Ballyhoo (Jun 16, 1954)

Page scan 0006 from Ballyhoo

Record Details:

Title:
Ballyhoo
Date:
Jun 16, 1954
Volume:
Ballyhoo (Jun 16, 1954) Ontario 'B' District
Leaf #:
0006
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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BROADWAY = TEMMINS Bob had some giant kites made up, and appropriately Lettered with HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN copy, and had them flowm ali aleng his main drag during the attraction's run at his theatre ... He also just managed to sneak the sound track music into his C F € L program each day during the run, On THREE SATLORS AND A GIRL, Robert pressed three young sea kaydets and a comely lass into service, had them suitably placarded, and sent them out to parade around the city's business district during peak traffic hours ... They distributed 2,000 of the "01d Salt" gag envelopes. In addition, a small boat was promoted, which was attached to the rear of a car and towed around town ooo So what? So, in a boat a six sheet cut-out of Jane Powell, big as life, surrounded by good selling posters and banners. A good scene on an off-theatre page, plus an excellent story on the Women's page complete Bob's offering for this week. SENECA = NIAGARA FALLS Well, Jack's finally made it ... the local radio station, C HV C came through with an excellent story about ROMAN HOLIDAY and Audrey Hepburn, on the popular afternoon program "Lady of the Day" coo Total cost, a couple of guest admissions to be used as prizes for the best letter telling why the listeners Liked Audrey as the princess in the film story. GAPLTOL 2 PETERBORO For BAIT, Len borrowed a couple of fishing veels and a large tin fish, displayed them in his foyer several days prior to openings A card, made up to suggest words coming from the fish's mouth read, "Cleo Moore is the BAIT in a mentrap” ... Cards were also attached to the ends of the reels ... This was a novel stunt and drew much attention ... The fish and card were later movad to the front of the theatre. Len made good use of the old barrel and peep-hole gag ooo On each side of a large barrol he had printed ... "This is the BAIT, Take a peek ...” The inside of the barrel was 1it up with an electric bulb and the viewer could see a 22 x 28 of Cleo Moore, plus some very catchy selling copy ... Nico stunt. C H E X was most co-operative, coming through with some really bang-up free promotion on LIGH? OF THE SILVERY MOON ... A twenty minute program devoted exclusively to the feature, highlighted the activities. This was augmented by many free announcements, and many of the tunes from the picture. A goed two column scene on MOON in both the Refiew and the Lakefield News ooo Len's Robin Hood, Foto-Nite deal still going strong,.assuring the theatre of plenty of free time over the Miliing Campany's daily radio program. Not bad, Leonard ... but what's happened to the pages and pages of stuff we sorta got used to expecting from you every week? Tired, hoy?