TOTAL

Neighborhood Theatres
In
Citywide Contest
Noah Schechter, public relations director
for the Greater Cincinnati Independent
Exhibitors, arranged a threeway
tieup between the Cincinnati
Times, radio station WKRC and neighborhood
theatre owners who advertise
through directory ads. Neighborhood
merchants also participated.
The Times carried a daily box with
a coupon headed, "I Attend My Neighborhood
Theatre Because . .
." The
exhibitors offered a variety of prizes
which could be won for completing the
line and submitting the coupon to the
Times.
WKRC plugged the contest on the air
five or six times a day while it was in
progress. Over 2,200 retail grocery and
drug stores plugged the contest in window
and counter displays.
Exhibitors who participated in the
contest report that results were gratifying.
'Mama' Air Contests
Tribute to Mothers
Contests keyed to the Mother's day angle
on two radio stations in Glens Falls, N. Y.,
highlighted the campaign put on for "I Remember
Mama" at the Rialto. The tieups
were made by Manager Fielding O'Kelly who
arranged with WGLN to find the oldest
mother in the county. The winner was honored
on the theatre stage on Mother's day
and presented a variety of gifts donated by
civic-minded merchants.
The second contest was sponsored by 'W'WSC
to locate the oldest Gold Star mother in
the county. She was also brought to the stage
on Mother's day and given gifts.
O'Kelly promoted a full-page co-op ad
from merchants who featured "Mama" sales,
the picture and playdates taking a prominent
portion of the space. Two full window
tieups in choice downtown stores were part
of the campaign.
Badges on 'Obsession'
Worn by Entire Staff
Calling attention to the playdates of "Magnificent
Obsession," a reissue, Jim Preddy,
manager of the Telenews in Dallas, had the
entire theatre staff wearing announcement
badges a week in advance. A window display
was .set with the largest book store in
town, and 3,000 vote heralds were distributed
headed, "Help! We need your help in deciding
on another Return Picture ..." Guest
tickets were awarded to the first voting for
the picture chosen.
Doubles for 'Senator
A spry old gentleman with a flowing white
mustache, dressed in top hat, white tie and
tails, walked around the streets in the vicinity
of the Vogue Theatre, Vancouver, B. C,
to promote "The Senator 'Was Indiscreet" for
Roy McLeod, manager. The man carried a
suitcase posted with picture and playdate information,
and another sign on his back.
Handwriting Analyst
Fits Promotion to
'Unknown Woman'
The campaign used at the New York Rivoll
prior to the opening of "Letter From an Unknown
Woman" set a unique pattern which
can be adapted in other communities by exploitation
minded showmen.
The theatre arranged for Muriel Stafford,
considered one of the world's foremost handwriting
analysts, to make personal appearances
and read the handwriting of theatre
patrons. This promotion was advertised by
a trailer and a lobby 40x60.
A tieup was arranged with all mail carriers
in the area whereby 6,000 postmen competed
in a letter-writing contest on their
"most unusual experience while delivering
mail." Cash and theatre tickets were offered
as prizes. The contest was plugged in the
carriers' publication. Outlook, and through
bulletins in postoffices and postoffice clubs.
Reproductions of famous love letters published
by Simon & Schuster in "Treasury of
World's Greatest Letters," were displayed on
the mezzanine floor of the Rivoli.
Radio promotion included a letter writing
contest for radio audiences on Paul Brenner's
Requestfully Yours show over WAAT.
WNEW featured a half hour of Joan Fontaine's
favorite music with playdate mention.
New York's FM station WGYN used a twoweek
"Unknown Woman" contest on its
Coffee With Dreicer show.
The Rivoli campaign was handled by Manager
Monty Salmon, publicist Bill Tell and
the exploitation department of Universal-
International.
Chatter Program Sells
Walter Reade Shows
Thi-ough a tieup with radio station WXNJ
m Plainfield, N. J., worked out by Hal Martz,
city manager for Walter Reade Theatres, a
45-minute Moonlight Serenade program has
been set up carrying motion picture chatter,
records of songs from current films and local
theatre news. In addition, the station has
a 15-minute program once a week which
broadcasts star interview records, transcribed
portions of vaudeville shows at the Oxford,
and bits of news about the current films at
the three Reade houses in Plainfield. Occasionally,
contests are tied in with specific
films and guest tickets awarded as prizes.
Congratulates Graduates
Every undergraduate in the local college
and high school of Hickory, N. C, received
a card of congratulations from Earle Holden,
manager of the Center. Starting off: "To
you who will graduate this year," the message
concluded with an invitation to attend
the theatre as a guest of the management
with the card serving as a pass.
Promotes Gitt Books
Toronto's famous Players Canadian Corp.
helped solve the gift problem for Mother's
day with an extensive campaign throughout
the circuit to promote the sale of gift
books of tickets. The result was substantial.
The advertising followed the general lines of
the Orristmas season drive, including newspaper
displays, general publicity, screen trailers
and posters.
Drinks on the House
Courtesy Coca-Cola
Indicating that the soft drink distributors
are anxious to cooperate with
theatremen, the Coca-Cola Co. in Portland,
Ind., recently sponsored a tenweek
giveaway at the Hines Theatre
there.
Jim Ackron, manager of the Hines,
reports that the company provided
every child who attended the Saturday
Children's Hour show during the
tieup with a free toy, coke, candy, bag
of popcorn, ice cream and other goodies.
One week, every adult who attended the
evening show received a free coke. On
Easter Saturday the dealer also contributed
25 toys and 25 Easter candy
baskets as door prizes.
• The Curtiss Candy Co. also cooperated
with Ackron recently by supplying
a free candy bar for every child at a
Saturday show. In return, Ackron gave
the company a two-week special display
of its products next to the candy
bar.
Radio Station Tieup
For Mother's Day
Mother's day was observed at the Ritz in
Tallahassee, Fla., by means of a special promotion
engineered by Manager James Mc-
Dannold with radio station WRHP.
Fifteen merchants also cooperated in the
stunt which was a Mother's day contest to
detennine the city's oldest and youngest
mother and the mother with the largest
family.
McDannold promoted gifts from the merchants
and the radio station maintained a
steady barrage of spot plugs m-ging all mothers
to enter the contest.
The winners were presented on the Ritz
stagfe on Mother's day to an appreciative audience.
The only cost of the promotion which
the theatre shared was a display announcing
the contest in the newspaper with credit
mentions for the merchant and WRHP.
Reaction was such, reports McDannold, that
the theatre prestige has increased with everyone
in the community from the mayor down
and relations with the merchants have improved
notably.
'Roosevelt Story' Shown
For Ottawa Officialdom
"The Roosevelt Story" was screened by
Ernie Warren, manager of the Elgin in Ottawa,
Ont., for Canada's prime minister,
cabinet members, Ambassador Ray Atherton
and the complete personnel of the U.S. embassy,
and ambassadors from other nations.
The event resulted in wide newspaper and
radio coverage.
Libraians Admitted Free
To promote "The October Man," aU men in
New York who produce evidence they were
born on October 1, will be admitted to the
Bijou Theatre as guests of the management
during the current engagement of the attraction.
The film tells the story of a man
haunted by the stars under which he was born.
40
BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: May 22, 1948