Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1939)

April 15, 1939 SHOWMEN'S T R A \ ) E R E V 1 VV Page 25 FOR BETTER SHOW SELLING Showmanalyses Have Appeared In STR on Following Pictures Adventures of 1 1 ucklebeny Fum Feb. 18 Broadway Serenade April 1 Christmas Carol Dec. 10 Cowbov and tlie Lady Uec. 3 Duke of West Point Dec. 31 Flying Irishman March 11 Giinga Din Jan. 28 Honolulu Feb. 4 Hound of the Baskervilles March 25 Idiot's Delight Jan. 21 Jesse James Jan. 21 Kentucky Dec. 31 King of the Turf Feb. 25 Little Princess Mar. 4 Made For Each Other Feb. 18 Prison Without Bars April S Pygmalion March 11 Spirit of Culver Mar. 18 Stand Up and Fight Jan. 7 Story of Alexander Graham Bell... This Issue Streets of New York This Issue Sweethearts Dec. 24 Tail Spin Feb. 4 Thanks for Everything Dec. 17 Three Musketeers Feb. 11 Three Smart Girls Grow Up March 25 Topper Takes a Trip Jan. 14 Up the River Dec. 3 Wife, Husband and Friend Feb. 25 Wings of the Navy Feb. 11 You Can't Cheat An Honest Man Feb. 18 Zenobia Mar. 18 Tommy Walker to Cover Southern Territory For Filmack Trailers Filmack Trailer Company of Chicago has appointed Tommy S. Walker, well known motion picture publicist, as its representative in the South. Although Walker will cover the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Virginia and Louisiana, his headquarters will be in Miami. An increasingly large volume of business in these southern states made it necessary to establish a permanent, resident representative in that territory. "Holly" Sells "Honolulu" With A Practically Costless Campaign A campaign that created remarkable business in spite of Lent was put on by Manager C. L. Hollister, of the Babcock Theatre, Wellsville, N. Y., for the engagement of "Honolulu." Among other things, "Holly" staged a midnight show, which was thoroughly publicized in the newspapers, on a special one-sheet easel on the street and in the trailer. Two dozen paper leis were worn by the entire service staff, including cashiers, two weeks preceding the engagement. Three of the towns leading soda fountains offered "Honolulu" sundaes. A local merchant bought the space on the back. "Holly" promoted a full window display in 3. music shop, consisting of a flat 40 x 60 with the title, cast and playdates ; a 22 x 28 card announcing the sheet music on sale, rows of title sheets from "Honolulu" hit tunes, and radios with a small card tieing in Burns and Allen. And this was a good gag. He distributed 500 coin envelopes, each containing a few erains of sand. Copy was to the effect that if the sands "turns green before 'Honolulu' ends Tuesday night, we'll give you a free prize." Of course, the sand didn't turn green, but if anyone had submitted green sand, "Holly" would have given that person a free pass. The gag created a lot of interest, and impressed the title and playdate on the populace, which is just what the Babcock management hoped. The entire campaign was costless except for $5 to cover the cost of leis, sundae streamers, and the imprinting of the "green sand" envelopes. Who said it couldn't be done? "Huckleberry Finn" Receives Big Selling Campaign in Toledo, Ohio Well, well, well. Happy indeed are we to hear from Wally Caldwell, manager of Loew's Valentine Theatre, Toledo, Ohio. Wally put over a swell campaign on "Huckleberry Finn." A Toledo youth resembling Mickey Rooney and dressed up in fishing garb, bannered front and back, paraded through downtown traffic and attracted attention. Special boards devoted exclusively to the film were mounted on both sides of a fleet of trucks operated by a local dry cleaner. Five thousand bookmarks were distributed through 15 branches of the Toledo Public Library. Bulletin boards carried a still, theatre and playdate copy. Circulating libraries and two large department stores also distributed bookmarks. Patrons of downtown restaurants used napkins imprinted with copy about the picture. "Huckleberry Finn" soda streamers were placed in Kresge's and also in a chain of 60 retail drug stores. A special letter was mailed to the entire membership of Loew's Valentine Hardy Family Club, grammar and parochial schools, Toledo Federation of Women's Clubs, Theatre Guild and others. Caldwell promoted window displays on clothing, books and fishing tackle. Besides this, the film was plugged extensively via the radio and received several inches of publicity in daily and weekly newspapers. Rep. Bloom Asks Congress to Honor Alexander Graham Bell Alexander Graham Bell, whose romance and invention of the telephone are dramatized in "The Story of Alexander Graham Bell," may receive posthumous recognition from Congress as one of America's great benefactors of mankind. Representative Sol M. Bloom, of New York, the House authority on modern history, has announced he will introduce a resolution calling for the striking of a special medal in honor of the noted inventor, who died in 1922. Shaffer's "Gunga Din" Campaign Stresses Educational Phases Educational phases of "Gunga Din" were stressed in the big campaign engineered by Manager Frank Shaffer of the Warner Brothers Dixie Theatre, Staunton, Va. The highlight was a quiz contest which broke in the weekly magazine of the Mary Baldwin College, the weekly publication of the Staunton Military Academy and a daily paper printed by high school students. Guest tickets were awarded for the first, fifteen correct answers. Letters, with bookmark enclosed, were mailed to every teacher in the community. Bookmarks also were placed in city, county, college and public schools one week in advance of the playdate. Albany Zone Managers and Executives of WB Theatres Albany Zone manager and executives, gathered at the quarterly meeting held by Zone Manager, M. A. Silver. Harry Goldberg, national director of advertising, spoke on merchandising campaigns for spring and summer. Jack L. Warner, Jr. also attended. Standing (left to right): C. L. Hollister, Manager BabcockWellsville ; Eddie Selette, Manager Albany-Albany; Al Newhall, Manager Majestic-Hornell; Dalton Burgett, Manager Capitol-Dunkirk; Jim Faughnan, Contact Manager; Sid Sommer, Manager Lincoln-Troy; Joe Weinstein; Al La Flamme, Manager Madison-Albany; Andy Roy, Manager Strand-Albany; Chas. A. Smakwitz, District Manager; Jules Curley, Advertising Manager; Jack Swartout, Manager Amer ican-Troy and Jack Breslin, Manager UticaUtica. Seated — rear (left to right): Jimmy Macris, Manager Diana-Medina; Max Friedman, Booker; Ralph Crabill, District Manager; Jack L. Warner, Jr.; M. A. Silver, New York State Zone Manager; Harry Goldberg, National Director of Advertising; Bob Rosenthal, Manager Ritz-Albany; F. M. Westfall, Manager Haven-Olean; Leo Rosen, Manager Troy-Troy. Seated — front (left to right) : Mel Conhaim, Manager Strand-Elmira; Bill Leggiero, Manager Keeney-Elmira; Bill Haynes, Manager Stanley-Utica; Ralph Booth, Manager New Family-Batavia; Murray Lafayette, Manager Avon-Utica; Al Beckerich, Manager Palace-Jamestown.