Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

16 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, December 31, 1949 S e 1 1 i n ff the Picture News and Ideas Concerning Profitable Advertising, Publicity and Exploitation Dinner Spurs Drive For ^Treason^ Film Eagle Lion set oft' the publicity and exploitation campaign on "Guilty of Treason" Tuesday night when the Overseas Press Club of America staged a dinner and screening at the WaldorfAstoria Hotel in New York for a thousand civic, diplomatic and religious leaders. The affair, which came on the first anniversary of the arrest of Cardinal Mindszenty (the Jack Wrather-Robert Golden production is based on his trial) guaranteed "Guilty of Treason" an open door to every key newspaper in the country because of the timeliness and news value of the film. All local newspaper and wire service editors — many of them members of the Club — attended the dinner, with the proceedings covered by the working press, trade papers and syndicates, and broadcast nationally over radio and video networks. The dinner was also broadcast by the Voice of America throughout the world in twenty-seven languages. The invited guests were headed by His Eminence, Francis, Cardinal Soellman, Archbishop of New York. Others included Secretary of State Dean Acheson ; Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt; Dr. Bela Fabian, author of the "white book" on Cardinal Midszenty; Senator Herbert H. Lehman; New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey; General Carlos Romulo. president of tthe General Assembly, United Nations; former Postmaster General James A. Farley; Clare Booth Luce; Seldin Chapin, United States minister to Hungary at the time of the Hungarian Prince Primate's arrest ; Benjamin Cohen, assistant secretary-general, LTnited Nations ; David SarnofT, RCA chairman of the board; David Dubinsky, president, International Ladies' Garment Workers Union; and others. Leading newspaper and wire service executives were in attendance, as were also executives of Eagle Lion and other film companies, asi well as heads of circuits. 'Samson Bows at Victoria in Toronto Cecil B. DeMille's "Samson and Delilah" made its Canadian bow Wednesday evening at the Victoria Theatre, Toronto, backed by advertising and publicity similar to that which launched the Technicolor film on its 2-theatre world premiere in New York. Paramount Exploitation Manager Sid (Mr. Rabbit) Mesibov was in Toronto' to assist T. J. Fitzgibbon, president of Famous Players Canadian Corp., in the supervision of the campaign and premiere. He was scheduled to return to New York on Dec. 30. Barrel-Clad Boy A male, old or young, appareled in a barrel, always strikes the risibles of Americans. Manager Milt Baline of the Glove, Gloversville, N. Y., took advantage of that fact to ballyhoo "The Great Gatsby" with a boy in a barrel, hairy legs showing, parading the town's main business streets. 'Francis' Standin To Help Promotion As part of its all out exploitation campaign on "Francis," Universal-International has devised a unique mechanical counterpart of Francis, the famous talking mule. Arrangements are being made to have it appear at various key city openings of the picture. The standin is designed to be put in lobbies, and while its mouth, ears and eyes move, a tape recorded speech invites the public to step right up and put their cash down at the box-office. 'Foolish Heart' Opens In N'Orleans, on Coast Samuel Goldwyn's "My Foolish Heart" had its world premiere Dec. 24 at the Joy Theatre, New Orleans, followed by a California twin opening at the United Artists and Four Star theatres, Los Angeles, on Christmas Day. The Hollywood premiere was part of a citywide toy collection at which thousands of toys were collected for underprivileged children of Los Angeles. The New Orleans engagement had a number of special features — a tieup with Jill Jackson, famous commentator on WWL (CBS) ; window displays with D. H. Holmes and a "Favorite Dress" series of pieces in the New Orleans States. A special screening for the girls of Newcomb College, women's college attached to Tulane University, resulted in a feature story in the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Weekend business in New Orleans was almost double that of last year's Christmas attraction, according to Owner L. C. Montgomery, while equally impressive records were set up for the Los Angeles playdates. Color-Glo Stills Color-glo stills of "Ichabod and Mr. Toad" were placed on all rural school bulletin boards in Norwich, N. Y., by Colonia Manager Bill Straub. Depart n-.ent ou'Open MAKE HIM SMILE. That's what pedestrians in Reading, Pa., were invited to do when they saw this mechanical man in the window of a leading department store. Whoever succeeded won two tickets to see MGM's "Adam's Rib" at Loew's Colonial. Manager Larry Levy handled the campaign on the picture. EXPLOITORIALS Guess this has been done before, but it's so infrequent these days that it might be revived — with good results — for that comedy you've got coming up. Of course, you won't be the first one to revive it, for the Minnesota Amusement Co. has beat you to the gun. As a stunt for Columbia's "Tell It to the Judge" at the Radio City Theater in Minneapolis, they conducted a laughing contest. They got the 25 competitors through want ads placed in the daily papers. The contestants saw the picture, and part of the laughing contest was broadcast by John Ford on his program over WTCN. Now how do you judge a laughing contest? The method used in Minneapolis was not revealed, but it seems to us that a board of sober-faced judges could score the laughers on points. Anyway, the best laughers were awarded prizes of cash and merchandise, ranging up to $2.5 for first place. If the residents of College Point, L. I., are not aware of Mario Lanza by this time, it isn't the fault of I.M.P.S. Member Leo Raelson, manager of the College Theatre. Under Raelson's supervision, William Guest, a new member of the staff, placed a 40x60 in the lobby, with mounted heads of members of the east of MGM's "That Midnight Kiss." The Lanza head gor the most emphasis. Behind this display was an automatic record player which played all the numbers sung by Lanza in the picture. Alongside the display was this copy: "This Is the NEW VOICE That Will Thrill You in 'That Midnight Kiss' — Mario Lanza, the Singing Find of the Year." The records and player were promoted from a local radio station. The sign cost $2 — a mighty small expenditure for such an effective bit of exploitation. For the world premiere of Cecil B. DeMille's "Samson and Delilah" at the Paramount and Rivoli theatres, the Paramount publicity department sent out an alarm via special ads in New York newspapers for beautiful dark-haired women resembling Hedy Lamarr. These women, wearing the original costumes worn by the star, acted as hostesses when the film made its global bow at the two New York showplaces. This is a stunt for you when you play this picture, or you might seek a double for a star of some other important offering. As for the original costumes, fine if you can get 'em; but if you can't, either have a local stylist reproduce them, or just base the stunt on looks alone. ^; * i;: Over in Bogota, N. J., Manager Howard F. Purdue of the Queen Anne Theatre sent out letters to residents of the neighborhood and enclosed "Let's Get Acquainted" Courtesy Cards which entitled two people to attend the theatre for the price of one. In the letter, Purdue expressed his desire to acquaint the recipient with the Queen Anne, and then continued: "The Queen Anne is presenting the best in motion pictures at popular prices. L know you will appreciate our fine projection and sound, comfortable seats, and courteous service. I am sure a visit to the Queen Anne will give you a night of pleasure and relaxation." Well, go ahead and try it, but be sure your theatre is all that Purdue claimed his to be.