Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1944)

November IS, 1944 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 13 PIcssncr and Post Put 'Janie^ Across Carl Post, Warner publicity-advertising man in St. Louis, promoted sufficient space to build up substantial patronage for "Janie," during the picture's run in that city. Post worked with M. Plessner, of Fanchon & Marco theatres, who gave "Janie" a free advertising plug by using a small circle in virtually every ad for his theatres a month before opening date. "Janie" catch p>hrases were used in these little circles carried in the three local papers. Post sold editors on the generosity of Fanchon & Marco towards the film. He used the approach that the free advertising was a result of the quality of the picture. With Warners plugging Fanchon & Marco, and F. & M. plugging the film, the consequence was high above average publicity on movie and fashion pages for "Janie." KXOK, Blue, carried six free "Janie" plugs. Post had Garwood Van, orchestra leader at the Chase Hotel, town's leading spot, play a "Janie" medley three times weekly on the coast-to-coast Mutual Network, with plugs. The plugs ran for six weeks. Girls Wearing Hair in Braids Receive Candy at 'Janie' Show "Janie" grosses were aided by Manager Ned Greenslit, of the Aladdin Theatre, Denver, when he staged a special junior morning matinee "pigtail" show. Greenslit gave a special "Janie" candy bar to each little girl under 13 who wore her hair in braids. Coupled with reduced admission prices, gifts of the free candy made the Aladdin a popular place for the "pigtail brigade." School Officials Commend Stranger For Juvenile Showing of 'Pal Wolf Michael Stranger, manager of Loew's College Theatre, New Haven, Conn., has been highly commended by school officials of that city for a special juvenile showing of "My Pal Wolf." The school system got behind the picture by mentioning it in their Superintendent's Bulletin which was sent to 47 schools, reaching approximately 900 teachers and 50,000 children. Wrote Leonie Branden, director of the Department of Audio Visual Education : "I do want to thank you for the wonderful co-operation you gave us last week by giving a special showing of 'My Pal Wolf for our children. We feel that the picture was certainly the type we would like to have the children see and we hope that you will let us know about pictures of a similar type so that we may give them publicity through our regular school channels." Rex Carr of the Ambassador Theatre, IndianapoLs, used this attention-getting display front for his first-run booking of Republic's Roy Rogers special, "Yellow Rose of Texas." MGM Names Winners In Exploitation Contest {Continued from Page 9) bassador, Raleigh, N. C. ; George Hunter, Gillioz, Springfield, Mo. ; Anna Evans, Florida, Jacksonville ; William Roberts, Ritz, Los Angeles ; Paul Cornwell, Del Rio, Clinton, Okla. ; H. J. Rathburn, Strand, Manlius, N. Y. ; Jose Toste, Circuito Teatral Llamas, San Juan, Puerto Rico ; Thomas Moore, Los Angeles, Los Angeles; Sam Gillette, Strand, Toole, Utah; George Kraska, Loew's State, Boston; Mr. Heguy, Royal, Rabat, Morocco; W. B. Jacoby, State, Altoona, Pa.; Bert Mellano, Strand, Helper, Utah; Frank Hensen, Loew's Akron, Akron, Ohio; Mr. Monteiro, Olympia, Beira, Portugese East Africa; Vincent Choate, Shea's, Bradford, Pa. ; Homer McCallum, Loew's State, Houston ; C. R. McCuUough, Ramona & Ritz, Frederick, Okla.; Leon Eisenberg, Cine Monumental, Montevideo, Uruguay ; J. V. Minton, Shea's, Erie, Fa. ; Frank Lebarr, Imperial, Asheville, N. C. ; George Mason, Great Lakes, Buffalo, N. Y. ; Jose Marquina, Metro, Lima, Peru ; E. T. ClafJey, Academy, Meadville, Pa. ; Len Worley, Madison, Peoria, III. ; Paul Klinger, Loew's Grand, Waterbury, Conn. ; Terry Christou, Royal, Alexandria, Egypt ; Earl Theatre, Carroll, Iowa. Also I. G. Killough, MeSwain, Ada, Okla. ; Russ Bovim, Loew's Midland, Kansas City, Mo. ; Gabriel Murr, Roxy, Beyrouth, Syria; M. S. White, Rialto, Beatrice, Neb. ; Charles Picquet, Carolina, Pinehurst, N. C. ; Gene Ford, Loew's Capitol, Washington, D. C. ; Guillermo Echazu, Metro, Santiago, Chile; J. G. Samartano, Loew's State, Providence, R. I. ; Finn Davis, Mimosa, Morgantown, N. C. ; M. Rose, Palms State, Detroit; Antonio Leite, Metro, Rio de Janiero, Brazil; Ollie Green, Stuart, Lincoln, Neb.; O. T. Kirby, Place and Dolly Madison, Roxboro, N. C. ; Seymour Reiser, Fox West Coast Theatres, Los A*ngeles ; R. Pollard, St, James, Sydney, Australia; Dick Phillips, Arrow, Cherokee, la. ; Wally Kemp, Capitol, Grand Island, Neb.; Earl Cowden, Sidney, Sidney, Iowa; W. F. Pfister, Castle, New Castle, Neb. ; Cleta Bowman, Grand, Grand Island, Neb. ; Bob Berry, New Moon, Ft. Vincennes, Ind. ; Khan Bahadur Mobed, Paradise, Karachi, India ; Harry Lowenstein, Tivoli, Ardmore, Okla. ; Don Shane, Paramount, Omaha ; J. D. Warnock, Luna, Battle Creek, la. ; Fernando Garcia Bringas, Metropolitan, Mexico City ; R. E. Falkinburg, Majestic, Lexington, Neb. ; Ira Crain, Capitol, Sioux City, Iowa; Ben Simon, Loew's Metropolitan, Brooklyn ; Leopold Passos, Circuito Margot, Managua, Nicaragua. Whitlock's On SYWA Enfibraces Tieups and Promotions Every angle of publicity and exploitation — newspaper ads, feature stories and advance news articles, radio, cooperative ads with local merchants, diversified tieups, and the personal appearance of one of the stars of the picture — were used by Brock Whitlock, manager of Loew's Theatre, Richmond, in his campaign for the premiere of "Since, You Went Away." He was assisted by E. Millburn, United Artists' exploitation representative. First advance publicity broke in the NeivsLeader with a laudatory story on the picture by Will Whiteside, motion picture editor. This was followed by other advance stories and art A three-column story with a three-column cut was printed in the Times-Dispatch showing Joseph Cotten at Red Cross headquarters with a group of leaders of the Richmond Chapter in connection with an appeal for more blood donations. Cotten is a native of Petersburg, 20 miles from Richmond, and the Progress-Index of that city used a news story telling of his personal appearance at Loew's and giving the picture an excellent send-off. Because Whitlock invited Cotten's parents to be special guests at the premiere, this gesture lent further strength to the story. . Cooperative ads were promoted from Miller & Rhodes, Richmond's largest department store, and Lowe's Jewelry Store. Most important of the radio tieups was a 15-minute interview with Cotten over Station WRVA by Harvey Hudson, the station's master of ceremonies. The station was so swamped with incoming calls during the broadcast that the telephone company was forced to handle them. According to Hudson the broadcast was a complete success and he received many favorable letters, telephone calls and postal cards. Station WRNL put on a special broadcast about the picture the afternoon after the opening, featuring Edith Lindeman, motion picture editor of the Times-Dispatch. Before playdate and during the run the station plugged the picture and stars on its Hollywood Highlights Tour. The Royal Crown Bottling Co. put out 150 store cards. Miller & Rhodes used one of its prominent Broad Street windows for the picture, while McCrory's put in an entire Broad Street window. People's Drug Store put in five Calox tooth powder windows, as did Standard Drug Co. Grant's put in a book window, also displayed art signs, with books set on a special counter display. Haskin's Bowling Alleys displayed art signs and used SYWA at each individual scoring board. Other displays included Byrum's Restaurant, Methodist Publishing House, Roundtree's Luggage, Lee Hat Shop and Barker's Bakery. The song, Together, was featured in window displays. New Exploitation Material Prepared By Astor on Danny Kaye Film New exploitation material — including oneand two-column ad mats, a regular one-sheet,, a 40x60 that can also serve as a two or threesheet, and a 22x28 lobby photo — has been prepared by Astor Pictures on its Danny Kaye feature comedy, "The Birth of a Star/' whose national release date will coincide with the first broadcast of the comedian's new radio program Janua;ry 7, it has been announced by R. M. Savini, Astor president. In the comedy, now ready for distribution, Kaye does his famous Russian impersonation,. Savini pointed out. Are there any skeptics among our readers concerning the drawing power of morning kiddie shows? If so, this photo of the youngsters lined up in front of Century's Mayfair Theatre, Brooklyn, should stand as irrefutable evidence of the popularity of this type of theatre activity. In these wartime days when working parents are apt to neglect their offspring, the wise theatreman should consider the children's plight and arrange special entertainment features for their enjoyment. And if we must get commercial about it, there would seem to be extra profits involved.