Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

'Allegro' Promotion Presto, Four-City Report Indicates '■Johnny Allegro" is stimulating a quick showmanship tempo, reports from Cincinnnati, Alinneapolis, Syracuse and Columbus indicate. The picture is a George Raft vehicle concerning a counterfeiting ring. Most unusual gimmick is credited to Nate Wise, publicity manager for the RKO Palace in Cincinnati, who "plugged" the picture by arranging the running of a "Johnny Allegro" Handicap at the local River Downs race track. Stories and pictures with theatre credit hit the sports pages of three dailies. Playdate was also given over the track p. a. system and on station WKRC-TV's report of the race. Definitely on target, too, was Bob Whelan of the RKO Orpheum in Minneapolis. He tipped the Minneapolis Archery Association on the bow and arrow stuff in the film ; the organization did likewise for its members, via several thousand letters, and urged them to visit the theatre for an exhibition of fine archery. Carnations for Critics The critics got carnations in Columbus, from Manager Harry Simons of the RICO Grand. Regardless of what that did for Raft, it's good long-range policy. It rray smooth a ruffled quill next time someone suggests the movies would be better off without those birds. I.M.P.S. Member Saul Sorkin got in step with the adage that says a moving ad is a good ad. There was plenty of action in the five daily dancing exhibitions held for a week before playdate in a large shop window. Sorkin tied up for this one with the Ann Lewis Shop and the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Syracuse, where he manages RKO Keith's. These are just a few high spots. There were window displays in Cincinnati, Minneapolis and Syracuse (with archery and ever-popular money as tie-ins) ; radio and TV help in Cincinnati, Minneapolis and Columbus ; flowers to the GOOD KAYE BALLYHOO. Unearthing an old double bass in a backstage store room, Manager David Williams of the Blue Hall Cinema, Islington, London, converted it into a street ballyhoo for RKO's "A Song Is Born." The theatre's probationer projectionist is partially inside of it. That's House Manager C. W. Field at the left. Mightn't American exhibitors adaot this stunt to the just released Danny Kaye comedy, Warners' "The Inspector General?" femmes in Cincinnati and Columbus; a TidicsSfar newspaper contest in Cincinnati (they cvcrc busy there) ; hotel lobby paging of Johnny .A^llegro in Columbus ; library display in Minneapolis; and tie-ups with jewels, perfume and ice cream in Syracuse. If reports from these four well scattered cities mean anything, it is that "Johnny .Mlegro" is worth working on. Boy, Girl Kiss as Live Trailer— Fun! A "live" trailer on the stage of the Colonial in Reading, Pa., which went immediately into the regular screen trailer, was a feature of the exploitation for "That Midnight Kiss" that evoked hearty applause from the audiences at every show during the week in advance of playdate. A spotlight was focussed on the right wing of a darkened stage where a beautiful young girl sat on a bench, with the spotlight then swinging to the left as a boy emerged on the stage. He joined the girl on the bench as a clock with hand set one minute to 12 was thrown on the screen. As the hands ticked around to 12 o'clock, the couple embraced and kissed whereupon the regular trailer was thrown upon the screen. (Wouldn't you love a job like that, boys?) This live trailer was a highlight of the campaign put on by Assistant Manager Alton F. AlcHan, MGM Exploiteer Ed (iallner and Colonial Manager Larry R. Levy, which started two weeks in advance with a "sneak" preview. Lipstick Marks For a spectacular ballyhoo the trio rented a truck large enough to take the film's 24-sheet poster on each side. This toured the streets for three days and was then stationed at a busy highway intersection for the rest of the week. Another ballyhoo tliat was also an excellent attention-getter, though smaller and "quieter," was an attractive girl wearing a specially-made dress covered with lipstick marks who toured the main streets presenting small envelopes containing candy kisses to passersby. Copy on the 2,000 envelopes she handed out read : "Here's a kiss — if it's a Midnight Kiss (chocolate flavor) you will receive a card redeemable to see . . ." etc. Twenty-five of the envelopes contained the guest ticket cards. \ radio contest that proved an excellent lilm|)lugger asked entrants to submit lists of song titles in which the word "kiss" occurs. Another station gave a 30-minutc Mario Lanza concert, playing his recordings. Amateurs 'Shoot' Models In 'Holiday Inn' Contest Vince lorio, manager of the Trans-Lux theatre in Washington, D. C, with the aid of Paramount special representative Johnny Tassos, enlisted the aid of a bevy of Phylliss Bell models for the opening of the re-issue, "Holiday Inn." The boys had the girls pose for amateur photographers who came to "shoot" the lovelies in a competitive contest featuring over $400 worth of photo equipment and merchandise prizes. Contest called for pictures depicting most originality and of a holidayish theme. The contest ran for four days. Entries were judged by the photo editors of the four leading Washington dailies. SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, December 31, 1949 TUTTLE WAS READY for the kiddies who converged on the St. Albans Theatre, St. Albans, L. I., for the annual Gala Thanksgiving Party held recently. Above are the toys and games which Manager Leonard Tuttle promoted for the occasion. Plenty of kids were on hand, you can be sure. Word-of-Mouth Is ^Heiress^ Buildup L'nusual word-i:i'-mouth endorsement for "The Heiress" heralded the opening of that picture at Reade's Mayfair Theatre in Asbury Park, X, J., as the result of a special screening set up for prominent Asbury clubwomen at the Paramount home office in New York. The women, members of the Literary Section of the .Asbury Park Woman's Club, came to New York by special bus for the screening, which was arranged by Paramount for the Reade organization. The women, who represented many of Asbury's leading families — and including many who had not been to the movies in months and even years — filled out rave "reaction cards" which were used by the theatre for lobby displays and radio endorsement. City Manager Guy Hevia also used a saturation campaign on Asbury Radio Station WCAP, including station breaks, interviews, and background material. Special 40 x 60s of New York critic's quotes were placed in the lobbies of all four Reade theatres in Asbury; teaser heralds were made up from the teaser cards in the press book, and an out-of-town newspaper ad campaign— unusual for the ofT-season in the resort area — was also conducted. .At the Community in Morristown, City Manager Ralph Lanterman also utilized special critics' quotes 40 x 60s, the teaser heralds, and an extensive newspaper and radio campaign. Free 'Forsyte' Tickets In Two Press Contests Two newspaper contests for prizes of free tickets to see the feature were lined up for "That Forsyte Woman" by Manager Fred R. Greenway and his assistant, Bob Center, of Loew's Poli Palace, Hartford, Conn. First newspaper tieup was for the longest list of titles of books by John Galsworthy upon whose "Forsyte" novels the film is based. Second tieup with the same new.spaper was an identification contest. The paper published a picture of a Hartford model with an announcement stating that shoppers in a named downtown store who walked up to the girl during a specified hour and said "You're the 'Forsyte Woman' " would be awarded free tickets. Window displays were made by four stores. — HFD.