Bullets or Ballots (Warner Bros.) (1936)

EXPLOITATION TELL EM LITTLE CAESAR’S BACK PHONY STAGE STUNT TO SCARE YOUR AUDIENCE Here's how you can stage a phoney stage stunt . . . to give patrons a thrill and sell this show at the same time. After showing of current film, spotlighted man steps out on stage. His spiel, told in a dramatic tone, should go along these lines: “Ladies and Gentlemen—In 1932, Little Caesar, the most notorious gangster of the day disappeared. That was when I decided to come forward to expose a murder-mystery that has baffled the police for years —the killing of Chet Thornston. My reason for waiting all these years, I’m sorry to admit, is because I was afraid ... afraid of what would happen to me. Now, I feel that everything is cleared up, so I’ve asked the manager of this theatre to allow me to tell this most amazing story be hind this fiendish, cold-blooded murder and expose the man who committed it . .. the murderer of Thornston is living in this town right now ... His name is...” At this moment, a man in the audience stands up and shoots a blank cartridge gun at stage, your stooge falls as if shot, and a girl in the audience stands up and screams .. . "Little Caesar Is Back". At this point, lights go out. Stunt can be used as teaser or else you can follow with the action-trailer. a 6g he a FOOTPRINTS ON STREET Illustration tells you all about this stunt. Your artist can make the outline of feet, with copy as indicated . . . and a man with paint and whitewash is all you need to complete stunt. Might be a better idea to use a black paint solution—if you can secure the necessary permission from the authorities. SLIDE CARRIES WARNING Here's an impressive theatre teaser. Make up slide with “hurriedly prepared" to read: “FLASH ! !! Via Official Report from C. P. Wire !!! Little Caesar Is Coming Back ! ! "' SURPRINT NEWSPAPERS An old gag, but workable on this film is the surprinting of backnumber newspapers with "Little Caesar's Back''. Or to save time and trouble, you can forget about the surprinting, arm some kids with a couple of newspapers and send 'em out extrying! Then instead of handing out papers, folks get a herald on film. Suggestions on this page are designed to tell the folks that "Little Caesar" has returned to town. This promotion covers practically every bally angle from theatre and front to street and radio. “ COP" WARNS AUDIENCE Man dressed in policeman's uniform, can step on stage between shows after house lights up, and spiel something like this: "I have just come from headquarters, and it is my sad duty to tell you people that for the next week you'll have to lock your doors and bolt your windows . . . because Little Caesar's Coming Back To Town." If you prefer, he could go on from there and plug film. But it might prove more effective if you just leave audience guessing. WARNING IS SCARE NOTE Your local printer can make up—and_inexpensively too—a scare note reading WARNING "Little Caesar's Coming Back''. This should be crudely printed on cheap paper as it done by hand. This will make ‘em seem authentic and cut down cost at the same time. Your guy who hands' em out should be a little shifty about his job, furtively slipping ‘em to passers—and acting very secretive about the whole thing. He could also drop 'em where folks are bound to pick'em up. PLUG IN THE NEWSREEL You can work your "Little Caesar’ plug right into the newsreel in two ways. First make up a slide, captioned to look like a legitimate newsreel clip. On it is printed something like: "New York, N. Y., June 3, 1936. New York Detectives are scouring the city after a report that sent a chill through the spines of every person in that city . . . LITTLE CAESAR'S COMING BACK". CLASSIFIED TEASER AD Don't forget the newspapers when teaser campaigning. We suggest personal column plant something like this: "LOUIS: Better lay off the West Side. Little Caesar's Coming Back To Town. MUGSIE."" You could also spot small boxes on movie page in advance of your regular campaign. Copy this in bold face type— "Little Caesar Is Coming Back". FLASH NEWS OUT FRONT You can work that different P. A. system stunt out front, by taking up with local news agency to flash you the latest happenings. You give a regular news broadcast every half hour—using legitimate news, except that you insert a couple of ‘'Flash! Little Caesar's Coming Back'’ announcements. Same idea could be worked without a P. A. system, by having a boy print news on blackboards over marquee, inserting teaser line every few minutes. SIGN ON CONSTRUCTION Signs like the one in illustration could be tacked near spots where men are working, such as building constructions, sewer work and excavations. i NEWS FLASH FOR RADIO For an exciting spot announcement, you can tease listeners during the day, by having announcer yell excitedly after programs are concluded (especially news broadcasts) "Flash! Little Caesar is on the way back to town. Be on the lookout". SPECIAL RADIO PLUG For radio spot announcement, how about staging a take-off on the currently popular ‘Man on the street’ broadcasts. Here's how! ANNOUNCER: And here we are, ladies and gentlemen of the radio audience, on the corner of Main and Cherry Streets, giving you another in our weekly series of ‘Man on the Street’ broadcasts. And now, young man, would you mind answering a few questions. MAN: No, not at all. ANNOUNCER: Name? MAN: John Jones. ANNOUNCER: And what do you think of the news that Little Caesar’s Coming Back. MAN: Pm happy about it. ANNOUNCER: Happy? Why? MAN: Because Little Caesar is Edward G. Robinson, and what you just said means that he’s coming back in his latest Warner Bros. film, “Bullets and Ballots’, which opens at the.............. Theatre next Friday. ANNOUNCER: And Id like to add .. . that an all-star cast, headed by Joan Blondell, supports Mr. Robinson in the film. SCARE HEADLINE HERALDS You might prepare locally a headline-type of herald, with copy about "Little Caesar's Return To Town". Kids scoot around town handing ‘em out, barking headlines all the time. TACK CARDS TEASE 'EM Tack cards with teaser copy about Little Caesar's return might be another good way to further this promotion. Page Five