Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, November 26, 1949 17 I.M.P.S. Member Report Barrel of Keys for ^Secret Garden^ A clever key stunt was put across to far above normal publicity results by I.M.P.S. Member Sidney H. Kleper, manager of Loew's College Theatre, New Haven, Conn., for "The Secret Garden." Having access to a "Secret Garden" hut and a barrel of keys, Kleper combined them into one promotion stunt. The hut was set up in Eli Moore's store on a main business street. Then through newspaper ads, lobby, radio and window exploitation an award of $50 in merchandise was announced to the first person who unlocked with one of the keys in the barrel the door of the Secret Garden hut, with a second prize of $25 in merchandise. Spectators crowded in front of the store window as various persons selected a key and tried to unlock the door. All expense connected with this stunt was borne by the store. Brother Kleper utilized many other avenues of publicity. Classroom announcements were made in the city's 43 public and six parochial schools, plus 5,000 heralds distributed through the school system. Displays were made in public and lending libraries, including the distribution of 2,000 bookmarks in the public libraries. A coloring contest was run in the Corriere Del Connecticut ; 5,000 shopping, shoe and hosiery bags with credit imprint were given out ; die-cut arrows — "This way to the Secret Garden" — were posted ; die-cut keys were hung on auto handles ; streamers on Secret Garden soda were posted at various fountains ; 100 hats for newsboys were imprinted ; flowers were promoted for the first 100 women attending. There were Margaret O'Brien merchandising tieups ; radio and newspaper publicity ; three window and counter displays on children's clothing. A thorough and result-getting campaign in which Manager Kleper had the help of Assistant Ray Flynn and staff members Jack Brassil and George Perlroth. An STR salute to the quartet. Coo/ 'Key Largo* Angle Beats British Heat Wave The Florida keys are usually swept by sea breezes even on hot days, and Manager A. A. Owen of the Prince of Wales Cinema, Lewisham, England, seized upon the "coolness and the "key" in the title, "Key Largo," as a means of beating the heat wave that plagued British theatres and moviegoers throughout the summer. He tied up with a store specializing in cool clothing. Special art cards were provided for a window display, bearing such legends as "The key to coolness is in these clothes. The key to excitement that will freeze you in your seat is 'Key Largo' at . . ." (etc.) Star photos, stills and posters of "Key Largo" were used plentifully in the window display. Stevens, Jessel Tour Neighborhood Theatres Mark Stevens, star of "Oh, You Beautiful Doll" and "Dancing in the Dark," the latter due Dec. 2 at the Roxy, and Producer George Jessel, who produced both Technicolor musicals, made a 35-theatre personal appearance tour of New York metropolitan neighborhood mavie houses on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week. The producer and star visited the Skouras, RKO, Randforce, Century and Joelson circuits, i ncluding the newly-built Century Meadows Theatre in Fresh Meadows, L. I. Two appearances were made at the Roxy. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THIS, TOO. With the cooperation of the Chadwick Studio, a local dancing school, Georgia Theatres City Manager P. E. McCoy, in Augusta, Ga., borrowed six student ballet dancers to serve as hostesses at the Imperial during the engagement of Eagle Lion's "The Red Shoes." Naturally this created interest in the picture among their parents and classmates, and the good word spread from there. If you're playing this picture soon, why don't you make the same kind of arrangement with the dancing school in your town? ^Class^ Picture in Smaller City: Augusta Gets] Sold on ^Red Shoes^ If the question arises whether pictures that might be termed "class" fare — those that play in the so-called art houses of the larger cities^ — have any place in smaller cities, harken to the experience of "The Red Shoes" in Augusta, Ga. When the Imperial in that community of t)0,000 scheduled the British ballet film, City Index for October, 1949 Equipment and Maintenance. . .Oct. IS, pp. E-1 to E-24 Exploitation Campaign — by Pictures Abandoned Oct. 8, p. 12; Oct. 15, p. 14 Battleground Oct. 1, p. 16; Oct. 22, p. 14; Oct. 29, p. 10 Big Steal Oct. 15, p. 14 Christopher Columbus . . Oct 1, p. 16 ; Oct. 15, p. 12 ; Oct. 22, p. 13 ; Oct. 29, p. Devil in the Flesh Oct. 22, p. Fallen Idol Oct. 29, p. Fighting Man of the Plains Oct. 15, p. 1 Oct. 29, p. Great Dan Patch, The Oct. 8, p. Hamlet . .Oct. 8, p. 11 ; Oct. 29, p. Heiress, The Oct. 22, p. 14 ;Oct. 29, p. Ichabod and Mr. Toad Oct. 1, p. Intruder in the Dust Oct. 1, p. 11; Oct. 15, p. Johnny Stool. Pigeon Oct. 1, p. l^ost Boundaries ' . i Oct. 1, p. Pocono Oct. 8, p. 14 ; Oct. 22, p. Prairie, The Oct. 29, p. Prince of Foxes Oct 1, p. 17 ; Oct. 8, p. Quartet Oct 15, p. Red Shoes, The Oct 22, p. Roseanna McCoy Oct. 22, p. Samson and DeHlah Oct. 22, p. 14; Oct 29, p. Seabiscuit Oct 22, p. 12; Oct 29, p. Story of Savage Splendor, The Oct. 22, p. Task Force Oct 1, p. 20 ; Oct. 29, p. Trapped Oct 15, p. Exploitation Campaigns — by Stunts And It Was Illuminated Oct. 8, p. Beauty and the Beast Oct. 8, p. 'Dodgers' Magic Word Oct 8, p. Film Stars Ballyhoo Oct 22, p. Forham Doing Fine Job Oct. 29, p. Lobby Radio Broadcast Oct. 29, p. Lust for Gold Oct 29, p. Merchants, 4-H Help Karp Oct 8, p. Milk-Drinking Contest Oct. 15, p. New Era of Showmanship Oct 1, p. No Dummy Oct 8, p. No Title Tip-Off Oct 29, p. Real African Atmosphere Oct. 8, p. Red Jeep Ballyhoo Oct. 15, p. Teachers Invited Oct. 8, p. Top O' the Morning Greeting Oct. 8, p. Two Tom Arrants Stunts Oct. 22. p. Index for September, 1949 Oct. 29, p. Money Dates for November Oct. 15, p. Grist for the Showmanship Mill Oct 8, p. Showmanship Parade Oct 15, p. 15; Oct. 29, p. ShowSense — by Jack Jackson Facts on Industry Lawsuits — -Part 2...0ct. 1, p. How Showmen Exploit on Low Budgets Oct 29, p. Problems of Vaudeville Presentation ... Oct. 22, p. Supervision, Not 'Stuporvision' Oct 15, p. Theatre Management — Special Articles Child Film Series Oct 29, p. Criterion on Broadway Oct. 29, p. Fire Prevention Week Oct. 8, p. 20 Kids Observe Rules Oct. 15, p. 18 Manager P. E. McCoy of the Georgia Theatre Co. gave it the strong campaign that "different" films may require and that this one merited. He didn't miss the special screening angle that works so well with high quality films. Representatives of radio stations, newspapers, civic clubs, dancing and music studios and shops — in short, those who could put the public on the scent of what they want, a good film — saw "The Red Shoes" two weeks in advance of playdate. The results : numerous favorable radio comments, newspaper features using, art, a highly favorable editorial in one paper and repeated impressive reviews in the Chronicle and the Herald. McCoy also used a nice variation of this oldie. Having tended to the opinion makers he had another advance showing for ordinary guys — in this case the ever popular and often copyworthy newsboys and their mothers. Tie-ins may come more easily after these screenings. Impressive tie-ins there were, at any rate, often with ticket tidbits to bait the reluctant customer. Radio station WRDW interviewed several times daily during the engagement a "Miss Augusta Red Shoes," who announced where she would be to grant passes to those who could answer certain questions about WRDW shows. A shoe store offered a $54 pair of ballet slippers for the best "Why I liked the picture" letter. A dance studio mailed out announcements and sent students in ballet attire to act as opening night hostesses. A department store gave two tickets with each $12 "Red Shoes" compact and a drug store featured a "Red Shoes" sundae and window and store displays. More tickets wet-e awarded by a mystery man who dropped by occasionally to favor the stindae eaters. Letters offering a limited number of discount admissions were sent out to industrial and civic groups and 5,000 postcards were mailed to leading citizens of surrounding communities. The theatre itself was not to be neglected, of course, and a large front with an eye-arresting red background was erected. What was the experience of this "class" film in a smaller city — at advanced prices, note you? Due to his strong campaign, business was very good, says McCoy, and many letters were received commending the management for bringing such an attraction to town. Looking ahead, moreover, he feels certain that the efforts in selling the picture at advanced prices will pay dividends when it is released at popular prices.