Variety (Dec 1934)

vARiErr P I C T II R E S Cows in Trios Andy Ray. of Warner iStrand. Al- bany, hooked 'Mrs. WiggB, of the Cabbage Patch' to the final day of t^e N. Y, State campaign for milk, «n<di turned a, ballyhoo Into an events . . Jl i'i^ In the Capital he could con- taiM tlkl state offlciata an^ persuade tiM^ 1^ <plose the e4mpaiffn with the pr6pli9 MhoQplng with the result fia Wia d«i4ffnated to conduct an Albans;^ Hftk Pay with t>rpper eclat. That tylbK mtlk and milk fobd tte^Wra to the I4«a« #it>* ^ Sarade of 78 woitons frcMtt the milk ealersv ice cream iiontiirM MnA the «tai« axsNsrlmeiital tiMiin iir#1c«. Aleo iiiiCluiimi' wiere^^^^^ t^ fHreks each ,«kyrym|r tlii^ cows and a wagron Imilae to ih(» kindling wagon used in theVpiciure. Wlthf the Wlpgs kids put for a tide. This aa well a.s the cow chariots were all bannered for the picture and the bovine barou- ches also were t.iggod for a mllklnp contest to be held at the Strand that > Jllpht. In .addition there were carriages containing state onieials, chiefly from tlie IX-partment of Agriculture, the. chamber of commerce, boy scouts, usherp from the W.arner theatres and boys from the 4-11 clul)s, the Latter the entrants in the milking contest. In anticipation the theatre put out 50,000 milk bottle hangers, 25,- 000 package stuffers in the depart- ment stores, 500 one-s)ieets, 300 window cards, 2,000 window stick- ers and 1,500 letters sent out by the farrri bureau. All ouried oopy for •Mrs. Wiggs', but tha'iNMt 'fliia taken up by the dealers. At the theatre the milking contest was pulled about 9 P. M., three sets each of Guernsey, Jensey and Hol- ■tein cows were worked in trios, with each boy given two minutes with if he pail. -Pails are weighed and the most milk by weight captures the Mrtiie. Not very fair to the boys who Ml the Holsteina, but it's the regu- iii>wi todk «><M»Iy to the footlights. iKii.« fivrtely theatre attint the lioale irbrkiBd <>n the iwhodbi and lihrartei with hobk marker* and a •tv^ir project, and also tie- in with : KPiynoa^ a window dressing eon- .teftion this landed the big down- . loirn stores in for plenty of . display. School Idea Sending school children to write compositions on a certain picture is old stuff, but from this a manager has evolved a scheme to get a ver- bal advertisement in each class- ; room twice a week. He has sold the principals of two schools in his vicinity the Idea of developing the pupils' powers of observation. House changes Mon- days and Thursdays, and one pupil from each class is assigned to see the show and tell the next morning all he can remember of the play. Children are supposed to be picked in rotation to give them all a chance to show their powers of memory. Each teacher is provided with a brief i]^n<9sis to permit her to check the accuracy of the report. U am prefara tb Mie the picture l)«i«aR liis^ -of readlnf. *he pre- iM»iitii rM( MehtMeatloii «&rd at the '(Aoer<'''' .'!1^MiNM''''.carda'.''.*r« good otiiy tha; bhiioge dUkyw, to prevent fe- peata* So far tha deadheading does lUKt ^iiaar to have been abused. Fdllowlng the visit the child Is supposed to recite as much of the plot of the story as ho can recall from memory. It gives the class the lowdown on the idea and now the manager is trying to figure whether or not this exposure of plot will hurt attend.ance, particularly in the case of mystery stories. If it doesn't, it's a swell ad that does not cost too many passes, consider- ing the return. So far it appears to Ite working out all right. Chief objection to be overcome Is fear that this may interfere with ' the cblid's homework, but tliero is a matinee ahdrtly after ajchpol closes and th« kMs at« catch this. i';^'-;^;,^' ; Most managers are content to use a trade hook-up in the usual course af>d let. it go at that, but Herman Bamberger, of the Paramount, North Adimtt, MasfiM Dguties that if it's a4«^!|al»>g itVadvcfrtislng^ thiit can )h^-mpmi^--Uk- «!t;^.«rvplet«re«.: J. Jtisit W^^^ sends in a %t»mm^':' 'or QM mtt ■•'Gv-' Fields.' ■■. It: •-■<fcp|*il«>t «;|iaritcular: p||ctW«<^ he watchea the >L0^ lulc and where possible tics hii own ad to that of the com- JBiercial disi)lay. In the s.ample sent in be has added 'and he's .a riot in 'Mr.s. \ViL:K;; of the f'nl)b.Tge Patch' at tlie I'ar.i- mount, Sunday.' He pays for 20 lines ]'\ three and gets the advan- tnizv of a l.'fO line drop without.heft- ing the commercl'il punch. That's one of those things which Bbarks the difference between inaging a theatre and Ju.»-t open- : and shutting the dpars.and |lUr For 'Mri. Wiggi' paramount suggests a stunt on the (25 Mr. Wiggs brings home with him to provide the happy ending. It'a to be worked in the lobby. But there aeems to be a better chance with ah adaptation of the JUi>01es stunt If a man is peramhttbUed as Wtcci* Better If thfirt v*Miv|wfli or moire. All ahpuid he OeweB to-bid clothes :>iiai€:-.1»tii%'''0k<6tr' pp<dcets empty meat of the timet trhleh is where the new angle COOtiea ili. Co-operating newspaper should tell the story of Wiggs' return and advise readers that they can frisk Wiggs and take whatever's in his pockets. Most .searchers will find nothing, but now and then a supply man is contacted and the next searcher finds a pass in the coat or vest. If thought best,, small bills can also be used now and then> biit most of the digfirers will end up with empty, hands. Instead; of re*; quiring the ftocbeter tp;.1|^l•^lt, reu'* tine iphriuie, the ne^s|»aiir.e be the reQuti«m#nt 'i||Nit,^)M». h61d a copy of the latest edntiMi Pf the paper. This can be worked even whore the Raffles has been overdone, sijiee the search gives more punch to tlie gag than the usual "You arc Mr. Wiggs' idea, and while most of tho searchers will be men, it's probable that a few girls will try for a lark. If the local girls seem bashful, get a couple to start the ball rolling. Won't hurt any if they palm a five spot and appear to dig it put pf the clPthea< ■■• Best for smaller places, but a strong newspaper hookup can size it to the large towns. Good for a two or three-day run and won't cost top. many passes., . ■ .- ■.■■^t-:,.. ^^^^ Supplement Most managers cultivate school hook-ups, and many have been for- tunate in thinking up ideas, but one ot the best of the recent bets was worked out by a small-town hou.sc located in the high school district. Under the modern system, the high schopl ./gervea :im$»t aurrpundlng tpwns*''';:..'..,:;;'^'-v;-<-v■: - School has been short of funds for a couple of years and last spring the bi-weekly school paper had to be dropped because of the expense. Through the summer the manager fixed it up with the principal to print a special school edition of his four - page house program, giving one page-to the school. Paper carries two pages of read- ing items, mostly about coming stars and Pictures, a page of pro- gram and a page pf merchant ads. After the theatre run is off, the second page, earthing news chat, is lifted and a new page put in deal- ing With sehoPt ittattera. Stuff lis compiled % . the' Mheel editorial board, wMMi. jlttod page in pnitof to get tbeiniwif eorreetly. Slitht additional ebet of cbmpPal- tibn Is laid PR td^ the merchants, who take the biick pate. It cpsts them only an addltlPnal four bits for a Special ctrcuietioh, and they very gladly pay it. School welcomes a chance to get a weekly page. Instead of every other week, and the theatre gets Its ads directly Into the,hands of the pupils. Figures- a distinct In crease in huaiiliiMi ) iMftTby towns. ■ ■■.:. .'■■.;•::■ „.;.■•, ■; ^ Whoops for 'Miniiter* None of the recent pictures made from standard books or plays seems to give greater publicity opportu- nities than 'The Little Minister,' and eiKhibltors who have this bopkcd ca|» .virr %reii start shoptinc wen in adwaince of the play date, Ifa^e Adams .made lUtdy Bab- hie* peculiarly her offJi And is still more: clearly Identtneil with this role than any: other in her long repertoire with the exception of 'Peter Pan.' Ask any old-timer to name three plays in which Miss Adams appeared and they'll have tho.so two, but may be stumped for a third. Might be a good st.nrter to sell the newsp.tper on this gag. with tickets for tiie best letters on Iier three best plays. It will go over .Ts .a speci.ii without reference to tlie picture, to bo hooked UP later to the cPmpdrli^ha With If tea Hep- burn. But 'Minister' also had a I<>ng and honorable Career In stocky ah4, it might be Interesting to go <)ver the old ftlea 'for, recoiNIa «t ' pt'rformaiiRCes. A; -bUt-'-M-^mtT'm- timers, .parttculafiy thPse who never saw Miss Adams, Will rally to the support and laudation of the local star who was just too sweet for .'iTiythinj; in the jilay. All of this can be sold for reader Interest, not < hargeable agaihirt' thp irl^MNity: fOr tlie jiictuie. ' ' '.Minister' is one of liic tx.si known and most kindly remembfred pic- tures of a <!oubI<' <!'f.'idc. If you offer it merely as something Katha- rine IhplKirn is In, vou're not get ^Unj.vjalf'■..Ot;.-What . Is-. Helping Hiirft:.,:^:-;-v!--.' Serb Bierg. of United ArtlstSi senda in a .hooklet ,«| the Cantor eampalcn fa N. y. i|^.we Qtiestlon 'With tUa kind of iiislsUiioep hoW can ahpirmen go wre«i|r lii: mitlnK over..' eampaigha ..'MI;.'-!^* ^^litipilia T' we duniiot enhier. ■■''"■^^.^^i^. The booklet Is letl|i|iiiild size with a running story On the cam- paign and examples of the news- paper and other trade hook-Ins to the picture as used in New York. Nothing extravagant about the copy. It's all helpful even though the front cover does move the the- atre down to the corner, instead of keepipf It. In the middle of the blPek, 'iiaieirei''w'lielontB^';:' More real meat In these ; few sheets than in a couple of' potlnds of press book, and a good ex.ample of the way the U. A. department funetkHM. v.., Plenty—and Free Warner otfice contacted the N. Y. Central for special cards for 'Flir- tation Walk,' which was olficlally posted In the several hundred sub- urban stations oh the Central within a 25-mile radius^ • ' Tie-in was the line 'Screened at West Point on the New York Cen- tral Lines.' Helped plenty and cost nothing. I*incaster, Pa. Warner Bros, theatres nero get- ting all set for annual Toy MPUtl* tain for the city's poor kids. Mountains will be built in the lobbies pf the Grand and Capitol theatres with patrons asked in trail- er^ newspaper publicity and thea- tre dlaplakys tPr bring a toy along every time they come to the show. Mountain Idea has been worked for sevewa years with very satis- factory results both fdr the needy youngsters and the theatres. <3fte always nets plenty pf free hews- paper space, crashing ahout every section of the papisr, eptiaL nPt ex- cluded. Junior Ijeaguera ;riti« in on the gag, insures this end pf : It. .^^J4ip4: t3ie Airs Dubuilue, la. Grand is one of the few de luxe houses that is tielng in on radio as a mediuni of ekploitatipn of coming |>lcs. In a recent ad. as an iUustra- tlPn pf the tieup that is heinir ef- fected, the Ctaraii4 Invited readers of the paper tp a ph>gr<inft lifrciad- cast by Fraha Lehar, cpnippaer pf the 'Merry Widpw.V direcilfig a musical program pf selectlpiis frpro •The Merry WldoW,^ ahd olPilng with the information that the show would start a run at the theatre on a c«r(»tn date. ■ ' Butte. Monogram is adding another ex- change point to its national distrib- uting franchise setup, through a deal with the Shemeld System for branch services out of here. This brings the Mono exchanges up to 38. Tacoma. Rex Stevenson, formerly with the Sterling chain of theatres in Seattle, new manager of Hamrick's Blue Mouse. Will Connor, in direct charge of Blue Mouse and assistant city manager to Ned Kdrls, in charge of all Hamrick's houses, given post of manager of Ham- rick's Music Box. Connor also writes and sjtiels all of the KVI broadcasts im Hamrick's local houses...... ■ . /: London, Can- Jack Purvis, manager of Tlvoli, St. Thomas, gone to Sudb;ury. Ont., tp wiiiiiii.'>OH rttPi.- • New Haven. Shift In booking policy of Locw New England chain is A. J. Vanni back as house mgr. of Poll's. Vanni, formerly booked for the circuit but this week la now handled out of New Yevk. Poll's has been without a house mgr. since reslgnatlpn of Gene Rodney about two mpathaAgo. Portland, Ore. Mayfair is the new name of the Parker-Evergreen theatre which opened Nov. 9. The house was formerly the Music and operated by John Hamrick. Doug Kimberly, until recently engaged In theatre opera- tion in Seattle, will be the manager. The name of the Alder theatre has been changed to the Music Box by John Hamrick. The house will change from • Mbsequent tp a first run policy. J. J. Parker and Frank Newman and associates have formed a new company known as the Willamette Amusement company. Tho organi- zation will operate the Mayfair the- atre, with Ted Gamble, manager of the Broadway and United Artists, in charge pf pperations. J. Forsythe, operator of the ttex theatre, was arrested pn a charge pf allpwing a dpor tb a projectipn room to renuLitt i^mi While tims were being shPWIi. tlie iureet le hut one of a .yirlea ifhtch le heing made by tht in a cam- PiiiA tft Mduee fire hazards in local thi^!l**(jpL^ the jpehalty. Canton, O. Hippodrome, dark since last si)ring, ha.s reopened with ,a combination policy of vaudeville and films, under the management of Arnold Minkley of Chicago. . John Perkas, haa ie«^ Dreiml^nd theatre at fitym'wlifh a continuous film policy. Grafton theatre, at Grafton, re- cently acquired by J. (). CJuthrie has been reopened after being dark for four years. He is als-o negotiating for the Karolyn theatre in New Lon- don, O. Johnny Manuel, for some time m.inager of the Warner Uros. Alhambra here, has beeh named man.ager of the WB Lnke theatre in Cleveland. Milton Bryer Is nbW lh Charge of tho state thi^tre in Bucyrus, 6. John M; Otithrie Is giving up the -'^stlc fn Grove Citv, Pa., JMew day, with T. L. Haughton «Dd< Paul V. McKay, Franklin exhibitors, assuming the lease. I'hil O. Messina has transferred part of his interest in the Nu Luna theatre at Sharon, Pa., to William Leggiero, fonnerly a Warner nawtti- ager there. ;, Lincoln. Westland Theatres moved Temple DeVllbIss, who was manager here while the Varsity was being remod- eled, to Denver, Colo. He will work out of the Color.ado capital on some remodeling of tho newly acquired Marcus eircutt by Louis Bient. George Monrpe* fpnner nianager ef the state here.. WM ilNiwrbed by the prganiaation ak ; manager of the Chief, PUeWP. Mlltpn Overmen is ' the'bpse'here/ . ■ Mpv«i ia being made to hepat admisslpna higher. Bliminatlon of dime<>all>day fatee is seen in the actiPfli pf Bpb Livingston's Capitol mpving to ite. top and the Liberty (LTC) figuring pn a iump tp 15 and 20c. J. H. Cppper, in frpm Kew York, ajinpttnieed cpnsideratipn of the actibn^ Herb Monnignit I«6«a^'i C^ntiirir publicist, eiCectedVa sweeping tte-up with buri'a biggest ice creamery for the idibwing laJt week pf 'Kid MilliPnl' (UA) at his huueei Wb4t drew the interest of lerpamery was the scene contained ih AHsK ahowlug imaginary ice cream plants The flrni put up A fancy,metal stand in lobby iand gave aVi^ay an ice cream cone tp every <jhlld who attended theatre durlniR iweelfr. Morgan made this angle an in- ducement in neWsi>atVer ails, cream- ery being satisifled With mere men- tion of Its name. Also, Morgan blew up a telegram received from Cantor from N. Y., and put it in lobl)y; wire stated Cantor was pleasotl nt wh.it firm was doin.'T for kids anfl thought the week |>ie played t'en- tury sliuuld be olfieially desiKnafed as lee Cream Week in ISalto. Tlio mayor of burg was i-ontaeted .'nd ofllelally declared it so. 1 minedi.ite- ly creamery erected signs .itop tleet of <lelivery trucks advising natives of mayor's decree; .\tor,::i'i . K,'-. d in some copy onto these si.u'ns, get- ting '.Millions' some moie pulili< it.v. A party was thrown for orphans, pic showing, ice cream free, .and a newspaper furthered tie-in by su|)plying tho tr.ansporlation from orphanages to theatre for the parentless I)roods. P.aper n.iturally didn't hide Its light under bushel, but came out on pages daily for week in advance with plenteous copy that netted y.ards of notice to the picture, with several large stills. carried on prominent pages eaeh'' day. Another stunt used by Morgan was printing of paper that approxi- mated dollar bills which werp piled arotind on cashier deska thru town where eutrlone p»m9m : iMMl found *em plugs Kr ''MlHiPnii.* ^» Stroudsburg, Pa. Stroud Theatre bldg., consisting of the vacant Stroud theatre, three street-front store rooms and two upper floors, the property pf Harry A. and Fred Schuerniannr spld at public auction, under sheriff's sale, for a bid of |5 over and above the liens which amount to nearly 166,000 including taxes and a mortgage of M2.729.34. It was bid In by an at- torney for the Monroe Cpunty Na- tipnai. Bank * Tntei > . « a;^**.. Detroit. Grand River neighborhood house being constructed here by Frank Wetsman and Lou Whisper, who recently took over the Kastown from the Ignited Theatres group. It is the only sizeable theatnefMHilll'<XM» structed in Detroit. Des Moines. Leo F. Wolcott, Eldora, la., elected president of the .Allied Theatre Owners of lowtt M^ Ne- braska, embracing 400 houises in the two states. LaWrence Xiihl, Corn- ing, fUla vacancy on the board and Lester F; Martlii, Nevada, la., for- mer,: eecretary-trcnsurer, employed as buslnc«e manager. Youngstown, O. At J, Cooper has severed connec- tion With the Hippodrome. Hou.sc now iindet:i:jHiaii|cttment-^ Minkley, ,..'' fit. John, N. B. Atmg 'minis manager of the Keith<rA|bee picture house In St. John for 27 years, W. H. Oolding has been replaced, by Kenneth Fin- lay, Whose father wHm once a cpm- petihit exhibitPr. / became ma-nagor late in IW7, Of the Nickel, later burnM ddwn. ;when A. Paul Keith and E. F. Albeo Jointly built the Imperial, seating l,7no, rjolding was appointed manager. In 192'J, the Imperial was linked with the Famous Flayers chain, and renamed tho Capitol. For the past three years, business has be«n bad. and Clarence Itohsnn, Canadian general manager of H.K.O.-F.P. announces more modern methods of merchan- dising will be used, h^nce the ap- pointment of Finlay. who hAa lately been at (Juelph, Ont., for the oiMUil, (Continued cm page 29) ; ; < ITied Naturals Aa pari of a walloping campaign^ on 'Cpllege Rythm.' Ted Fmerson at the Parampunt dug up a couple of naturnia end put cm to plenty good iiae.. B(»t Pne was a guy with a trained goose. Emerson located a-fclloW named Sharpe In Fremont (30 miles distant) with tho trained goose and "brought him Into town for four days of stunting on the main drag week preceding opening. Ace trick in the goose repertory is working with a trick stand which Sharpe carries from block to block. Stand has a lever device with a string attached to a trigger; goose pulls string releasing trigger and lever swings Into horizontal posi- tion revealing a small sign, half one- sheet size, with the .4Met«iia «r>' fli». attraction on It. If the first doesn't stop tho pM*v sersby, this one does. Then If one'<>t the crowd will buy. friend goose will drink a bottle of pop or a pint of beer unassisted. Bird can tilt and empty a half-pint bottle of any- thing, but contents limited by the owner. Wind-up of act. Sharps stoops over, goose swipes a cigar from his vest popket And waddles down the street, MMitlMk In pnravlt. to a pen' spot. At radio station WAAW Elmerson found three . kids impersonating principals of the picture. Brought them to the stage of the Paramount same four days and used them t» making announcement at evllh^' show. Kids. Bill Reynolda, AtttV^ Stearnes. Bill Usher* Imitate Iw* spectlvely Lanny RPss, Lydtt B0bliti and Jpe PenneT, They perf«^ regularly pn the WAAW SunshtiMlA hoyr, gave the aw»ir plenty p^ plillii befpre they knew the Pat was tn-> hy Truckload Cedar liapids. I^' Canned gopdi,' -«|||gi^, Spaghettlr piekies, ppfatbea and other fo<|!4*i stuffs were Cedar Rapids eclMei; ki<ls' answer to Pacampunt theatric: ThanksgiVlnfr benefit shew h#l Nov. 24; AdmisMon was by food- stuff rathihr than tlckipts. Thirty-five boxes and barrels piled up In theatre lobby by timo last «if 1,800 children had jammed Into theatre to see a Popeye com- edy an<l the antics of Laurel and Hardy In 'I'aek T'p Your Troubles.* Contributions turned over to YMCA by management for distribution among poor Tlianksgiving day. F5m- ployces donated time; Aim arranged t hrough. Pn.blfsc .■ia'iin-otfiiw'.WolwiW'^''' ties. ■ At l)avneport two truck Ipada were collected at twi and. In Rock Island,, truck w»."? filled. r, Black*s ThermoBMitr Thermometer used by Ifarfy iflTacIl* at the Hlalto, Glens Falls, htoked SO promising he was asked for particu- lars. A somewhat similar l<|ea has been in use for many yenirs, invplv^ ing a temporary dial to be put over an automatic scales with Ui# trip fastened , to maltP the f«M*l • a^llable %|||ipttt tlie «eBjtni||| tfMl c^n, Btn^^iiliMt )a whbtir^pnl#* made, wh<»%In lies Hit ndvtintnge. The HenV Is H Wooden fram*5 af few Inehes! higli .'ind ;iVnut' fWP/<W*\ ; fContinued pn page II) ;" ■