Smart Guy (Monogram) (1943)

* EXPLOITATION Make Your Foyer a Gambling Den It at all possible, obtain a roulette table, blackjack table, lottery cage, chuck-a-luck wheel or any other pieces of gambling equipment and set them up in your foyer or lobby to attract interest in advance of the play date. If no other furniture is available, get a poker table and arrange a deck of cards on the top to spell “SMART GUY.” FOR A FLASH 40x60 display, make up a “story in cards” with the proper playing card inserted to fill out the story as indicated below: “Once there was a ‘Smart Guy’ who was an (Ace) gambler and whose favorite pastime was a red-headed (Queen or Hearts). He gave her all the (a couple of diamond cards) she could wear, but she dealt him a (joker) and took a run out. You might as well have socked him with a (club) or hit him over the head with a (spade). He also got into a (deuce) of a jam he couldn’t wriggle out of and the only pal who stuck by him was a little kid who worshipped him like a (king). This boy gave him something, though, he never had before—and that was a (heart). RADIO PLUGS SELL TICKETS Many exhibitors are experiencing great success with radio announcements that herald their attractions. If you are not already using this medium give it a try with “Smart Guy.” Here are a couple of suggestions for spot plugs: 50 WORDS: He thought he was a smart guy. riding on top of the world. But see what happens when he gets in a jam. Only one pal sticks with him, a freckle-faced newsboy who gives the big shot something he’s never had before—a heart. See “Smart Guy’—Blank Theatre now! 35 WORDS: Even smart guys get headaches when they have a twotiming girl and double-crossing pals. See “Smart Guy” at the Blank Theatre with Rick Vallin, Veda Ann Borg, Jack LaRue, Wanda McKay and Bobby Larson. TIE IN TITLE WITH SLOGANS Join in cooperation with local service clubs in a bond buying drive or a safety drive. Make up inexpensive cards to be posted in windows and on telephone poles in the residential districts such as: “Don’t be a Smart Guy—drive sanely!” “Don't be a Smart Guy and exceed the speed limit.” With War Bonds: “Be a Smart Guy, invest in the future.” Buy War Bonds! Service clubs would probably split cost of cards if their club names were used as sponsors along with yours. Let the Gals Adopt the Leading Man If there is a women’s secretarial club, sorority or any other kind of young woman’s organization in your town, it might be a good idea to set up a story with them whereby they would publicly declare they have voted Rick Vallin as their favorite pin-up man. There are some handsome stills in the exchange set from which to choose a portrait of the actor to run with the story. Girls, instead, might pick him as their perfect sweater man. Still number 38 shows Vallin in a sweater—and he wears it very well. This photo could be cropped to vertical dimensions very easily for a one or two column reproduction. Might also be a junior college or college class of co-eds that could join in or select him separately. Maybe the two groups could conflict in their claims, both wanting him for the same title, creating a feud. Any part of the above story should find its way into the local pages. * HORROR DISPLAY Go to the automobile club or the file morgue of the newspapers and get duplicates of all the worst pictures of auto smashups you can gather. Arrange some of these on boards with copy reading: “It may have been a smart guy that caused this accident— drive with care! A similar accident starts off the story of “Smart Guy” now playing atthe. ........ theatre.” Extra posters could be placed in the store windows about town. Some of the insurance companies have posters already made to order. Cooperation with them might cut the costs of such a stunt to practically nothing. * Orphans Will Like Bobby Larson Bobby Larson is an orphan newsboy who is adopted by Rick Vallin in the picture and plays an important role in the story. If there is an orphan home near you why not invite the kids in for a special showing, or rope-off a section for them during the regular performance. These children may be advised, also, that they can get an autographed picture of Larson by writing to him, care of Monogram Studio in Hollywood. * NEWSBOYS WILL LIKE SHOW Loads of publicity can be promoted through the circulation departments of the local newspapers. And because one of the main characters in this picture is a newsboy, Bobby Larson, you have an excellent set-up for such a deal. Tickets for the attraction might be given to paper boys or citizens who obtain a subscription to the paper. A special matinee with roped-off section for the newsboys might be acceptable in your situation. If that is the case, in return for the free show (or special price) all the boys could attach cardboard or paper signs to their bicycles carrying a picture plug. Boys on the street corners could have one arranged on their back. Newsboys are usually pretty good promoters themselves and the word-of-mouth publicity you would spread through them would be beneficial.