Ballyhoo (Apr 20, 1956)

Record Details:

Title:
Ballyhoo
Date:
Apr 20, 1956
Volume:
Ballyhoo (Apr 20, 1956) National
Leaf #:
0002
Language:
English
Collection:
Global Cinema, Canada, and Hollywood Studio System
Format:
Periodicals
Contributor:
Media History Digital Library, Greig Dymond in memory of David Dymond, Paul Moore and Jessica Whitehead
Coordinator:
Media History Digital Library
Description:

Ballyhoo

  • Ontario 'B' District Ballyhoo, editor: Dan Krendel (1952-55)
  • Profit Blitz for ‘Fitz’, editor: Dan Krendel (1955)
  • National Ballyhoo, editor: Dan Krendel (1956-57)
  • Time Out for Ticket Talk, editor: Norman Barker (1960-61)

Ballyhoo (1952-61) was published by Famous Players Canadian Corporation as a mimeographed internal sales and theatre managers’ newsletter. Editor, Dan Krendel, had been division manager of the Ontario ‘B’ District since 1942, and initially created Ballyhoo in 1952 to circulate weekly updates for a regional sales contest. Ontario ‘B’ District Ballyhoo continued until 1955 as a tool for sharing and incentivizing new sales techniques and publicity methods as the movie business declined in the face of television and the baby boom.

In Fall 1955, Profit Blitz for ‘Fitz’ was a nationwide sales contest, named for Famous Players’ president J. J. Fitzgibbons, honouring his 25th year as head of the business. Dan Krendel was made National Drive Captain and edited a weekly newsletter for the campaign.

From 1956 until at least 1957, National Ballyhoo was published weekly with Krendel as editor. He continued the style and content developed earlier for his Ontario ‘B’ District, but now extended vastly for a chain-wide coast to coast scale. Ballyhoo’s sharing promotional tools came at a time of contracting box office as television and automobile ownership became prevalent in the mid-1950s.

By 1960 until at least 1961, Time Out for Ticket Talk continued as a mimeographed newsletter, edited by Norman Barker of the head office publicity department. Time Out was compiled on a less ambitious scale than Ballyhoo. Compared to the earlier national compilation of local publicity gimmicks, Time Out often contained only a single memo or reproduced local story, and was often undated and only informally edited.

– Paul Moore, March 2024

Date Added:
April 11, 2024
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LOOK FOR THE BRIGHT SIDE Jimmy Cameron, city manager of our Lakehead theatres and a friend of many years standing is somewhat of a philosopher ... In spite of his always calm, cool exterior, and contrary to popular belief Jimmy is of a somewhat nervous temperament .., like a fine, tightly coiled watch spring, Sometimes that spring unwinds, and Jimmy puts his reserve behind him, and has a heart-to-heart chat with me ,.. On paper, I enjoy his notes, : Sometimes, as we all do at times, Jimmy becomes just a bit discouraged, Things can get pretty rough in the Lakehead district. I have a note from Jim .., it arrived a few days ago, and while it was marked '!personal!, I know that Jimmy will forgive me if I jot down a few excerpts, I feel that his thoughts are worth passing along ... and who knows? They may be a reflection of our combined thinking, and by talking about it, could be we may all feel a little better about the whole thing. Jimmy says in part ... "While I have a quiet moment tonight. Sunday, before our midnight show and while my typewriter is still hot, I would like to continue on a subject I've been meaning to write to you about for some time, It's about this wonderful industry of ours and the growing conviction .that we, in this business, are much too prone to sell it short ..." "What started this train of thought is the following quote, picked up from a Ledies'! Home Jcurnal and credited to the Nantucket Philosopher ... "Dontt tell your troubles to others ... most of them don't give a hang, and the rest are darn glad of bY "These days there are more people telling US how bad our business must be on account of T,V. etc., and how often we take the bait and sell our business short by agreeing with them ... and then adding coals to the fire by telling them our woes." "Now as never before, I think, should we emulate the Barker of Variety ... terrific front to the public ... our woes, if any confined to the secrecy of our own breasts .., and shouting our many wares from the very rooftcps, THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH." "I know well how difficult it is°on occasion to remain cheerful under the ever-growing pressure .., and how rough it can be to try and stimulate that all-important enthusiasm and drive. I know. You've covered this same subject more than once in’ other words of your choosing in your thought-provoking editcrials, but it surely bears repeating if we're to continue our forward progress, growing stronger from year to year," "Don't know how I got relling on this subject, except that it is quiet for the moment ... the fashion show, Oscar derby etc. are out of my hair, and I've been meaning to have a long chat with you for a long time." Jimmy says many more things, but I think you get the general idea. I can only say what has bee. told me by our B.M. many, many times. If you uwnburden your heart, and share your preblems with others, it can well lessen the weight of the load each of us carries with him down the pathway of life.