Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1947)

14 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, November 22, 1947 Blakey Organizes Boys' Club at Midway Theatfe The Jack Armstrong Boys' Club of the Midway Theatre, Kansas City, Kans., is the first exploitation of extensive nature worked out by Manager Phil Blakey, who is also director of exploitation of Commonwealth Theatres city division. The club is winning approval from parents, management and the youngsters themselves, being a prime movement in the local fight against juvenile delinquency by simply giving the boys an interest and something to do about it. The club is a three-way cooperation between the theatre, General Mills and Radio station KCMO, sponsor and carrier respectively of the Jack Armstrong radio serial. Organization was started early in October and in four weeks a membership of about 200 has been established, with an average of better than 150 attending Saturday afternoon meetings of the club which take place at 1:30 in the theatre auditorium, just prior to start of the regular program at 2:30 which the boys are not obligated to attend. A business meeting of about a half hour is followed usually by a program of short subjects or other entertainment arranged by the radio sponsor, plus occasional give-aways. The business meeting is conducted by the boys themselves, under their regularly elected officers. As the organization progresses it is intended to have the youngsters develop projects of their own, while the sponsoring groups guide the club and keep up interest. Safety programs, for example, will be pointed up to them. New Fashion Angle Capitalizing on the current controversy of long or short skirts for women, James Conklin, manager of the RKO Lincoln Theatre, Trenton, and his publicist, Henry Scholl, worked out the neatest trick of the week for 20th-Fox's "Mother Wore Tights," which was repeated by the four RKO Westchester Theatres in White Plains, Mt. Vernon, Yonkers and New Rochelle, under the guidance of Fred Herkowitz, RKO Theatres publicist. Young ladies, wearing conservatively short skirts, walked up and down in front of the theatre carrying picket signs reading: "Unfair. If Mother Wore TightsWhy Can't We Wear Short Skirts?" Needless to say this stunt attracted a great deal of attention in Trenton and Westchester and resulted in local newspaper breaks. Redheads Invited George E. Landers, district manager for E. M. Loew's theatres in Hartford, Conn., invited redheads in the city to attend a showing of Columbia's "It Had to Be You" at the E. M. Loew Theatre. The first 25 redheads in line on the opening day were admitted free. — HFD. Kittens in Lobby Plug 'Repeat Performance' "Pete" Performance and "Repeat" Performance were two kittens, so named by Manager John Balmer of the Strand Theatre in Freehold, N. J., to become an important cog in his exploitation for Eagle Lion's "Repeat Performance." He had the two kittens dressed up in doll clothes and placed in a baby carriage in the lobby, with an usher as kitten-attendant for two days before the picture opened. And those kittens attracted all kinds of attention, from kids and adults alike. During the film's engagement an usher wheeled the young felines about the streets of Freehold in the baby carriage and again they were the center of attraction. The marquee was dressed up with cut-outs, counter cards were placed in a gift and jewelry shop, and a display arranged in the window of an auto salesroom. Ups Cartoon Series The series schedule of MGM's Tom and Jerry Technicolor cartoons has been increased from eight to 12 for the 1947-48 season by Cartoon Producer Fred Quimby. Letters to 2,900 Homes Manager Jack Dieber of Century's Marine Theatre, Brooklyn, N. Y., wrote a letter to patrons praising the RKO-Goldwyn picture, ■'The Best Years of Our Lives," and had copies distributed to 2,900 homes in the area. Two ice trucks were bannered with oil cloth signs, and nightlights were kept burning over a 24-sheet mounted on the side of the theatre. O'Reai Builds 'Fathei' Promotion Aiound Past Manager Jack O'Rear of the Colonial Theatre, Harrisburg, Pa., built his exploitation campaign for Warners' "Life With Father" around a past era to coincide with the period of the film's action. Bowman's department store gave the picture a display containing eight charming evening gowns of many years ago. In the upper righthand corner was a four-inch reproduction of a tintype photo of William Powell and Irene Dunne. Then the store took a full-page ad in the Harrisburg Telegraph calling attention to its display of old-fashioned gowns, playing up as a slogan, "Life With Father Can Be One Charming Waltz With Our Splendor-Revisited Gowns." The ad contained title, theatre and playdate, paid for by the store. Bowman's also arranged a window display of evening gowns, with the figure of a man wearing a red wig standing beside a Victorian chair, surveying the bevy of attractive models. Theatre, film title and playdate were carried here as in the inside display. The Ensminger photographic studio advertised and displayed reproductions of oldtime tintypes. O'Rear also arranged for several radio programs to spot the Andrews Sisters' recording of the song, Sweet Marie, from the film. Bumper strips were used on all yellow cabs with a line that life wouldn't be worth living with father if it weren't for yellow cabs. — HAR. UPSIDE DOWN 'MITTY' 24-SHEETS proved a unique and successful attentiongetter for Manager I. Rappaport's showing of RKO's Samuel Goldwyn production. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," at the Town Theatre in Baltimore. Rappaport rented three 24-sheet boards on the principal highways leading into Baltimore and had the title of the picture and the name of the star printed upside down on the stands 30 days in advaiKe of playdate. Only the name of the theatre and the word "soon" were painted m the upright position at the bottom of the 24s. Best Letter-Writer Gets Free Trip to Chicago An all-expense trip to Chicago, with varied entertainment while there, was the prize offered in a letter-writing contest by Manager Frank Paul of the Lyric Theatre, Indianapolis, to exploit the showing of Paramount's "Adventure Island." Letters described the writer's most exciting adventure in the state of Indiana. Two minor prizes were awarded to winners of second and third places. While in Chicago, the first prize winner appeared on the Breakfast Club radio broadcast and then had breakfast with the cast members ; paid a visit to the Welcome Travelers radio broadcast ; was given a sight-seeing tour, tickets to a legitimate theatre in the evening, tickets to a football game the next afternoon, followed by dinner at a well-known restaurant. The contest aroused much public interest and received newspaper play. Lobby Perfume Display 'Forever Amber' Stunt A lobby display of perfumes and colognes was effected by Manager Johnson Musselman of the Rialto Theatre, Louisville, with the Kaufman-Straus department store, for 20th CenturyFox's "Forever Amber." The store put a very attractive showcase in the theatre lobby with a card that the perfumes shown were on sale at the store. The display also plugged the picture, as did the theatre's own cards and posting. Both theatre and department store managers were well satisfied with the sales resulting from the perfume display. Toured the City As part of his extensive campaign for MGM's "This Time for Keeps," Boyd Sparrow, manager of Loew's Indianapolis, had two girls tour the city with a portable public address system to plug the picture.