Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1939)

Page U SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW November 4, 1939 Drums'' Five-Town World Premiere is Gala Success Day of Showing Set Aside For Banquets, Celebrations And Receptions for Players «p\RUMS Along the Mohawk," 20th i-^ Century-Fox's Technicolor drama, received its five-town world premiere Thursday in x\lbany, Utica, Amsterdam, Schenectady and Gloversville. In each town a series of civic events, including receptions by city and state officials, press lunch'eons and dmners, and personal appearances of players from Hollywood took place, since the dramatic story and setting were of such special interest in the Mohawk Valley. In Albany, state and city officials, Hollywood stars and prominent exhibitors in this territory were entertained at a dinner at the DeWitt Clinton Hotel by 20th CenturyFox in honor of the picture on the night preceding the five simultaneous world premieres. Players From Hollywood The players from Hollywood, Lynn Bari, Joan Davis, Arleen Whelan and Arthur Shields, who plays the role of the Rev. Rosenkrantz in the picture, were guests of honor at the banquet. Among those who attended were Mayor Thacher and Mrs. Thacher; Major John A. Warner, chief of New York State Police and Mrs. Warner; Walter Brown, secretary to Governor Lehman, and Mrs. Brown; Fred Archibald, publisher of Albany Times Union, and Mrs. Archibald; A. P. McDonald, publisher of the Albany Knickerbocker Nezvs, and Mrs. McDonald; George Williams, managing editor. Times Union and Mrs. Williams; John Bowen, managing editor, Knickerbocker Press and Mrs. Bowen ; Paul Harte, managing editor, Schenectady Union Star; Ned Wintersteen, managing editor. Schenectady Neat "Golden Boy" Window In conjunction with the showing of Columbia's "Golden Boy" at Loeivs Rochester Theatre, Rochester, N. Y., Manager Louis Pollock arranged this neat window tieup with the Sherwin Williams Paint Store. Gazette ; C. R. Roseberry, Edgar Van Alinda, Lynn Boyd and Mr. and Mrs. Si Fabian, Mr. and Mrs. Lou Golding, Mr. and Mrs. Alec Sayles, Mr. and Mrs. Sol Ullman and Mr. and Mrs. Larry Cowens, Mr. and Mrs. Moe Silver, Mr. and Mrs. Max Friedman and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Smakwitz, Mr. and Mrs. William^ Benton, Mr. arid Mrs. M. J. Kallet, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Gossman, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Frieder, Mr. and Mrs. Myer Schine, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Schine W. C. Smalley. Mr. and Mrs. Bert Dare, Mr. and Mrs. F. Sliter, Dan Houlihan, Mr. and Mrs. Abe Stone, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hellman, Mr. and Mrs. Heil Hellman, Mr, and Mrs. Chris Buckley. Home Offjce Representatives Twentieth Century-Fo.x was represented by William Sussman, eastern division sales manager; Tom Bailey, northeast district sales manager; Moe Grassgreen, Albany exchange manager, and Mrs. Grassgreen; Sidney Sampson, Buffalo exchange manager; Roger Ferri, editor of The Dynamo; Rodney Bush, publicity and exploitation manager, Nate Dyches, studio publicity department and Lou Davidson, home office exploitation department. Governor Lehman, Mrs. Lehman, m ,mbers of the Governor's staff. Mayor Thacher and prominent city officials headed the brilliant assemblage which crowded Albany's Palace theatre for the world premiere. The picture received an ovation from the enthusiastic audience and was highly praised by the newspaper critics present. Display of Lighting Effects The Hollywood contingent made personal appearances on the stage of the Palace and the front of the theatre was ablaze with arc lights, giving the premiere all the glamour of a regular Hollywood opening. Electric light poles along Pearl Street and State Street to the DeWitt Clinton were decorated with flags and shields. All stores within fourteen blocks of the theatre were decorated with flags and window displays in honor of the occasion. A special radio broadcast on which appeared local officials and descendants of some of the original settlers of the Valley preceded the premiere. The ceremony at the theatre also was broadcast from the lobby. Schenectady justified its name as the "electric city" with an unprecedented display of lighting effects in honor of the world premiere of "Drums Along the Mohawk" at Proctor's theatre. In addition to the blaze of electricity for the event, the first of its kind ever held there, the light poles of the city were decorated with American flags and specially made shields to herald the first showing of the film. The premiere performance was attended by city officials, members of the Chamber of Commerce and Lynn Bari, Joan Davis, Arleen Whelan and Arthur Shields. Jane Withers Captures Utica In Utica the premiere and Jane Withers, young 20th-Fox star, completely captured the city. The premiere was held at the Olympic theatre. All the accoutrements of a typical Hollywood premiere were used by Manager Charles G. Gordon for the Olympic presentation. Arc lights flooded the front of the theatre, a band played appropriate tunes and there was a broadcast from the theatre lobby from 8 to 8:15 over Station WIBX in which Jane Withers, Mayor Corrou and prominent officials of the city took part. Seats for the performance sold for $2.50 The entire daj' was given over to the celebration for "Drums Along the Mohawk." Jane Withers, who made a personal appearance at the gala performance, was guest of honor at a tea and reception given by the club women of the city. Walter D. Edmonds, author of the novel, who lives near Utica in the summer time, shared the spotlight with Miss Withers. He came from Cambridge, Mass., to attend the premiere. The entire city of Gloversville celebrated "Drums Along the Mohawk" Day in honor of the world premiere at the Glove theatre. Mayor Chauncey C. Thayer and a reception committe headed by Ormand H. Mann, publicity chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, greeted the Hollywood players upon their arrival. A parade through the flagbedecked Main Street from the railroad station to the Kingsborough Hotel was staged by civic organizations and the players were guests of honor at a luncheon attended by city officials, members of the Chamber of Commerce, and officials of the Schine Theatre organization. A school holiday was declared in honor of the event. Two special performances were held at the Glove, one at 2 o'clock and the other at 3 :4S. The players appeared at both performances. Street Parade in Amsterdam Schine's Rialto Theatre, Amsterdam, joined in the five-city world premiere. A street parade, headed by city officials and the group of 20th-Fox players preceded the presentation at the theatre. The players also were guests of honor at a dinner given by the Chamber of Commerce. They made personal appearances at the 7:15 p.m. performance of the picture. A capacity audience cheered the picture and newspaper critics rated it one of the best Technicolor pictures ever made. F. K. O'Kelly, manager of the Rialto, had charge of the premiere activities in cooperation with 20th-Fox. "Pinnochio" Newspaper Publicity Gets Going in Times and Tribune The introductory units in the newspaper publicity campaign for Walt Disney's "Pinocchio" broke simultaneously recently in the magazine section of the Neiv York Hernld Tribune, titled This JJ'eck, and in The New York Times magazine section. Both publications gave double spreads to Disney's new star and troupe. This Week's article was in color. The syndicated section has a circulation of more than 6,000,000. Walt Disney himself told in This Week why he picked "Pinocchio'' as a follow-up for "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and Douglas W. Churchill told in the Times how the Italian folklore story was "Disneyed." Material of this nature will from now on be breaking regularly in newspapers, magazines and elsewhere. Showmen will do well to store it up for "Pinocchio" playdate time for it will make colorful lobby and theatrefront displays. A giant scrapbook for the lobby is a suggestion for this stored-up data. WB Make Tieup with Standard Oil To Plug Forthcoming Attractions Warner Bros, is negotiating an important tieup under which Standard Oil Co. will plug its forthcoming releases through ads in newspapers in 850 cities and towns. First picture to figure in the arrangement will be "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex," the Bette Davis-Errol Flynn production, with the initial ads to break just prior to its general release on November 11. It is estimated that the copy will reach 15,000,000 newspaper readers. Supplementing the national newspaper campaign, Standard Oil dealers will distribute photos of Miss Davis and Flynn. More than 35,000 dealers will cooperate.