What's New? (Sep 1955)

Page 9 COOK TRAILS “HOT” REDHEADS “HARD” DIAMONDS First-run shows in Toronto continue to drum up good campaigns. When “Untamed” played the Imperial theatre, manager Russ McKibbin and Tiff Cook decided that Toronto needed a good diamond hunt, and this was an opportune time for it. It was a simple operation, but attracted attention from the patrons who were invited to try their hand at digging for the diamonds. As the patron came into the theatre he was handed a permit and sent to the rear of the mezzanine where a display explaining the working of a daimond mine was set up. It was a box six feet long, three feet wide and a foot deep filled with white silica sand, salted with $1,500 worth of small genuine diamonds along with a quantity of small rhinestones. An attendant took over the permit from the patron after it was filled out. The patrons was handed a shovel and told to take one dig. His shovelful was strained, his findings placed in a glasene bag and part of his permit attached to it. The patrons was then told to go to the jewelry store to find out whether or not his stores were diamonds or not. If the patron’s find was only a rhinestone, the numbered end was kept for a drawing until the end of the run for a shot at a $300 diamond ring. Window Displays Large and small window displays were set up in the four stores of the jeweler, bringing attention to the “digging” operation, while ads were carried by the store crediting the picture, as well as radio spots. The Richard Hudnut organization cooperated in promoting “The Man Who Loved Redheads” when it played the University and Eglinton theatres. They contributed some 2500 bottles of a new lotion to be given to every woman as she entered the theatres with copy, “Please accept this Richard Hudnut gift with the compliments of “The Man Who Loved Redheads’.” Tragic During the run of the picture, a photographer, dressed in an English director’s suit, striped trousers, hombourg hat, went looking for redheads in the city of Toronto. Much to his disappointment, he could only find 160, and as Tiff Cook commented, ‘‘Most were pretty tragic looking.” The photog carried a sign on his back, “I’m the Man Who Loved CELEBRATING Gale 3 FOR/SHOW FR SiR Dally Lond Legs Gig —— JAMES STEWART JUNE ALLYSON arr... STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND S228. NBNROE Saree lee CINEMASCOPE Teceteclor Ee y RUN COVER psig AF VISTA IRON Hehe icsor es ee | Plenty of attention was attracted to this smart display designed by Marc Hirsch, manager of the Eglinton theatre, Toronto, pointing up his coming attractions and the fact that Famous Players was celebrating its 35th anniversary. Redheads . . . See me at the University and Eglinton theatres today.”. He took pictures of the various redheads for a simple contest. A small card was handed to each girl he photographed explaining the contest. About 10 of these photos were taken every day, with the group stapled to a one-sheet display at the front of the theatres. If the girl identified her photo on this board, she notified the doorman who removed the photo and attached a card to same for final judging. She was also presented with a Richard Hudnut compact and a guest ticket to the theatre. The best-looking girl was presented with a travelling suit and a Hudnut travel kit complete with preparations. Blond Gag As a gag, a blond was engaged to parade up and down the street in front of the University carrying a sign she was on strike against men who loved redheads. A link-trainer was set up in the lobby of the Imperial theatre for the run of “Strategic Air Command.” The trainer belonged to the Toronto Flying Club who urged people to try their hand at flying in the machine. Window displays were set up in the TCA offices in downtown Toronto a week and a half in advance, with American Airlines also cooperating. A sound truck float with a mounted 24-sheet was carried through the streets, while another 24-sheet was pasted in the lobby of the theatre on the terrazzo floor. Permission was obtained from De Havilland Aircraft plant to publicize the employees with special window cards made up angled for the aircraft workers, while other stores cooperated with window displays and coop ads. 40,000 Keys Some 40,000 cardboard keys were used in conjunction with the “Long John Silver” campaign when the film played a week’s run at the Eglinton and University theatres, Toronto. The keys were to be taken to any one of four branches of an appliance store in the city. There they were inserted in any of the treasure chests in the store. If the key opened the chest, the participant was given a small prize, and also included a small coupon to enter a drawing for a major appliance prize. Each of the stores had large displays, prominently featuring the film. The appliance store also gave the picture seven radio spots in the morning and afternoon during the first three days, and urging people to take advantage of the “Long John Silver” Treasure Hunt. The store supplied the prizes, radio spots and newspaper ads, while the theatres were responsible for the keys and store displays. THEATRE DISPLAY EVOKES COMMENT TV and newspapers both provided mediums through which the Capitol theatre, London, was exploited when the London Chamber of Commerce and the Lake Erie International Association set up a display in the theatre. Object of the display was to promote tourist industry in points within reach of the motoring public on both sides of Lake Erie. This was the 10th annual goodwill tour of the Lake Erie International Association, with headquarters in Cleveland. Representatives of 14 Canadian and American Chambers of Commerce, several summer resorts on both sides of the border, the Ontario department of Travel and Publicity and several private companies made up the touring group. Bill Trudell, manager of the theatre, commented that the members of the Association were very pleased with the reception the display received. Of course, the theatre was helped through promotion of the display. ASST. MGR. POSES AS “MR. PEANUT” “No Business Like Show Business” gave Jack Ward, manager, Seneca theatre, Niagara Falls, the opportunity of proving he was a showman. With the picture, he arranged for three different window displays in music stores a week in advance of the picture and during the run of the film. He was able to convince the local radio station to play an interview supplied by the film company on the picture, then picked up a dozen free plugs on the film from a couple of radio stations. At record dealers, Jack placed street speakers playing music from the film. Orchestra leaders were also contacted to play music from the film. Mr. Peanut Jack was promotion-conscious on “Three Ring Circus.” Displays of various paper was put up around the town, while assistant Harry Homeniuk who works hard at arranging the promotions for the theatre went out on the street dressed as Mr. Peanut to assist the promotion of the film. Even doorman Robert Buckner got into the act in promoting films at the theatre, by decking out in a cap and tartan to help boost “Brigadoon.” The 126th Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets paraded to the theatre during “Men of the Fighting Lady.” A picture of the boys at the theatre was published the next day, with proper credits, in the local daily,