Boxoffice-December.24.1949

i
Automobile Giveaway
Shared by Fox Houses
And Independent
Aji annual automobile giveaway, sponsored
through a novel tieup between the independently
operated Trail Theatre, three Fox theatres
and local merchants in Port Collins
Colo., helps to bring seven weeks of exceptional
business to the participants. The promotion
is undertaken each year by Robert
Pennock, city manager for the Fox houses,
and Frank Aydelotte, manager of the Tra'l
Theatre. The two showmen work together,
calling on the various merchants and setting
up the deal.
Each merchant contributes $150 to underwrite
the seven-week promotion. Sixteen
merchants took part in the 1949 tieup. Each
one receives coupons to be distributed to store
customers with cash purchases or payments
on accounts. The money collected under-
WTites the cost of a new car and a weekly
cash giveaway of $100 which is cumulative if
not won each week. The fund also provides
jumbo window cards, coupon containers for
the merchants and theatres, trailer, lobby
displays, street car banners, etc.
Drawings are held at alternate theatres
each week, with a four-way hookup between
the houses so that announcements by the
master of ceremonies are audible to audiences
in each theatre.
Each year the promotion is tied in with the
Fall Harvest Movie Festival. The new car,
which is the top award, is exhibited at the
theatres and in front of the participating
merchants' establishments thi-oughout the
seven-week period the giveaway is in progress.
'Holiday' Contest Staged
For Amateur Photo Fans
With the cooperation of a number of Phyllis
Bell models. Vince lorio, manager of the
Trans Lux Theatre, Washington, promoted
an amateur photographers' contest to exploit
"Holiday Inn." Hobbyists were invited
to take pictures of girls posed with life-size
cutouts of Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire,
stars of the film reissue.
The contest ran for four days. Photo
equipment and merchandise were awarded for
photos depicting originality. Entries were
judged by the Photo Editors of the Washington
Post, Times Herald. Daily News and
Evening Star.
The contest was played up in the photo
sections of the daily newspapers.
Strong 'Quartet' Buildup
Launched by Screening
Screenings for newspapermen, radio commentators,
educational officials and heads of
women's groups were set up by Bob Eagen,
manager of the National Theatre, Richmond.
Va., for "Quartet." Local PTA groups aided
in the distribution of heralds and mailing
pieces. The Civic Music Ass'n made its entire
maiUng list available to the theatre.
Newspapers cooperated with liberal feature
stories, book shops devoted window space to
still displays and theatre signs, hotels and
four affiliated theatres in the city displayed
lobby boards and gratis announcements and
plugs were promoted over radio stations
WRVA, WHGB, WLEE, WXGI and WRNL.
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One of a series of dramatic ads created by
Bill Hoyle, ad-publicity director for Lichfman
Theatres in Washington. The Lincoln is the
leading Negro theatre in the nation's capitaL
The campaign helped to convey the story
theme wnth impact and special appeal.
Radio Listeners Try
For 'Samson' Ducats
An extensive tieup with the White Rock
bottling company, through a contest on their
WNEW radio program starring Martin Block,
wlU help to exploit "Samson and Delilah"
prior to its New York premiere.
The contest calls for listeners to identify
a tune and submit letters on why they prefer
White Rock soda. Eight hundred metropolitan
radio listeners will be selected from among
contest entrants to be special guests at a
"Samson and Delilah" preview at the Normandie
Theatre prior to the regular opening
at the Paramount and Rivoli theatres.
In addition to the radio plugs, the White
Rock company distributed 12,000 window displays
of counter cards and 500 package inserts
to retailers in the New York and New
Jersey area.
The tieup was consummated by Paramount
Pictures exploiteers, under the direction of
Max Youngstein, national director of advertising
and publicity.
Mayor and Police Chief
Hail 'Trooper' Short
When Fi-ank Eldridge. manager of the
Capitol. Concord, N. H., played "State
Trooper" recently, he enlisted the aid of the
mayor and the superintendent of state police
in getting extra newspaper publicity for the
short. A picture of the mayor and superintendent
and several troopers was taken and
the Concord Daily Monitor published it. along
with a story including mention of the screen
program booked at the Capitol.
TV and Texaco Tieup
Give Extra Punch
To 'Laughing'
Nate Wi.se, publicity director for RKO Theatres
in Cincinnati, concentrated the majority
of his promotional efforts for "Always
Leave Them Laughing," which opened at the
Palace Theatre, on Milton Berle's popularity
with television audiences. The tieup was
made with station WLW-TV, outlet for the
Berle show in Cincinnati, for ten gratis oneminute
plugs via a trailer.
Wise al.so obtained from the station manager
a list of television set owners. Nearly
15,000 families on this list received postal
cards carrying a direct plug for both the
Berle television program and "Always Leave
Them Laughing." Five additional mentions
for the playdates were received by providing
the Petticoat Party Line show with a few
passes for its audience participation giveaway.
A second line of promotion was opened by
contacting Texaco, sponsor of the Berle TV
program. Two-color cards plugging the Palace
booking were placed in 90 gasoline stations
throughout the area. Cooperative newspaper
ads were obtained from the H&S Pogue
Co., featuring a Milton Berle toy, and windowdisplays
were arranged in Pogue's, RoUman's,
and Sears in addition to displays in their toy
departments.
An advance setpiece used in the Palace
lobby featured the star in a variety of characterizations,
attracted widespread attention.
All local dailies gave the picture advance and
current publicity and art breaks. Special
newspaper ads were placed on the radio and
television page of Cincinnati's three principal
papers.
Studebaker Tieup Spurs
Worcester, Mass., 'Wind'
Displays in ten of the most prominent windows
in Worcester. Mass., helped "Gone With
the Wind." Robert Portle, manager of the
Elm Street Theatre, and his assistant E. J.
Labar lined up the locations.
A 1950 Studebaker was promoted for street
ballyhoo, bannered with signs reading: "The
horse and buggy days are gone, but see 'Gone
With the Wind,' etc." The Worcester dally
newspapers, Sunday papers and the Jewish
Civic Leader ran feature art and stories, and
five gratis plugs were promoted from radio
station WTAG. When answering telephone
calls, cashiers told patrons that "Gone With
the Wind" was playing a return engagement,
and special announcements were made at
several night spots to promote extra interest
in the playdates.
Riders Club Organized
Fred Utter, manager of the Palace, Morristown,
N. J., recently organized a Roy Rogers
Riding club at his Saturday kid matinees.
Each youngster has received a membership
card, and a punch card system will be used
whereby members earn points toward Roy
Rogers merchandise prizes by regularity in
attendance. The prizes will be supplied by
local dealers and merchants handling licensed
items under the Roy Rogers trademark. A
Roy Rogers picture is screened each week and
various stage contests provide additional interest
for the small fry.
BOXOFFICE Showmandiser Dec. 24. 1949 — 439 — 35