Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, December 10, 1949 17 Selling the Picture News and Ideas Concerning Profitable Advertising, Publicity and Exploitation I.M.P.S. Member Report Prytz Gets NCCJ 'Boundaries' Plug Having but a short time to exploit a sudden booking of "Los Boundaries," I.M.P.S. Member Roy O. Prytz, manager of the Granada Theatre, Duluth, Minn., went to the Northland Regional Office of the National Conference of Christians and Jews in Duluth and was accorded full use of its mailing list to postcard its entire membership on the theme, title, theatre and playdate, with a message from Gerald W. Heaney, chairman of the Duluth Inter-racial Committee urging every member in Duluth to see the picture and calling attention to the fact that the theme was founded on a real-life story in the Readers Digest and that Life magazine had recently selected it as the "movie of the week." "This is one show," writes Brother Prytz, "that people really go out and advertise. . . . The reason I am reporting this is that if this picture is booked ... I urge every showman to contact the office (of NCCJ) if they have one . . . at least two weeks in advance to g.et full benefit" — that is, of its mailing list and active cooperation. Brother Prytz obtained wide publicity for the film's showing through the broadcast of a letter {Continued on Page 22) Nutting Top Winner In U-l Campaign Contest Floyd G. Nutting of the State Theatre, Eau Claire, won a $100 savings bond first prize in the contest conducted by Universal-International among the managers of Minnesota Amusement Co. theatres for the best showmanship campaigns on "Ma and Pa Kettle." A $50 bond second prize was taken by Harry A. Salisbury of the Chateau Theatre, Rochester, Minn. Third prize — a $25 bond — went to Albert D. Fritz, Plaza, Watertown, and another $25 bond went to fourth place winner Howard W. Kadrie, Riviera, St. Paul. For fhe Milking Run? National advertising campaigns conducted by motion picture companies should be spread over greater length of time and extended to include a wider use of farm publications to benefit rural area theatres. Allied of Iowa-Nebraska is advocating. The suggestion to "deconcentrate" the magazine advertising time and to carry over into the rural circulation magazines is based on the theory that this would keep the picture alive ■ longer and carry its sales talK right up to the picture's actual booking in subsequent and rural runs. 6 'Samson^ Field Men Arrive at Destinations First of a group that will penetrate 300 key cities in Paramount's campaign to reach' every corner of the U. S. .\., six special field representatives have arrived at their destinations to fire the opening shotr, of the campaign. The men and their assignments are : Bob Kaufman, Atlanta, Miami, Miami Beach and Jacksonville ; Al Fowler, Boston ; Doug Taussig, Detroit; Walter Hofi'man, Minneapolis and Des Moines ; Harold Salemson, Dallas, Tucson and Phoenix ; and Lou Gerard, Cleveland ani Cincinnati. Also assigned and due to arrive in the field areas shortly are Milton Hale, Philadelphia ; Sidney Kain, Indianapolis ; Bud Freeman, Oklahoma City and Tulsa; Cass .\dams, Rochester and Buftalo; and Bill Michaelsoii, Baltimore. folding, Siiliphant On Campaign Chore Dave Gelding, 20th Century-Fox publicity manager, and Stirling Silliphant, in charge of special promotion, are in Washington this week to set up plans with the Air Force for the campaign on Darryl F. Zanuck's production, "Twelve O'Clock High," starring Gregory Peck. EXPLOITORIALS Here's a good gag on MGM's "Adam's Rib" worked out by Lou Cohen, manager of Loew's Poll, Hartford, Conn. With his assistant, Norm Levinson, and his student assistant, Lee Feigin, Cohen persuaded a retail market to display this sign in its window: "We Haven't Got 'Adam's Rib' . . . But We Have Delicious Spare Ribs. See, etc." And here's another. A boy and girl carried a pair of trousers through the downtown streets, along with this banner: "Who Wears the Pants in Your Family? See, etc." Better put these down as "musts" for your campaign on "Adam's Rib." * * * Down in Osceola, Ark., everybody knows Emma Cox, manager of the Gem and Joy theatres — that is, everybody who receives her periodical "The Low Down," and that must include every Osceola resident. Emma's kind of showmanship is just as important in winning patrons as are flash stunts and special ballyhoo. "The Low Down" is a letter to the public (printed as a handbill) in which Emma tells all about the coming attractions, interspersing this with odds and ends about local townspeople and other human interest copy. Sample: "If mary and sam bowen, luxora, see this and come to the box-office, they'll be our guests for this week." Idea is that since Mary's and Sam's names are in small letters, they may well not see them unless they read closely. In another paragraph Emma comments on a blessed event, which was a return engagement for the stork, and admonishes the father: "Don't double-dare Nature. She, like most women, won't take any back-talk from a man." Folks enjoy reading Emma's letters, and they get the lowdown on Gem and Joy shows. You can have fun getting out such a letter, and you can build friends and patrons for your theatre. Why don't you try it! Would you like a fresh approach on an attraction coming up? Newsviews, Fox West Coast house organ, suggests that a tieup be made with the art departments of the high schools and junior colleges with an oflfer of prizes (merchant-sponsored, of course) for the best posters created on the program concerned. After judging, which should be well ahead of playdate, posters could be displayed in merchants' windows. ■I * ^ As an institutional goodwill stunt, some theatres are installing the new "long-playing" or "doughnut record" machines in their lobbies or lounges where Jiatrons can play records while waiting between shows. Perhaps you, too, could tie-in with a local music dealer for the installation of one of these players. And it might be a good idea, whenever the occasion permits it, to have records of the sDngs from a forthcoming musical on hand for patrons to play. Naturally you'd have a sign near the player calling attention to the picture. 'Blue Grass' World Debut In Louisville, Jan. 4 Monogram has arranged to give "Blue Grass of Kentucky" its world premiere in Louisville, site of the Kentucky Derby, on Jan. 4. MEET ON 'IWO JIMA' PREMIERE PLANS. From left to right, Ed Zabel, head film buyer for National Theatres; Herbert J. Yates, president of Republic Studios; Ernie Sturm, Fox West Coast division manager; General W. T. Clement, Commanding Officer, Marine Corps base, San Diego, and Associate Producer Edmund Grainger, meet to discuss plans for the premiere of Republic's John Wayne starrer, "Sands of Iwo Jima," in San Diego at the Fox Theatre on Dec. 15, following by one day the world premiere in San Francisco.