Lady Killer (Warner Bros.) (1933)

How to Plant Cagney Plug in a Front Page Extra Get in touch with the circulation manager of your leading evening newspaper and make an arrangement whereby, after the last edition of the paper has gone to press, a replate be made of the first page for a special run of several thousand papers carrying a seven-column headline, in big, bold black type reading: FILM STAR BRANDED AS GANG LEADER Under these headlines run the following paragraphs: “Dan Quigley, famous Hollywood film star, was arrested today by the Hollywood police, accused of being the leader of a gang of robbers who have been terrorizing the wealthy film colony in Hollywood and Beverley Hills. It is said that a prominent screen actress will be involved in this scandal. “All this and more will be embodied in one of the swiftest moving comedy dramas in which James Cagney plays the title role in the Warner Bros. production, ‘Lady Killer,’ which will be the feature picture attraction coming to the . ... Theatre starting .... Others in the cast include Mae Clarke, Margaret Lindsay, and a host of other brilliant Warner players.” These papers can be given to the newsboys who can give them out gratis to people on the street. A stunt of this sort is not very expensive and pays dividends at the box office. A Perfect Loeal Tie-up with Phone Time Bureau Here is an exploitation stunt that worked very successfully in Rochester, N. Y., just prior to and during the run of “Footlight Parade,” and should be applicable to those cities which have a similar telephone arrangement. The Rochester Time Bureau answers on an average of nearly 800 calls a day for the correct time. During the run of “Footlight Parade,” an arrangement was made _ with this Bureau whereby each person calling received the following reply: “Good morning (or afternoon), have you seen ‘Footlight Parade’ at the Capito] Theatre? The time now 7 ” Th eas oo In addition to this information relayed to the time-seekers, an arrangement was made with the Bureau to give out several single passes for every five hundredth call made to a certain number of people calling. This stunt averaged about eight passes a day. The lucky ones naturally told the good news to other people with the result that the calls to the Time Bureau were nearly doubled daily, resulting in the word-to-mouth advertising getting a tremendous boost. If your city has no bureau of this sort it may be well to find out if your local telephone company has a time-giving service and make a similar arrangement with them to handle the giving of the news of the playing of “Lady Killer” in the same manner as was worked in Rochester. It’s a natural for sure-fire rightinto-the-home advertising. | BURGEE Produced in_ brilliant shades especially for suspension in your’ lobby under your marquee. Size 20 x 30 inches, printed on durable canvas. MAE CLARKE MARGARET LINDSAY Economically priced at 50c each. Available only from MORRIS LIBERMAN 729 Broadway New York, N. Y. HAVE USHERS ACT AS MOVIE CRITICS Here is an exploitation idea that in a way is different and will no doubt give the picture “Lady Killer” quite some publicity. At the beginning of the picture James Cagney is a movie usher and gives the public a comical insight into the daily routine of an usher. With this in mind make an arrangement with the motion picture reviewer of any one of your local newspapers to have one of your ushers review the picture from his viewpoint. Usher Interview In conjunction with this idea make an arrangement with one of your local picture reviewers to interview one of your ushers after he has seen the picture as to what are his ambitions. The interview can be held with either one usher or interview your entire staff of men or girls. In the parlance of the newspaper this is a human interest story and there should be no difficulty, if the proposition is put up to the reviewers in the right way, for them to fall in with these ideas. Contest Based on Cagney’s Most Popular Screen Role Here’s a newspaper contest that can be used to good advantage prior to the opening of “Lady Killer,’ in which James Cagney plays one of his most colorful roles. The idea is to get readers to enter a contest sponsored by one of your local newspapers entitled, “IN WHAT ROLE DID YOU LIKE JAMES CAGNEY BEST?” The answers should be no more than one hundred words in length, and the prizes should consist of 25 pairs of tickets to the twenty-five men and women who have written the best answer to the question. (Publicity Story) Are You a Cagney Fan? Tell Why and Win a Prize AMES CAGNEY is one of the most versatile and colorful of the screen stars. He has drawn to himself a legion of fans who have followed his various film roles from his never-to-be-forgotten characterization in “Public Enemy,” to that of his breezy and clever interpretation as the prologue producer in “Footlight Parade.” The (Post-Standard) today asks its readers to submit to the editor an answer to the question, “In What Role Did You Like James Cagney Best, and Why?” in no more than one hundred words. Do you remember him in “The Mayor of Hell,” “Picture Snatcher,” “Hard to Handle,’ “Winner Take All,” “The Crowd Roars,” “Taxi,” “Blonde Crazy” and “Footlight Parade”? Even if you haven’t, you still have a chance to win one of the twentyfive pairs of tickets to the first show ing of Cagney’s latest Warner Bros. picture, “Lady Killer,’ which will be shown at the (theatre) starting .... In “Lady Killer,’ Cagney will be seen practically duplicating many of his previous characterizations, for it is a picture that graphically tells the story of the rise of a humble extra to that of the role of a film star through many interesting and comical circumstances. Nearly every role that Cagney has appeared in has left an indelible impression on the minds of his audiences. The (Post-Standard) inaugurates this contest to discover ‘what role has lingered in their memories longest. Answers to the question, “In What Role Did You Like James Cagney Best, and Why?” must be in the (Post-Standard) office addressed care of the “Cagney Contest Editor,” no later than 12 o’clock tomorrow night. | A High-School and College “Lady Killer” Contest Every city or town has a local “Lady Killer’—the guy who knocks the girls dead with his sporty apparel and nifty wisecracks with the fair sex. It is with this sort of a man that the theatre can put over a swell exploitation stunt in putting over a tie-up with your local newspaper in conjunction with the playing of “Lady Killer.” In a stunt of this sort get the High Schools and Colleges in your city interested in it and have them vote for the boy who in their estimation is the “Lady Killer’ of that particular school or college. This should be duck-soup for school and college boys who would go for this in a big way, selecting the fellow who is “it” and at the same time advertise your coming picture. For prizes it would be suggested that the management of the theatre tie up with the men’s furnishing stores or department stores in town, they to supply a complete outfit of the latest cut in suits and men’s furnishings. These can be displayed in the store windows in the tie-up with a card telling that the outfit is to be presented to the “Lady Killer” contest winner, SPECIAL ONE-SHEET ENLARGEMENTS SERVE VARIED USES" frame. and window display. size, 28 x 42 inches, and fit in the stock 160 West 46th Street Here’s a real buy in photo enlargements! The price—only $1.25 each—gives you an opportunity for a really colorful lobby, front They are available in three colors, buff, peach, and green, on heavy, durable stock, and are especially suitable for shadowbox displays and other transparent effects. Subjects can be mounted and backed with easels if desired. Immediate C. O. D. shipment is guaranteed. Order direct from: NASIB STUDIOS Photos are one-sheet New York City