Smart Guy (Monogram) (1943)

* EXPLOITATION LOOK-ALIKE CONTEST Playing a very important part in the picture is a young lad with a winsome personality named Bobby Larson. Here’s a kid that looks normal enough to belong to any family in any town. Minus the traditional pretty boy characteristics, this freckle-faced youngster is the typical American boy type. Why not develop a contest in your town to find his twin? Boys from ten-to-twelve and from three to three-and-a-half feet tall would be eligible. The face, however, should be the most important judging point. Could get a committee of local dignitaries to judge the affair and the prize might be enough clothing to take the lad through a year of schooling. It shouldn't be hard to promote these gifts from the various merchants that feature junior wardrobes. Still number 25 is a good one to post as a model. * FRECKLES CLUB AND CONTEST As an added feature to the above contest, ask for entries by both boys and girls for a freckle contest. Could award prizes for the mostest, the larg est and the smallest freckles. Same judges could. award these prizes and all entries would become lifelong members of the American Freckle-Faced Kid Klub with Bobby Larson as the honorary president. Membership cards could be handed out at little cost. Here’s a suggestion for the card: I (signature above) realize that my freckles are a lucky sign and hereby pledge to live my life in cleanliness, honesty and good service as a typical American youngster and citizen. American Freckle-Faced Kid Club Honorary President. BOBBY LARSON, MAN ON THE STREET Dress up one of the ushers or hire a man to walk the busy sections of the down-town area, wearing prison stripes. On his front a sign reads: “Once I was a SMART GUY.” On his back is a poster of the attraction or a sign announcing the picture at your theatre. * Let The Patrons Write Essays In advance of the play time for “Smart Guy,’ offer a written contest among your patrons (or through the newspapers) for the best 100 word story of “Smart Guys I Have Known” or “Times When I Wish I Hadn't Been Such a Smart Guy.” First theme could be about annoying patrons at prize fights, races or in the office. Also could be about someone the author thought actually brilliant. Second heading could be about some time when the writer was terribly embarrassed over a smart crack or act which made him a smart guy (or gal) at the time but which he or she regretted later. Prizes could be tickets for the attraction. SELL THE NEW LEADING MAN Monogram thinks so much of discovery Rick Vallin in this first good break he’s had, that they have signed him to a long-term contract. Although . his career will be interrupted for a time, due to his being inducted into the Navy, Vallin will be back at his picture career eventually, so why not prepare for that time and for future box office receipts by concentrating on a good plug for him. Still numbers 15 and 16 are good portraits of the handsome actor and you'll find features and shorts about him on the publicity pages of this book. * “Smart Guy" Student Your Guest See the principal at the high school in your town and ask him, with the aid of his faculty, to select the boy and girl with the best record and marks for the current school term. These two would then be invited to be your guest at the theatre for the showing of the picture. They would be your town’s “Smart Guy and Gal.” * CARD SHARP WILL ATTRACT 'EM If possible, find a magician, either amateur or professional, that is very good with card tricks. Ask him to come and do a few of the fetes in your outside lobby. He wouldn't need to have such a great quantity of these sleighi-of-hand tricks with the cards as the audience would be changing after watching for awhile. Card tricks never fail to promote interest and that’s what you want in your lobby. A poster in back of the man would herald the attraction. Might even find a man who knows something about the gambling and dealing tricks that have been exposed in the past. Such a man could also give a little lecture about the odds in favor of the house. * FIND THE SMART GUY OR GAL Arrange a contest through the faculty of the local high or junior high school where boys and girls would participate in oral quiz combats over general questions, spelling or some special subject. Let the schools eliminate the contest down to four students—two boys and two gals. Bring these young folk to the stage of your theatre, or perhaps promote free time on the nearest radio station, at which time the final questions would be handed them. Idea could be to find out who are the best, the smart guys or the smart gals? Also one big winner could be determined as the super smart guy or gal. A $25 War Bond or merchandise could be obtained for the prizes. There is still a tremendous amount of interest in the radio and stage quiz shows and for that reason this idea might sell lots of extra tickets for the “Smart Guy” attraction. “Get in the Scrap” With a Paper Salvage Campaign!