The Philadelphia Exhibitor (1935)

36 Novl5'35 THE PHILADELPHIA EXHIBITOR "Shipmates Forever" Scores in Reading Selling Dwight Van Meter, Astor Theatre, Reading, certainly sold "Shipmates Forever. ” Here are some campaign highlights as out¬ lined by Van Meter : Inasmuch as the picture opened the day before National Navy Day, entire campaign was planned to tie in. Naval Association of Reading was contacted. Campaign was started one week in advance of playdate with a special lobby display furnished by the Naval ^ Association, Junior Nautical Boys’ Club, Junior Naval Boys and Girls, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. Lobby was decorated with bunting, ship’s colors, signal flags, miniature lif'e-preservers, nautical knot boards, war helmets, shells, bayonets, etc. A large ship’s bow measuring 9 feet high, 12 feet wide and 16 feet long was placed in the center of the lobby (this was furnished by the Naval Association). The entire service staff were uniformed in regulation sailor outfits. A battleship measuring 30 feet in length by 12 feet high was constructed on the trailer and was used as a ballyhoo for the picture one week in advance of playdate and during current run. Sunday prior to picture opening the Elks held their annual field day activities for the benefit of Reading’s crippled children. This affair was held at the County Fair grounds and attracted a crowd of 8000 people. Battleship float, was taken to the fair grounds and driven around the race track in view of all spectators at the height of the program. Following the above stunt the float was displayed to 5000 fans attending local professional football game. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday prior to picture opening the float was used as a street ballyhoo. Friday evening (opening day of picture) the local Nautical Boys and Girls Club paraded through down¬ town streets lead by our battleship float with drum and bugle corps. Saturday (second day of picture run) the float was stationed in front of the local Navy Day headquarters in City Square. Members of the Nautical Boys Bugle Corps were stationed on the float to sound bugle calls, which attracted considerable attention to the float. From the City Square, the float was moved to the Albright College football stadium and was stationed in the center of the field during the intermission at the half of their game. Tuesday evening during run, the Junior Naval Asso¬ ciation paraded with 75 boys and girls in nautical uni¬ form lead by our float and a 35-piece drum and bugle corp. The drum and bugle corp appeared on the stage at the 9 o’clock show and presented a ten minute concert, of color calls. During the entire week in advance of playdate, a special prologue was presented before the showing of the regular talking trailer. This prologue consisted of the orchestra playing “Anchors A weigh” followed bv a bugler spotted on the apron who played color calls, then a flash pot was set off in the foots and the trailer was projected to the audience with the opening frames getting an unusual effect through the smoke issuing from the flash. “Melody Lingers On" Philadelphia Radio publicity and window displays played the major roles in the exploitation campaign arranged by publicity chief Charles Perry, Aldine Theatre, for the world pre¬ miere of ‘‘The Melody Lingers On.” All local and suburban newspapers played up the engagement with advance and feature stories, and used plenty of art on the stars in the film. A few days in advance of the opening all local radio stations participated in the campaign and literally filled the air with plugs on the premiere of “The Melody Lingers On.” Tie-ups were effected with leading mer¬ chants in which the picture received effective publicity. Window displays, each giving the picture generous breaks, were put over. The theatre s special mailing list covered more than 10,000 selected names, taken from the list of subscribers and actual ticket buyers and patrons at the Philadelphia Sym¬ phony, Grand Opera, Ballet Russe and The¬ atre Guild productions. Runnemede Bally To plug its Sunday shows, the Runnemede Theatre, R unnemede, N. J., took big space in dailies, tied up with a free bus ride for the entire family, with the people invited to patronize the house. A stage show was an¬ other attraction. _ "Mutiny" Harrisburg After a crowd estimated at more than 100,000 had seen Sam Gilman’s booth for an exclusive display of motion picture advertis¬ ing, much of which was devoted to exploi¬ tation of “Mutiny on the Bounty,” at the State Farm Show Building, Harrisburg, dur¬ ing “The Patriot” and “The Evening News” Progress Exposition, a campaign was started in earnest by Manager Gilman and his assist¬ ant, Bob Etchberger, for opening of the pic¬ ture at Loew’s Regent Theatre, Harrisburg, th ree weeks later. The town was covered with press book Wanted for Mutiny” signs two weeks prior to opening. An immense wall banner was displayed during the same period on a build¬ ing opposite the entrance to the Pennsylvania Railroad Station. With artificial apple blos¬ soms inserted in them, 500 heralds were dis¬ tributed. In tie-up with “Liberty,” cards be aring the cartoon, “It’s True,” on “Mutiny on the Bounty,” were inserted in every Liberty Magazine delivered in the city and vicinity. Joe Conway Again Joe Conway, internationally known show¬ man, arranged for Colonel Dudley to appear at the Egyptian Theatre, Bala-Cynwyd. Col¬ onel Dudley is a trained dog who won hon¬ ors at the Chicago fair. Manager Conway travels far and wide to get oddities for his special kiddie shows. Peoples Choice/ Less backaches for YOUR PATRONS mean less headaches for you. That,s why leading local showmen have bought . . . Irwin Theatre Chairs FOR THESE LEADING LOCAL THEATRES: CASINO, Philadelphia STRAND, Lancaster CLIFTON, Clifton Heights BAND BOX, Philadelphia GEM, Philadelphia HOWARD, Philadelphia LITITZ, Lititz, Pa. 56th ST., Philadelphia MOOSE, Elizabethtown, Pa. DORIS, Philadelphia There’s no accident in Irwin Supremacy. Twenty-five years of seating experi¬ ence, specialized theatre Engineering, modern Factory Facilities and Service by a National Organization with 28 branches, is their best proof of Quality, Comfort, Long Life and Patron Acceptance. Manufact'd by IRWIN SEATING COMPANY, Grand Rapids, Mich. SOLD AND SERVICED BY ALL BRANCHES OF NATIONAL THEATRE SUPPLY COMPANY