The Flying Missile (Columbia Pictures) (1950)

gents Join the Illustrated above is the rough of a recruiting poster prepared by the Navy Department for use on Navy Aboards throughout the country. The Navy has also prepared a window card along the same lines. Get permission from your local Navy recruiting officer (see below) to snipe your theatre name and playdate on the posters. Snipes for the poster should be 3%" x 16%" in size; snipes for the window card, 1%" x 8". Arrange a parade of Navy personnel—with band! —to your theatre on opening day. Have all vehicles in the parade display the recruiting poster or window card. If you can get other services to join the line of march, so much the better. Arrange radio and television interviews of service notables over local outlets in advance of playdate. The topic to be discussed in all interviews should be, of course, "The Flying Missile," with credits for your engagement. The Navy TV "spot'’ might also be used. Have anti-aircraft searchlights scanning the skies from in front of your theatre on opening night and every evening of your engagement. Set aside a part of your lobby for a Navy recruiting booth, in advance of and throughout your engagement of ''The Flying Missile." Arrange to have a Navy guard of honor in front of your theatre on opening night. Navy Hails ‘Flying Missile’ As 'A Job Well Done!’ After seeing “The Flying Missile,” Rear Admiral R. F. Hickey, Chief of Information, U.S. Navy, wrote Columbia Pictures: “In your picture you have managed to capture the tradition of devotion to duty which has ever been characteristic of Navy personnel from Admirals on down. The characters of your story live briefly on the screen to bring the American public an episode that illustrates an important facet of our Navy’s alertness; its quest during pericds of peace for new tactics, techniques and instruments with which to cuard our sacred shores in time of peril from an ag gressor. Accept my congrctulations on a job well done. ‘The Flying Missile’ is excellent entertainment, and is an authentic portrayal of our Navy.” HR GO NAVY! Navy recruiting stations have large quantities of full color |-sheet A-board posters and window cards (see rough at left) for local planting with theatre snipes. IMPORTANT! With the aid of * your local Navy recruiting officer (see below), arrange a special screening of “The Flying Missile” for all local Navy officials. Hold the screening far in advance of your playdate, so that there will be plenty of time to work out a comprehensive campaign. * Have your print of "The Flying Missile" flown in to a local airport. Plant photos in local newspapers of its reception by the highest-ranking local Navy officer. > Plant photos of a high-ranking Navy officer presenting the print of "The Flying Missile” to the Mayor of your town. * Have the merchants of your town salute "The Flying Missile" in cooperative advertisements. Get the help of your newspaper's advertising solicitor in arranging a full page or double-truck of such ads. Such ads could be arranged in connection with a bond-selling drive. Contact the local official in charge of the sale of U. S. Savings Bonds, and ask him to launch a bond-selling drive at your theatre before and during your engagement of "The Flying Missile." Navy—in Showmanship! Your opening night of "The Flying Missile" should be one of the biggest in your town. Invite the mayor and other leading civilians to join the service notables. * Invite local heroes of all services to attend your opening night. ye Publicize your playdate through the local Navy League, veterans’ organizations and similar groups in your town. ¥& = Arrange to have "The Flying Missile’ or other new weapons displayed in your lobby in advance of playdate. * If possible, have local services put on an airshow over your town on opening day. Be sure that newspapers know that your engagement of "The Flying Missile'’ inspired the spectacle. Invite the commandants of local Navy installations and the chief officers of other services to be your guests of honor opening night. Get word of your showing among local Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Sea Scouts, Civil Defense Committees and similar groups of your town. * Set displays in every plant in your town working on the armaments program. Try for cooperative adver tisements in which defense plants salute "The Flying Missile." NAVY RECRUITING U. S. Navy recruiting offices are located in approximately 440 cities throughout the United States. All recruiting stations have received the directive shown at right. Get in touch with Special television trailers which use scenes from ‘The Flying Missile” and radio spots which mention the picture have been made available to all recruiting stations by the U. S. Navy. local air outlets immediately in advance of your showing. OFFICE OF INFORMATION Department of the Navy Washington 01-200 (RSB)/ce Serial 4,569 24 November 1950 Chief of Information All Continental Naval Districts Chief, Naval Air Training Command Subj: Motion Picture "Flying Missile" 1. The subject motion picture has been produced by Columbia Pictures Corporation with the cooperation of the Navy Department. Its Naval facet is the firing of guided missiles from submarines. The picture has been completed and early release is anticipated. the officer in charge of the station nearest you, and work out a promotion campaign that Sonal teeetee are _drfested ts oonmok lon ywat aciweisey o> ceraces for joint exploitation. Local prevues will be conducted when feasible. best serves the interests of the Navy as well as your engagement of “The Flying Missile.” 3+ Tt 4s considered that this motion picture portrays the Navy in a realistic, favorable light. It is desired that such effort as is considered feasible and appropriate be devoted to joint exploitation of this motion picture. he It 4s suggested that the contents of this letter be disseminated within the commands, to the end that full advantage be taken of the recruiting and public information value of subject motion picture. You may be able to assist the recruiting officer in placing the trailers and announcements on Re P. MICKEY So ner ROY S¥ BENSON By direction CC: BuPers (Pers B6)