Boxoffice-June.19.1948

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Welsh Manager Takes
Top Honor and Prize
In British Contest
First prize in the RKO Pictures and
Odeon Theatres, Ltd.. exploitation contest
for "So Well Remembered" in Great Britain
was won by W. T. Thomas, manager of the
Odeon in Sketty. Swansea in South Wales.
Thomas captured the national prize tor his
noteworthy promotion in a subsequent run
house. The film played the Odeon only three
days.
Highlight of the prize-winning campaign
was a tieup arranged by Thomas with the
University College of Swansea for Rag week.
The picture received full credit in press advertising
in conjunction with the British
Empire Cancer campaign, and on Sunday
prior to opening, a Brain Trust iquizi wa.s
held on the Odeon stage.
The advance buildup for the picture got
under way a full month before opening when
theatre patrons were urged to sign a scroll
in the lobby inviting John Mills to attend
the first night.
During the Rag week celebration, Thomas
was "kidnaped" by the university students
and paraded through the streets. This stunt
received wide press coverage and art breaks
in the regional papers. The "victim's" photo
appeared with "So Well Remembered" placards
on his back.
Additional exploitation included window
displays in 35 shops, posters on 100 omnibuses,
and 60.000 tickets imprinted for a Rag
week raffle carried theatre imprint. A "So
Well Remembered" dance was held at the
college. Linen banners were placed on the
sites of business establishments and homes
bombed out during the war.
Street Name Changed
For 'Green Dolphin'
Getting Mayor J. S. Beck of Brampton.
Ont., to approve "Green Dolphin Street" as
the name of the main shopping thoroughfare
was a master stroke for Keith Wilson, manager
of the Odeon Theatre.
The stunt attracted widespread comment
from local citizens in behalf of the film. It
seems that the regular street signs are old
and illegible, a subject the press had been
trying to have rectified.
Wilson's signs provided fodder for the campaign
and the newspapers went to work with
a will. Alarmed citizens who noticed the
new signs called the mayor's office to learn
the reason for the change of name. All of
which contributed mightily to the publicity
for the Odeon playdates.
Card Suits Imprinted
On Novehy Blotters
A novelty blotter was made up by Fi-ed
Leavens, manager of the Circle in Toronto,
and distributed in advance of his double bill,
"Louisiana" and "High Tide." The blotter
bore a picture of four playing cards—a heart,
a club, a diamond and a spade. Alongside
of each, respectively, was the copy: "You may
have a big 'heart' ... Or you may belong to
.
several 'clubs' may wear expensive
But you don't need a 'spade'
'diamonds' . . .
to find two ace hits, etc., etc."
Teaser Ads Inform
Population
That "Thunderbolt" Is Imminent
The population of Reidsville, N. C, was
rather curious when newspaper ad.s began
to appear advising them to be on the
lookout for "Mission Thunderbolt." Something
special was coming out of the skies
and all 12,000 Reidsville residents kept a
wary lookout for several days.
When Mission Thunderbolt finally did
arrive, it came at the precise moment that
Manager J. VV. Amos was opening the boxoffice
of the Reid Theatre. Coincidentally,
the current screen attraction was the
army's Technicolor film, "Thunderbolt."
Amos tied up with the 156th Fighter
::qiiadron, Air National guard air unit in
Invitational Circulars
Promote 'Louisiana'
A cleverly conceived circular on "Lousiana,"
which John Mitchell, manager of the Genesee
Theatre, Waukegan, 111., used created a
st;r among several thousand local citizens
who received them. Mitchell used a good
stock, such as is employed for formal announcements
and imprinted the following
copy on the front page, "You are cordially
invited to meet the Governor, Sunday, etc."
Inside the pamplet Mitchell used a regular
ad cut on both features headed by a slug
reading, "Governor Jimmie Davis of Louisiana—etc."
Persons who received the circulars
at first had the impression they were regular
invitations to some formal function.
Book and Costume Tieup
Set Up on the 'Pirate'
Recent promotions used by Lou Cohen,
manager of Loew's Poll Theatre in Hartford,
included a full window display of original
costumes worn by Judy Garland and Gene
Kelly in "The Pirate," set with Wise Smith's
department store. Cohen also arranged bookstore
windows on "Green Grass of Wyoming,"
and obtained co-op ads with department
stores, beauty parlors and a restaurant on
"Homecoming."
Passes Serve as Comeon
For 'Earth' Radio Tieup
Radio was the most important medium
used by Sam DeFazio. manager of the Harris
Theatre. Pittsburgh, in exploiting "To the
Ends of the Earth." Multiple plugs were
landed on ten different stations, with several
programs running contests and awarding
theatre guest tickets as prizes.
QU
Charlotte which uses the I'-47 plane. Instead
of being merely a coincidence, it
was therefore by dint of clever showmanship
that a training flight known as Mission
Thunderbolt arrived literally "in the
nick of time."
The simulated attack over Reidsville
stirred up plenty of interest among the
townspeople. The story of the attack rated
first page news stories with followup
breaks.
.Amos used a flash theatre front during
the engagement and reports business was
highly satisfactory.
Safety Slogan Earns
'Ruthless' Art Break
A recent slogan cor.test promoted by the
Buffalo Courier-Express was used to help
exploit "Ruthless" for its engagement at the
20th Century Theatre there.
Bob Murphy, manager of the 20th Century,
engaged a truck to tow a wrecked auto
through the streets. Both cars were bannered
with signs explaining the result of "Ruthless"
driving. Playdate and tiein copy were included.
"Be Alert Today, Be Alive Tomorrow," the
prize winning slogan submitted to the newspaper
was also incorporated in the copy. The
Courier-Express liked the stunt so much, a
three-column art break with full theatre
credit was published on opening day.
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BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: June 19, 1948
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