for many theatres, and may be sponsored by selling a cooperative advertiser the back page. A tieup is offered with the 25$ pocket edition of the book, with the benefit of cooperation from news stands and dealers. 'War & Peace Playdates In A Small City W. V. “Bill” Dworski is among the first to report a campaign on “War and Peace” from his Ohio town of around 25,000 — a small situation, where he is manager of the Harris Theatre. We are interested in the handling of this superior picture, and want to see more evidence of good showmanship with such an opportunity. Bill worked closely with nearby schools and colleges, for the cultural value of the Leo Tolstoy classic, and also with book dealers and libraries, who had the original version or reprints in condensed form, on sale. More people will know the contents of this dramatic masterpiece as a result of the picture than have read the book in the last 100 years — but the picture will really get you. Incidentally, the book dealers had their own posters and display cards, imprinted with the Harris theatre playdates. Bill Dworski is a showman in action — and often there are communiques in the mail from him, with proof of his promotions. He gets good tear sheets in the Republican-Courier, with personal reference from by-line writers in praise of the theatre and its attractions. And he has sponsored events, with cooperative advertising and special shows, underwritten on a broad scale, at no cost to the theatre. His Hallowe’en show was an outright “rental” of the theatre to San-A-Pure Dairy Company, who supplied everything, including a 60-inch newspaper ad — while all the kids paid their way in with milk bottle tops. The dairy company also provided the prizes and 750 Hallowe’en masks for the kids to wear. The Corbin, Ky., Daily Tribune devotes its front-page lead editorial column to the 35th Anniversary of the Hippodrome theatre, where Louis Merenbloom was manager in 1921 and still is, today. A full page cooperative ad in the same issue salutes this business man, and the newspaper compliments him on his community relations through the years. MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE SECTION, NOVEMBER 24, 1956 41