Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1940)

August 24, 1940 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Page 19 For Better Show Selling SAowmanaJyses Have Appeared In STR on Following Pictures Alias the Deacon May 18 Anne of Windy Poplars June 22 Bill of Divorcement June i Boys From Syracuse July -I Dark Command Ap"" \\ Edison the Man May 11 Ghost Breakers June « Great McGinty -p',-. t"' He Stayed For Breakfast This Issue j„ene ^^P'' If I Had My Way May 11 It All Came True Apr \i Mortal Storm June Id My Favorite Wife May 4 My Son, My Son! Apr. 6 New Moon June 29 1,000,000 B. C V , P""' o Our Town May 2d Pride and Prejudice Aug. i Return of Jesse James Aug. ii Saturday's Children May 4 Son of the Navy Apr. 6 South of Pago Pago / , ^ , , Three Faces West July 13 'Til We Meet Again Apr. i.1 Tom Brown's School Days July 6 Turnabout Ju'^e Id Two Girls on Broadway Apr. .^u Walt Disney Festival Aug. lU When the Daltons Rode Aug. lU Women m War June 1 Sobel to Promote "The Ziegfeld Girl" In a realignment of the MGM home office pubhcity staff, Bernard Sobel has been assigned to special promotion on "The Ziegfeld Girl." He will start immediately laying the ground work for an extensive advance promotion campaign for the musical starring Eleanor Powell, Hedy Lamarr, James Stewart and Lana Turner. As publicity representative for Florenz Ziegfeld, Sobel handled all 1ns later Broadway productions and conducted a similar campaign for MGM to launch "The Great Ziegfeld" several seasons ago during which he organized the Ziegfeld Club. Ray Bell, publicity representative for the Loew's theatres in Washington is being transferred to the MGM publicity department in the near future to take over the routine newspaper contacts in New York. ^ Gertrude Gelbin, formerly editor of Loew s Weekly, has joined the fan magazine staff of the home office publicity department. Howard Waugh's Unusual Ad For "My Love Came Back" An unusual advertising approach was used by Howard Waugh of the Memphis Theatre, Memphis, for the engagement of "My Love Came Back." The theme of the idea was the fact that every twelve months the Warner personnel in Memphis choose their favorite picture and for this year they have chosen "My Love Came Back." The signatures of all the employes with a statement of the selection was included in the ad copy. Waugh, it will be remembered, collaborated with Bill Hendricks in the authorship of STR's book for showmen, "The Encyclopedia of Exploitation." Search for Hansom Cab A citywide search for the oldest living hansom cabby was one of the highlights of the "Pride and Prejudice" campsign put over by Graham Kislingbury, Warfleld, San Francisco. The stunt was based on the fact that carriages were the chief mode of transportation during the period of the story. Excellent newspaper breaks resulted from the search. Free Barbeque Aids Arp. Tex. on July 4 On lulv 4th Arp, Texas was the hot spot of Central and East Texas. W. S. Samuel (ole 3 sheet) manager for East Texas Theatres Inc. Rex Theatre in Arp staged a big outdoor event for the benefit of the National Defense program. On getting advice from the National Headquarters of the American legion it was suggested that the event be staged for the benefit of Red Cross. Six weeks before July 4th Oscar Beal, Commander of the Arp, Texas, Post of the American Legion and Samuel booked a large carnival to play all week of the Fourth, promoted 5,000 pounds of free barbeque, promoted 900 loaves of bread, and all side dishes for the barbeque, there was a name negro dance band booked for a street dance, and every political candidate for county, state and precinct was notified of the event and invited to attend and speak. At the Rex Samuel had "Dr. Cyclops booked. He built an advance foyer display on the picture, started a teaser newspaper campaign. During the run of "Dr. Cyclops," the Beaumont art shop had turned out an elaborate bally truck and front display for the picture. There were 6—4 x 9 foot panels, a headboard 4 X 20 feet, cutout heads and letters, all heads had light flashing for eyes, a large chamber as per the press book was also with the bally and a local girl in it all day, The whole day was a roaring success. The theatre did good business all day, as all of the Legion events were staged in front of it, the free barbeque was in a park across the street, the political speeches and street dance were in the street in front and the carnival was in the park. >^ — A H y rdi i il '1 sKs "Dr. Cyclops" Ballyhoo Thh is a vieiv of the truck that W. S. Samuel had touring the streets of Arp Texas and vicinity to promote his big July 4th celebration for which the screen attraction was Paramount's "Dr. Cyclops." Debutante Photographer Stunt A bathing beach stunt, with winners becoming guests of Loew's for an "Andy Hardy Meets Debutante" showing at Loew's, was one of the highlights of the Norfolk campaign for the film put over by Roscoe Drissel. The manager sent a cameraman to the local beach to snap bathing girls. The photographer carried a sign reading: "I'm the debutante photographer. If your picture appears in Micky Rooney's gallery in front of Loew's, you'll receive a guest ticket, etc. . . ." SEPTEMBER 1 6th CONSTITUTION WEEK. Sponsored by the Constitutional Educational Association, 28 East Jackson Blvd., Chicago. The constitu'ion is the topic of conversation and attention this week, so why not play a short subject about it such as "Servant of the People"? 17th CONSTITUTION DAY. On this day in 1787, the Constitution was adopted. Hence the observance of Constitution Week as detailed above, if you want to devote but one day to the observance, this is it. 21st FIRE DESTROYED NEW YORK, 1776. This is a good time for the Fire Commissioner of your city to speak from the stage on Fire Prevention. _ A benefit performance for any fireman injured in line of duty might be given at this time. 22nd AUTUMN BEGINS TODAY. Now is the time to change the style of your advertising. Start plugging Fall hits. Run a Fall Festival or some similar idea. A fashion show of Fall styles would be appropriate. Arrange window displays to tie in with the new season, using tie-up stills of the stars of your current attractions. NATIONAL DOG WEEK. Sponsored by the National Dog Week Committee, 3323 Michigan Blvd., Chicago. A dog show on your stage would be the ideal thing at this time, with prizes to the best dog, to the homeliest dog, the "muttlest mut" and so on. Call for entries in advance: have a veterinarian handy In case of accidents due to friction between the contestants and get set for a big house and lots of fun. NATIONAL NEWSPAPER BOYS WEEK. Sponsored by the Newspaper Boys of America, Indianapolis, Ind. Give a party for the local newsboys. Any favors to them will be reciprocated many times over during the year. Get stories of famous people who started life as newsboys, If possible tieing them up with your current picture. 23rd FIRST AIR MAIL FLIGHT IN U. S., 1911. Tie up with airlines and airports. A picture with an airplane background should be especially appropriate at this time. Arrange to have an Important message, such as a letter from Hollywood, arrive with great ceremony by air mail. Have the newspaper reporters and photographers on hand to greet It. AMERICAN LEGION CONVENTION in Boston. Give the delegation a big send-off and be sure to have a couple of signs at the railroad station saying that you will have pictures of the convention In your newsreels. 25th MICKEY MOUSE'S BIRTHDAY. A Mickey Mouse party for the kids with the cooperation of the local dealers in the Mickey Mouse licensed merchandise Is just the thing for this day. 26th BALBOA DISCOVERED THE PACIFIC. This is a good date for a tie up with some story about the navy or the sea. Shorts about the Panama Canal would be good, too.