Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1947)

12 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 18, 1947 Strachan Gives Tather' An Intensive Campaign An eight-day newspaper contest and a fiveday radio contest formed two of the exploitation devices put into play by J. Knox Strachan, ad-publicity head for Warner Theatres in Cleveland, for his intensive and extensive campaign on Warners' "Life With Father," at the Hippodrome in that city. The Cleveland Press was induced to put on an essay contest, based on contestants' own "life with father," in conjunction with the syndicated cartoon, "The Good Old Days," by Edwin L. Hess. Announcements jf the contest appeared in se\en issues of the paper with an eighth issue carrying the winning essays and drawings. Cash prizes were $50, $25, $15 and 10 of $1 each. Hess agreed to use the idea of the winning essay in a future cartoon strip and forwarded 50 original drawings for display at the Cleveland Art Institute and Cleveland College. The original cartoon he will make from the prize-winning idea will be presented to the winner. A five-day radio contest over the Mutual station WRK offered cash prizes to listeners sending in the best 100-word essays on "The outstanding event in my life with father." The contest received plugs on 55 radio programs. Strachan, for a sky ballyhoo, arranged for an airplane to tow a banner over the city for an hour at noontime on the opening day. More than 10,000 bookmarks were distributed through the public library and its 35 branches two weeks in advance with a still board display at each branch. Strachan also bannered 750 buses and street cars with three-color dash panels for a week in advance and induced Record Rendezvous to distribute over 5,000 imprinted record envelopes. Five hundred dealers used the Del Monte Coffee posters, in color, arranged for by Wamers in the Del Monte tieup. Window displays totaled more than 70 and a special "Father" display was set up in the Del Monte Food Show-. Use for an Old Photo With Pat O'Brien as the star of his coming feature, RKO Radio's "RiffRaff," Manager Harry A. Rose of the Loew-Poli Majestic in Bridgeport, Conn., remembered that once on a visit in that city O'Brien and his wife had been photographed with Mrs. Rose. Rose dug up the photo and took it to the Bridgeport Post which gave it two-column space, with credits for the coming film and playdate, on the theatrical page of its Sunday edition. Walking Ghost Stunt for ^Mrs. Muii' in New Haven A "ghost" walking the streets of New Haven, Conn., was a promotion stunt for 20th CenturyFox's "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" used by manager S. H. Kleper of the College Theatre. He sent a boy, garbed as a ghost, to walk the streets hand-in-hand with a live girl friend for five hours on the feature's opening day. The stunt broke into the Elm City Clarion for good space. The "ghost" bore a large sign advertising the picture, theatre and playdate. Joseph's Beauty Salon tied in with the picture through a display of Gene Tierney's hairdo. Two of the city's popular restaurants also gave "Mrs. Muir" displays. The second feature, MGM's "Living in a Big Way," was given a display with credits in Evelyn's Dress Shop which played up the slogan : "Live in a big way in our gorgeous dresses," with an injunction to see the picture. 'Honeymoon' Anagram Manager Mel Aronson of Century's Bellerose, Bellerose, L. L, offered free admission to RKO's "Honeymoon" to the first 10 persons who submitted 20 words made up from the letters in the film's title. Ancient Cars,* Costumed House Staff Exploit ^Good Old Days^ for Utecht .Although dressing theatre service staffs in costumes to coincide with the atmosphere of a picture is a time-tested and favorite exploitation stunt, the enthusiasm and originality essayed by Manager Leonard Utecht of the Essaness Circuit's Southern Theatre, Oak Park, Illinois, in decking out his staff and himself in costumes of the '90s as an added fillip to his campaign for "The Good Old Days" was certainly authentic and attention-compelling. The costumes were obtained from a local antique collector, who also set up a large window in a department store and also supplied old-type gas jet lamps for the lobby, giving an atmosphere of the old nickelodeon theatre days. Utecht was able to obtain an 1890 Olympian and a 1902 Oldsmobile car for a corking good street ballyhoo. The cars actually ran under their own power, toured the city streets and were parked in front of the house from time to time. The local schools tied up with Utecht for a special matinee with the youngsters required to give reports and essays on the evolution <ii the motion picture as part of their school work. Manager Utecht reports that the picture played his house for a full week to exceptionally good business, and attributes the success of the sliowing entirely to the ballyhoo and atmos phere created by the lobby decorations and costuming of the theatre staff. Lindsay Plays Up Second Feature, Gets Results When the second feature on a dual bill holds exploitation possibilities. Manager Ray Lindsay of the Fox in San Diego, Calif., believes in giving it the promotion it deserves, and carried out his belief in his campaign for RKO's "The Farmer's Daughter" and Monogram's "Bringing Up Father." While the astute manager concentrates his exploitation on the first feature of a double bill, Lindsay points out that occasionally a second feature with exploitation angles comes along and, with a little extra effort, can be lifted in importance and made to mean something at the box-office. In playing up the second feature, Lindsay worked with the producer of "Bringing Up Father," Barney Gerard. They found a couple to impersonate Jiggs and Maggie, outfitted them like the characters in George McManus' cartoon strip, and sent them roving through the streets of San Diego. Their bickerings drew many laughs from passers-by, and stories on them broke in the newspapers. Further attention was gained by billing the showing as the southern California premiere and bringing on the stars, Joe Yule, Renie Riano and June Harrison, who made personal appearances at all three theatres on the opening night with Lindsay acting as master of ceremonies. Publicity interviews were arranged for them and publicity pictures taken in the mayor's office. Lobby display was a huge rolling pin carrying the film's title and announcing its southern California premiere. Box-office results proved the soundness of Lindsay's theory. Slogans for 'Hucksters' Hartford Promotion Stunt Ten copies of the book, "The Hucksters" were given out as prizes for slogans for the MGM picturization of the book in a contest arranged for the showing of the picture by Manager Lou Cohen of Loew's Poll Theatre, Hartford, Conn. The slogan contest was conducted by radio station WTHT. The book was reviewed by the station's Jane Carter on her ladies' program. Counter and window displays of the book, with theatre and playdate credits, were obtained in downtown book stores, and free photos of the stars were given out at the theatre to teenage patrons. For several weeks in advance, theatre's cashiers answered telephone calls with 'T-ove that Huckster— Loew's Poli Theatre"— HFD. Dual-Duty Envelopes Plug Current and Coming Film Manager Al J. Wagner of the Blue Fox Theatre in Grangeville, Idaho, makes his regular mail envelopes serve a double purpose. Not only do they promote his current attraction in major display copy in the upper left-hand corner, but the following feature and playdate are announced in a line printed across the bottom of the envelopes. Lee James Hruby, footman and doorman of Essaness' Southern Theatre, Oak Park, 111., is shown here with a 1902 Oldsmobile used by Manager Utecht to ballyhoo "Good Old Days." Umbrella Ballyhoos Allen Grant, manager of the Brooklyn (N. Y.) Patio theatre and Sam Tilford, assistant manager of the Avalon, same town, both used umbrellas lettered with copy on MGM's "Till the Clouds Roll By" as street ballyhoos for the picture, with excellent results.