Stage Struck (Warner Bros.) (1936)

EXPLOITATION lt shouldn't cost you too much to hire a tlat-bodied truck for use as an outdoor entertainment stage for street ballying. Possibly you could lay your hands on a crooner who does pretty fair imitash of Powell; looker tapping out couple numbers; and quartet of singers impersonating Yacht Club gang to plug songs from pic. If city fathers Okay, you could have bally stop at important corners, for, say, tifteen minutes at clip, to dispense rhythms. At each stop, usher could weave in and out of crowd handing out. heralds, but at " rate, banners on truck tell gazers just what hullabaloo's about. CROONER SINGS ON ROOF Besides acting as foundation for your tlag-pole, roof might be used ballying tilm. Good idea might be to set your P. A. system up there and get crooning gent to ''boo-boo-boo-boo"' into microphone. After every numbah he spiels on pic's virtues. It's conceivable that folks are going to stare up and see who's singing, which should create audience for your plug: You'll probably think about it anyway ... but show's numbers are swell enough to use on this stunt. Announcements about film, of course, after each song, so he can rest between tunes. COW TELL 'EM THE TRUTH Some friendly farmer might let you have one of his cows which you can use for a street bally. Idea is to rig up a fellow to resemble a farmer (one of your ushers will do) and have him lead Bessies around by a rope. Copy on banner gets over your gag, as illustrated. Page Eight PANHANDLING AS A GAG A gag that might go over in your town would be where you have shabbily dressed gent walk around on a panhandling jaunt. When he approaches couple strolling along, he steps up and starts this spiel, “Buddy, can you spare a quarter so | can see ‘Stage Struck’ at the Strand Theatre". Then he hands them a herald. GALS BALLY ON STREETS STAGE STRUCK | GIRLS,AND WERE Couple of heavily made up blondes, throwing off aura of chorus gals might be hired (for little, we think) to parade around streets carrying small rehearsal or make-up bags. Copy on bag reads: "We're Just Two Stage Struck Girls, and We're Going to See ‘Stage Struck’ now at the Strand Theatre." ARTIST PAINTS ON STREET You could have an artist set up his easel on a busy street in town and then start painting one of the stars of your show, as illustrated. When folks rubber up to look at his art, your maestro just unrolls his easel, and displays sign plugging film. MYSTIC PREDICTS FUTURE Shouldn't cost much to hire fellow to give a “mystic’' act in your lobby. Dress him in Oriental robes and decorate spot in lobby with crescents, stars and large crystal ball. Sign sniped around says that he can foresee the future and invites anybody who is Stage Struck to ask his advice about their chances of making good in show business. If the guy is clever enough he can intersperse his predictions with gag lines and finish off by telling em to see pic to get real low-down. FOUR GUYS AND A BOAT We think it's a screwy idea, but you might get plenty of attention as well as plenty of laughs by getting four fellows and building a papier mache rowboat around ‘em, as illustrated. Placard men tions that they're imitating the Yacht Club Boys and could be seen in ''Stage Struck'' at your house. LET 'EM LOOK AT STARS If you can lay your hands on one of those high-powered telescopes, you might set it up in lobby box. Sign spotted near invites folks to: "See the Stars". When they peek through the lens, they see heads or film stars and plug copy.—Or —you can fake a telescope—and plant the stills in the large upper end. MAN IN BARREL BALLY if! LOST My PANTS ees ie LAUGHING YY ey oe q You've probably tried it before, but we ‘think you can still get results with the bally of a man dressed in a barrel, as illustrated. Sign attached will get over your plug at a glance. Of course, lad in barrel is really dressed—so that the cops can't cause any trouble.