Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

22 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, November 12. 1949 Shemberg Display Startles Patrons There have been many unusual campaigns at the Kum-C Theatre in Toronto, Ontario, according to Manager Joseph Shemberg, but none which stood out as prominently as a stunt utilized on RKO Radio's "The Boy With Green Hair." It was a display "which startled the patrons but also amused them and attracted their attention." Illustrated here, the display was centered around a large papier-mache head of the boy. The hair was made from green spun glass which was illuminated from "inside the head" by several light bulbs. The head and lettering were placed on a threesheet board over a background of black and yellow crepe paper. Idea for the display occurred to P. Coyle who was manager of the house before being transferred. Shemberg carried it to completion, with Fred Nihda, a theatre staff member doing the actual construction work. The cost: just five dollars. Beauty Contest Is Steinhurst Stunt It's a little late to report this summertime stunt, but you'll forget the chilly weather reading about it, and, what's more, you still may be able to use it in your locality or adapt it later to a picture similar in theme to "The Girl from Jones Beach." It was a Bathing Beauty Contest. Doesn't that make you feel warmer? And it was staged in Savannah, Ga., by Manager Spencer Steinhurst of the Weis Theatre. Of course you know by now the picture with which it was tied-in. Wcis made the contest the hub of his campaign. He promoted prizes from several merchants. Then he announced the contest through a special trailer and added lines in his newspaper ads. But that's only part of it. He persuaded radio station WDAR's disc jockey, Julian Silver, to be emcee for the contest, and this resulted in much radio coverage in advance. He distributed 400 window cards and contest entry blanks throughout a 50-mile radius. This distribution was made by a soft-drink bottling company which had displays in its dealers' windows and also banners on its trucks. "Greetings from 'The Girl from Jones Beach' " penny postcards were mailed to 500 people. Contest details appeared in the newspaper, and the ad budget was increased. Special threecolumn art and story broke in the Evening Press on the day of the contest, and the announcement of winners appeared next day. Steinhurst doesn't say, but we bet he had a houseful on the night of the contest. Paramount Co-op Plan Based on Rent and Run (Continued from Page 20) new plan, the house budget is thrown out of the window and the exhibitor and the exploiteer sit down and work out together the costs of a campaign they think is needed to sell the picture. Then Paramount contributes to the costs an amount equal to the percentage it receives as rental. On a 40 per cent picture, Paramount would contribute 40 per cent of the campaign's cost from the first dollar spent. The house would contribute 60 per cent. Mesibov reportedly worked out the plan with Paramount's distribution staff after consulting with exhibitors. Heavy Campaign for 'Kiss' in Norfolk Milton Kaufman, managing director of Loew's State, Norfolk, Va., went to town with a heavy all-around campaign on "That Midnight Kiss," recently. Five thousand heralds and 250 window cards were printed up specially and distributed prior to opening. All Norfolk buses carried a 11x28 three-color display card. There were three co-op ads, a stepped-up .newspaper campaign, four window displays, a radio contest, extra and regular' trailers, and special lobby front. Manager Kaufman reported a better than average week for his extra efforts. Ode// on Leave; Freedgood to Paramount C. N. Odell, a member of Paramount's publicity staff since 1931, has been granted an indefinite leave of absence because of ill health, the company announced last week. At the same time it was revealed that Mort Freedgood, formerly associated with United .\rtists, 20th-Fox and the J. .A.rthur Rank Organization, has joined the home office publicity staff as head of the newly-created writing department. COHEN'S TIEIN. Taking advantage of the current public interest in the "Kigmy," Lil Abner cartoon strip character. Manager Lou Cohen of Loew's Poli, Hartford, Conn., placed one in front of the theatre as a tiein with the showing of MGM's "The Doctor and the Girl." Idea is that those missing the picture kick the "Kigmy." Premiere Series On ^Battleground^ (Continued from Page 20) Reading and other nearby towns at the Variety Club headquarters in the Willard Hotel. This was followed by a buffet supper. Invitational premiere of the picture was held Thursday evening at the Astor Theatre in New York — the same theatre which 25 years ago converted from legitimate shows to picture presentations with a similar premiere of "The Big Parade." Notables on Hand Notables from the Army, entertainment world and newspaper and publishing fields were on hand for the event. Preceding the debut, two infantry bands played in front of the theatre surrounded by 75 Wacs from Ft. Jay, Governor's Island, and a color guard. The ceremonies were televised by NBC which also made a tape recording, while WMGM covered the live radio broadcast. MGM's News of the Day also covered the opening. George Murphy was master of ceremonies for the activities on the Astor stage. He introduced Hodiak and Mile. Darcel, as well as Robert Pirosh, who wrote the story of "Battleground" and acted as associate producer with Schary. On Armistice Day "Battleground" was scheduled to begin its engagement at the Astor, with four cities in the Belgian area menaced by the Germans in their Bastogne drive also slated to open with it. The cities are Liege, Antwerp and Brussels, Belgium ; and Luxembourg, Luxembourg. Methodist Clergy Supports 'Boundaries' Wholehearted support was given "Lost Boundaries" by the Methodist clergymen in Salisbury, Md., after Manager Manny Winston of the Wicomico Theatre there had contacted the Rev. J. B. Dickinson, who is head of the Methodist church for the whole Maryland "lower shore" with 60 churches under his jurisdiction. He had read the book and was enthusiastic about it, knew a picture had been made from it, and gave Winston the names and addresses of the 60 ministers in his district, promised his personal endorsement of the picture and gave permission for the use of his name in writing to the 60 clergymen. The fact that the endorsement of the film .ippearing in the press book by a Methodist clergyman, Everett W., Palmer, was a personal friend and classmate of the Rev. Mr. Dickinson was a clinching argument in winning the latter's endorsement of the film, this despite the fact that the Negro problem is a very delicate subject in Maryland's "lower shore." Ravenna Rounds Up Roy Rogers Rooters Chuck Henley and Paul Henry have started a Roy Rogers club for the Ravenna in Ravenna, Ohio. Before every movie with the cowboy star there will be a stage meeting with entertainment. Kids who join have already promoted 1,000 photos of their favorite from local merchants, gone 50/50 with the theatre on a 40 x 60 and are looking forward to electing officers and receiving a quarterly journal. The local newspaper was interested enough to publish, at its own expense, a three-column picture of the club.