Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1949)

SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, July 23, 1949 19 Mysteiy Showman Stages Fine ^Stratton' Campaign Perhaps the most modest theatreman we've heard of yet is the manager of the State Theatre, Santa Barbara, Calif. He put over a corking campaign on "The Stratton Story," and he has forwarded to New York an elaborate scrapbook containing his campaign material. But alas and alack ! he has not identified himself. Henceforth he will be known as Manager X, the Southern California Mystery Showman. Well, it seems that Manager X inaugurated a new first-run policy at the State, and he chose the MGM Silver Anniversary picture as the first attraction. So, starting about ten days in advance, he began planting publicity readers and art in the Santa Barbara News-Press. This activity kept up right through to the opening. Meanwhile, current ads were underlined with "coming" copy, and advance ads began appearing. The value of this newspaper advertising and publicity alone was tremendous. But Manager X went still further. He sent postcard announcements to 1,200 top names on the theatre's mailing list, plus 300 taken from the telephone directory. The coach of the local high school permitted the use of the institution's public address system to announce "The Stratton Story," while Arthur Murray's local dance school informed all students that Monty Stratton learned to dance at its academy. In the line of store promotion, X placed two baseball blowups in a sporting goods store in a baseball display, and placed the other two in the sports departments of Sears-Roebuck and Montgomery Ward. Twenty-four special window cards were placed in drive-ins (not theatres), hotels, store windows, recreation center, ball park and radio stores. There was also considerable radio publicity, including spot announcements, and mention on a quiz program and a disc jockey program. Taxis of the Checker Cab Co. carried threefoot advance and current banners advertising the film, and five boys in baseball uniforms furnished by a local sporting goods store rode on the trunks of cabs in a five-cab parade down State Street. Well, there you have it. No mystery about this fine campaign. Business was so good that the picture was held over a second week. The only mystery: Who is Manager X? Feld, Lanlerman Win Showmanship Awards Bierney Feld of the Oxford Theatre in Plainfield, N. J., was named manager of the month by Walter Reade Theatres at a meeting of the circuit city managers in New York last week. Feld's designation was based on exploitation, maintenance of gross, physical management of theatre and personnel and public relations. Finishing second to Feld was Ralph Lanterman, city manager in Morristown, N. J., for his work at the Community Theatre there. Filmack Trailers Publicize Industry Short Subjects Filmack Trailers 'Co., has produced a special trailer to publicize the new series of short subjects, "The Movies and You," which are being produced by and about the motion picture industry. Filmack will also prepare a special trailer to advertise each of the twelve shorts in keeping with the specific subject. Kissing Game The boys went for this one — a neat stunt pulled by Manager Harold Johnson of a theatre in Centerville, la. With "The Kissing Bandit" as his film attraction, Johnson had a girl walk around town — a mystery girl, and citizens who opproached her for a kiss got a free pass to see the picture. All the public had to do was approach the right girl. 'Irma' Theatre Tradeshow To Get Patron Reaction Paramount General Sales General Manager A. W. Schwalberg this week announced that tradeshows of "My Friend Irma" would be held in theatres instead of projection rooms, at hours in which paid-admission audiences would also attend. The move, Schwalberg claimed, will give exhibitors an audience reaction to guide them. Schine Cites Dickeison in 'Babe Ruth' Contest Carl Dickerson has won the Schine circuit's "Babe Ruth Story" Showmanship Contest for his work at the Strand Theatre in Ogdensburg, N. Y. The contest, conducted over the entire chain, was sponsored by Monogram Pictures Corp. and judged by Monogram General Sales Manager M. R. Goldstein and circuit representatives. Dickerson, who has since been promoted to group manager of the Mohawk Valley towns, with headquarters at the Capitol in Ilion, N. Y., was awarded a $100 U. S. bond. Seventy-five dollar bonds went to Lou Marcks of the Strand in Delaware, Ohio, and George Pugh for his campaign at the Ben Ali in Lexington, Ky. Ted Conklin of the Bucyrus Theatre in Bucyrus, Ohio, and Nick Kauffman of the Rialto in Little Falls, N. Y., won $25 bonds. VIRGINIA AND SHOWMANSHIP SPUR PREMIERE Probably two of the most exciting days of her life were experienced last week by Warner Bros. Star Virginia Mayo when she came east from Hollywood to take part in the festivities marking the twin world premiere of "The Girl From Jones Beach" at Century's Fantasy and Grove theatres in Rockville Centre and Freeport, L. I., respectively, under the auspices of the South Shore Business Council. And from the showmanship standpoint, there have been few premiere occasions to equal it, as the photographs above demonstrate. Let's follow Virginia on her schedule of events. At the Marine Dining Room at Jones Beach (upper left), she is honored at a special luncheon, then takes part in a water carnival (upper right). Then off to the International Airport, Idlewild, Queens, where she christens an Island Ferries DC-3 (center, left), later playing hostess at a special party given for youngsters at the St. Giles Hospital for Cripoled Children in Garden City (center). Next (center, right), Virginia presents the "Girl From Jones Beach" trophy to the winner of an outboard soap-box derby, sponsored by the Freeport Police 'Boys Club. And then comes the big night when Virginia appears at the Grove (lower left-hand corner) and at the Fantasy (lower right-hand comer) to take part in the twin premiere ceremonies. Shown with her on the stage (just above lower-right hand photo) are her "Girls in Waiting," wrinners of beautypopularity contests in 10 Long Island communities visited by the star.