Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1949)

22 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, July 23, 1949 PORTRAIT OF A CLEVER PROMOTION IN LONG BRANCH. Manager John Balmer of Walter Reade's Paramount in that New Jersey town arranged this one, which had students from a local art school doing quick sketches of patrons for a week prior to the opening of "Portrait of Jennie." Other work by the students and a 30x40 on "Jennie" added a background to the activity. Can you imagine this failing to attract interest? And it does tie in nicely with the film. Varied Attendance List For 'Stable' Premiere Social and civic leaders as well as prominent representatives of industry, politics, finance, religion, the entertainment and literary fields, led by Claire Booth Luce, noted writer and former Congresswoman upon whose original story the picture is based, will attend 20th Century-Fox's gala formal invitational world premiere of "Come to the Stable" at the Rivoli Theatre on July 27. A 50,000-watt bulb developed and made at the General Electric Lamp Works in Cleveland will be used to light up the sky during the premiere. It is said that rays of the bulb, which uses about the same power as that consumed by 250 refrigerators or washing machines, will be visible throughout the metropolitan area and, should the night be clear, in surrounding states. The lamp uses power equal to that used by 835 60watt lamps, but produces light equal to 2,000 60-watt lamps. Also scheduled to be present at the kleiglighted opening are the advertising and publicity directors of the country's major theatres and circuits who will be in New York for 20th-Fox's industry merchandising meeting on July 27-29. Nineteen foreign countries will be represented by consul generals. Loretta Young, who shares starring honors in the film with Celeste Holm, was slated to fly in from Hollywood this week for the premiere along with a galaxy of other stars. Barbara Lawrence, youthful blond actress, is already in New York for the event. Identify Recorded Voice And Win Money Prize A novel Friday night stunt that is bringing patrons into the Palace, New Britain, Conn., managed by John A. D'Amato, is an audience participation contest called "Local Merchants Mystery Voice Screen Contest," in which $50 in cash is awarded to the person identifying the recorded voices of New Britain merchants who sponsor the contest. If the voice is not recognized at the first "screening," $25 is added to the prize on the following Friday night, the sum being increased $25 weekly. The merchanis read jingles on the recordings. The contest is conducted by Randy Mailer of New Britain, former maanger of the Strand jn that city and onetime Selznick west coast sales representative. — HFD. Jones' Old Door Does Selling Job An old door was unearthed by Harry Jones, manager of Darnell's State Theatre, Appalachian, Va. On it he painted "What is the secret that invites death? For further information open this door." The door was then placed in the lobby. When the inquisitive — and there was many of them — opened the door they were confronted by another sign : "For spine-tingling mystery and action don't miss seeing 'Behind Locked Doors'." Simple enough and cost little, but it focused attention on the film. 'Joan' Coloring Tieup Manager Jerome Baker of the RKO Coliseum, New York City, tied up the local newspaper, the Bronx Express, for a "Joan of Arc" coloring contest, with 25 guest tickets as prizes for the best coloring of a two-column black and white outline "Joan" cut reproduced in the paper. HOME-MADE STUNT MAKES GOOD. The derrick above, and the cloth sign with poster letters, were constructed by Charles Rapp, James R. Latham and Harold Latham, of the staff of the Victory Theatre, Malakoff, Texas, to ballyhoo the showing of Eagle Lion's "Tulsa." The whole idea cost a mere 75 cents, but results proved big at the boxoffice. National Promotion, Star PAs for 'Baby' Openings An extensive national promotion campaign and the personal appearances of Donald O'Connor, Charles Coburn and Joshua Shelley will back the world premiere of Universal-International's "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" at the Roosevelt Theatre in Chicago on August 10, which is the first of a series of midwestern key-city openings. The stars of the Technicolor film will make personal appearances and aid in the advance promotion of the film in Chicago, Cleveland, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh between August 8 and 20. Highlight of the national promotion campaign will be a series of Baby Fairs to be conducted by leading key-city department stores and featuring 31 nationally advertised baby products which are being tied-in with the showings of the picture in national advertising and promotion materials. Associated Merchandising Corporation is aiding in the Baby Fairs promotion. Another tieup has been arranged with Westinghouse to feature the company's automatic washers as well as its half-hour, self-service Laundromats in a national advertising campaign in connection with the picture. Other national promotions have been set with Tangee Lipstick, Shulton Toiletries and the Cigar Institute of America. National radio network programs are already running promotions in connection with the picture, and an all-out music promotion campaign has been set around the title song and Look At Me, with the Jewel Music Publishing Co., Capitol, Columbia, Decca and MGM Records. 'Genius' Contest Aids 'Belvedere' in Chicago A two-week buildup in the news pages of the Chicago HeraldAmerican brought unlimited publicity to 20th Century-Fox's "Mr. Belvedere Goes to College" recently when the picture played the Chicago Theatre in the Windy City. Peg for the promotion was a request by the paper asking readers if they were geniuses in their particular specialties. The stunt brought out a slew of responses from individuals who excelled in some talent, hobby or sport. Daily columns of news and pictures kept the promotion hot, with a local distributor throwing in ten t-elevision sets as prizes for the winners. Neighborhood Italian, So Liss Exploits Italian Star Because his theatre is in an Italian neighborhood, Manager Louis Liss of the Fortway, Brooklyn, capitalized on this factor when he played "Little Women." Liss gave front-page space on his weekly program to a large photo of Rossano Brazzi, whose "performance in this scintillating comedy has won him top consideration in Hollywood." Liss points out that other exhibitors in Italian neighborhoods might duplicate the stunt. 69 Pre-Release Dates For 'Doolins' in Okla. Columbia's "The Doolins of Oklahoma" opened day-and-date last Wednesday (20) in some 50 Oklahoma theatres in a pre-release "saturation" booking, with the picture to play ofl: in some 69 theatres before July 31. Fortyfive of the Griffith Theatres will open it sometime during the first five days of this period. —OK.