Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1942)

14 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW December 19, 1942 Examples of Effective House Organ Reach Our Desk from Theatreman in New Jersey We were indeed happy to hear from old-timer George Daransoll this week. George was a showman when most of us were still wearing triangular, safety-pinned pants. He says he has been reading the different departments of STR, "particularly the Program Exchange" (we're blushing) and that he's sending us some of his programs, old and new. 'Looking over these programs would prove a for the next ten days, and ad mats and punchy selling lines are used effectively. In our judgment, every copy we have on hand is real showseller ; every copy captures the reader's attention, and keeps it, until he has thoroughly absorbed the contents. We have no idea of the cost involved in issuing this weekly program for the Ritz in I.yndhurst, N. J., over which Daransoll presides ; but we do know that Daransoll is a first-class showman, and therefore would never issue a selling accessory whose cost far exceeded its actual business-getting value. We've been delighted to hear from the New Jersey theatreman after such a long absence, and we sincerely hope he'll continue to send us copies It s footloose . . . BETTX W&RABLE Jol.™ S.llr Wtlor I PAYNE-GRABLE-MATURI 'SALUTE TO OUR HEROES" A BOND FOR EVERY MOTHER'S SON IN SERVICE Coimoi. 2-0041 B * This Tfipofre Will Serve * You Wilh War Bonds or * Slomps. Biij' Here Today' Celebrate the FOURTH or JULY Here in Cool Comfort Lefs Take R Peek THE Ain.COOLCD RITZ Call BOI. 2.0041 Selling the picture, emphasizing the recent September bond drive, and tieing in with a national holiday provide three effective program covers for Manager George Daransoll, Ritz Theatre, Lyndhurst, N. J. field day for any showman. There are eighteen of them, and they are all splendid examples of this type of showmanship. Writes Daransoll : "Primarily, they are designed for one specific purpose : to SELL the show. They have received rather wide acceptance from our patronage. "Secondly, holidays, drives and topical breaks are given careful attention. The front page of the program, as you may note, takes care of current breaks. In addition, layout, timeliness, good taste (we hope) are incorporated in the makeup of the front cover to provoke interest and to create a desire to read through. "We make up 5,000 programs weekly, which are in part mailed, distributed house-to-house and handed to patrons leaving the theatre." We wish all you members could sit-in with us as we study and analyze the various copies of the weekly house organ. Through the printed word, and via an illustration on this page, we'll do our best to help you visualize Daransoll's program. Each copy, when folded, measures approximately 3K inches by SJ^ inches. When flat, the dimensions are 8j/2 inches by 11 inches. The program is folded twice. A sheet of your letterhead would be about the same size, flat. Now fold the letterhead as you would if you were mailing it in a large envelope. There you have the approximate size and shape of a Daransoll j^rogram as the patron receives it. The entire inside spread is devoted to the attractions booked of his program from time to time. We — all of us — can learn a lot from him. A front-page story in a recent issue of Cinemag tells readers how to become members of the Dick Travis Fan Club. Written by the Club's president, Ellen Roufs, whose home is in California, the article puts forth the purposes of the Club and its activities. There is an application for membership. Since Travis is a native of Paragould, Ark., where Cinemag is published for the Capitol and Majestic theatres, we feel sure there'll be a rush for membership into the Club. Were it not for the fact that we may soon cease to be a civilian, we'd rush to join the Club, for we're one of Travis' oldest admirers. We still remember him as a charter member of the Program Exchange when he was Bill Justice (real name) and editor of Cinemag. All this brings an idea to mind. There are hundreds of fan clubs for various stars throughout the country. Many of your patrons, especially adolescents, are probably members. From them you may be able to seek information concerning the clubs, their officers, how they operate, etc. This would make interesting material for your program — that is, if you publish a tabloid — and new members could be obtained through publication of an application for membership. We honestly believe it's an idea worth following up, for it will increase goodwill and build patronage. And don't forget that you could get local members to help you sell the attractions in which their favorite stars appear. You could also arrange fan club theatre parties. Consider the matter carefully. "There is a Secret Agent of Japan in Chatham." That was the copy which made Chathamites' eyes pop when they received a little green card a few days ago. It turned out to be a teaser stunt devised by Harland Rankin to arouse interest in the showing of "Secret Agent of Japan" at the Centre Theatre. Maybe it's because of fuel rationing and the desire to get patrons accustomed to less heat that prompts Rankin to use the customary summer icicle signature cut in his program in December. We shiver as we look at it. We wish to acknowledge calendar programs from Manager R. P. Veness of the Mill City Theatre, Mill City, Ore. ; M. H. Alger, Alger and Marius theatres, Lakeview, Ore. (his calendar contains a coupon which patrons sign and present at the box-office to be admitted at a special rate ; it is Alger's way of "thanking you for your past patronage and wishing you A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year") ; Raymond Thayer, Alpine theatres, Gassaway and Sutton, W. Va. (for his Thanksgiving show, Thayer put out turkey-shaped pluggers). We also wish to acknowledge other types of programs from the Gramercy Park Cinema, 48th Street Theatre and Apollo Theatre, all of New York City ; Wallace and Rose theatres, Levelland, Texas, and all others who sent in copies for our perusal. Promotes Full-Column Co-op Ad, Helps Gross on Aviation Film It took only a one-column 20-inch cooperative ad and a little e.xtra ef?ort to help the week-end gross on "Wings for the Eagle" when that picture played the Fox State Theatre, Fresno, Calif. Manager Kenneth Workman used the familiar gag of taking letters from the title and making each stand for a merchant. For example, the "s" in "Wings" stood for "State Lunch." Workman built prestige for his theatre by selling the extra space for the Fresno Bee, especially from the viewpoint of the newspaper's editor. School Books as Admission It won't be long now until another semester of school will be starting, with many promotions demanding new school books. In keeping with the general trend for conservation, it would be an excellent idea to hold a school book matinee at which all youngsters bringing books used in the grade they have just finished would be accepted in lieu of admission tickets. The school principal and teachers will readily cooperate and arrange for the re-distribution of the books to members of incoming classes. The Public as Expioiteers Patrons of Loew's Poli, Waterbury, Conn., were asked by Ed Fitzpatrick to submit exploitation suggestions for "Mrs. Miniver" as part of his promotion for the film. He stationed a stenographer in the lobby, and gave prizes to patrons ofi"ering the best ideas. Coffee Rationing Contests With coffee rationing and the one-cup-perday limitation such a widely discussed subject, there should be a heap of inl-erest in any contest connected with the zestful little brown beans. The newspaper or radio station would most assuredly go for a contest where readers or listeners were solicited to send in methods of conservation or how to get the utmost from a stipulated quantity, and guessing contests as to how many cups could be made from a nicely piled heap in a case in the lobby would certainly get plenty of replies.