Ballyhoo (Apr 20, 1956)

Page scan 00013 from Ballyhoo

Record Details:

Title:
Ballyhoo
Date:
Apr 20, 1956
Volume:
Ballyhoo (Apr 20, 1956) National
Leaf #:
00013
Language:
English
Collection:
Canada, Global Cinema, 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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CAPITOL BRANTFORD (cont'd) The entire proceedings were covered by the Brantford Expositor who came through with a terrific four column pic and excellent story. The Toronto Star ran a single column pic, and the London Free Press came through with a double, This little stunt of Willie's also made all the news service wires, and received coverage right across the Dominion, The Toronto Tely's Brantford representative arranged for a terrific five column pictorial layout, a good story and a five column headliné, The Globe and Mail also came through with a five column display. The stunt was picked up by the Kitchener T.V. station, as well as C H C H -TV in Hamilton, Kitchener took movies which they’ ran twice on the Friday night and again on their Sunday news réundup. Toronto and London stations also picked up the film clips, It would be difficult to estimate just how many free plugs Bill received, because his local deejays were all talking about this show for weeks in advance as well as after opening day. It is obvious that several hundreds of dollars couldn't have even come near to purchasing this kind of time, C F P L even cut a tape of the’ phone conversation with Silverheels, and used’ it the following day. BU P carried the deal right across Canada ,... So you guess what it was worth ... I can't even begin, Quinlan's in addition to everything else plugged LONE RANGER every Thursday night, four weeks in advance, over théir Western type program which they sponsor over the Hamilton T.V.° outlet. General Mills set up a fine lobby display featuring L,R. cut-outs, and also kicked’ in 1000’ free L.R. masks for all young ‘uns bringing in box tops, 600 L.R. comic béoks were also promoted to encourage early attendance at the Satmats, In spite of the two pages of typing, believe me, this is a very condensed version of the complete campaign, Can't help it Willie m'boy ... or I'd be here all night. Bill winds up by saying that this stunt nearly gave his ulcers, ulcers .., but when he climbed up on his stage on opéning night, to face a cheering audience of some 1600’ souls ... well, quote .., 'You betcha sweet life it was worth it ...! and we agree, All I can add to the above is this ... Hére is practical, living proof that Showmanship is far from dead ... it's there all right ... just as it was in thos oft-lamented good ole days, The question is ... how many of our managers today are equally alive to the possibilities? I receive in the mails a few tear sheets containing regular daily newspaper ads ... or copy of a herald ... or maybe even a window card, as the sum total of a man's selling activities on attractions which merit, both by virtue of the support given in < the pages of the pressbook and the importance of the property itself, and in the weekly letter the manager is very, very puzzled as to why the picture didn't do better business, Here!s your chance to give us your answer guys ... We know, . Congratulations Bill on an outstanding job of selling.