Showmen's trade review (Jul-Sep 1942)

14 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW August 1, 1942 Did You Say 'One? No, We Said 'TWO!' To get a tieup with one paper is a commendable achievement, but when a publicity man promotes a tieup with TWO competing newspapers in a town the size of Erie, Pa., it's an accomplishment to shout about! Yet that's just what happened. The Erie Dispatch-Herald devoted a three-column headlined story to the showing of "Eagle Squadron " at the Colonial, while the Daily Times backed the film with a two-column headlined story whose opening paragraph was as follows: "For the first time in this newspaper's history of more than 50 years, because of the high patriotic theme and tremendous morale-building value, the Erie Daily Times is glad to give its editorial support and urge the public to see the war film, 'Eagle Squadron', beginning Friday at the Colonial Theatre." Bathing Beauty Contests Prove Profitable rromotion for Loew*s in Brooklyn, Queens Loew's Brooklyn and Queens theatres staged a series of bathing beauty contests during the past few weeks. Nine theatres held preliminary contests, each selecting three winners to compete in the grand finals at the Metropolitan in downtown Brooklyn. Managers and assistants promoted prizes from local merchants to be given to the winners. Several of the theatres promoted swim suits for all the girls in their local contest. Ben Simon and Assistant Sidney Kain, at the Met, tied up with a local laundry to pay the entire expense of the preliminary as well as the final contest at that theatre. The laundry paid for bands, both evenings, all the advertising and also gave $50 in War Bonds to the winners of the preliminary contest, and $100 in War Bonds to the winners of the final contest. AttTaction Clicked at Box-Offices This extra added attraction clicked at the boxoffices of all theatres. All theatres earned extra membership in Loew's Dollar Club, a home office award to theatres arranging extra stunts, contests, etc., that show an increase over regular business. Eddie Dowden represented the Publicity Department in arranging the contests. Cooperating managers and assistants were : Ben Simon, Sidney Kain and Bill Analante, Metropolitan ; Joe Feldhun and Bob Frankel, Bedford ; Al Weiss and Louis Kramer, Pitkin ; Sig Schwartz and Sam Fromson, Premier ; Doug Helgerson and Bert Shopenn, Willard ; Lou, Falk and Al Leffler, Hillside ; Bernie Zelenko, Murray Lenekoff^ and Harriet Woods, Valencia; Jim Bruno and Johnny O'Connor, Gates, and Clyde Fuller and Eddie Schwartz, Oriental. Other Loew theatre managers and assistants holding successful bathing beauty contests — promoting prizes, etc., from the local merchants, Following the bathing beauty contest at Loew's Metropolitan, Brooklyn, Manager Ben Simon and Publicity Manager Eddie Dowden had the beauties adjourn to the lobby where they sold bonds and stamps. As a result, the Met's nightly sales quota jumped sky-high. The scene above could bs duplicated in your lobby with good results. were : Charlie Burns and Al Namerow, Yonkers ; George Miner and Harry Spivack, Mount Vernon ; Jim Grady and Sidney Burrell, New Rochelle ; George Dumond and Andy Anderson, Jersey City ; Bill Phillips and Al Lippe, Newark; Paul Murphy and Margaret Robinson, Ziegfeld ; Al Gutterman and Irwin Fredlyn, Delancey; Manny Light and Joe Stica, Embassy, North Bergen. Comic-Page Shows and Two-Part Serial Exhibitions Recommended Here are a couple of ideas for exhibitors who happen to be looking for something different for periodical box-office stimulation : Have an overall front — one that has long since served its purpose — completely covered with pastedowns of local comic sheets and stage a "Funny Page" show. Get an old issue of the "Blondie" series, some Donald Duck shorts and possibly some Popeye reels and go to it. Reports we have are to the effect 'that the notion gets more than ordinary receipts oh mid-week engagements and the film cost is very nominal. Another manager reports that he has made arrangements with one of the exchanges for once-a-month two-day showings of complete out-of-date serials. He shows the first six episodes of a 12-chapter serial on one day and concludes the show the next. 'He admits that it takes a little cutting to eliminate the repeat footage at the start of each chapter, but he has instructed his operators about running down each reel to the proper starting point, and the attendance is more than paying for his trouble. There are a lot of regular patrons that are really serial fans and appreciate the thrills always found in the footage, but other demands on their time prohibit attendance every week. Thus they welcome a chance to see the entire release in two consecutive exhibitions. Creasy's Teaser Ad Builds Lots Of Interest in "The Invaders" Teaser advertising arouses curiosity. That fact has been definitely proved in the past, and well aware of it is Manager Harry Creasy of the California Theatre, San Bernardino, Calif. In advance of the showing of "The Invaders" he inserted the following ad in the "personals" column of the local newspaper : "Don't worry about the invaders. Will have money sure tonight, 7 p.m., 562 4th. Meet me there. Your favorite blonde." Sure enough, the populace wanted to find out what it was all about. And because Creasy followed up with a strong selling campaign, the picture did all right. Lure for Safe-Crackers On "Larceny, Inc.," Manager Rich Barry of the Capitol, Chicago, placed a safe in the lobby, invited patrons to open it. Those who succeeded were awarded guest tickets. Ozark Smile Girl Contest Example of Smart Showmanship Unique among all beauty contests in the United States is the annual search for the Ozark Smile Girl, which has been conducted for the past fifteen years by the Ozark Playgrounds Association. For the first eight years, the stunt was purely a local affair. Not until the personal appearance angle was injected into the contest by Manager Harley Fryer of the Fox and Paramount theatres, Joplin, did it begin to attract nation-wide attention. Fryer convinced the Playgrounds Association that having each community select a girl to be sent to Joplin for a finals contest for the, honor of being the Annual Ozarks Smile Girl would be the sure way of gaining national publicity. Thus the first contest along these lines, staged in Harry's theatre, took place seven years ago, and the stunt has become bigger and better each year since that time. The Playgrounds Association handles all arrangements. A ten-dollar registration fee and and expenses of the girl contestant for a twoday stay in Joplin are paid by each community. Morning following the finals on the Paramount stage, a Movietone cameraman films the the contestants. Climax of the event is the Smile Girl Ball which attracts hundreds of people. This year, with Camp Crowder near by, the contest took on a military note : selective service men acted as official escorts to the girls. Undoubtedly there are many communities where events of this kind are taking place annually. To turn tHem_ into,.box-Qffiee bonanzas, to widen their spfieres''C>f -aftraction are the jobs individual showmen could, accomplish. Fryer's example shovvs'"fhe.-,wao'. Belonged pt -llMe Tuttles' Clever was the idea used by Manager R. Long, 'Ogden, Qiicago, in advance of "Tuttles of Tahiti." He purchased a piece, of colored cloth to resemble a sarong, placed, it in lobby with copy that it belonged to "The Tuttles," not Dorothy LkmourV Gay Nineties Songs Display It should no\ be too difficult to gather song copies of the favorite musical compositions of the Gay Nineties. One way in which they may be used is shown above: a 40x60 lobby display exhibited by the Majestic Theatre, San Antonio, Texas, on 20th Century-Fox film, "My Gal Sal."