Ballyhoo (Oct 28, 1955)

Page scan 0007 from Ballyhoo

Record Details:

Title:
Ballyhoo
Date:
Oct 28, 1955
Volume:
Ballyhoo (Oct 28, 1955) Profit Blitz for 'Fitz'
Leaf #:
0007
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 17, 2025
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$10,000 IN CASH PRIZES PROFIT with showmanship SERVE with showmanship SAVE with showmanship OC lle, @ Cn Pe <9) Sd 1955 SELL with showmanship HONOURING 25 YEARS OF INSPIRED LEADERSHIP IN FAMOUS PLAYERS National Drive Captain DAN KRENDEL OVER _BEN!S SHOULDER "Hi fellows ... at the risk of repeating myself I must tell you again that one of the outstanding pictures playing currently in our key and semi-key theatres is LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING. Its fourth week in Toronto (University-Eglinton) is still very strong, and our openings in Saskatoon and Winnipeg indicate truly excellent results ..." "One of the really successful novels mentioned during our recent meetings was TRIAL, which has been produced by Metro. We are playing this feature in Halifax, Edmonton and Vancouver this week, and are happy to tell you that the openings in all three cities were exceptionally good. Look for it on your booking sheet, and don't forget the excellent book-store tie-up. By the way ... have you ordered that striking advance l-sheet yet?" "Our head office bookers are always on the alert for socalled "Sleeper" programs, and with this thought in mind I have asked Bob Myers to pass along some information, both as to specialty programs, and also some of the better short subjects which were screened recently ... so, here is some "dope" from Bobby ... who is somewhat of a "handicapper" himself ..." "This is Robert calling ,.. and I've got good news for anybody who's looking for a good mid-week show that's just a little off the beaten path, but looks like a winner. I'm talking about the combo of WAYWARD WIFE, starring that luscious, that ... well, Gina Lollobrigida ... and you don't have to know how to pronounce it... and OUTLAW GIRL, with Sylvano Mangano ... and she ain!t bad either, The combination certainly spells dynamite, and properly exploited, this bill should bring plenty of extra bucks into your till on those hard-to-fill mid-week days ..." "Another twin bill that has possibilities is the re-issue of GUNG HO and EAGLE SQUADRON ... and if your customers like horror bills, Columbia has a pip of a double bill, SOUL OF THE MONSTER and CRY OF THE WEREWOLF, and from Cardinal we can get BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS and KING DINOSAUR. If you're interested, get in touch with your booker ..,!"! "We know, and you know that short subjects are a very important factor in lining up your program ... We've just screened a group of shorts that were so good we felt we should single them out for special mention in this issue ,.."