Topper Returns (United Artists) (1941)

“ECTOPLASMIC’’ PROMOTION STUNT FOR MEN’S FASHION WINDOWS There’s a neat showmanship angle in “Topper Returns” for a highly important campaign directed toward the windows of leading local department stores. The title of your show fits smoothly into a merchandising campaign which suggests the idea of dressing up for important evening occasions. One way to play this would be to arrange for the spotting of a single prop—a top hat—in the corners of a series of windows based on the “dress-up” idea; plant the tie-in with your show very smoothly with copy along this line — placed adjacent to the top hat: “TOPPER RETURNS” — and now is the time to dress up for those festive spring occasions! See ‘TOPPER RETURNS’ at the .... Theatre.” Equally potent and show-selling would be the novel idea of ar¬ ranging with the store display manager for clothing promotions which involve goods displayed on an invisible dummy. An ingeni¬ ous display man could easily contrive to display a complete set of clothes, top hat, suit, shoes, gloves, etc.—on a dummy which does not show a full human figure. This could, of course, be repeated for women’s clothes. All in all, the promotion would directly suggest the highly important ‘ectoplasmic” angle in your campaign, permit¬ ting plenty of room for introduction of a gay comedy note. Here’s a promotion which promises top “Topper” profits and ties in your leading showmanship approach. Give it everything you’ve got, and let its powerful publicity and interest values do a bang-up job for your show! * outdoor gug There is a swell outdoor bally in the title of the show, as devel¬ oped by the idea that Topper is returning to town. If possible, ar¬ range for an outdoor bally which involves one good-looking open car, and possibly one or two motorcycles (try to arrange with the Police Department for a permit to use sirens). Have a small, well- dressed man sit in the back seat of the automobile, waving a shiny silk top hat as his motorcade roars through town. And on the side of the motor car, of course, string a banner carrying this type of copy: “Topper is back—with a bevy of ectoplasmic gals! See ‘TOP¬ PER RETURNS’ at the .... Theatre!” Be sure to spot the banner with either the McLeod drawings or a blow-up of one of the sexy Blondell stills. V There’s another swell outdoor bally in a walking ballyhooer who wears a top hat and proper clothes and carries a picket sign featur¬ ing a blow-up of still No. P-18 of Joan Blondell. The sign would also carry copy along this line: “Ectoplasm is at work again and I’ve got girl trouble again! See ‘TOPPER RETURNS’ at ... . Theatre!” L IV LAUGH RECORD FOR YOUR LOBBY P.A. Sell the loud, long, hearty laughs of “TOPPER RETURNS” by broadcasting them over your P. A. system from the lobby. Two good laugh records which are readily available are as fol¬ lows: No. 5002—group of men and women laughing continu¬ ously; and No. 4024—two men laughing boisterously. Both have repeat lines in center for continuous playing. Order them direct, at $2.00 each, from T. J. Valentino, 729 Seventh Ave¬ nue, New York. USE SPECIAL TEASER POSTERS Bring in a sure-fire showmanship angle with a series of teaser posting promotions which capitalize on the top-selling angles of “Topper Returns.” Basic angle to this type of promotion lies in full¬ est use of the title, plus leg art, etc.—which is plentiful! Using still No. P-15, spot the following copy on teaser posters: “TOPPER’S BACK—with a new glamour ghost! See ‘TOPPER RETURNS’ at the .... Theatre!” As illustrated above this teaser material is a “natural” for post¬ ing all over your town, and well in advance of your showing. In re¬ duced form the same art can be used for giveaway and herald pur¬ poses, also in advance. In addition, this highly effective showman¬ ship idea should be introduced into your lobby campaign in the form of a 40 x 60 blow-up. "hillie burke silly suyinys 99 Billie Burke is famous to millions of movie fans for “silly say¬ ings,” and you’ve got a swell showmanship bet in a contest based on exactly that point. Set the stunt as either a lobby or newspaper pro¬ motion, asking the fans to submit “Billie Burke Silly Sayings” for both cash prizes and a series of guest ticket awards. You’ll of course plan to introduce a substantial amount of Billie Burke art, with emphasis on scene stills to get across the situation and feature cast. Here are some of her goofier cracks in the picture, which should be given as samples: (1) “Isn’t it curious how it’s usually cold in winter and warm in summer!” (2) “Cosmo, if you ever do a thing like that again I’ll go back to Mama!” (3) “She’s sitting on his lap in the sitting room! You mean you have a room just for that?” ‘DISAPPEARING’ BLONDELL IN SHADOW-BOX You get across the ghost angle in this Hal Roach Laugh Show by setting up a shadow-box in your lobby, using a cutout of Roland Young and Carole Landis with Joan Blondell in the background. Scrim off the Blondell cutout and set an on-and-off flasher bulb behind it which will make her appear and disappear as the light goes on and out. Use this catcli-line on your shadow-box. “Now she’s here, now she’s gone. For the ectoplasmic miracle of the year see ‘TOPPER RETURNS.’ ” Page Seven