Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1944)

16 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW May 13, 1944 Youngsters Recreate Dnow White' Dcene In Kearney Campaign A playlet of a scene from the picture, staged by the Children's Theatre Group, with performances at Edwards department store and broadcast over WFBL in addition to a special Saturday morning performance at the theatre, was the highlight of a thorough campaign staged for "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" by Manager Edward Kearney of the Paramount Theatre, Syracuse, N. Y. For the morning matinee performance, the children were dressed in costumes from the picture. Attractive lobby displays featured a miniature well (used a week in advance of opening) with record player inside, playing the Wishing Song from the picture ; candle replicas of the Walt Disney characters made up by the MuenchKreuzer Candle Co., these being displayed in the lobby as well as in windows of leading downtown shops. It was also arranged for a local artist to draw free-hand sketches of the various Disney characters which in turn were given away free to all purchasers of war bonds. Numerous store tieups included window displays of record albums with all record dealers, along with tie-in copy and scene stills ; sheet music tieups were arranged with music stores for window and counter displays supplemented with scene stills and cards carrying theatre tie-in copy. Bookmarks were also distributed to all book stores, the Public Library and all its branches and to the primary grades of all the schools. Kearney also arranged for an extensive radio campaign which included interviews over WSYR and WAGE by Miss Adrianna Caselotti, Snow White of the picture, and personal appearances at the Keith and Paramount theatres ; spot announcements and transcriptions over WSYR, WAGE, WOLF and WFBL, both in advance and during the run of the picture, in addition to a Radio Quiz contest with the Best Ice Cream program over WSYR, with Girl Scouts as contestants, answering questions pertaining to the Seven Dwarfs. Additional features oi Kearney's campaign included a coloring contest with the Herald Journal and the Post Standard, using mats from the pressbook, with war ^camps and tickets being awarded the winners, and a novel street ballyhoo of seven midgets, dressed in appropriate costume. Current revival of Walt Disney's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" offers theatres exploitation opportunities via nation's dancing teachers. Recently reintroduced at Dance Educators of America convention, the "Doin' the Dopey" square dance has been streamlined by Lucile Marsh, editor of Dance Magazine. Photo shows Miss Marsh, center, planning evolution with figurines of famous Disney characters while Anna M. Greene, president of the Dancing Masters of America, and Rutgers Neilson, publicity director of RKO Radio and member of the Dance Educators of America, assist her. Manager J. C. Lee of the Town Hall Theatre in Quincy, Calif., used the old Santa Claus gag to ballyhoo Columbia's "Sahara." He wants to pass the idea along because, although it is old, "results were very surprising in my situation." Midelburg Is Chosen Typical MGM Showman (Continued from Page 15) manager at the time. Rodgers entered into the deal and Midelburg was so pleased with, the treatment accorded him that he has been the MGM sales executive's most loyal admirer ever since, he says. When notified by Rodgers that he was selected as the typical exhibitor to represent the many thousands of MGM customers, Midelburg said : "I think you have the wrong man. I think someone else deserves this honor more than I do." He has never believed in bank night and has never put in any giveaway in his theatre. Nor has he ever shown a second feature. In 1929, when he took over active management of the Capitol Theatre, his business jumped $50,000 a year. He recalls that since he has concentrated on playing MGM product, the theatre's business in one week compares to what it had been doing in one month. Midelburg prides himself in living up to the letter of every contract he signs and points to an incident which occurred during the showing of "Gone With the Wind" the first time it played at his theatre. Because MGM required that no passes be given out during the run of the picture, he insisted that his wife and daughter, Beverly, and his secretary. Frieda Koppelman, pay $1.63 each if they wanted to see the picture. They paid. There are only two people in his town who get a reason pass. One is Mayor D. Boone Dawson, representing the City, and tfie other is Governor M. M. Xeely, representing the State. The Capitol Theatre, situated on Summers St., seats 1149 people. His opposition are the Kearse, seating 1S60; the Virginian, seating 940, and the Rialto, with 926 seats. Washington Diplomatic Corps at Special Showing of 'Hitler Gang' Sponsored by the State Department Correspondents' Association, an organization of 85 newspaper writers covering the State Department, a showing of "The Hitler Gang" was held one day last week for members of the Diplomatic Corps. Showing marked the first time the Association had ever staged a function of this kind. Guests included the ambassadors and ministers of 42 nations, the press attaches of 27 embassies and legations, and 44 of the highest officials of the State Department. The Secretary of State was unable to be present because of pressure of official business, but Mrs. Cordell Hull was present. Because of the semi-official nature of the screening, it was given no advance publicity, but immediately after the showing news of its auspicious bow to diplomatic and official Washington went to Capital cities throughout the world by telegraph and cable. The screening was staged in the ornate Presidential Suite in the Statler Hotel and was followed by cocktails. Army Tops in Goth*s Second Jive Contest Because last Fall's Army vs. Navy Jitterbug Contest was so successful, Edgar Goth, director of advertising and publicity for Fabian Staten Island Theatres, decided to repeat the stunt at Fabian's St. George Theatre. In the first competition, a Navy man and his partner were the victors ; so Goth hit on the idea of making the second contest a challenge to the Navy from the Army. Several new angles were incorporated. Result : another bang-up show played before a capacity crowd. Two bands, service and civilian, alternated playing for the contestants who jumped and jived and cut rugs in their efforts to outdo one another. Goth promoted the sponsorship of a family outfitters' store, Grossman's, which defrayed the entire cost of the stunt, including trailers, lobby setpieces, cards in all the Army posts, Navy bases and USO centers. Grossman's also paid for large cash awards and complete uniform outfits for the three top winners. Hand-drawn display ads, special lobby setpieces, newspaper publicity and pictures, and announcements in all the military publications issued locally drew attention to the contest. Just for the record, the Army took the crown ftway from the Navy. Top honors went to a soldier and his junior-hostess partner from the famous New York Stage Door Canteen. 'Your Money Back If You Don't Agree . . .' Being a far-sighted showman and knowing only too well the box-office potentialities of a "hit" picture when he sees one. Manager Lester Stallman of the Astor Theatre, Reading, Pa., offered an unusual guarantee to his patrons during the engagement of "Up in Arms." At the special midnight preview, Stallman guaranteed any patron, after having seen "Up in Arms," a refund of his admission price if said patron was not in accord with Stallman's opinion that the Danny Kaye picture was one of the funniest ever screened. Stallman evidently knew in advance he was betting on a "sure thing" : not one of the capacity audience attending the preview returned to the box-office for a refund. Theatres' Relations with Press Proves Beneficial in Bakersfield Importance of good relations between the local press and the theatre can never be emphasized too strongly. As Editor Dean Hyskell puts it in a recent issue of a Fox West Coast house organ : "You're the local representative of a big concern, remember? Yours is a responsibility. Good press relations are near vital to helping carry the responsibility." As an example of friendly press relations, Hyskell points to an editorial which appeared in a Bakersfield, Calif., newspaper. The editorial, "Pictures in War," quoted from the annual report of Will H. Hays, president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, then added ; "This is a fine record and one in which the distributors and local theatres have shared. In Bakersfield, local managers have taken a very active and successful part in the war effort." Naturally the local theatremen benefited from the favorable editorial comment. Do you rate with your local newspaper ? How well? Showman Sam Says : During the 50th Film Anniversary there's one thing about the historic nickleodeons that the old-timers won't get sentimental over : the smell.