Elmer the Great (Warner Bros.) (1933)

Seore Cards Fine Sales Accessory This helpful accessory can be inexpensively printed by any local printer and will serve to sell “ELMER THE GREAT” to baseball fans. Use the regulation baseball score form, printing in the names of players and positions. On the face of card have the following message printed: “WITH THE COMPLIMENTS OF JOE E. BROWN, STAR OF ‘ELMER THE GREAT, HIS GREATEST AND FUNNIEST BASEBALL COMEDY PLAYING AT THE STRAND THEATRE WEEK STARTING DA'TK.” The reverse side should carry the highlights of the picture, using one of the advertisements illustrated in the merchandising plan. Distribute these score cards at schools, fan “hangouts” and at the entrances of ball parks, and not overlooking the “sand-lots” where the boys play baseball. Baseball Sehedule Another valuable selling agent would be the distribution of local baseball schedules or the big league schedules, together with your own strong selling copy featuring Joe E. Brown in “ELMER THE GREAT.” Secure the schedules from your local baseball team or newspaper; print them up in vest pocket size and distribute the same way as you distribute the score cards. 6 General Hints for Exploitation 1. Plant stills in all sporting goods stores, cigar counters and candy stores. 2. Special nights in honor of local ball club and visiting baseball teams. Invite team members to see the picture on these special nights. Advertise this strongly. 3. Have your’ local American _I-sion Post or other civic or Clever Baseball Game Novelty Will Help Sell Your Show An ingenious little novelty which will greatly aid you in selling “Elmer the Great” is the baseball game novelty illustrated here. It is a novelty that is sure-to be taken home and used. ‘he game can be played by two or more people. Regular baseball scoring rules are used. The action depends upon the spinning of the disc, which is stapled in the center. Theatre name and date, in addition to rules for playing the game, are printed on asor a_ theatre benefit on « percentage basis— proceeds to purchase baseball equipment for local ball team. 4. Make strong play for the kids. Hold a= special after-school matinee—distribute heralds at schools and thru local newspaper. 5. Invite Orphanage to bring children to see “ELMER THE GREAT.” Have local newspaper get a picture of this group in front of your theatre. It’s good institutional publicity and will get extra space for “ELMER THE GREAT.” 6. A swell cutout can be made from the art work on the 24sheet. Set it up on your mar. quee with a spot or flood light for illumination at night. The three-sheet also makes an attractive cutout, which can be placed around your box office. ganization Comedy Baseball Wind-up Contest This stunt can be used in conjunction with the “Ballyhoo Contest” idea outlined elsewhere in this section or used as an individual exploitation feature. Offer prizes of tickets to “Elmer the Great” and a small first prize award of cash (or baseball game merchandise) for the kid who demonstrates the funniest “wind-up” when pitching a baseball. Tie the event up with Joe E. Brown’s famous comedy wind-up which most of the kids are familiar with. Hold this “Wind-up Contest” in some park, lot or field near to center of town’ as possible and advertise the event through every medium at your command. If possible arrange to make a newsreel of this contest as it will prove a sure-fire attraction during engagement of picture. Page Fourteen Advertise to Fans on Sports Page Run an ad on the sports page during the run of “ELMER THE GREAT.” It will get directly to the attention of the baseball fans due to the fact that the sports pages now are widely read during the baseball season. Here is suggested copy: the back. Size 334 inches. Prices are as follows: oe $38.00 per M 1a eS 7.75 per M Order direct from EK. M. PLOTTLE Co. 751 Drake Street, New York, N. Y. Sports Writers at Special Preview Ring Lardner, who is co-author of “Kilmer the Great,” is a great favorite with all sports writers. We suggest you stage a private screening of the picture for all sports writers, in addition to the regular critics, a day BASEBALL As It Is Played By JOE E. BROWN in “ELMER THE GREAT” See Your Favorite Comedian, as the Star Batter of the Cubs, Beat the Yanks in a Thrilling World Series Game NOW STRAND THEATRE Brown Cutouts as Batters’ Targets Here is a stunt that will attract wide attention and is good for a publicity story as well: Place huge cutout heads of Joe E. Brown against the backfield fence in all ball parks at right center and left field—each with a large sign announcing that whoever drives the bali against the Joe Brown head during the game will be awarded a pair of guest tickets to see Joe E. Brown in “ELMER THE GREAT,” showing (days and dates) at Strand Theatre. sports pages. Use this interesting stunt to herald the coming of Joe E. Brown in “ELMER THE GREAT.” Through a cooperating newspaper announce the award of guest tickets to see “ELMER THE GREAT” at your theatre for the six best wisecracks of the day, sent to the newspaper or the theatre. _ Have the winning wisecracks published in the newspaper in the following manner: «<< Kimer the Great” SAYS: (Above lines for wisecrack) In this way you tie in the title of the picture with every wisecrack. The plug for your theatre name and play dates should be contained in the publicity stories announcing the prize awards. Plant Popular Magic Square The magic square, used as exploitation, has been so successful that we herewith offer another. The hidden sentence is JOE E. BROWN IN ELMER THE GREAT IS FUNNIER THAN EVER. It is solved by beginning with the circled letter, moving one square up or down, right or left (not diagonally) and ending with the square which eontains the period. Plant as newspaper tieup offering guest tickets for ten persons who are first to send in correct solutions. Cut No. 10 Cut 15c Mat Se or two before you open. This should nek vou, considerable-sublieityon—the..—> : Contest for Best Baseball Reports Here is an exploitation feature that can be tied in with schools and colleges or held open to the general public. You should have no difficulty in tieing with your sports editor as such a stunt intensifies reader interest in that particular section. Offer a small cash prize for the best report on some important ball game (a league game if one is played in your city) and additional awards of guest tickets to “ELMER THE GREAT” for the twenty-five next best accounts, Arrange to have the winning article published as a special sports page feature with the picture of winner. The cash prize can be ostensibly donated by Joe E. Brown with the yarn that he is for the idea of developing good sports writers as well as good sportsmen in every field, especially baseball. The cooperating newspaper should carry a daily announcement that these prizes are offered in advance of game selected for the stunt. The picture and theatre should be played ‘up in every case. If a school or college is tied in, get out special throwaways to be distributed at the schools. Comedy Aet at Baseball Park Remember the comedy baseball team of Nick Altrock and Al Schacht? Use their act staged on the diamond before the start of the game, to plug “Elmer the Great.” Dress up two ushers who have a tendency for comedy in misfit baseball uniforms with “Elmer the Great” lettered on the front and back. Have the two appear on the field— one with an oversized bat—the other with a small toy bat; use a medicine ball painted up with stitching like a baseball. After a few minutes of attempted practice at pitching and batting, have them put on boxing gloves, winding up in comedy wrestling. After which they each unroll a sign folded like a window shade. The sign fastened on their backs to read: FOR MORE sacnc SEE JOE E. BROWN in “ELMER THE GREAT” NOW PLAYING STRAND THEATRE * * Street Ballyhoo The same stunt will attract large crowds on streets at different intersections—day or night—even though at first it may be misconstrued as a fraternity initiation until the signs are revealed. Baseball Tickets as Throwaways An inexpensive throwaway to advertise Joe E. Brown in “ELMER THE GREAT” can be made in the form of a baseball ticket. Use a colored stock about 2x6 inches. Distribute these throwaways at ball. parks, high schools, cigar stores and through all sources where they will do the most good. Colortone Slide 4x5 Colored positive ORY 2 $2.00 —Set (pos. and WOR) ee 3.00 3144x4 Colored positive only ............ 1.50 —Set (pos. and OE oe 2.25 Order by Number N522 NATIONAL STUDIOS, Ine. 226 West 56th Street New York THAN YOUVE EVER HAD Sg gg