Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1941)

Page 10 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW November 8, 1941 Members Busy Selling Their Attractions, Promotion Takes Ken Prickett Away from Us If we fail to begin our discourse this week with comment about the weather, we have a very good reason. It looked calm and peaceful one day last week. To be sure, there was a slight breeze, but it was so invigorating that we opened our coat and vest, breathed deeply and pounded our chest. (We did not yell in the Tarzan manner.) Anyway, the next day we started sneezing, our nose felt like it had been stuffed with cotton. In short, we had a cold. The weather had deceived us, and like an elephant, we can never forget. So, today, we refuse to comment about the weather. Digging into the programs — wait a minute, there's a Stoltz novelty sticking out, so let's see what it is. When he played "International Lady" (you can do this too — we mean you can do what Stoltz did when he played it), Manager Arnold Stoltz of the Avon, Utica, N. Y., tied up with a music shop for the distribution of cards which, in the upper left-hand corner, featured a small cutout reproduction of a phonograph record with a hand pointing toward it. The "record" was partly affixed to the card, so that it could be lifted up to see what was underneath. Copy : "Lift off this record. Find your lucky number. It may receive one of the ten free prizes. (Selling copy about the picture.) Thank your lucky stars you live in America where you can enjoy your excitement in the safety of motion pictures . . . and thanks to the fact that you live in Utica where you can Members Added This Week Paul Jacobs, Lyric Theatre, Portsmouth. O. Bob Walter, Ritz Theatre, Garden City, Kan. obtain your choice of an international tune from Harlem swing to concert overture with your favorite music on Columbia and OKeh records. You pay no more at Melody House. Bring your lucky number to our store. If it's posted, you'll receive your lucky record free." What a swell tieup — and just think, with all the current musicals and more to come, you can make one just like it ! Keep it in mind. Distributed to hotel guests in Chicago during the engagement of "Sergeant York" at the State-Lake Theatre were small cards advising -Your Application BlankClip and Mail Now! STR Program Exchange SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 1501 Broadway New York, N. Y. Dear "Chick": — I hereby apply for membership in the STR Program Exchange. I understand that entry of my name on this coupon signifies a willingness to exchange theatre programs with other theatres, but involves no other obligation. Name Theatre City ■ State INSTITUTIONAL COPY (Editor's Note : The jollowlng copy was written for the programs of Warner Chicago Theatres by Charles H. Ryan. It can be easily adapted to your own situation. Further examples will appear on this page from time to time.) Harmony This is a mighty big word when you analyze it. Imagine yourself being met at our Box Office by a ticket seller who had a "grouch," your ticket taken by a doorman who "hated himself," an usher who made you feel under obligation to him for assisting in finding you a seat. Our policy is the reverse. We not only present the best possible pictures but we demand that all attaches accord every patron the utmost consideration! the guests that "for your entertainment during your visit to Chicago we are pleased to announce the showing of . . . 'Sergeant York,' etc." Have you tried the hotel stunt. Have similar cards made up, then arrange with the hotel to have them delivered to every room. Front page of one of the programs from Myron McLeod of the Patricia Theatre, Powell River, B. C, shows six smiling faces, from Dad to the youngest child of the family. "One Big Happy Family," the copy states. "Why? Because they have learned to forget their troubles momentarily and enjoy their evenings at the theatre where they see and hear the world's finest entertainment amongst good friends and in comfort, realizing all the while that a large part of their entertainment dollar goes to the great cause for which we are all fighting." While we're in Canada, let's see what Manager A. Easson of the Oakwood Theatre, Toronto, is doing. Well, he distributed 6,000 blotters advertising "Caught in the Draft" and "The Reluctant Dragon" to schools, banks, offices, etc., in the district. He also put out 7,000 heralds on "Hold That Ghost" that were distributed by the regular distributing agency to homes in the neighborhood and inserted in daily papers by newsstands on the principal corners. W. S. Samuel of the Lyric Theatre, Port Neches, Texas, informs us that "the program cover reproduced in the Oct. 18 issue of STR was not original. This was a 'steal' from The Dallas Morning News. The ad was used by Interstate Theatres during that circuit's 'Showtime' Campaign. I have never seen so many fine ideas as they introduced in that newspaper campaign . . ." And so that matter is settled. Match books with copy advertising "Million Dollar Baby" were distributed by Manager W. H. Woodley of the Ritz Theatre, Hickman, Ky., and they attracted lots of attention and lots of patronage, he reports. He also sends us a sample of his program which also proved "very effective." Which reminds us: Back in the days when we worked at a theatre (Maurice Costello was the matinee idol in them days) we put out match books with this institutional copy: "For matchless entertainment, attend the Blank Theatre." Down in Dyer, Tenn., Manager Wilfred Bonds distributed orange and white Hallowe'en heralds advertising a midnight ghost show featuring "The Human Monster." Bonds' regular program, small in size, is nevertheless attention-getting. With its blue and silver cover, that sou venir program used for the opening of the Centre Theatre, Chatham, Ontario, was certainly an excellent all-around job. Included in its contents were the theatre's policy, an introduction to Manager Harland Rankin, a list of Centre features, and page after page of cooperative advertising. From the ads alone, we'd judge that the program more than paid for itself. One of Bob Ingham's recent programs had a sketch of a dog on the cover with this caption: "You don't need ... a pointer . . . to lead you to the best entertainment. Follow the crowds to the Orange Theatre (Orange, Mass.)." It's a clever cover, but not knowing our canines, we don't know whether Bob is trying to fool us with that dog or not. Maybe it's a pointer and maybe it isn't. At least, it ain't no bull. So we've come to the end of another discourse on programs. But before we leave, we must stop and mourn the leave-taking of another of our Program Exchange members. Ken Prickett, for many years a leading showman, has been named special representative in charge of MGM's "Show Builder" Unit No. 1, according to William R. Ferguson, exploitation manager for the company. Won Several Awards For the past two years Prickett has been manager of the El Rancho Theatre, Victoria, Texas, and before that was associated with the Schine Circuit in Ohio and Kentucky, and the Griffith Circuit in Kansas. He has been one of the most active members of the Program Exchange and has won awards in exhibitor contests conducted by STR and other trade papers. Twice he has been awarded MGM's Honor Roll Button for outstanding campaigns. First it was Bill Justice, who left Paragould, Ark., to become a motion picture actor under the screen name of William Travis. Now it's Ken Prickett. We're beginning to feel like a professor, as though the members of the Exchange were our students and that at least two of them were graduating to bigger and better things. We know Bill Travis (dang it all, he'll always be Bill Justice to us) hasn't forgotten his Alma Mater, and we hope Ken doesn't, either. When the list of graduates becomes large enough, we think we shall hold Commencement exercises and distribute diplomas. See you next week. Wadkins Gives 'Kane' Hollywood Opening, Comprehensive) Campaign Manager V. L. Wadkins of the Manos Theatre, Uniontown, Pa., went to town in his "Citizen Kane" campaign with a special Hollywood opening. To give the production added prestige, the theatre was closed at 5 :30 p.m. and reopened at 7 :00 with a formal opening to which 64 prominent men and women were invited via telegrams to be the guests of the management. A highlight of Wadkin's comprehensive campaign was a two-day newspaper contest conducted by the Uniontown Evening Standard, the theme of which was "Why did Mrs. 'Citizen Kane' quit?" The illustration carried in the Standard showed the final conversation between Charles Foster Kane and Susan, his second wife, at the moment when she leaves to divorce him, and the awards were for the best 25-word speech of farewell which answers the question. Other factors in the big campaign were : deluxe trailer running ten days in advance of opening ; advance lobby display ; 500 letters to prominent citizens ; street car cards ; banner at the car terminal ; 3,000 candy bags imprinted with copy and pictures ; a tie-in with Kresge's store ; 2,000 heralds ; six 24-sheets located on all main traffic arteries ; 200 window cards ; 50 three-sheets and 100 one's ; 24-sheet on truck and special corps of girls on the telephone inviting folks to see the production.