Showmen's Trade Review (Jan-Mar 1940)

FOR BETTER SHOW SELLING Showmanalyses Have Appeared In STR on Following Pictures Allegheny Uprising /...Nov. 4 Amazing Mr. Williams Nov. 18 Another Thin Man Nov. 25 Babes In Arms Oct. 14 Balalaika Uec. 30 Beau Geste Sept. 16 Charlie McCarthy, Detective Dec. 23 Destry Rides Again Dec. 16 Earl of Chicago This Issue Eternally Yours Oct. 14 First Love Nov. 11 Flying Deuces Oct. 21 Gercnimo Dec. 30 Golden Boy Sept. 2 Great Victor Herbert Dec. 23 Honeymoon In Bali Sept. 30 Housekeeper's Daughter Oct. 28 Hunchback of Notre Dame Dec. 30 Intermezzo, A Love Story Sept. 23 Joe and Ethel Turp Call On 'J'he President Dec. 9 Little Accident Oct. 28 Mr. Smith Goes To Washington ....Oct. 21 Mutiny in the Big House Sept. 30 Ninotchka Nov. 4 Nurse Edith Cavell Sept. 30 Old Maid Sept. 2 Rains Came Sept. 16 Reno Dec. 2 Secret of Dr. Kildare Nov. 18 Swanee River This Issue That's Right, You're Wrong Nov. 25 Three Sons Oct. 7 Thunder Afloat Sept. 23 U-Boat 29 Oct. 7 UnderPup Sept. 9 Women, The Sept. 9 Barry Places One-Sheet in High School in "Iron Mask" Campaign The unusual sight of a one-sheet advertising a picture in the quiet halls of a high school was the stunt pulled by Manager Richard Barry, Capitol Theatre, Chicago. The picture v/as the historical film, "The Man In The Iron Mask." A special lobby display was also erected, composed of a stage platform and parallel placed between the background and front of one of the regular lobby displays. Figures of all the characters from the picture were cut out from stills and backed with compo board. These were arranged around the paper mache iron mask and two crossed foils. Inside the iron mask was the speaker from a miniature p. a. system. An usher sat in the ushers room behind the display and read selected copy, the sound, of course, coming from the iron mask. Tieup with Edith Cavell Post The Edith Cavell Post of Veterans of Foreign Wars, which is the only English Canadian Post in America, made a special announcement regarding the showing of "Susannah of the Mounties" at the Cosmo Theatre in Chicago, so reports John Maloney, manager. The picture deals directly with the Northwest Canada and her mounties. New Amateur Show Angle Willie Wolf has found a new angle on the handling of an amateur talent contest in Philadelphia. Instead of giving weekly prizes, he decided to stage six weeks of eliminations and to distribute the combined weekly prizes on the seventh week. By having this series of eliminations most of the contestants and their followers came to the finals as they were interested in the outcome. This method guaranteed seven Fridays of good biz. FEBRUARY 4th NATIONAL DRAMA WEEK. Sponsored by the Drama League, c/o Mrs. Samuel Newton, 1125 Park Ave., New York City. Although this celebration concerns the stage chiefly, you can cash in on some of the publicity since your theatre is probably the lone stronghold of the drama in your town. 6th MASSACHUSETTS JOINED THE UNION, 1788. Theatres in the Bay State should cooperate in any observances of this occasion. SHROVE TUESDAY. Observed as Mardi Cras in Alabama, Florida and Louisiana. There are big doings in most places on this date which is the day before the beginning of Lent. With this in mind, you should be prepared with an especially good show. If possible join in on the Mardi Gras celebrations. 7th ASH WEDNESDAY. Lent begins today. You'll have to be on your toes to garner business for the next 40 days, but it can be done by smart showmanship. Get out all your old tricks and be prepared for Lent. LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE, New York to Chicago, opened 1892. The telephone company should be willing to cooperate with you in commemorating this event, especially if you should be playing some picture in which the telephone figures prominently or if you have a still of a star of one of your current attractions using the telephone. CHARLES DICKENS BORN, 1812. A number of Dickens' stories have been made into pictures, and although none of these are current, his birthday should be plugged through the schools and local literary groups. 8th BOY SCOUT ANNIVERSARY WEEK. Sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America, 2 Park Ave., New York City. Sponsor a Boy Scout benefit program. Let them hold a benefit show in the theatre with a demonstration of some principles of Scouting on the stage. Get them to participate in a parade to plug your current attraction. 9th WEATHER BUREAU ORGANIZED, 1870. It's the 70th anniversary for the weather wizards. There's an MGM short about them which would be quite appropriate to play on this day. Get the local weather forecasters, amateur and professional together to see how they do it and compare notes for the edification of your audience. Cook up a story for local newspapers on the basis of these local people. Cash Register in Lobby On the picture "The Star Maker," Manager John P. Field, assisted by Assistant Manager Leo J. Ryan, of the Ogden Theatre in Chicago, promoted a cash register to be used as a lobby display. Each patron entering the theatre was given a chance to punch a key on the register. They each received a register receipt. On five of those were red stars. Patrons receiving these were given a guest ticket to see the picture. "Book" Mailing Piece Contains Sales Angles on "Hunchback" It looks like a copy of Victor Hugo's novel. But opening the sales promotion piece sent to exhibitors throughout the United States and Canada by RKO-Radio in connection with "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," reveals materia! to make any showman enthusiastic. Among the contents are a Photoplay Study Guide; an envelope containing big scenes from the picture; two styles of blotters adapted from two of the 24-sheets; a few lines to exhibitors from Ned Depinet, vice-president, about the picture's selling possibilities; a theatre manager's confidential report following a California preview; photos of Charles Laughton, Sir Cedric Hardwicke and Maureen O'Hara; a booklet narrating by words and sketches the important sequences, and what looks like a sample herald. Once a theatreman has examined the "insides" of the "book" carefully, it's ten to one he'll set the ball rolling for a campaign of big proportions on "The Hunchback of Notre Dame. " "Rebecca Mauve" Fashions Draw Attention from 5th Ave. Strollers It was cold on Fifth Avenue. One had to keep moving to keep warm. But we noticed groups of strollers stopping to study the displays in the windows of BonwitTeller. If it could cause people to stop — whatever it was — then it must be something worthwhile. So we stopped to get a glance. But we didn't just glance — we really looked, and didn't stop until our eyes had taken in the beauy of eight windows— not one, but eight — of glamorous mauve gowns, lingerie, and other accessories to match, inspired by David O. Selznick's forthcoming UA release, "Rebecca." Referring to the ghostly character in Daphne du Maurier's novel as "the most glamorous ghost in history," the displays feature wearing apparel in Rebecca Mauve, designed by Kiviette. The windows are among the most impressive we've ever seen, and represent one of the most ef¥ective tieups ever created for a motion picture. We hope that showmen in other parts of the country playing the United Artists release will promote Rebecca Mauve fashion windows from local women's shops. Continuing down Fifth Avenue, we paused to note another tiein on "Rebecca" — this time an impression of the furnishings in the living room of Manderley, the estate where most of the action takes place. The window was that of W & J Sloane, dealers in home furnishings. No matter what the temperature, Fifth Avenue strollers stop to view these unique windows. Hable's Annual Christmas Party Attracts 2,500 Winchester Kids In Winchester, \"a., recently, 2,500 children attended the annual Christmas Party at the Palace Theatre, packing the house to capacity and standing them out in the foyer. At the conclusion of the three-hour performance, gifts of toys, fruit and Christmas novelties were given each boy and girl. Herman Hable, manager of the Palace, is the Santa Claus of Winchester, for each year he puts on a party for deserving children.