Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1944)

December 2. 1944 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 23 Birthday Week Idea Is Business Stimulant An annual "birthday week" celebration, during which patrons are offered free tickets the year-'round on their birthdays, is being used by Morrill Moore, manager of the Regent and Zimm theatres, Winfield, Kan., to substantially increase business Widely distributed heralds explain the theatre is having a birthday week on a selected seven days. The manager asks his friends and patrons to attend then, so he can make the week a big one. Advertising matter, appropriately illustrated in humorous fashion, announces the attractions. "Come-on" in the herald is a "Birth Certificate," bearing spaces for name, address and ' birthdate of patron. Copy asks that it be left with the cashier by the patron on leaving the theatre during the week. In exchange, the manager mails a guest ticket to all such cooperating patrons, just prior to their birthdays. Deal is virtually a "two-for-one" offer, over a period of a year. In other words, it's a "You buy a ticket this week and be our guest free next July" idea. What really happens, though, is that in better than 90 per cent of the cases, the recipient of the free ticket brings along one or more paying patrons. In addition, Moore ^declared, stunt attracts at least 1000 extra customers during "birthday I week" each year. Old Displays Revamped for Milwaukee Subsequent-runs Necessity being the mother of invention, as the saying goes, displays of first-run theatres no longer find themselves on the dump-heap of discarded things. Instead, they are being utilized for neighborhood and subsequent-run theatres in the Milwaukee area, and with compelling effect. The net result is that these theatres give tone to their attraction at very little cost." Managers "pitch in" to do most of the actual work in remodeling the displays with the assistance of their staffs. The plan also contributes materially by saving money and making possible this type of advertising where it might not otherwise be brought within the reduced budget of the theatres. This photo of Grand Central Station's grand concourse shows the position of the novel advertising display placed there by Paramount on "Frenchman's Creek." Arrow points to sign and "presentation" curtain, while inset shows scene from film which follows. 'Nutty' Stunt, YTieup Sell 'Beauty' for Brien Funds witii which to purchase thirty YMCA memberships given away on the stage of the Enright Theatre, Pittsburgh, were promoted by Manager Lige Conley to publicize the showing of MGM's "Bathing Beauty." Secretary Wallace of the Y addresed the members of the theatre's Kiddie Club concerning the contest, and spot announcements were made over the local radio station. A display in the Y lobby announced that every boy who saw "Bathing Beauty" would have an opportunity to swim free. Three hundred and twenty-seven boys took advantage of the offer. Eight days before playdate four local windows were decorated with "Bathing Beauty" selling material. What Brien frankly admits was a "nutty" stunt but which attracted much attention consisted of three boys — the first in tails and top hat, the second as a woman and the third in tuxedo — who covered the neighborhood on skates. Observers laughed at the trio, and most of them went to the Enright, which proved the stunt not so "nutty" after all. Girl members of the Kiddie Club were invited to identify the titles of certain songs, bits nf which were played by the house organist. A tieup with Murphy's five-and-dime store resulted in a large display on the music counter and the playing of Bathing Beauty" songs by the girls in charge. This display on Warners' stars of tomorrow was arranged by Manager Sidney Poppay of the Majestic Theatre, Gettysburg, Pa. The stunt could be used to plug future stars of other companies. Poppay got material from Warner studio booklet, "Up and Coming." 'Bowery Alumni' Party Marks 'Bowery to Broadway' Premiere A "Bowery Alumni" party in the lobby of the Criterion Theatre on Broadway marked the New York premiere of Universal's "Bowery to Broadway" Wednesday evening. Stage, screen and radio celebrities paid tribute to prominent entertainers who started their careers on the Bowery and climbed the ladder to Broadway. Taking part in the celebration, which was broadcast over station WHN, were Joe Howard, Harry Hershfield, Billy Gould, Fritzi Scheflf, Jim Barton and father John, Dooley & Sales. Smith & Dale and many others. ^God Is My Co-Pilot' Macon Premiere to Be Statewide Event The special world premiere of Warners' "God Is My Co-Pilot" will be held in Macon, Ga., probably on March 15, it was announced this week by President Harry M. Warner following a series of conferences between Warner officials and a committee representing Macon and the State of Georgia, who came to New York to petition the company in person for the first showing of the film based on the career of that city and state's native son. Col. Robert Lee Scott. The entire state will participate in the premiere. Committee which came east to confer with Harry, Col. Jack L. and Maj. Albert Warner included Mayor Charles Bowden ; Lamarr Swift, city manager for Lucas & Jenkins Theatres ; Carmage Walls, business manager of the Macon Telegraph and Nezvs, and Ellsworth Hall, Jr., city attorney. In announcing the premiere Harry Warner said : "I am very happy that we can have the world premiere of 'God Is My Co-Pilot' in Colonel Scott's home town. I know he has thousands of friends in Macon and throughout the State of Georgia who are most anxious to pay homage to him, not only because he is one of the great he roes of the war, but also because he is a native product who grew up among them, learned to fly there, and laid the foundation that has made him a distinguished soldier. "Recognition and homage mean most to us when it comes from those who are closest and dearest to us, and I am sure that Macon can best give Colonel Scott and his picture that kind of a reception." Not only the 60,000 citizens of Macon, Mayor Bowden told Mr. Warner, but the population of the entire state are ready to cooperate in making the premiere one of the most impressive events ever staged in that section. It will be the first "Hollywood premiere" ever held in Macon, and the city is anxious not only to pay its respects to native son Col. Scott but also to launch his picture under the strongest possible auspices that will focus national attention on the event. Dennis Morgan heads the cast of the picture, based on one of the biggest non-fiction bestsellers of the past decade. This banner on 20th Century-Fox's "Wilson" appeared on Canal Street, main and busiest thoroughfare in New Orleans, in connection with the film's opening at Orpheum Theatre.