Silver Plaied Tieup For 'My Irish Rose' In Tampa Siale Holdover business rewarded Manager Curt Miller's aggressive promotion campaign for "My Wild Irish Rose" at the State in Tampa, Fla. Miller tied up with two jewelry concerns for cost free plugs in the newspapers and via the radio waves. The first store sponsored a three-column ad running the full length of the page which showed a scene from the picture, a large display cut and theatre playdates. The ad was built around the Rogers silverplate tieup. The owner also gave the picture and State playdates mention twice nightly over a two-week period on its regular evening programs heard over WDAE and WFLA. The second jeweler plugged the feature daily on his Man on the Street broadcast originating in the heart of the shopping section, with the stars, title and current exhibition coming in for mention seven or more times each day. Persons interviewed received passes. Miller had the local cabs display bumper strips with copy, "Take this cab to the State to see 'My Wild Irish Rose.' Daily Picture and Ad Page Features Theatre Plug An unusual tieup has been made by Burgess Walton, manager of the Princess in Columbus, Miss., with the Commercial Dispatch. Every day the Dispatch runs a page on which the current Princess attraction is exploited through a scene cut. A streamer across the top of the page announces "News of the Day" as seen by the inquiring cameraman. The upper portion of the page is devoted to pictorial news events and the Princess attractions, the lower portion to merchant ads and an announcement that free tickets to the Princess will be awarded to persons who find their names in any of the accompanying advertisements. Net cost to the theatre is a few passes which Waltmon gives the Commercial Dispatch to present to those persons who clip the ads containing their names. Attracts Teen-Agers A tieup for the display of window and counter cards in department stores was arranged by Tommy Grace, manager of the Ea.st wood in east Hartford, Conn., to promote "That Hagen Girl." The displays were built around teen-age styles and featured stills and theatre credits. A word-guessing contest was planted with the East Hartford Gazette, with passes awarded to the winners. Where Charity Begins Commiinitv Roodwill, an ever increasing responsibility of theatrcmen, is gettinR regular attention from Frank Pratt, manager of the Paramount in Portland, Ore., who dispenses the kind of goodwill that goes a long way toward, making friends and theatre patrons. Pratt has recreated a "wishing well" the Paramount foyer. Patrons contribute in regularly, and each month the receipts are turned over to a different local charity organization. Comment from patrons, the press and officials of the beneficiary organizations has been excellent. An outstanding window display arranged by Lou Cohen, manager of the PoU, Hartford, helps exploit "Good News" and promote music shop sales of record albums. Cooperating merchant also paid for an eight-inch newspaper ad, devoting 80 per cent of the space to type and illustrative matter announcing the picture. Star Identity Contest Helps Meriden 'News' Contests played an important part in Manager Mollie Stickles' campaign for "Good News" at the Palace in Meriden, Conn. In the lobby. Miss Stickles displayed star and scene stills and invited patrons to identify them. Guest tickets were prizes. Passes also were awarded to winners of two weekly contests sponsored by the Christian Fox Music Hour over station WMMW. The contests were tied in with an Identify the Tune stunt featuring song hits from "Good News." The Charm beauty salon ran a two-column cooperative ad featuring a cut of June AUyson, seen in "Good News," with the playdates. Another co-op was planted with a men's clothing shop. The orchestra leader at the Crystal ballroom played songs from the picture at two weekly dances prior to opening, with announcements of the Palace dates. Cards announcing a "Good News" fountain special were placed in 20 ice cream parlors and drug stores. Old Papers Admit Pupils In School-Serial Tieup In cooperation with the Bluemont school in Manliattan, Kas., the Carlton Theatre staged a "paper matinee" to help along the school's annual drive for funds by sale of waste paper. Admission to the matinee was the charge of five old newspapers. The special show also plugged the first installment of the house's new serial. "The Black Widow." School authorities are reported highly pleased by the gesture of the theatre and it is felt much goodwill was engendered by this stunt, according to Dave Dallas, TEI city manager. Cowboy Camp Scene A unique window display that really stopped the night shoppers was used recently by William Hardwick, manager of the Star, Hereford, Tex., to bally "The Fabulous Texan." In a shop near the theatre he laid a dummy in western clothes on the window floor with its head on a saddle. Near by was a simulated campfire. The dummy had a rifle in his arms and appeared asleep. He spotlighted the display with amber. A 40x60 announced the title, playdate and theatre name. —376— Free Tickets Slash Baby-Sitting Cost In Bethany, Mo. Baby-sitters in Bethany, Mo., are being rewarded with theatre passes by P. F. Chenoweth, manager of the Albany Bethany Theatres and theatre attendance is on the increase because of this innovation recently introduced to ease the financial outlay of parents for an evening's entertainment. The plan works as follows: Any local couple who engages a sitter to watch the baby when they attend the Noll or Roxy theatres ask the cashier for a baby-sitter pass when they purchase their tickets. The couple simply give their name and the name of the sitter. The pass is used as part of the reimbursement to the sitter. The plan was conceived after Chenoweth noted that at cun-ent cinema rates and charges for minding the baby, many couples could not afford an evening out. The stunt is one of the leading topics of conversation in Bethany and, according to Chenoweth, has already resulted in an increase in the number of couples who are attending since the offer was made through newspaper advertisements. Radio Show Originates In Lobby of Ben Ali Bob Anderson, manager of the Ben Ali Theatre in Lexington, Ky., has promoted a five-day-a-week broadcast which emanates from the theatre lobby and helps to keep his theatre name constantly before the public. Not only does the theatre benefit from a steady flow of institutional advertising, but also by direct frequent plugs of current and coming attractions. In an endeavor to strike something different Anderson sold the local radio station on the idea of an entirely new program. The station management cooperated enthusiastically. The program is now heard daily from 4 to 5 p. m. Monday through Friday, and consists of records, chatter and interviews with theatre patrons. To insure a constant variety of recordings, Anderson has a tieup with one of the larger record stores in Lexington which contributes 50 records each week for use on the program in return for a theatre credit card. Close Check of Bookings Pays Off in Newspaper Malco circuit managers have been tipped c off to watch for personalities or business items in feature or short subject bookings which can be played up locally. Althmigh Paul Jones, city manager for Malco in Pine Bluff, Ark., normally has a tough time cracking the daily newspapers, his close observation of bookings recently paid off handsomely. „, ^ , Jones noted that the Paramount Theatre s Unusual Occupation subject was filmed m a local archery equipment factory. He went to the editor of the Commercial Appeal with the story. The result was a special reader in the paper which even listed the starting times of the subject and an editorial urging citizens to see the film. C^Q^^ns HlS UsIieTS Loris Stanton, city manager for Malco Theatres in Clarksville. Ark., has neither the budget nor the facilities to do much exploitation. Recently, he provoked comment by having the ushers wear crowns, cut out of cardboard, with lettering, Bob Hope's a King in "Where There's Life." BOXOFFICE Showmandiser 1948
THOUGHT OR TWO FROM HYGIENIC CORNER ^AvaoiuM. im * ADITORIAL No. 5 of a Series * ('i'l T ^^ rif'E'^fll I NEXT!— Producers Kroger Babb Cleft) and J. S. Jossey of Hygienic discuss with author and screen writer Mildred Horn. some of the ideas they wish incorporated in next picture, "One Too Many." It is the story of alcohol. Miss Horn's book, "One Too Many," is already off the press and passed the 20.000 mark in copies sold at a buck-a-throw. There's never a dull day— at Hygienic!!! The "slaves" were recently submitted a simple six-word question. It read, "Why do you work ior Hygienic?" Hardly any two among 200 gave us the same > MEET!— Rafael de la Cruz, top agent and manac distribution of Mom and Dad," shakes hands time with George Altman, of Toronto. Hygieni general manager They met in Hollywood. FIGHTERS!— Hygienic's legal adviser. Charles R. Kirk (left), the only law student who ever graduated from Washington and Lee university in three vears, discusses censorship hooey with Paul Love, who admits he "loves" his duties with Hygienic Productions, Inc. EXPLAINER
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