Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1941)

Page 26 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW December 6, 1941 Mr. Bug Goes To Town (Continued from Page 19) human owners of the land, await word from a music publishing company about a song Dick has composed, but the villainous Beetle has hidden the letter containing the check. The couple lose the land, and erection of a skyscraper begins. Finally, Hoppity retrieves the letter, Dick's song is published, the couple build a home atop the skyscraper, where the insects, too, settle down to happiness away from human danger. Comment: Skillful and adroit animation, coupled with an appealing and neatly contrived story, make this Technicolor cartoon feature a delightful and engaging fantasy for family audiences. Children and adults alike will sympathize with Hoppity, Honey, Mr. Bumble and the other insects seeking safe and happy homes, and will rejoice when the goal is reached. The cartoon is enhanced by a fitting musical score, and the songs, which include We're the Couple in the Castle, Katy Did, Katy Didn't, I'll Dance at Your Wedding, and Boy Oh Boy, have catchy melodies that should carry them far in popularity. A program headed by this cartoon feature and including a careful selection of short subjects would provide a couple of hours of grand entertainment for any audience. Exhibitors will have the benefit of national tieups now in preparation, and plugging the songs should be part of the promotion. Catchline: "The first full-length cartoon musical-comedy melodrama ; swell entertainment for the whole family." Makes It Circus Day In 'Dumbo' Campaign Neil Welty, city manager of Stamford Theatres, Inc., made it circus day in and around Stamford, Conn., in his elaborate campaign for "Dumbo" at the Palace. The campaign included a torchlight street parade in which the fife and drum corps of the American Legion participated. Five hundred in all were in the line of march as Connecticut officially welcomed the opening of the Walt Disney production. Merchants and the theatre donated prizes for the best costumes in the line of march. In the street ballyhoo were side show barkers, clowns who drew chalk pictures of "Dumbo" and who visited the Stamford schools. One of the clowns distributed new Lincoln pennies to children who gathered while he did his chalk talk. The clown's drawings of Disney characters were presented to patrons on their way out. Six floodlights loaned through the courtesy of the Stamford Electric Company threw lights on the theatre and a special canvas marquee represented the front of a circus tent. Pennants and balloons wfere strung from the top of the theatre upright sign to the roof of the marquee. A loud speaker was used for announcements and "Dumbo" records. Full cooperation was obtained from the Stamford board of education, and bulletins were posted on all boards. Ten thousand heralds were distributed at the schools. One honor student and a teacher from each school attended the opening and wrote their impressions of the picture for use by the Stamford Advocate. The radio phase of the campaign included 13 spot announcements over Station WSRR, children of a school enacting a play with characters from "Dumbo," and a lobby broadcast, with patrons telling how they enjoyed the picture. The posting consisted of 100 three-sheets, 100 one-sheets and 250 window cards. Leading stores cooperated for window displays. The official store for "Dumbo" merchandise, the C. O. Miller Dept. Store, used their toy department to advertise the picture via the opening of their "Dumbo" toyland. Mayor Gonnard and American Legion commanders participated in the opening ceremonies. Bill Brown and Tony Marino of the Stamford Theatres and Harry Reiners, RKO Radio field representative, cooperated with Welty in the far-reaching campaign. Tappen Ties in With High School In 'Citizen Kane' Exploitation Manager Pat Tappen of the Vitaphone Theatre, Wenatchee, Wash., tied in with the Wenatchee High School and Junior College Dramatic Departments for his campaign on "Citizen Kane." The teachers reviewed and billed the production on the school bulletin boards and ads were inserted in the school paper with particular emphasis on the educational value of "Citizen Kane." Using "Citizen Kane" special art, a women's fashion window was arranged in a local department store and a men's fashion window in a local haberdashery. The leading women's beauty parlor was tied in for a display of glamour art on Dorothy Comingore and Ruth Warrick. For a street ballyhoo, Tappen used a touring car equipped with sound and carrying "Vote for Citizen Kane" billing. The car was decorated as a real election campaign wagon and its passengers distributed throwaways and carried colored torches. Patrons Pin Tail on Asta Turning the children's parlor game of "Pin the tail on the donkey" into a novel lobby stunt, Frank Murphy, Loew's, Syracuse, had a large curtain painting of Asta, the dog in "Shadow of the Thin Man," and invited blindfolded patrons to pin a tail on the pup. Guest tickets were awarded those who succeeded. NOW "STREAMLINED "READY DEC. 2Q" AT ALL ASTOR EXCHANGES