Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1943)

34 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW August 28, 194: Third War Lo an Campaign Should Top Everything Else In Your September Programs Vacation days — for us, at least — are over. No more basking in the sun. No more traversing country roads at dusk while breezes caress our brow, while crickets chirp and birds sing in the woods and thickets to either side of us. No more awakening in the morning to hear the crow of the cock and to inhale the appetizing aroma of sizzling sausages. No ! No more of this paradise until, if and when we have another vacation. But then, it's good to be back again, to get into the swing of things, to dash for the subway just as the door closes or be trampled in the rush. Yes, it's wonderful to be back again. Our substitute did a mighty fine job of guiding this department while we were away. As a matter of fact, we fully expect to be appointed his substitute. For us, the Exchange held more interest than ever before. We found ourselves trudging into the county seat to invade the office of one of the theatres and grab the latest copy of STR before the manager and his assistant got a stranglehold on it. Biggest Underhaking Right Now Well, vacation is over, so we must get down to business. Biggest undertaking right now among the theatres of the nation is the Third War Loan drive. This campaign must go over the top. There is no doubt about that. It is the duty of every showman to utilize every means at his command to spur the sales of bonds and stamps to such an extent that the set goal will be exceeded. We know it's a terrific job. Campaigns should already be in the making. Playing no small part are programs. Through your house organ you can do much to spread the word of your drive activities. If your program is the type whose front cover is devoted to institutional messages or cartoons, start now to use this space to plug the Third War Loan Campaign. And even if you've used the cover to sell your outstanding attraction, just bear in mind that there'll be no attraction more outstanding than getting your patrons to buy more and more and more bonds and stamps. Take advantage of every little "hole" inside to remind patrons of the drive. If you have the tabloid type program, make your top headlines and your biggest stories deal with this most important war-time ef¥ort. Between stories use the slogan, "Back the Attack — -Third War Loan," in place of break-off rules. Get your advertisers — for at least one issue (that which helps get the drive under way) — to devote as much of their space as possible to the campaign. Should Dominate All Else But no matter what your type of program, whether it be a post card, a calendar or a miniature "newspaper," be sure that the Third War Loan dominates all else. Start hammering away right now, and don't let up until the goal has been reached, and better still, over-subscribed. Elsewhere in this issue of STR you'll find plenty of ammunition to help you in planning your campaign. Just be sure that your programs play a big part. Just before we left for our vacation a card reached us from the State Theatre, Point Pleasant, Va. For its program the State employs government postal cards. The top feature on the program is pretty well described, while the second attraction is merely mentioned. Just noticed, after more careful scrutiny of the return address, that Point Pleasant is in West Virginia, not Virginia. The post office cancellation stamp had covered the "W." Just what the "Hollywood" above the return address means we do not know, so perhaps the State management will enlighten us on this point. Gives Patrons 'Best News' On the back of the calendar for the Ozark Theatre, Eldon, Mo., Manager Tom Edwards dispenses with his weekly letter to his patrons to give them this short message: "My wife, daughter and myself have gone to California to see my son Tom, who is taking Pilot Training Make Victor This Season's Product An EXTRA BOND FOR EVERY SEAT in your theatre, Mr. Exhibitor, is the showman's job while the quietly colossal guys are doing the fighting. We'// all BACK THE ATTACK! BUY WAR BONDS * SELL WAR BONDS Every employee 10% or more One for each theatre seat BACK 3rd WAR LOAN SEPTEMBER 9th to OCTOBER 2nd m ik ik PICTURES, IXC. Good Balance in This Page We like this typical page from the tabloid, Screenews, issued by Manager Bill Drace of the Grand Theatre, Greer, S. C. And it isn't because of the cheesecake art in the upper righthand corner, either, although we'll admit that art draws attention. But note the nice balance between art, text and advertising. And note, too, that war bond sales are plugged in the space between the art and ad. Even more prominent space should be given to the Third War Loan Drive during the month of September. in the Air Corps. To me, this is the Best News I have ever written. See you soon, Tom." Maybe this vacation has gone to our head, but we've read a certain item three times, and it still puzzles us. Under the headline, "Revive Two Hits," appears this Grape-Vine story in Cinemag from out Paragould way : "Two songs from a pair of early musical successes, 'On With the Show' and 'Gold Diggers of Broadway' have been re-styled and will be featured by Joan Leslie in 'The Hard Way', etc." Maybe Cinemag's GrapeVine hasn't heard it, but "The Hard Way" has been released since last February. A new style program comes from the Uptown Theatre in New York. It's a colored card, regulation post-card size, with the week's attractions listed on one side. The card is designed to be folded in half so that it can be conveniently carried in one's pocket or purse. When folded, the cover carries the name of the theatre, address, telephone, etc. The back page plugs the 9 p.m. showing of the two features, as well as the late Saturday night show and the sale of war bonds and stamps. We're so worn out from our strenuous vacation that we must stop here. We'll need another vacation to recuperate from this vacation. Before we leave you, however, here's another reminder : Back the Third War Loan Campaign with every ounce of showmanship at your command ! See you next week. San Diego Theatre Gets Credit For Its Part in the War Effort Be sure that your theatre is getting the credit due it for its contribution to the war effort. For instance, out in San Diego the Fox West Coast theatres are doing their part, and they're getting recognition in the local newspapers. Recently a nylon hose salvage drive was held at the Fox, and the newspaper came out with "the evidence" : a two-column photo of the huge pile of nylon hosiery collected during the drive.