MODERN

BOXOFFICE NUGGETS
Ai't Steagal, manager of the Oriental, Chicago,
tied up for several attractive window
displays on "Tokyo Joe." Steagal made a
two-way tieup with Northwest Airlines in
which that company displayed a full window
of art plugging the picture playdates at the
Oriental, and loaned the theatre an exhibit
of curios flown specially from Japan for the
lobby display.
Harold Lee, manager of the Babcock Theatre,
Bath, N. Y., set up a benefit show in
behalf of "The Secret Garden," through the
cooperation of the local PTA. Lee attended
a meeting of the group, sold them the idea
of the benefit, and was rewarded with a successful
event. The organization sold tickets
outside and received a portion of the net
sales for its general fund. In addition to
giving the theatre an exceptional midweek
gross, the tieup helped to create better relationship
with the organization.
Imprinted slips were distributed by a local
laundry in delivery packages to help J. L.
Marlowe, manager of the Grand Theatre,
Cartersville, Ga., exploit "Top O' the Morning."
A tieup was made with a dairy for the
distribution of milk bottle collars with theatre
imprint for door delivery. A downtown
restaurant used napkins imprinted with pic-
Spook Show Formula
Pays Off Every Year
The Halloween spook show, promoted each
year by Lester Pollock, manager of Loew's
Theatre, Rochester, N. Y., again attracted
a capacity audience who participated in a
series of stage games, contests and an organ
songfest and saw two horror films.
Pollock offered cash prizes and theatre
tickets to those attending the show in the
best Halloween costumes. The contest was
plugged continuously over station WARC for
two weeks in advance. Three hundred window
cards and posters were put out in the
city and the surrounding area, and 300 downtown
lampposts were hung with cards.
All door panels leading into the theatre
were covered with spook show copy, and a
large A-board on the sidewalk called attention
to the advance seat sale for the show.
Stage games were of the audience participation
variety and Harold Kold, local radio
announcer, was obtained as master of ceremonies.
Kold did a 15-minute gagfest including
many humorous stunts. Audience
response to the show was excellent.
Sfrong 'Brave' Buildup
Library tieups played an important part
in Manager Bill FitzSimmons' campaign for
"Home of the Brave" at the Strand in Hudson
Falls, N. Y. The Parents' Magazine color posters
were displayed at the public library and
at the high school library, listing full theatre
credit. A 40x60 Life magazine review was
used out front a week in advance. Special
heralds with strong emphasis on "the picture
vrith guts" were distributed in factories and
offices. Cards with bomb-burst effect were
placed in the theatre and in the news bulletin
of the local newspaper.
ture and playdate copy. Radio announcers
used the title of the picture to start off every
morning program broadcast before noon.
Mildred FitzGibbons, manager of the
Roosevelt Theatre, Flushing, N. Y., attracted
more than 1,500 parents and children to a
Halloween costume party at a special matinee
show. About 1,000 youngsters in costume
paraded to the theatre where judges awarded
20 prizes donated by the Whitestone Savings
& Loan Ass'n. "Tulsa" and a cartoon festival
were on the screen.
Burt Huntoon, manager of the Priest Theatre,
High Springs, Pla., tied up with the
Atlantic Ice Co. to give away a 50-pound icebox,
with a one-week supply of free ice to
the person bringing in the most boxtops from
Take-Home boxes. The award was made on
the theatre stage.
Excellent newspaper and radio cooperation
was scored by John Smith, manager of the
Strand, Athens, Tenn., in connection with a
three-day test engagement of "The Prince
of Peace." An unusual phase of this campaign
was a tieup with the Sears store which
eliminated the commercials from its daily
radio program in order to plug the picture
playdates at the Strand.
Boy on Street Inscribes
Title of 'Rope' in Sand
A novel street ballyhoo helped "Rope of
Sand" at the RKO Keith Theatre. Syracuse,
N. Y. Sol Sorkin, manager, sent a boy to the
downtowii area with a bucket of sand. At
busy intersections he would pour the sand
on the sidewalk and, with his finger, write
out the title of the picture and the theatre
dates. Crowds gathered around and watched
him with great interest.
Another boy was dispatched with a coil of
rope with which he also spelled out the picture
title, theatre and playdates.
Window displays at local jewelers, radio
plugs and newspaper breaks helped to spread
word of the picture's engagement.
"Jolson Sings Again," again and again, seven
times in all. Twos all pari of a ballyhoo dispatched
to the Harvard-ArmY football game
in Boston, by publicist Jim Shonahan to exploit
film dates at the State and Orpheum
theatres there.
Secretaries Compete
In 'Miss Grant' Stunt
At Avon, Savannah
"Miss Grant Takes Richmond" took over
at the Avon Tlieatre in Savannah preceded
by a Beautiful Secretary contest promoted
by Leslie Swaebe, manager of the Avon. Local
merchants donated prizes for the winners
and gifts for each contestant. The Savannah
Morning News cooperated with advance
stories and published a three-column photo of
the entrants and winner during the run of
the picture.
Ten attractive secretaries competed on the
stage of the Avon. Each was seated behind
a typewTiter mounted on a stand. The office
equipment was supplied by a local concern.
Swaebe enlisted the services of a popular
radio announcer as emcee.
Seven business firms sponsored a full-page
newspaper ad with a banner plugging the
picture and a four-column strip down the
center containing rules of the Beautiful Secretary
contest, plus display advertising for
the picture.
One hundred cards were placed in prominent
locations. Paid spots and promoted
announcements brought news of the booking
to radio audiences.
For "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon," small
strips of ribbon were distributed to patrons
entering the theatre. A trailer advised people
to tie the ribbon around their fingers as
a reminder of the playdates. The ribbon was
promoted from local retail stores, each of
whom contributed to a full-page ad based on
a Yellow Ribbon sale and displayed window
posters tying in on the promotion.
Novelty Heralds Sell
'White Heat/ 'Bovary'
Al Hatoff, manager of the Ritz, Brooklyn,
N. Y., used two novelty heralds to promote
interest in recent bookings.
For "White Heat," a shoe store was tied
up to sponsor a "White Heat" sale, publicized
by a circular, one side of which carried
a large ad mat reproduction and theatre
credits. In connection with the sale, the
merchant offered two free theatre tickets
with every purchase of a pair of shoes. The
tickets were valid at the Ritz during the engagement
of "White Heat."
To stimulate interest in "Madame Bovary,"
small invitational type cards were distributed,
bearing copy "Madame Bovary at home."
telephone number on
Persons who called tiie
the card received a plug for the picture from
the theatre cashier.
Usher Goes on Streets
For 'Bride' in Maryland
To exploit "I Was a Male War Bride," Lou
,
Fuhrmann, manager of the Arcade Theatre,
Cambridge, Md., promoted a two-column,
four-inch cooperative newspaper ad from a
local beauty salon. The ad illustration was
a cut of Ann Sheridan, tied in with the
brushup bob. Fuhrmann also used an amusing
street ballyhoo. An u.sher dressed in army
jacket, overseas cap, and wearing a brand
new mop head plus generous quantities of
makeup, provoked whistles from passersby as
"she" went about town with a sign heralding
the theatre playdates.
46 — 388 BOXOmCE Showmandiser :: Nov. 19, 1949