What's New? (Mar 1949)

James A. Whitebone, projectionist in Famous Players Paramount theatre in St. John, receives his M.B.E. decoration from the Honorable L. D. MacLaren, Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick, at a recent investiture. Jimmy Whitebone was honored by His Majesty, who named him a Member of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for meritorious service to the labor movement. His outstanding achicvement was in helping keep supplies moving overseas during the war. Before moving over to the new Paramount, Jimmy Whitebone was an Playe SOAS ZS operator % the Capitol theatre for many years and his association with Famous He nas been president of the New Brunswick Federation of Labor for the past 15 years, is vice-president of the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada and of the IATSE for Canada and the United States. Luminous 24 Sheets For “John Loves Mary” For the first time a motion picture distributor is introducing the new luminous billboard. The company is Warner Brothers and the 24 sheets are to help sell “John Loves Mary.”’ Those who have seen these colored posters used to sell such products as General Motors cars throughout Canada know what widespread attention they are creating. We suggest that you place your order early with your Warner branch for this novel poster when you get your dates for ‘John Loves Mary.” This issue, a salute to our new 25 Year Club members, we present on our cover Ivy McGee, of Toronto Head Office accepting the congratulations of J. J. Fitzgibbons. Ivy, who is a popular member of the staff, started with Famous Players at Shea’s Hippodrome theatre in Toronto. We didn’t find out until recently that her Christian names are Millicent Evelyn! In’ the background can be seen Cecil McCuaig, another new member of the Club. Wilsons Win “| Remember Mama” Contests Judging of the entries for the circuit-wide contest for the best exploitation campaigns for ‘’| Remember Mama’ was recently completed and the names of the prize winning theatre managers announced. In the Eastern Division the first prize of $150.00 was won by Harry Wilson, of the Capitol theatre, Chatham, and in the West top prize money of $150 was awarded by the judges to Walter Wilson, of the Capitol theatre, Edmonton. The winners are not related, they declare! In the East other cash awards were made as_ follows: 2nd prize, Bill Trudell, Capitol theatre, London, $100.00; 3rd prize, George Forhan, Belle theatre, Belleville, $75.00; 4th prize, George Fairley, Palace theatre, Guélph, $50.00; and 5th prize, Jack Ward, Seneca theatre, Niagara Falls, $25.00. In the Western Division the judges faced a problem. They felt that the campaigns submitted by Eddie Newman, of the Metropolitan theatre, Winnipeg, and Jack Randall, of the Strand theatre, Vancouver, were exceptional and about on a par. They also ruled that no entry was worthy of 4th prize, so the three were combined and divided evenly, giving each of the winners $112.50. Fifth prize money of $25.00 went to Fred Tickell, of the Capitol theatre, Fort William. Circuit Topped Previous Year in Christmas Sale When the total returns for our Christmas Gift Ticket sales campaign were finally posted, we had topped last year’s figures by over $18,000. Prize money is in the mail to the lucky winners. We noticed that the last two weeks of the contest produced many changes in the standing, and that when a comparison was made with previous campaigns we had _ reached 93% of the all time high established during the 1946 campaign. The all time high of ‘46 was established during a period in which luxury gifts were in very short supply. A new record for individual sales was establisheed this year however, when Rose Mutcher, charming cashier of Shea’s Toronto sold $7,899.60 in Gift Books before the campaign closed. Rose was the first nrize winner for the circuit, adding an_ additional $50.00 bonus to her healthy commission and team cheque. Last year Rose sold over $125.00 in Gift Books on her first sales attempt. She did say that when she approached her first customer she was scared stiff. As a matter of fact she lost her nerve when the manager of a Yonge St. store approached and she asked him for a shirt in some ridiculous size that she knew they couldn't possibly carry in stock. However, Rose mustered all her courage and finally landed her first sale. To speed up business calls Rose had a business card printed which went something like this— For your Famous Players’ Gift Books, call Rose at Shea’s Theatre, ADelaide 0757. Presented by Rose Mutcher. As Rose tells it . . . from then on it was easy. She did say that you'd be surprised at the number of times you get new leads from customers that you have just sold. They often ask you if you have contacted so and so and suggest that you call on them. They even go as far as to suggest so you mention their name when you call. Rose asked her co-worker Mrs. Agnes Corcoran at Shea’s if she would like to have every evening off in exchange for working each afternoon. It was agreed, and Rose spent the en tire day making the round of the vari-_ ous business establishments. Rose says that Harry Wilson’s idea of imprinting the back of the Gift Books for firms purchasing books in lots of $100.00 or more was very effective. They love to see their own names in print. Second prize for circuit sales went to Peter Nowaski of the Algoma Soo who collects $25.00 for sales totalling $3,133.30. Will Harper the super salesman from Kelowna, B.C. dropped to third place this year in Group No. 4. Will tells us that they built a new Arena in Kelowna and the directors of the arena took a leaf from our book and started to sell tickets in book form. And to top it off Will says they sold them for $1.00 tops. Will was only down about $400. on last yéar, but constant plugging kept his crew in the prize money. George Davie of the Alhambra theatre in Toronto worked like a beaver to get a pay-off berth. Business jumped $1,398 at the Alhambra but it didn’t pay off compietely for George. Congratulations to all of your crew George for a great selling job. Ralph Mitchetree of the Capitol theatre in Calgary finally succeeded in unseating Walter Wilson in Group No. 2 this year. Ralph‘s sales were up $1,657.60 over 47 and Ralph is very pleased to relate that the total this year topped his theatres all time high of ‘46 by $1,365.10. Nice work Ralph, and an orchid to your sales crew. Charles Doctor of the Capitol theatre in Vancouver sent along a photograph of his special Gift Ticket promction in which B. Joiner, his doorman and G. Dunn rented a Santa Claus suit and took shifts in front of the theatre prior to the box office opening at 11.00 a.m. daily earning $300.00 in commission. During the afterncon they worked in shifts acting as ballyhoo for box office sales. Letters to “Sams” Help in Vancouver Our old friend Jack Randall who sits for hours in his office in the Strand theatre, Vancouver, dreaming exploitation dreams, came up with a new wheeze recently when he set his staff to work writing letters to every One named Sam in Vancouver. The chore took one day and two nights. It seems there were 864 ‘’Sams”’ in Vancouver. The letters, te exploit ‘Good Sam” were signed by Helen. Helen said she had just got back from Winnipeg where she was looking forward to seeing Sam real soon and that, in Winnipeg, she had seen a comedy called “Good Sam’’ which was soon to start at##he Strand theatre. We'll let Barry Mather who writes the In Our Time column, pick up the story, as he did on the front page of the Vancouver News-Herald: . . . A Sam-reader of ours got one of Helen’s letters and wrote in about it. He observed, among other things: ‘A lot of Helens are busy answering their phones.’ Thinking this over, we phoned Mr. Randall and asked how Helen was doing. “You get any kick-backs?’’ we asked him. “About twenty,’’ he said. “Most of them thought it was a real joke. But one fellow was pretty hot, though. Seemed like his wife opened Helen’s letter and that he had been in Winnipeg. “His son came down here and said his Dad had been in the dog-house for a day and a half. Well, | phoned the wife and straightened it out—l think.’’ “A lot of fellows phoned our cashier, asking for Helen: Well, she played along with it—told them ‘This is Helen—-the Strand Theatre.’ Ha, ha. “One fellow came in to see me. A little fellow he was. He’d been to the police about Helen—made a copy of her letter to show them. “Well, | guess they told him it must be advertising. Anyway, he came in and had me type out a letter and sign it, explaining Helen — for his wife, | guess.’’