Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

14 Money Dates for November To keep your theatre in the limelight of community endeavor, November money dates offer some excellent opportunities. The most obvious dates, of course, are Thanksgiving uay and Armistice Day, writh Thanksgiving standing out for its seasonal goodwill possibilities. but tnere are other special days, too, and also special weeks, of which the wise showman can take advantage. And, if the present trend continues, a strong lineup of box-office attractions seems assured. November should be a prosperous month tor the alert, wideawake tneatreman. NOV. 1— NATIONAL AUTHORS' DAY. Communities having an author ol standing as a resiaent should arrange for him to make a personal appearance on tne stage and give a snort reading from one of his books. Properly advertised this will attract many new customers, and liDraries. book stores and schools, civic organizations and women's clubs, newspapers and radio would give it much publicity. A radio interview would help. Arrange for the author to autograph copies oi his booKS brought in by patrons, ii necessary buy several copies and have staff members present them so the stunt cannot fail, book stores ana libraries would spread the fact that copies will be autographed, the former to promote sales ot any oi nis Dooks in stocK. Publishers of his books might donate a number of copies. NOV. 1-7— AMERICAN ART WEEK. Display in lobby originals, if obtainable, or reproductions of paintings oy an artist of standing in the community or the state. Local hbrary, art museum or private collector might loan originals or reproductions if theatre guards them carefully. Or, display painting and arawings by art stuaents in any art or high school Try for a school essay contest on outstanding painters of today or on America's greatest painters, with reproductions of famous paintings and guest tickets as prizes. Perhaps local newspaper cartoonist would draw caricatures oi feature picture's players for lobby display along with other of his drawings. This would get newspaper and radio pubUcity. NOV. 6-12— AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK. Management's ir.enoly relations with schools and libra. Its will prove profitable here. Get a locally prominent (or state; educator to talk briehy on "How films have helped advance American education" (which might well be used for a high sphool essay contest) or on "Outstanding American Educators." Any near-by normal school would cooperate on the latter subject. Also good for school essay-writing contest: 'Why 1 want an education" and "How libraries have helped advance education." Libraries and newspapers v?iU publicize the latter. NOV. 8 — ELECTION DAY. Arrange to give election returns of any local, state or national contest oi interest to patrons. . Results can be announced from the stage, over a pubUc address system or over borrowed TV viewer if results are telecast. Advertise the giving of returns well in advance to keep interested patrons from remaining at home to learn the election returns. NOV. 11— ARMISTICE DAY, World War I 1918. If American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars or other ex-servicemen's organization observes the day, arrange to get in on it. if no observance is scheduled, try to get one organized. Urge a parade to the theatre with fife-and-drum corps. Arrange for soloists, choruses, or both, to sing World War I songs ; invite audience to join in. Cooperate in any civic activity bearmg upon Armistice Day. For possible school essays: "'The part played by the U. S. Array in World War I; "Was the peace following World War I a just peace?" NOV. 13-19— CHILDREN'S BOOK WEEK. Book for this week films basea on current or standard books of fiction, being sure that some are from books widely read by teen-age children ; this will assure cooperative publicity from libraries, book stores and quite likely public schools and from any local book publisher. Get any local author who may have written for children to autograph any of his books brought in for that purpose. Buy several copies if necessary, and after being autographed present them to an orphanage. The author might appear on the stage and give a brief reading from one of his stories. Arrange for him to be interviewed on tne radio, ano get a newspaper story. NOV. 14-20— AMERICAN KNIT GLOVE WEEK. About the only thing on this that would net publicity to the theatre would be a gloveknitting contest sponsored by a dealer in yarns, who should donate valuable prizes, in addition to guest tickets to runners-up. Might get a co-op ad from dealers. NOV. 18— STANDARD TIME, adopted by Congress in 1883. Try for a school essay contest on the various kinds of time: Greenwich, siderial. standard, dayUght saving, how time changes with the degrees of longitude, the gain or loss of a day in crossing the Pacific. Dealer in watches and clocks might sponsor it and contribute a watch as first prize. NOV. 21 — THANKSGIVING DAY. Decorate theatre front and lobby vdth pumpkins, pumpkin lanterns, corn ears, stalks and husks, vines, etc. Place a large pumpkin lantern atop the marquee, dousing other top-o-marquee lighting every now and then. Have the President's proclamation read from the stage by prominent citizen, or good reader from high school. Cemen;, or build up, goodwill by advertising in herald, trailer, etc., any church observance of the day. Contact book stores and libraries for the display of books on Thanksgiving and other early New England customs, along with theatre credit card. Being the season of football, basketball and hockey, invite local teams as tlieatre guests, and advertise it. Ask the teams to parade to the theatre with banners on the current feature. Have sports stars appear on stage and be introduced by sports writer or radio sports commentator. Have songs appropriate to the season rendered by soloists and/or chorus, inviting audience to join in. Contact women's clubs, civic organizations, fraternal societies to sponsor theatre parties for orphans and inmates of homes for the aged. Admit gratis women bringing pies, cakes, jams, jellies., etc., the whole collection to be donated to some charity. There are a number of contests suitable for the day, none of which should be overlooked. For girls and boys, separately or together: apple ducking; mince or pumpkin pie-eating contests; costume contest, with prizes for the best or most outlandish costumes (a promoted turkey might be the first prize); a false face contest; a parade of bearers of pumpkin lanterns. For the women : pie or cake-baking contest, entries to be donated directly to some charity or sold and the proceeds donated; contest to find the oldest married pair, or the couple longest married, with a turkey or a restaurant dinner for the winner. Then there is a guessing contest based on the number of grains of corn a live turkey in the lobby will devour in a certain period of time; or guessing the weight of the turkey at evening performance, turkey going to guesser coming nearest to actual number of grains of corn or weight. In rural areas : contest to find the best turkey, best pumpkin, squash, pies, cakes, canned fruit, etc., with suitable promoted prizes. This may take the form of a country fair in the lobby, or near the theatre. Newspaper with a rural circulation might co-sponsor such a fair with the theatre. NOV. 28-DEC. 3— PROSPERITY WEEK. Banks, savings banks in particular, and life insurance companies should be interested in this. If exhibitor knows of no scheduled observance, he should approach his bank and suggest a campaign to promote the saving habit ; give the bank at regular or reduced rate, tickets to be awarded any new account of not less than $3 (might be less for children). Insurance company angle: Take out hfe insurance; it protects your family; is collateral lor a loan in a financial pinch. Get merchants to take a co-op ad explaining how customers can become more prosperous by buying its wares at special reduced prices (of course with theatre's ad included). Suggestions for school essays: "On what does prosperity depend — character, industry or savings?"; "Is agriculture, labor or savings the basis of prosperity?" Banks and insurance companies cooperating should carry theatre display cards in windows and at desks. NOV. 29— LOUISA M. ALCOTT. born, 1832. There are two current releases of films based on her books: MGM's "Little Women" and Eagle Lion's "An Old-Fashioned Girl." It may pay to book or rebook either one for the publicity to accrue from public hbraries and book shops, which should display the books with picture and theatre credit cards. NOV. 30— U. S. PATENT SYSTEM, established 1836. Suggest to merchants that they make a display of patented goods they handle and take a co-op ad. School contests: history of the U. S. patent office; how the patent system works; for the longest list of patented names in any specified line. For drawing classes: contest for best drawing for a new drawing or design for some standard patented article with guest tickets as prizes. Anniversaries Nov. 2 — James K. Polk, bom. 1795. Nov. 2 — Warren G. Harding, born, 1865. Nov. 19 — James A. Garfield, born, 1831. Nov. 23 — Frankhn Pearce, born, 1804. Nov. 24 — Zachary Taylor, born. 1784. Sectional Observances Nov. 2— North and South Dakota admitted into the Union. 1889. Nov. 8 — Montana entered Union, 1889. Nov. 11 — Washington became a state, 1889. Nov. 16 — Oklahoma entered the Union, 1907. Nov. 21 — North Carolina admitted as a state, 1789. SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 15, 1949 ^Abandoned^ Bow Campaign Praised Universal-Internationars world premiere last week of "Abandoned" at the Downtown Theatre in Detroit for the benefit of the Salvation Army's Booth Memorial Hospital was hailed by Downtown General Manager 'Charles Perry as an "exploitation-wise approach to the industry's return to better showmanship." In a telegram to U-I Vice-President and General Sales Manager W. A. Scully, Perry said the promotion campaign was "the most thorough ever seen in Detroit" and that it "will reflect in extra business at the box-ofiice not only in Detroit but throughout the country." In presenting to Major George R. Hunt of the Salvation Army the check representing the proceeds from the premiere. Gale Storm emphasized the motion picture industry's endless efifort to help all types of worthy charities regardless of race, creed or color. Miss Storm, star of the picture, and Meg Randall, featured player, visited hospitals, spoke before women's groups, participated in numerous radio and press interviews and met exhibitors who were in town for the Allied Theatre Owners of Michigan Convention. Thames Promotes Fur Co-Op on 'Big Steal' Jimmie Thames, now assistant city manager in charge of advertising for Robb & Rowley Theatres in Little Rock, Ark., promoted a cooperative ad from Bensky's, local furrier, on "The Big Steal." The large display, which measured three columns wide and twelve inches deep, showed a silhouette figure of Jane Greer attired in a fur cape and contained this tie-in copy : "This luxurious Himalayan Cape, worn by Miss Jane Greer, appearing today at the Center Theatre in 'The Big Steal'." The ad stood out prominently and proved a mutual benefit for both theatre and furrier. Full Page on Xhris' Alanager Lou Cohen. Loew's Poli, Hartford, Conn., landed a full page on "Christopher Columbus" in an issue of the local Knights of Columbus publication. — HFD. FROM HORSE'S MOUTH. The news came straight from the horse's mouth when Paramount's "Sorrowful Jones" came to Reade's Strand Theatre in Plainfield, N. J. City Manager Julius Daniels and House Manager Ann DeRagon built this lobby display from a borrowed merry-go-round horse and a piece of beaverboard painted to resemble a barn door, to herald the Bob Hope picture.