Boxoffice-February.18.1950

Cincinnati Campaign for 'Samson
Nets High Volume of News Space
Capitalizing on national publicity in the
tremendous campaign launched in behalf of
"Samson and Delilah" by Paramount and the
producer, Nate Wise, publicity director for
RKO Theatres in Cincinnati, followed up with
a local campagin which rolled up a recordbreaking
amount of newspaper space and free
radio time.
For the opening at the Palace, Wise planted
a six-day limerick contest with the Cincinnati
Post. The paper publicized the tieup
a week in advance with front-page art and
a story, followed by six 280-line display ads
incorporating contest details and mention of
the picture. The contest attracted more than
4.000 entries.
Cooperative newspaper advertising plugged
the playates. One ad, measuring 600 lines,
was used by Mabley & Carew tying in a
Delilah dress with art from the picture.
Another feature which resulted in extensive
art breaks in the three Cincinnati dailies
was a collection of DeMille photos, jewelry
and background for an exhibit five days before
opening. Radio commentators also picked
up the incident for comment.
Three days before opening, a wrestler billed
as Samson attracted publicity in the sports
columns of the local papers, thus providing
a natural tiein.
Another stunt which paid good dividends
was an arrangement made with Cincinnati's
zoo whereby the first animal born there during
1950 would be named either Samson or
Delilah. A week prior to opening, a bear
cub was born, coincidentally with long hair,
giving the Post inspiration for front-page
pictures on the local Samson.
Animated Lobby Piece
Boosts 'Battleground'
A huge lobby display arranged for "Battleground"
by Maurice Druker, manager of
the State Theatre, Providence, R. I., featured
two elongated upright pieces, with star
heads of the principal players joined across
eye-level height by a title sign and an illustration
of Denise Darcel, only female player
in the cast.
The title was transparent and was illuminated
with a flasher. Near the top of the
display, a plaque was set showing a head
portrait of Bradford Swan, local newspaper
columnist, with a quotation from his review
stating that the picture heads his personal
list of ten best films.
For "Sands of Iwo Jima," Druker obtained
the services of a marine truck and a
155mm howitzer for a street ballyhoo. The
vehicles covered Providence and the surrounding
area with signs calling attention
to the theatre booking.
Kiddy Circus Show
And 'Hot and Blue'
Win Store Help
Merchant tieups with a kiddy circus show
and the feature, "Red, Hot and Blue," provided
Ted Davidson, manager of the State
Theatre, Lima, Ohio, with increased patronage.
The J. J. Newberry Co. tied in on
the circus show, donating 1,000 goldfish as
a giveaway to all children who attended, a
full window display advertising the tieup, and
an advertisement in the local daily.
Davidson used a lobby display two weeks
in advance and made announcements from
the stage at regular kiddy shows on two
Saturdays prior to the event, used underlines
and newspaper advertisements, and ran
a trailer.
Newberry's also cooperated in the promotion
of "Red, Hot and Blue" by featuring
a soda fountain special tied in with the picture
title and playdates. One hundred store
clerks wore lapel cards advertising the fountain
special and the title of the picture.
Signs were placed on all fountain mirrors
and on front windows. The store reported a
complete sellout of goldfish, fishbowls, and
the sale of more than 200 "Red, Hot and Blue"
specials, as an indication that the promotion
also paid off from the sponsor's angle.
Davidson made another tieup with a jeweler
on a three-column, 15-inch display ad
incorporating a scrambled word contest on
the title of the picture.
Fine Local Cooperation Obtained for 'Samson' Promotion in
Salt Lake
Presold through one oi the most eiiective advertising and
publicity campaigns in motion picture annals, "Samson
and Delilah" received fine local exploitation prior to its
opening at the Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City. Manager
Nevin McCord took over the local assignment and
did on excellent job. Pictured here are some of the window
displays arranged with leading department stores,
book shops and the Utah Power & Light Co. Luminous
letters spelling out the title on the street arch in front of
the Capitol were visible four blocks away.
32 — 66 BOXOFFICE Showmandiser Feb. 18, 1950