MPAA

Exhibits, Contests, Music Tieups,
Exploit 'Tulsa in Baltimore
Newspapers and local radio stations sponsored
various contests to help exploit "Tulsa"
for its Baltimore engagement at the Town
Theatre. A saturation campaign of publicity
and exploitation put on by Herb Thacher,
manager of the Town, and Eagle Lion exploiteer
Max Miller spread word of the playdates
for miles around the city.
Rave reviews resulted from a special
screening attended by Baltimore drama
critics. Oil company officials who attended
extended full cooperation through bulletins
mailed to all industry employes, special exhibits
provided for the theatre lobby and in
sanctioning the placement of window cards
at all gas stations in the area.
The song hit "Tulsa" was used to exploit
the picture through disk jockeys, music store
tieups and streamers placed on all jukeboxes
in the city. The Pi-att library displayed an
exhibit of books dealing with oil and included
scene stills from the picture as well as the-
Cartoon Show Booked
For Easier Program
A variety of promotions helped to boost
grosses for Ed Kennelly, manager of the
Lido Theatre, Maywood, 111., during the
month of April. He booked a special kiddy
matinee show prior to Easter, with an advance
sale of tickets helping to fill the house.
Fifteen color cartoons were shown and surprise
gifts were promoted for every child
who attended.
A cleaning establishment which sponsored
the show and donated the prizes also paid
for the imprint and distribution of 2.000 special
heralds. Publicity releases In the Herald
and Sentinel helped to spread news of the
special show.
To attract extra adult patronage, Kennelly
tied up with a market which provided
250 pounds of hams as a giveaway on April
13. The sponsor and the theatre distributed
lucky drawing coupons to customers at the
store and theatre patrons three weeks prior
to the drawing which was held on the Lido
stage. The giveaway was exploited through
a lobby display, theatre house program, and
signs placed in the window of the cooperating
market.
Silver Firm-MGM Jingles
Aid 'Women' in Atlanta
Boyd Fry, manager of Loew's in Atlanta,
tied in with the National Silver Co. and the
25th silver anniversary of MGM for a contest
giveaway in which the public was offered
an opportunity to win valuable silver sets.
The stunt was worked in conjunction with
the engagement of "Little Women" and the
picture received wide publicity.
The National Silver Co. offered 13 prizes
through its principal Atlanta retailer. Rich's
department store. Entry blanks were distributed
at the store, entrants being required
to write a jingle.
The stoi-e promoted the contest through interior
and window displays, all of which carried
color art plugging "Little Women."
atre copy on the film and playdates.
Free time was promoted from station
WAAM-TV which televised scene stills from
the film production, theatre credits and
dates. Radio station WCBM placed a large
display board plugging the picture in its
studio waiting room.
Promoted time on commercial radio programs
augmented strong newspaper support
in the form of publicity, art and contests.
Lobby listings in all leading hotels helped to
attract the interest of out-of-town visitors.
For outside ballyhoo, an ancient fire engine
was placed on exhibition in front of the
Town and a special front was designed using
critics'
quotes.
Two radios were promoted from the Admu-al
Co. as giveaways on two important programs
heard over WFBR before large audiences.
A coloring contest sponsored by the
Home News reached more than 150,000 families
with a plug for the picture's opening.
'Joan' Campaign in Troy
Nets Newspaper Space
An extensive exploitation campaign staged
by Lan-y Cowen for the engagement of "Joan
of Arc" at Proctor's, Troy, N. Y., included
a special Saturday morning performance for
1,000 orphans and needy youngsters arranged
through a tieup with the Central Veterans
committee, an organization representing 25,-
000 service men and women.
Other features of the campaign were an
evening preview for 200 sisters from the
teaching staffs of Catholic schools; a "Joan
of Arc" broadcast with Rensselaer county
Red Cross Chairman Frank Mealey as
speaker; recommendations of the film by the
Sisters; still displays on school bulletin
boards; mention of the picture from pulpits
in Catholic churches on Sunday. Troy is a
predominant Catholic city.
The Troy Record, which seldom gives
space to theatre promotion, carried to advance
stories as well as a followup report.
The veterans committee, headed by Harvie
S. Gardner, arranged for buses to transport
the children from eight orphans homes.
For the broadcast. Mealey's address included
mention of the theatre, picture and
playdates, while newspaper stories included
Cowen's name together with that of the theatre
and the circuit.
Stage Show Is Arranged
With Store as Sponsor
Jerome Baker, manager of the RKO Coliseum
Theatre, New York, promoted $380 from
a local merchant recently to sponsor a headline
vaudevaie show. Baker booked Dick
Brown from the Stop the Music radio show
as headliner for the program. The organist
plugged the stage show during his regular
solos, and a display card was placed in the
sponsor's window. Two thousand heralds were
distributed in subways, a writeup was obtained
in the DaUy Mirror Bronx Express
column, and a parade of cars equipped with
signs and flares ballyhooed the show. There
was no cost involved for the theatre.
Rubber Stamps Prove
Inexpensive Means
Of Promotion
Four thousand throwaways were distributed
door-to-door by Tiff Cook, manager of
the Capitol Theatre, Toronto, to exploit "The
Paradine Case." Several thousand were used
as stuffers in stores and shops. Large sixsheet
cutout heads were mounted on cardboard
to attract advance interest in the playdates.
These were used on the theatre marquee
after serving as advance boosters in
the lobby.
For "June Bride," two rubber stamps were
made up to imprint more than 5.000 grocery
bags and record envelopes with the theatre
message. Entire cost of the stunt was $10
for the rubber stamps, plus a few passes for
the storekeepers.
For "The Accused," large double-sided
blackhand cutouts pointing to the theatre
entrance were lettered with the title and
suspended from the marquee soffit. Smaller
black hands were tacked on lamp posts in
the theatre vicinity, all pointing toward the
theatre location. The catchline, "Everything
points to 'The Accused.' " was used everywhere
possible. Window displays were promoted
in several downtown stores.
Summer Styles Preview
Staged by Herman Kopf
A preview of summer fashions was engineered
by Herman Kopf. manager of the
Waller Theatre, Laurel, Del. A local woman's
shop is sponsoring the fashion program, with
a group of pretty models handpicked by Kopf
for their attractiveness.
The store's contribution, in addition to
special window displays and personal notices
sent by mail to all customers, covered the
furnishing of complete wardrobes for the style
show and gifts for all the models.
To further enhance the program, Kopf
booked a special fashion reel featuring Ilka
Chase.
This attractive standee lobby display was
created by Ed Schwarzbart. manager of the
Linden Theatre, Brooklyn, to promote "Wake
of the Red Witch."
32 -162- BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: May 28, 1949