Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

12 Showmanship Parade Newspaper tearsheets from Bridgeport, Conn., provide interesting evidence of the publicity promoted for "Come to the Stable" by Manager Matt Saunders of Loew's Poli Theatre there. "Matt invited nuns from various Bridgeport convents to be his guests at a special screening of the picture. That netted him a four-column cut and caption in both local newspapers. At the preview the nuns received a bag of doughnuts and a gift of roses (promoted) on their way out. That rated a paragraph in Bailey A. Barnum's "So This Is Bridgeport" column. Fact that the picture was inspired by the experiences of the Benedictine Contemplative Nuns of the Strict Observance who founded Regina Laudis monastery in Bethlehem, Conn., occasioned a fullpage layout showing views of Regina Laudis and the nuns performing various duties. Whatever else Matt did in exploiting "Come to the Stable," his newspaper representation was outstanding in itself. An usher in evening dress, silk topper and cane, but with a black instead of a white bow tie, was sent through the south side shopping -^ft centers of Jacksonville, Fla., by the manager ' 1' of the San Marco Theatre to hand out to passersby the theatre's program and a tiny 'pair of dancer's shoes — a woman's red slipper and a man's black pump — as a ballyhoo for "The Barkleys of Broadway." The shoe cutouts were attached by a cord to a card reading: "See the dancing feet of Astaire & Rogers in (title, playdate). Cover of the program advertised "Barkleys" with ads for following attractions inside. A unique full-page co-op ad was obtained by the Howell Theatre, Palatka, Fla., for "The ** ' Stratton Story !" The tieup was with the Huntley Bros. Food Stores and was devoted entirely to its merchandise except for a one-column ad about four inches deep hidden away in the bottom half of the page informing all readers who found their names mentioned in the ad that they would receive free passes to see the picture by calling at the store. Usherettes of the St. Francis Theatre, San Francisco, distributed 10,000 playing cards and thus created a great deal of comment for "Any Number Can Play." The outside margins of the backs of the cards were stamped with "See Clark Gable 'Any Number Can Play' Now! St. Francis Theatre." W. C. Fields Ballyhoo A Keystone Cop outfit arid a nose reddened with lipstick made an employe of Bernie Depa a swell street stunter for the W. C. Fields reissues, "The Bank Dick" an4 "Never Give a Sucker an Even Break," when they played at the State in Lexington, Ky. f' Adds Personal Touch A personal touch was added to those canned star interviews for "It's a Great Feeling" and landed them on the customarily cool radio station in Cambridge, Md., when the Warner Bros, film played at Lou Furhmann's Arcade there. An executive of the station personally asked the stars questions which the transcriptions answered for him. CINCINNATI CROWDS came in quantity to watch the Arthur Murray dancers exhibit their grace in the windows of the McAlpin store — and while they were looking they saw a window display for Columbia's "Lust for Gold." Credit for this three-point tieup goes to Manager Elwood Jones of the RKO Palace and his publicity manager, Nate W.ise. 'Movie-of-the-Month' Formed in Los Angeles Joseph Meritz and James Nicholson this week united in Hollywood to conduct a new cooperatively advertised day and date bookingprogram which will concentrate on playing "off-the-beaten-path" pictures in the Los Angeles area under the trade name of "Movie-of-theMonth Theatres." The plan, scheduled to go into effect on Nov. 4, will unite the Marcal, Pickfair and Encino theatres on a day-and-date basis, with the trio buying newspaper space together, while a fourth house, the Cinema, will be established as a long-run move-over stand, the duo said. Pictures will be selected after sneak previewing to average audiences. The "Movie^of-the-Month" idea will also include a registration of patrons into a Movieof-the-Month Guild which will send out a monthly bulletin on future attractions. First day-and-date booking will be Eagle Lion's French import, "Dedee" ; second will be J. Arthur Rank's "Obsession." Children s Shows in 'Columbus' Campaigns Special shows for children are figuring prominently in exploitation campaigns for "Christopher Columbus." In Buffalo, more than 1,000 orphans attended a Saturday showing at Basil's Lafayette Theatre. Arrangements for the party were made between Maurice F. Quinn, chairman of the child welfare activities group of the 40-and-8 Society of the American Legion, and George H. Mackenna, Lafayette managing director. In Cleveland a -Saturday morning show at a special 2S-cent price attracted children to Warners' Allen Theatre to see the Technicolor film.— BU.CL. Shows 'Home of Brave' For Clergy and Unions "Home of the Brave" garnered widespread publicity in advance of its opening at Loew's Poli, Springfield, Mass., through a special screening given by Manager George E. Freeman for the clergy of the city, representatives of the various labor unions, members of the city council and prominent educators. — HFD. SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 29, 1949 Window Dancing Tiein With ^ust^ Manager Elwood Jones of the RKO Palace, Cincinnati, and his publicity manager, Nate Wise, scattered nong^of their exploitation ammunition in the c^paign for "Lust of Gold." Instead, they centered on one three-way tieup of the theatre, the Arthur Murray Dance School and one of the town's leading department stores, McAlpin's. The theatre furnished a blowup of a dramatic scene from the film, two star portraits, stills and credit cards for the window ; the dance school furnished the dancers who appeared in the window five times from 12 nooii to 4 P.M., while McAlpin's got its share of the resulting publicity by furnishing gowns for the dancers from its fashion shop. Tieup's value to the dance studid"%as seen in its increased enrollment 'of pupils, while the department store stationed ' a model, bearing a card advertising its fashion shop, at one side of the window while the dancing demonstrations were in progress. Crowds that blocked sidewalk traffic gathered about the window during the window-dancing periods. ; Newspaper advertising by McAlpin's and by the Murray dance studio, appearing for a Week in advance of playdate, plugged the window dancing and the theatre's coming attraction. The dance school cooperated further by making use of the FM broadcasting system in the city buses to publicize the film at all station breaks. Jones and Wise used a contest in the Enquirer's classified ad section, through 'the national Kellogg cereal tieup, got streamer? in 300 grocery stores, and free street plugs on a radio man-inthe-street program with free passes as prizes for those interviewed. MesiboY in Boston To Promote 'Heiress' Paramount Exploitation Manager Sid Mesibpv left last Monday for Boston to set up campaigns on "The Heiress" which is set for the Metropolitan Theatre in Boston ori Dec. 25 and at the Center in Buffalo, Dec. '8. " The campaigns will foe laid out with thf, Company's own' field men and with the ad and publicity officials of the theatres, and they wiH ipglude other "Heiress" locations booked out of the Boston and Buffalo branches. Bore Down on 'Great' Manager Milt Baline of the Glove, Gloversville, N. Y., plugged "The Great Gatsby" by having an usher distribute circus-style heralds (as there was a circus then in town), to passersby on the streets. ... No Title Tip-Off In order to get the best publicity he thought possible from a sneak preview of "You Are My Everything," Manager Frank Burhans of the Paramount, Oakland, Calif., decided to with'ftold the title. He had his phone operators call assorted numbers in the phone diEfectory and tell whoever answered that an unnamed outstanding film hit would be shown on the screen that night. Publicist Hanns Kolmar got newspaper cooperation which announced a "preview of a major studio color musical. . . . Title and cast are withheld, but it may be revealed that the male star was ah Academy Award nominee last year and that the leading lady has already won an Oscar."