Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1943)

34 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW July 24, 1943 Amusement Page Layouts {Periodically STR publishes reproductions of the amusement pages of certain newspapers for the purpose of illustrating how these papers cater to the public interest in motion pictures and screen personalities. The reproductions have further interest in that they show how theatres are using the advertising space they buy in local publications to merchandise their current attractions. Theatremen in localities where the newspapers give little attention and space to motion pictures may find added interest in these reproductions as examples of how other publishers cooperate with the theatres and, in so doing, offer their readers attractive and interesting editorial and pictorial matter.) This Week: The Durham (N.C.) Hera IdSun -Heart-To-Heart Talks — t,»r.iMee»No,„ Grab your magnifying glass and scrutinize the above Sunday amusement page from the Durham HeraldSun carefully. You'll find theatre advertisements, to be sure, but not a line of publicity about local attractions. On the first page of the section from which the above was taken was a story about Al Christie, once-famed comedy director, and on another page was a Hollywood fashion article. Aside from these two items, there was nothing else resembling movie newb. Since more than half the page is occupied by movie theatre advertisements, it would seem that the local houses are entitled to some publicity. Surely the operators of the six theatres could join together for action in that direction. Coat Hanger Show, Strongly Publicized, Ups Trisco' Gross To describe in detail the outstanding campaign staged for "Hello, Frisco, Hello" by Manager Lige Brien of the Kenyon Theatre, Pittsburgh, would require several pages. And if you think we're kidding, the story below describes just ONE of the 41 stunts which comprised the campaign. A Coat Hanger Show was planned for the children, 450 of whom marched through the main streets of the Kenyon's neighborhood to the theatre. Parade time ; one hour and 20 minutes. There were 15 signs plugging the show and "Hello, Frisco, Hello." A photo showing a section of the parade appeared in the Pittsburgh Press, whose circulation is 330,000 daily. Over 2000 metal coat hangers were received, and these were shipped to Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Nucleus of the parade consisted of members of the American Rangers and Rangerettes. Since the Press carries a column — a two-column column, if you get what we mean — on the activities of these youngsters, Brien had a natural tie-in opportunity. Each day for five days before the Coat Hanger Show and the opening of "Hello, Frisco, Hello" there was a story about the show and a twocolumn piece of art on the picture. Fortunately, each writeup and cut appeared on the comic page, most widely read section of the paper. In summing up, Manager Brien says : "Not only did we put over another patriotic drive and obtain the greatly needed coat hangers for our boys at Fort Sill, but through the powerful publicity we promoted we did amazing business on 'Hello, Frisco, Hello.' We beat such big grossers as 'Yankee Doodle Dandy,' 'Casablanca' and 'Forest Rangers' ; in short, we did our second biggest gross of this year to date." And bear in mind, brother showmen, that the Coat Hanger Show was just one of 41 stunts on "Hello, Frisco, Hello.' Laskinlamb Flying Suit Paintings Exhibited at 'Bombardier' Showing During the showing of "Bombardier" at Loew's Criterion in New York, fourteen illustrations in oil, pen and ink, charcoal, airbrush and photographs, showing the United States Army and Navy wearing laskinlamb flying suits, were displayed in the lobby. The paintings were selected out of over 500 entries in the Laskinlamb Institute Art Contest. For the best six paintings chosen at a final judging at the theatre, three were awarded bronze plaques of merit and three blue ribbons. Exhibit was arranged because the flying suits seen on the actors in "Bombardier" are the authentic laskinlamb suits worn by U. S. Army and Navy bombardiers, navigators, pilots, etc., in high altitude flying. A complete laskinlamb suit was also on display with the exhibit. Ties Up With Libraries to Sell 'Human Comedy'; Results Telling' When you can get the cooperation, not of one library, but of every branch library in the city you've really won the kind of action every exploiteer dreams of, in or out of his sleep. Fax Duncan, of the Fifth Avenue Theatre, Seattle, enjoyed such a civic tieup for the campaign on "The Human Comedy." With the name of author Saroyan so popular with the public, Duncan was able to convince the head librarian that it was to the interest of the Public Library branches to distribute 15,000 book marks, each carrying copy for the picture and the book, and imprinted with stamp of the local branches. Besides this, the libraries also displayed 22x28 cards, for the first time in local history. Duncan said the results were "telling."