Ballyhoo (Oct 14, 1955)

Page scan 0002 from Ballyhoo

Record Details:

Title:
Ballyhoo
Date:
Oct 14, 1955
Volume:
Ballyhoo (Oct 14, 1955) Profit Blitz for 'Fitz'
Leaf #:
0002
Language:
English
Collection:
Hollywood Studio System, Global Cinema, and Canada
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 pROFIT with ghowmansh'P SERVE) with) ‘showmanship SAVE with showmanship powith showmanship SEPT. 5th TO DEC. 3rd 1955 HONOURING 25 YEARS OF INSPIRED LEADERSHIP IN FAMOUS PLAYERS National Drive Captain DAN KRENDEL ENTHUSIASM IS INFECTIOUS It took a little time ...a lot of groping in the dark ... a few misunderstandings perhaps, and a whole lot of explanatory propaganda ... but I think fellows we've all got the idea now. I'm beginning to get more and more material each week, and from the comments I'm receiving from managers from coast to coast, the boys have really caught the spirit, and arefully determined that this time it's for keeps ... and we're really going to prove to the Boss Man that we know where we're going. Enthusiasm IS infectious guys ... make no mistake about it. From the gang at head office, to the district managers, to the boys in the field and to their staffs ... If YOU'RE sold ... completely and honestly ... and show it, that same feeling is immediately transmitted to everybody around you ... your staff your customers, I have copies of bulletins ... special PROFIT BLITZ FOR FITZ bulletins, sent to their managers by Jimmy McDonough and Harold Bishop, They're just bubbling over with enthusiasm ,,. and, you know what? The entries and letters I receive from their managers, by a strange coincidence, have the same flavour, Kinda makes sense, huh? When a coach and his team think alike, they'1l work together ... and that makes for a winning combination. Enthusiasm can grow from a spark to a roaring blaze whose warmth can spread and be felt in every theatre and every community from coast to coast, Kindle that spark fellows, and you'll have no trouble adding PROFIT and BLITZ, to make it truly an all-out PROFIT BLITZ FOR FITZ. oXaXeXeXeo THIS IS EVERYBODY'S ACT Ben Geldsaler is a busy guy ... a very, very busy guy indeed, But, he wasn't too busy to drop in on me and say ... "Dan, I'm on the team too ,.. do you think the boys would like me to keep them up to date on what!s happening on the product front ...?" Of course you know my answer, So-o-o ... in this and all future issues you will be treated to a personalized review of current and coming product, presented in Ben's own inimitable style. Thanks Ben ... I know you'll have to prepare your material at home, on week-ends, and we do appreciate it. We'll really be looking forward to your weekly column,