The Case of the Black Cat (Warner Bros.) (1936)

EXPLOITATION We Give You Gentlemen SOMETHING NEW! The herald is printed on one side only, leaving the entire reverse side for playdates and rest of your program. Bottom of front is also reserved for theatre imprints. Especially practical for rubber stamp imprints. THIS NEW MIDGET IS GOING BIG IN THE BIG-TIME CIRCUITS! FOLLOW THEIR LEAD! $1.25 per $4.50 per Mi for 5M and over for less than 5M woLns ° care ‘| WwiLLinm WARNER BROS. MIDGET HERALD! The size of this new midget herald (4 x 61% inches) was designed for easy handling. It is convenient to mail or slip into a program. It fits into pockets and purses. It is a very practical size for enclosure with telegrams and parcels AND IT’S E oor ; i\e cGANN G 1 weGAN ‘9 LIVES DISPLAY’ Here’s an inexpensive display! Have your artist draw a large black cat with its nine shadows —drawn in lighter tone — arranged behind, and slightly to the side of each other. In each shadow is a star still. Copy should read: “How did the BLACK CAT Effect These Nine Lives?” You can write in your picture plug on the large black cat. If you want to add a little more punch to gag, place flashers behind display which light star stills alternately. COSTUME PARTY Any local dance halls or night clubs having a masquerade partye A. “black cat” night oughta be a good stunt for them to pull and, of course, plug for pic fits in with their plans. Offer ducats for best costume. CHARMS IN LOBBY Lobby display of charms, trinkets, rabbits’ feet, ju-ju mixtures, lucky coins and any other gadgets that are supposed to be bad luck antidotes. Might intersperse some newspaper stories on modern superstitions. PLUG CAT'S MEOW One way of getting your patrons in the proper mood before showing them the thrilling trailer is to darken the house and produce sound effects of a cat meowing, a gun shot and a woman’s scream—then flash on trailer. BLACK CAT FOR DISPLAY There are plenty of ways in which you might play up the title in your stunts. A most effective and inexpensive way would be to spot a number of black cat cutouts (such as used in Hallowe’en displays) around the lobby and during your run string them up under the marquee. Might be able to borrow a large stuffed black cat which could be worked into an attractive plug for the film, as a decorative standee with stills and copy. And if you like animation, set a big black cat on marquee with tail waving and bulbs flashing to make eyes blink. NEWSPAPER AD Run teaser in lost column on classified page of newspaper. “Lost—Black Cat. Answers to name Clinker. Wanted for trial. If found please return to Perry Mason, Strand Theatre. Generous reward.” ploitation license permits you to cut out sides of box so that cat can be seen, although normally, of course, it couldn’t. Painted around case is—“The Case of the Wheels rigged up similar to those on roller coasters will make things easier for boy. Simple enough for all your fans to understand and at the same time will hand them a laugh. Illustration should give you all the details necessary. Black Gar Cat In Case As Gag Bally PET SHOP AIDS Nearby pet shop might be interested in window featuring black cats. Catchline: “Ad Black Cat 1s on Trial this week at the Strand Theatre. Ours are innocent cats but why not give them a trial anyway?” Boy tugging large packing case inside of which is a m.Dlack cat should gs make an, amusing street bally. Poetie: or rather, ex Society for CAMERA CONTEST Candid camera shooters and other photography fiends at some time or other probably have taken some shots of a black cat. Offer ducats for best. Newspaper might cooperate with you on this contest with announcements and publishing winners’ pictures while you come through with lobby display of entries. You shouldn’t have trouble working this one—and it ought to create plenty of interest around town. CAT ON TRAIL A clever... display. ..might..be worked out by having your artist illustrate a courtroom scene, showing a black cat in the witness stand and Perry Mason pointing an accusing finger. Stills and plug are spotted in drawing. PICKETS PROTEST Preservation of Black Cats — your own brainchild, naturally — pickets in front of your theatre, signs read —What Has Happened to Justice? Save the Black Cat.” TELL CLUE CLUB Contact mystery groups and clue club fans and see if they’re interested in attending your theatre in groups. You might even offer special rate for large parties they arrange. Page Seven