The Thief (United Artists) (1952)

“THE THIEF” CATCHES PEOPLE WITH CAMERA! Here’s a stunt that was successful in Indianapolis and can be used to promote “The Thief” in your town, too. Suggest it to the Promotion Manager of your newspaper, ever on the alert for circulation builders. a 4 SL BB TEBE BE TORR PROT: Biss % Phato and you oil rataive $5. 3 ea Have your cooperating newspaper photographer take candid-camera shots of people all over town. Newspaper circles about five of the ‘captives’ each day and awards guest tickets. Be sure your newspaper prints the itinerary of the cameraman and story each day to keep readers aware of your coming attraction. More Secret Document Stunts Around Town! & TEST LOCAL HONESTY: Plant a paper portfolio on sidewalk and enclose some money and papers marked: “SECRET DOCUMENTS—Please return to Bijou Theatre and receive reward.” Have newspaperman and photographer nearby to watch people’s reactions for human interest yarn. Award guest tickets to finders who return portfolio. BALLOON BARRAGE: It Police depart ment permission is granted, release fifty or more balloons with heralds attached marked “Secret Document,” on back, with instructions to return to theatre for tickets. Cooperating newspaper story should show photo of balloons being released. Follow-up story should tell how and where retrievers captured their balloons. CODE CONTEST: The following Crypto gram is a lot easier to solve than it appears and is popular with newspaper readers. Plant it with your newspaper several days before playdate. The Cryptogram also can be planted with distributors of Comic Books to be used as inserts. Try to snipe cover with sticker showing picture and playdate. In each instance offer guest tickets to the first fifty with correct solutions, plus letters telling why they would like to see “The Thief.” ESP ESTPU DNCPLXD HTES DFDAPYDP MFE OZPD YZE ELWV (SOLUTION: “THE THIEF SCREAMS WITH SUSPENSE BUT DOES NOT TALK.) (Start with “L” for “A”; “M”’ for “B”; “N” for “C”’, ete.) Stunts Keep ‘The Thief’ In The News! NEWSPAPER SPONSORS SEARCH FOR “THIEF” Tie in with your newspaper to conduct a search for “The Thief!” It works this way: Have a man dressed as Ray Milland —felt hat, trench coat and brief case— move in main sections of town or in leading department stores. As soon as a person spies him he must touch “The Thief” with sponsoring newspaper and say: “You Are “The Thief’ ”’—to win guest tickets. Newspaper should carry yarn each day with itinerary of “The Thief? and names of “THE THIEF” TEASER CARDS AROUND TOWN Distribute these cards all over town as stickers, throwaways, inserts, in parked automobiles, etc. Idea is to get maximum suspense built up in advance of regular advertising cam paign. those who received prizes from previous day’s catch. Silhouette in column at left may be used MAT (2G) in newspaper or lobby to illustrate “The Order from NATIONAL SCREEN EXCHANGE Thief.” TEASER THROWAWAY LEADS TO PRIZES SECRET EG, the component of the mcdent and atgrf2 BA Dow “O~A/rli+gel SECRET WAS THIS THE DOCUMENT SOUGHT BY “THE THIEF” ae Excite interest in “The Thief” with this “SECRET DOCUMENT” throwaway. Distribute widely through town as well as in your lobby. Imprint consecutive numbers at top and add name of your theatre in the imprint space provided. Set up a lobby board with about fifty numbers. Those holding lucky number throwaways are awarded guest tickets. Order MAT (3B) FROM NATIONAL SCREEN SERVICE EXCHANGE Page Nine