Variety (Nov 1936)

Wednescliiy, P(bveiiiber Id, 1036 riCT u R i s VARiETY 2|2 •J<' By Epes W> Sargent /^nt 4nd Got It . t. Louis, V?liajfi»!%e^^ (^^^ i^tteri idea hais 1 dormant ;irt thejse parts for mi, (Simmy Sai'lis, pVa.," and _6l*^Pi*fl*-'J^ at Loew's, viveA It *W..0ne imjjortant cogs -^e](^Idltiltton' CampaijghVfor; 'Cbihe ih iejOWlWw^^ eampaiighVfpr; *ebmc .Ssd': Oct>. It/'>^ attraction. • ^fhree V;huttdred. tl*6stcards tarrying pjx copy, theatre playdate and itrg-< pig recipient to send it along to itl^tii y vetei . distributed among , BoVSe befbre pix opened, jland numerous phone in- ' '<i(j(iries' iQ -theatre '-about feature was "j^cticatbr that idea Was going over :: It' has been a long time' since liiatiV^s have seen, logs lugged over dpwntbv/h ' thoroughfares, but ' they got an eyeful for .several .days jis ■ fialf -a Vdozen huge t|:ee triuiKs on a'v'iour-horse dray and' liberally: piostertid with pile and theatre .copy tfiearnihbulated qn lobp- streets-a' week Before piro|rain stattedv Dept.' stored M^ped iyith ;Max Factor, Edward ' Jixvi.^ld ,and .Frank Shields.; ads and " diJwhtOiWh beauty salon, rieturpihg to afif'; program^ plug^e^ ieatwe; thi;ee tithes jdaily ¥or week in advance of shoW^ig.' iElodk 'sectionis in dept. ^H^br^s,' rental libraries and . bbok i^ops furnished space for display of .^^B «Ferber's bookv. and: : theatre cashed in . by planting cairds an- jipUhciAg when and:-Where pi^jC was idipwihg aloiiff side of ;*bopl^ adis. ' Iti addition to getting' feature story on Franbes Farmer in afternoon ra^r i Hamsxand EVans crashed sport page of same sAieet with, yam and pix on Sisaik: .'Shields' movie, debut after iSi^at (ih tenhig y^areeri .Exploiters ci;acl(ed SPortinjS goods store for ■/co-TDp ad on winter-Outdob^- ^wear in ^JWch; still' of Arnold Was promi- nehtljf used; ' ■ V iijiofher ; eye-catching stunt. Was : liObk-u^ with a Tribtbr car'cbmijiaiiiy which paraded ia used automobile r]>anhercd with 'Come and Cret Them '^The Greatest Value in Used Cars Sjbice; -This; Qas Buggy Boiled the ; Ijtpads'' and, thea^e and pix copy, •;v :Harris and Ilvana, t>laiiined to cap 4;t!ih)i>aign, by..,piUng, flpck Ibgs in .frpjtrt of theatre for display, but levedvsome ctiistoihPr might .be in- jured iand figured they had ex ploited lbatul^e sufficiently. >-^oo, ittariy mahaigers get-rutted iii. iheiir advertlsiiis and (exploitation atUnts. They do hot sehse the value , of a- change of pace. It is pasier to jrei>$at fhah to invent and presently the hoU^p attaclirb<^comes so. familiar, \|hat it no 1^^ ';. TlrP covPM, for example,-are s;?n'!f erally good pullers the first week. It is slinple to. repeat, sO tire covers •become a standard form of promo- «ti6n:. and .ib. a . few months a heVir^ tir'p' cover pieans nb more to the av- erage' Citizen than the tire, itself There is no longer any splash. Drop the covers for a fOw weeks and they can, perhaps, , do. a Comebaok,, but every week they possesis jnp real value after a short time. . ^3!he same, thing feoes for.^hy other form: of advertising. One liahner across the street is a knbckbut. \ It Will have :lpss value the. foUowin! ■ WPPk'Wd in ia short time they prob- ably .will 'not pull enough busln«». • to pay! lor^ .their... making::^'Lobby jtrames always on the. same lines be- come lobby . litterers. • Use several, types pf finuhes« set thPm in dinereht ^ts and thPy Will .breserye their; freshness. Use a repeater record oh a musical Week and itpUUs. Use .another record .the week following and it becbihps stale. Jt/lcire attention' can be gained for the repeat if a record is not lisjed. It ishould be easy to ?rpplace the record with a live sjlnger the foUowlhg week. And^ >t will not cost more than the singer prbl>ably will bring in, plus. A throwawajr.br hOrald that looks like , last ,weelt*s has less value thiari one With a:dtiler(^ht format . Even .newspaper advertising may become tbO; standardized. Using the same ambunt of space, sfet in pretty much'thiet/iiaihe fashion week after week Will stale even the best set < ad Change size, change cut usage, change phrasing, and it helps. Dori't get in a riit. If-you are in one, out' - '■ 8>P00 pakiies ; ^ Norfolk, Eight thousand unpaid admission's topped good will tie in between LMPW's State theatre and the Ledger- pispatch; staging, cooking school that brought Miss Mary Ann Kidd to Norfolk for Nov., (10^13) stretch. Gpmin? pix Were plugged. in/trail- ers that Wera shown and in ads that Went - in special cooking', section of daily sheet . Allen T. Sparrow, mgr;,' was much jn evidence and gave ah almost off the record-statement that attendance at . Tarzin' jumped with many of those who Went i 'free' corning back later in afternobhs to pay their way into the show* BadiaPluga \ . . _ ■ Atlanta^ ■ With columns of three local papers virtually closPd tb them because of publisher's agreement to priiit noth- ing but hews attbut, theatres, Atlanta ejthibs are turning more and riibre to ;radip. ■ ;:.■(.'■:' • :Lucas & Jenkins' Cieorgia theatrie has gone .ofl the deep end in this re^ spiBCt and has effected tieup with Station WATL that brings them on the air twice daily and every , time theatre'Changes programs. butstahdihg stUnt is What they call 'Shut-In'Hour/ which is more of a good-will builder: than a b.o. booster. Theatre hooks WATL right up to house's speech amplifier and brbad- caists whole feature pic^ dialogue anc all. Announcer sees ,-film before i: goes ,on air and . takes- shorthand notes of business.' ;:iip can fill in during blank spots |h film. This in ;siires continuity for' listeners: The atre lias gotten out hundred letters to hospitals and Sanatoriums; giving time programs can : be heard anc stunt is really making ^rien,ds^ ' . Every morning from,, 9:30 to; 10 'Organ Melodies'- 4S> ^prilssehted. With Sam Allen; forhieEly With Olsen ^ Johnson, show; as yp$alist' ahd Homer Knowles at'.birlian.: Theatre's :current program,. tbf \ course, is plugged. \ :■[;.:"/ Again, from 11:30 to 12 p. in., Georgia takes the air :with; their 'Hollywood ^Tightcap,* presenting Hollywood chatter and more music by Organiist Xnowle's, with Mgr. O, H. BradbUry^ Jr., doi the m-C stint ■ ..' ■ Ah idea used fbr ^SWing Time* and pabked away for the,.next Astaire Picture Was a puppet ^ancer; It Will e as good on any mjusical if . 'used in conjunction with, a lively tune from tiie production pn a .disc. In the Original the figure has'worked bn - a small stage cut into a three-sheet lobby board, Ihied with deep: crimson With the ^gure.in light costume tO stand but 'against ithe darker ba^kr ground. ^The figure jigged vcpntinu-r oUsIy and attracted general attention. Next tinie it Wlli'be used.jh a^store window, just tp give change of pace. There airi^.a niunber oit good books on puppHMakii)g,^'jand phjf or JnOre of these Is.certam tolbe'found .either in the .public library Ibr in the larger spbfe in thfe- sch6ot:': lib"ira;^. Any dressmaker cian costume thesnio ; The itrick. part-' '. the 'animation^ which is secured by means Of .'an axle with U-shaped ,bends tO Which , the manipulating cords.are attached, tin subh a figure the/.arms Wbuld-,J be loosely hinged but. hot. suppUed: with cords, the best results coming, from only. three^ne to, support ..thefig- ure, and the bther tWp" attathed to the legs. The strings are tied to the axle, the cord Oii one leg being, down while the Other is up. .,The U to which, the flgUr^ support^is attached should' bC: much smwer than, .those' holding the leg cords. ^ . It sounds bit ;diifl?ult,,v ut- it really is easy^aih'd'.yery eflfw^ Soieeh Contigt Variant, of the sdreehed baby, cbn^ ie&t isf s[ resemblance I content along the same lines.. Open'tP bbth young men and women, which makes ii a little different,. but«>.{not.. expected there will be mahy^^ale einitries. ''Contestants aire required .to .come to the theatre made ,up as closely- as possible to resemble^ ^phbtbgraph*bjf the star they seek tb be Identified with. . If the manager thinks the re- semblance Close enoughv the applicant is given a, card tor the photographer tied into • the .' scheme. With the photograph as a'gUide, .the cameraman seeks to duplicate pose.and expres-' sion. A.still and a lantern slide are made for the theatre dnd the sitter is permitted to order as many prints as may be desired; the latter to be paid for,, which is Where the photog gets his. Slides are shown in thp tisual itlah-: ner, 10 ,being used each haW"Wfeek„ and the audience votes on slips pro- vided for that purpose, the. identi- fication being by number, the only name bn the slide being that of the star impersonated. Best man and^ woman selected from each contest gOes" into the' finals,, when all preliminaries ;have been run off. Stills, supplied ate used in the obby while the slide is on the screen. After their Usb'there they are saved up an-I at the'end, ofrthe-contest--will be sent to the stars impersonated. Payo'7 is a douible one* ciip prizes going to those adjudged best ;by the audience. While each star is siij}- posed to, pick a Winner if. there is niore than one impersonation. The- atre has^ arranged With the exchanges to get some sort of action..: These secondary .. winners are to receive frames for their own photos. If the exchanges do not function as prfj|i- ised, theatre will still be able %o pay bflC. Plenty on Tatade' Louisville. .■ Very thing from soup tb nuts Was trotted out by Manager A. J. Kal- berer Of the Strand to sell in a big way , 'Pigskin Parade/ and the ex- ploitation which that progressive showman, engineered will §et a mgrk for others, to shoot at: This town " plenty football minded; right now, but -in cbntrast to some other sections the--heat is all.turned on high-school games. Brand of play is high Plass, and at- tendance Outnumbers the Crbwds at college josts. Kalberer. -capitalized on this interest by^ distributing at the high schoor and seini-pro games $,000 special megaphones bearing the. name bf the pic and the theatre. He also gave away 3,000. lapel tags among' grade ^school students, a'hd arranged for frequent announce- ments over the' t>;a. 'system iised at the various games^ . Special high school nights Were also , promoted. Opening night the Male , High Schbbl band paraded from the school tb the theatre With a .police escort,, members of the' foot- ball squad in cars; with b^hhers,'and a band concert Was- given in front of .^he theatre and bn the stage.* The band ahd tearn saw the 'show as guests of the theatre,'and; "a pep ses- sion Was held from the Stage, With high schobl cheer leaders directing the yells. Other high schools in the city were similarly invited'to aittend on the special nights, as well as the University of Louisville. In each case, the football -sqiiad Was seated cbmplimentary in: a .special reserved •section. . '^•-i,-.- Tieups were ajsb arranged. with schools in, the city, whereby the schools gave the .students, infbrrha-: .tion of the spefciaT ntghts- through class-roOm announcements. and. notices on .bulletin boards. All-Nigiiter Greenville. S. C. Stunt decidedly new for this •sec- tion of country, made appearance here when H. G. \Lashley, 'Caro- lina, fiashed 'Libeled Lady' on screen at; la'vihidnight, Sunday runpihg cbntinuoiisiy until Monday midnight. Lashiey heralded this 24 hi^. cbn^ tinubUs run with spebial -trailer "Of j^icyv sales talk.: showing that times of acreenings woiild hit all comers, butcher, baker, etc., insomnia suffer- ers and plain stay-out-iates. Novelty run made steady thoUgh slight addi- tional take but niade .terrific build- up for rest bf pix run. Schools for 'Chargie' Lancaster, Pa., ■ Playing to'; the collegfe angle to put 'Light Brigade' - across, Bert . Laytbn, manager of •ithe Graiid (WB)',.'has launched: his campaiign with letters to more than:800 schoolteachers and college profeissbrs.. •. ../This , is to - be Ibllpwed up; with* stories .of the 'famo''Us Charg'e' writ-; ten for children of .various^ ages'for use in schobl papers. Layton piahs to furnish 'cuts .to enliven, the yarns: AU magazines' distributed by the city's leading, hews agency, will hH, tagged Week in advance d with a special sticker and libraries and bbbk stores are showing the 'Light Brigade' advertising pieces a Week in advance of the play date. Using the cbmmand 'Charge' over impressive cqtouts,of the. charging horsemen, .. tie-ups have been iaxr- rianged with several depai-tmeht stores to plug their credit system as Well as the pix. . ; Heralds,' window" cairds and bUj-" boards Will round but the campiaign.' What to Do Biriningham.: V A ihian was employed, to hand biiit envelopes- reading 'Prescription for that : tired and rundown feeling/ Quite naturally , recipient expecl^ed .a^ sample from some kind of medicine, to be inside. They..found inste'ad' a. 'prescription from ;Dr. N. jpy .^ept,- reading:.' .."Take two hours oflf. ..Go to th^ Ritz theatre and see Wallace Beery in his finest role. Old Hatch. To bs taken . at ohcO, ahd repeat as. bftpn as needed.' Pix for Picture San FranciSQp. Bob Hiarvey. is stlniulating interest in the fortbcPmihg Charles La'ughtbn'- fllm, 'Rembrandt,' by touring the state witl^ an exhibit ot Rembrandt paintings* Harvey ; left i Embassy theatre, San Frahcisco, last week fbr .Hollywood where ■ he- will get hi.& itin'eratT'frbm United Artists studios. '" Show W^nt Qxk. Something happened to the juice at Loew's Rochester last.week, bjut it didn't bother Lester Pollock, man- iager. HO had the lights ,turned on and went out and organized, .a major- bowes until the current was restored. And the audience Joved it. • Pittsburgh, Nov. 18. In general shake-up at WB's der luxer, Stanley, Bill Beck is out as assistant manager and .Lou Gilbert has be^h .shifted from Warners .to take charge bf house,pending return to' qUtv'Of- spot's regujiar pilot, the ailing Bill Scott. Movbd down froni naborhbbd Schehley .to' take over Beck's ;<post 7- as - assiistant is Jules Green.--i ' Cbuple of proihotions also handed out,at same t|me. by;- WB. .. Ernest Liebermah moves .tip from, assistant, at.'Arsenal to manager Of Model, while Charle^. Beckdel; formerly ai- sistahi at Regal, hanied fii-st aide to Jpe. ^Freeimai,- city manager'- of ilM^ensburg.. '\/alter (Gus) Davi^ shifted from contact, departmehi in local Office to assistant at Strand. Sam Kleben named asisistant at Re- gal*; Harold ^riedman.j^eis; irom. asr sii^ht at, Ritz to. siin|iIar 'po3t at Arsenal; and Andy Hungefman goes into the Ritz as, assistant. . Slo'- far • JToe Feldman; WB adver- tising chieiF, has appointed' no.';suc- bessorito Sam Stem, his chief artist Sterh moves in .another: few .weeks to display advertising department in New YPrk .hohie. office,' ."■ -:. •.Dallasl- ' Lou Sn.vder,'formerly ■ With Sam Katz, has taken oyer the Rio Grahde division bf the Interstate, circuit.; PauL Short, formerly with Inter- .state, has resitmed to. join the Nar' tional Screen; Service. Al. LeVer as^staht manager <>f. San Anlpnib for Interstate, has been miide city manager at Hbustbn; - Rochester. RKG Palace goes double feature temborarily due to inability of RKO-iGomerford setup to pirovide enough .single feature's calculated to draw,; : SeveraL q£ .the-^ingle, feia-. tures at the. Palace -have peeii tpo weak, to continue second week at the Regent,, causing that house to switch tb, ■ own double feature show. Lincoln. Louis J.' Finske. division' niahiager' bf J, H. Cooper Enterprises, is here for conferences with Manager Jerry Zigmond. city nianager of the Lin^ coin Theatre Corp. 1 Evert Cummings. Omaha. .. has placed Orville Rennie. as city man- ager fbr the A. H. Blank houses of Hastings. Npb;'- j Dean Rice bbught ,the Farnam, Farham. Neb., from H. H. Browh. . The Lyric, Wymbre, Neb.* burned down to the basemeht this Week. As soon as the insurance is adjusted it WiU be^, rebuilt; • > ..Spartanburg. S. C, City of iSparianburg's $200 annu- ally per hbuse advertising levy for local theaitres effective Nov. 1, der spite stiff arguments by Wilby- 'Kincey spokesmen. Nin Martini Warbling Friday eve- ning (Nov. 20) in Community Cort- .cert Association prbgram. ^Kate Smith in: CarOlinas for Charlotte's welfare drive and other dates. Hollywood. ' First exclusive single bill theatrb in the film colony; the new, Cojony. Opens tonight (17) at Hollywood Blvd. arid-WilcOx* Jlbiise is the for- mer Studio theatre, .conlpletely re- modeled and capacity incrOasled by 200 seats to 500 by Albert Gialston. Who also hais the Marcal On \the boulevard.' Lynchburg; jlder . ,Craver,' ^manager the Acaderiiy. here for the past tv/b years; goes to the State at, Goluriibia, S., C.. as mahager. J. F, Falls,, co-owner of the Academy, comes ' Vas man- ager. A gbneral shake-up in manage- jtient of three of the' Schinc theatres here was announced this Week. Resignation of Robert Pekins. manager of Schine's Strand, sends Jacob Webber Of the Eckel to the .Strand, David Freeman moves from the Pai-amount to the Eckel, and ^ohn ^Mackehsbn ot" the ^Cprtland Schine theatre, takes over the Para- mount, • ' Gem ', theatre's reopening , after renovation gives this burg two new picture hbtises. Malohe, ,V. , Closed for several. years, the Plaza theatre in !Pearl Street was opened late last week, Pony Contiest For a;third,. year a theatre is put- ting on. a pony contest, a Shetland to be given Christinas' morning as a present to sbnie, child. The contest Will start immediately after/Thanks- giving and end .Dec. 23, The pony will be presented oh tlie stage at the Cliristmas matinee, r ■ ^ The contest will be limited to mbVe than- SO children, thpugh it is not e^tpected that this many will 'bompete, since only those with stable faciU'ties are likely to be interested. The, usual requirements Will be made, each child filling out an entry blank. Which inpludes .the statement that it has the proper facilities for caring for the animal. The applica- tion must be vouched for by bne parent., With the entry the child receives 1,000 vbtes : as a Starter. 'Vbtes. there- after are to be had on tickets pur- chased, ohe voteheihg giveh for each five cents of value. Tickets will be issued to, responsible children, good for any, regular price performance up to the end of February'., .The tick- ets must be sold befbrp.Dep. 20, and the money turnied in, when ^the votes will, be issued. They - are cast at the theatre, boxes-being provided for; that purpose, ahd gj^eral patrons can drop..theirs in dhrect, no' soliciting being permitted around the theatre. The child's name 'may bi^ written upon the ballot, but,' tb make for ease in .handling, each child will be rep- resented by ita own ballot box. There Will be a count up each day and an announcement of the vote, thoUgh experience shows that mbst of the youngster^;, hold back the bulk bf their yotea . until toward the last. Thp pony is as a ballyhoo the last two weeks, .beinff stabled in the lobby ! When hoi being led around, town, It's worked twice beifbre. ,Pa|ikStiiir,/5 Maybe it woh^t work as well ;in a larger. comnituUty^ > but -one sniall towner hasilils patrons all hepped up oyer -a.Star, contest tjiilt, cOsts little, but so far has brought <exc'ellent re- .suits/-':;,-•■, .. ^^'v, ■:, -.'•;■;-;■; •• ■: ■ ' He has selected a ,dozen of the best known players among- those whose pictures be regtdariy plays, and has lormed as many clubs, . Organizaition is loose, mehibership; being simply achieved IjteOtigh registration,' at which^ tinie^ ai smair memd book is given the appUcaht. > Book is sub- stuiitiai; .though cheap* and: is lettered with thp name of the star. * There is also A , place for thc^' name of the •holder.'^-' -■ ' ' Whenever <>ne of these players fig- ures on a hUl a girl'at a table in the • foyer stamps the title of the feature on the page, . ti£iing > a . rubber stamp with changeable iyjpd. When a fifth impression is made, ;the book , holder is, given a pass good for .the next ensuing show. ' - ' At the end of the season the books are to be taken 'Up and the patrbn havmg to his or her credit the larg- est- number of attendance! will be made'president of the club fbir the ensuing year;': an empty honOr, but one whid^ Is being striven for: If theve is mbre than One high nanie» iah election will be held to select one name frOm the eligibles. The gag seems to be making lor real interest, and holds the fans lOyal ,'tp their choice, but the . rear pay ofT is the'; girl Who stamps the books. She's, a glib V talker and'When the patron lines up for a stamp; she gives >, out sales talk for the best big pic- ture coming along, and effects a con- siderable nuniber Of sales through this means. She also reads Up the latest dope on the player, which ., helps hold them;. Came Through irtariry Brown, Jr., of Ikiew's Pata- mownt; Newport, got in touch with Pabst beer for fThe, Magnificent Brute,' and the coMipany rpromptly shot .in the district manager ahd two window : dres8ers for a total of 84 local Windows, five In Portsmouth and two in Jamei^wn. Also set up a. neon lighted adviance display in the lobby with the theatre and attraction getting 75% of . the space: and paraded five trucks. Also used 3.000 heralds, and paid for them. Chief item was a poster showing McLaglen and Armetta drinking canned beer. There were also nine full window.^. As the istory was'from ,Libert>' magazine, the carriersf distributed another 3,000 heralds and; staged a parade in return for a theatre piarty: To put over Doris Nolan in,'The Man r Marry' oh the same bill, house ,u&ed-the telephohe-^tb-seU Jhe_new-^ pohier, ad also:- shoved out hand- written memo slips to women ticke) buyers. Cashier wrote the slips iiv her odd moments; - U.<;ed a traile * and .also some teasers, iast a word o»- twb, . after different suhiects,^ Ever^- house; employee sent lO plug Jettcp:^ tO'as many friends. , .. Brown reportjj that he had gbo' luck with the old pav envelope ider. patrons getting reJunds from, on" cent UP, btit not so far up. Still seems to be good.