Penrod and Sam (Warner Bros.) (1937)

“PENROD and SAM” Bek P41 Ol ASTON VARIED CONTEST SUGGESTIONS FIND TOWN’S JUVENILE HEROES Young heroes in film suggest search for child heroes in your community. Worked in conjunction with local paper, contest can be made a really big stunt. Folks are invited to write in, telling of heroic act of some child they know, and children who have shown unusual bravery for their years are suitably honored. Possibly paper, or some civic group, would be interested in preparing diplomas or medals for the youngsters. Naturally, awards are made on your stage, with notables making suitable speeches. Stunt can be just as important as you want to make it, so we’d advise you to make the most of it. STUNT WITH BOY SCOUTS Don’t forget to tie up with Boy Scouts on this film, because they'll all be anxious to see your show. One angle would be to have contest to find the most efficient troupe in the city. Another angle is to find the best Scout in town. If search is for best troupe, award plaque to winner — if it’s for best Scout, see if you can promote some equipment for him. PRIZES FOR TOWN’S MARBLE CHAMPIONS If you’ve got enough room in your lobby, hold a marble contest for the youngsters. All the kids play ‘em, and many of them are quite adept at the game, so you ought to have a pretty exciting contest when you try to find the town’s champion “immie’’ shooter. Marble contests have been worked with great success in New York and other large cities, so we don’t think you should have any trouble getting local paper to tie-up on this one. And stores ought to be glad to help out by offering a few prizes to the winners. DETECTIVE STORIES If you can promote some prizes, why not have the youngsters try writing original detective stories? It ties in well with the film, and could possibly be worked in co-operation with English classes in local schools. Idea is that children hand in their stories as compositions, and teachers hand in the best ones to a committee which chooses the winners. Winners receive prizes at theatre, where best stories are displayed during run of film — or do you think you can persuade local paper to publish winning stories on their children’s page? CRAFT CONTEST IN LOBBY For a theatre contest, why not have youngsters display things they have made themselves — ship models, toys, etc.? Or possibly you’d prefer a whittling contest, or contest for best example of soap carving. You can promote a few prizes for the best examples, and in return you’ve got an interesting exhibit in your lobby of what youngsters can do. MILTON BRADLEY CO. OFFERS BIG TIE-UP ON G-MEN GAME MUTT SHOW FOR YOUNGSTERS Mutt shows have been run in many towns with great success, and idea ties up so perfectly with this show that we thought you might be interested in sponsoring one for the youngsters. Idea, in case you don’t know, is just like a dog show, except that your show is run entirely for the benefit of the town’s youngsters, and is open only to 100% mutts — pedigreed dogs are strictly taboo. You might find it more interesting to open it to all kinds of pets, and let the kiddies enter rabbits, birds, mice, fish, or any other animals they've got. Newspaper co-operation will help, as will prizes promoted from children’s stores. YOUNGSTERS’ ICE CARNIVAL If you’ve got plenty of snow and ice around, hold a winter carnival for the youngsters. You'll find plenty for them to do — all kinds of skating, sleighing, skiing and snow shoeing races. Publicity should be easy on a stunt like this, and it shouldn’t be too hard to promote prizes. Just make sure you get your plug in on all the publicity. LET THEM TRY THEIR SKILL IN YOUR LOBBY The youngsters all go for contests that show their strength or sharp-shooting ability, which suggests fixing up a few games for them to play in your lobby. Strength-testing machines, dart games, toy rifle ranges and the like will all go over big with the kids. You can keep records of the best scores on each game, offering promoted prizes to the winners © after the contest is over. Possibly you can set off a corner of your lobby and dress it up as a miniature carnival, with the youngsters all invited to step over and try their skill. The Milton Bradley Company is offering a swell CONTEST FOR PAIRS To match the “Penrod and Sam” angle, have kids submit lists of famous pairs. Or else give them the first name of a pair, and have them figure out what name goes with it. Below is a list that would look Okay in paper or program, we think: The Prince and (The Pauper) Tom Sawyer and (Huckleberry Finn) Topsy and (Eva) Bunny Brown and (Sister Sue) Mutt and (Jeff) popular G-Men Game. above, will have a special label plugging the film. In addition, they’re sending special window cards to their dealers throughout the country. We'd advise going after local dealers right away to make sure that they give you plenty of space, and talk over the idea of co-op ads. For name of nearest dealer, and for additional information, contact: MILTON BRADLEY CO. GEORGE FOX The game, illustrated Springfield, Mass. tie-up on this picture in conjunction with their KIDS REVIEW FILM In co-operation with English teachers, offer prizes for best reviews of film. Reviews are handed in, of course, as regular compositions, with best ones forwarded to you for final selection of winners. If you’re lucky, winning review will appear in newspaper as a feature. Stunt shouldn’t be hard to work, and ought to arouse quite a bit of interest in your show. Page Five