The New York State Exhibitor (1933)

22 Jul 1 0' 3 3 THE NEW YORK STATE EXHIBITOR I BETTER MAJi AuEMEN" J^r A Review of How Showmen are Selling Their Pictures _ 1 Tom Mooney Special First Division is distributing a tworeel short of road show proportions, “The Strange Case of Tom Mooney,” which should serve as an exploitation natural. Mooney’s case has excited in¬ ternational interest, and many promi¬ nent figures in American life, Clarence Darrow, Jimmy Walker, Frank P. Walsh, President Wilson were connected with his defense in one form or another. The show will get the benefit of the usual First Division exploitation aids, and looms as a real selling opportunity for showmen everywhere. “Gold Diggers” Big Click in Utica It took a lot of time, thought, cash and other incidentals, but Bert Leighton, resi¬ dent Utica manager, Warner Brothers, put “Gold Diggers” over big at the Stanley. To begin with, pretty girls from a local school of dancing, clothed to match the orig¬ inals in the picture, were driven about the city and suburbs for two days. A truck, gaily decorated, carried them to and fro as they danced merrily and attractively upon the plat¬ form. A banner was stretched across the street heralding the event. Music from the produc¬ tion was played in the hotels, beer gardens and recreation centers for several days before the opem'ng. An explanatory announcement was made by each orchestra director before the numbers were played, calling attention to the picture run and that “this was a number feat¬ ured in the production.” A dinner to Fred J. Sisson, Congressman, was given at a local hotel preceding by a few hours the premiere at midnight. There were more than 800 in attendance, and a personal invitation from Leighton had been placed at each plate. Bakery wagons out of Utica and completing a circle of 30 miles in all direc¬ tions, carried quarter sheets. The Utica radio station frequently sent out Diggers’ music over the air for a week. Hotels, stores and other places where people congregate were flooded with heralds and other literature. Other stunts were carried on — and Leighton had put over another one. RKO Houses in “Miss America” Tieup Thirty-six RKO theatres in New York and Westchester County are conducting a quest for beauty through the “Miss Greater New York City” Contest. The ultimate winner of the contest will be sent to Atlantic City and there represent Greater New York City and Westchester in the Atlantic City bathing beauty pageant which has been revived this year. Thirty-six RKO theatres will conduct a series of twenty-five semi-finals, each night Production Manager Joseph Nadel Assistant director and production manager of “Emperor Jones” being filmed at the Astoria studios by John Krimsky & Gifford Cochran and to be released by United Artists shortly. Harry Black Sells “King of Jazz” Harry Black, manager, Rialto, Glens halls, had a big circus as opposition for his showing of the reissue of “The King of Jazz" and decided not to sit hack and take his chance with what came. He made the circus work for him. Says Harry : “The circus parade was adver¬ tised extensively and brought thousands into town. I hired a bus, used head and shoulder cutouts from the six-sheets, placed them in the windows of the bus, had a number of ushers dressed as clowns and, with the help of the police, got them all IN the parade. One of the clowns sat on top of the bus and threw out thousands of cards, “Don’t Be a Sucker — See ‘ The King of Jazz’ ” with suckers attached. This got laughs and plenty of attention. I also had a tie-up with a local radio store for a free radio to be given away, one each night during the engagement. The entire picture was broadcast on Sunday night between 10 and 11 over station WGLC, local Columbia sta¬ tion. This is the first time that such a stunt was ever effected to my knowledge, in Upper New York State. I impressed upon the station the fact that almost all of the principal players were Columbia artists and the rest came naturally.” being devoted to beauties of one particular nationality. The winners of these semi-finals will enter the finals, which will be held at Madison Square Garden, August 26. Heard In 1 NGHAMTON Kornblite Takes Trip to Big City _ By Chap _ PICTURES of the Sharkey-Carnera fight which ran at the Strand moved to the Star. . . . Binghamton is the city of Sharkey’s birth and his parents who reside here were among the first to see the pictures of the fight. . . . Ned Kornblite, Comerford attache, in Bnghamton, left for a business trip to New York City. . . . Movie sound trucks will move into Binghamton July 16 when the giant Army bomber will be christened “Miss Binghamton.” . . . Howard Ammerman, manager and part owner, Endicott Strand, is recovering from the effects of an operation. . . . Oneonta, sixty miles from Binghamton, is seeking to pass the Sunday movie ordinance. ... A petition signed by 5,000 voters was sent to the City Council. . . . Johnson City’s Endwell The¬ atre featured a “Hickville Revue.” RCA Offer Press Book for High Fidelity A complete “press book” of advertis¬ ing and publicity material on its High Fidelity sound reproducing equipment, has been prepared by the Photophone Division of the RCA Victor Company for distribution. Enterprising showmen all over the country have been making a powerful advertising talk¬ ing point of their new High Fidelity sound equipment. Results have been so pronounced that RCA Victor was moved to prepare a com¬ plete program of promotion in the form of a press book. The material offered includes matrices with suitable copy and advertising layouts for sev¬ eral types of “teaser,” follow-up and identifi¬ cation campaigns fitting in with the theatres’ regular advertising program. There are also suitable publicity write-ups, colored one-sheets, hand bills, colored banners and pennants, a large theatre flag and testimonials from promi¬ nent showmen such as S. L. (Roxy) Rothafel. Included also is a special advance sound trailer and a handsome metal plaque for display in the theatre lobby. ST. CHARLES AN ENTIRE BLOCK ON THE BOARDWALK • ATLANTIC CITY • A Smart Hotel in America’s Smartest 'Resort Atlantic city — Healthful — Restful — Affording complete relaxation so welcome after intensive work — Where the St. Charles offers the maximum in hotel comfort and service — Spacious Sun Deck occupying one entire block overlooking Boardwalk and Sea — Ocean view Lounge. IDEAL CONVENTION FACILITIES RATES GREATLY REDUCED