Ballyhoo (Sep 30, 1955)

Page scan 0008 from Ballyhoo

Record Details:

Title:
Ballyhoo
Date:
Sep 30, 1955
Volume:
Ballyhoo (Sep 30, 1955) Profit Blitz for 'Fitz'
Leaf #:
0008
Language:
English
Collection:
Canada, Global Cinema, and Hollywood Studio System
Format:
Periodicals
Contributor:
Media History Digital Library, Greig Dymond in memory of David Dymond, Paul Moore and Jessica Whitehead
Coordinator:
Media History Digital Library
Description:

Ballyhoo

  • Ontario 'B' District Ballyhoo, editor: Dan Krendel (1952-55)
  • Profit Blitz for ‘Fitz’, editor: Dan Krendel (1955)
  • National Ballyhoo, editor: Dan Krendel (1956-57)
  • Time Out for Ticket Talk, editor: Norman Barker (1960-61)

Ballyhoo (1952-61) was published by Famous Players Canadian Corporation as a mimeographed internal sales and theatre managers’ newsletter. Editor, Dan Krendel, had been division manager of the Ontario ‘B’ District since 1942, and initially created Ballyhoo in 1952 to circulate weekly updates for a regional sales contest. Ontario ‘B’ District Ballyhoo continued until 1955 as a tool for sharing and incentivizing new sales techniques and publicity methods as the movie business declined in the face of television and the baby boom.

In Fall 1955, Profit Blitz for ‘Fitz’ was a nationwide sales contest, named for Famous Players’ president J. J. Fitzgibbons, honouring his 25th year as head of the business. Dan Krendel was made National Drive Captain and edited a weekly newsletter for the campaign.

From 1956 until at least 1957, National Ballyhoo was published weekly with Krendel as editor. He continued the style and content developed earlier for his Ontario ‘B’ District, but now extended vastly for a chain-wide coast to coast scale. Ballyhoo’s sharing promotional tools came at a time of contracting box office as television and automobile ownership became prevalent in the mid-1950s.

By 1960 until at least 1961, Time Out for Ticket Talk continued as a mimeographed newsletter, edited by Norman Barker of the head office publicity department. Time Out was compiled on a less ambitious scale than Ballyhoo. Compared to the earlier national compilation of local publicity gimmicks, Time Out often contained only a single memo or reproduced local story, and was often undated and only informally edited.

– Paul Moore, March 2024

Date Added:
April 11, 2024
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$10,000 IN CASH PRIZES ¢ {if manship Fit with show co) os eal ; : BR SERVE with showmanship o JT AVE with showmansh i 1955 — ith sh owmanship HONOURING 25 YEARS OF INSPIRED LEADERSHIP IN FAMOUS PLAYERS National Drive Captain DAN KRENDEL WANNA SELL BOOKS OF F.P. TICKETS? Here's how Hilary Howes of the Capitol in Halifax boosts his sale of books of tickets ... Hilary made a deal with a local gas station operator ... The operator has put up a big display Sign on the premises publicizing the deal ... had cards made up carrying theatre copy on one side, surrounded by boxes filled in with various amounts ... $1.00, .50¢ etc. Each customer driving in for gas, oil, grease job or what have you gets a card and has it punched with the amount he has spent. When the card is completed, the customer gets two .60¢ tickets, courtesy of the station owner. These tickets are naturally purchased from Hilary at the Capitol, AT THE REGULAR PRICE. Does it pay? Brother-r-r ... In the first two weeks of September it meant just $107.50 worth of books. And that's just the beginning. Have you a gas station in your town? I'11l bet the owner will go for this deal, rather than the free tumbler, or free dishes he's dishing out now. Why not try it? aX eX sXe Xe Xe SERVE WITH SHOWMANSHIP Another good idea from Hilary Howes ... this time in connection with staff encouragement of the ultimate in courtesy and service to our patrons. Sounds good, and I like it. The idea really originated with Hilary's assistant, Jack Stevens, who is in charge of this contest within a contest ... Each member of the staff starts with an even 1,000 points, and can add to this total, or have points deducted, depending on the manner in which he carries out his duties. Points may be lost by being late for work ... Failure to pick up empty cups, corn boxes, candy wrappers etc. on his post ... Failure to exercise the utmost courtesy to our patrons. Points are gained for neatness, cleanliness, improvement .of service etc. Prizes of $10.00 and $5.00 for first and second place, and a special $5.00 prize for the best suggestion will be awarded at the end of the contest. A weekly bulletin of standings is published by Stevens for the staff's information. This sounds like an excellent deal ... Nice going Hilary and Jack. Let's have more of these practical suggestions.