o_18v8b3cj61mep1b3ve71c5t65ia.pdf

d-toxottice
-STimmunition
(Continued from preceding page)
The Bonus plan has served as an equalizer. This is best illustrated by the following
statistics compiled from the list of 360 showmen who have earned a Bonus since
1947. The figures have been reduced to percentage of the total Bonuses.
First Run Theatres in Metropolitan Areas 9.44%
Subsequent Bun Theatres in Large Cities 16.94%
Theatres in Towns 10,000-25,000 Population 43.89%
Theatres in Towns Under 10,000 Population 29.72%
Another breakdown showing the classification
a Bonus follows:
of theatremen who have earned
Owners who manage their own theatres 21.66%
Assistants and publicity men 6.39%
Manager of major circuit theatres 18.33%
Manager of independent circuits 53.61%
Since every Bonus is paid on the basis of outstanding ideas and promotions
received by the Showmandiser, and because these figures represent a true crosssection
of initiative among theatres of all types, the figures above provide interesting
data. For one thing, the managers of first run theatres represented by the 18.33
per cent of the total do not have a corner on practical showmanship methods.
The 21.66 per cent which represents the independent exhibitor who manages
his own theatre is higher. This is surprising because it is generally assumed that
pressure from the home office keeps circuit managers on the hop. Having no boss,
the independent exhibitor can either go in for exploitation or he can leave it alone.
The figures seem to prove that he elects to exploit instead of taking the easy road.
The largest proportion of Bonus winners appears to be in the group which
embraces independent circuits including theatres in metropolitan centers and small
towns alike. This is the group which has been pressing of late for distributor aid
in the selling of pictures. We offer it to the distributors' representatives for what
it is worth. If these theatres are operated by men who are exploitation conscious, a
little help with the budget might have a far-reaching effect on the current drive to
recapture a share of the "lost" attendance.
Meantime, BOXOFFICE will continue the Bonus plan, and the Showmandiser
section, will continue to make available to subscribers the vast wealth of boxoffice
ammunition provided by the hundreds of ideas and promotions submitted by showmen
through these pages.
— Chester Friedman
Cinderella Search
Draws 25 Finalists
Under the sponsorship of Thalhimer's department
store, a Search for Cinderella contest
was climaxed at the opening night of
"Cinderella" at the Byrd Theatre with a special
stage presentation and crowning of the
winner. The promotion was handled by Dan
R. Wilkinson, advertising and publicity director
for Neighborhood Theatres, Inc.
The contest ran ten days, during which
Thalhimer's ran two full pages of advertising.
This was split up in five advertisements.
The store provided a beautiful white evening
gown, a Cinderella record album, complete
wardrobe and a three-day excursion to New
York for the winner.
Twenty-five finalists appeared on the
stage opening night with Dan Cornell, RCA
recording star acting as Prince Charming.
Tickets for the opening performance were
sold In advance at regular admission prices.
The presentation ceremonies were broadcast
over radio station WRVA. A capacity audience
and a highly profitable run of
the picture
confirmed the success of the promotion.
'Great Rupert' Receives
Good Press at Buffalo
A citywide campaign under the direction
of Earl Hubbard, publicist for the 20th Century
Theatre, Buffalo, heralded the opening
of "The Great Rupert." Both daily papers,
the Courier and the News, cooperated with
liberal art and story breaks. The Polish
daily paper ran a three-day drawing contest
in addition to the regular press notices and
art.
The local Camel cigaret distributors supplied
1,000 cards plugging Jimmie Durante
and the picture. The cards were placed in
store windows throughout the city.
All Buffalo taxicabs displayed process
cards plugging the playdates, and attractive
window displays based on merchandise tieups
were arranged with downtown stores.
Vets See 'Battleground'
Sam Carr, manager of the Ritz, Greenville,
Ala., invited local veterans to the opening
night of "Battleground." The story made
the front page of the local papers. A false
front, heralds delivered house to house and
a personal endorsement in all advertising also
exploited the playdates.
Disk Jockey, Papers
Give Strong Play
To Third Man'
A screening of "The Third Man" arranged
by Lester Pollock, manager of Loew's Theatre,
Rochester, N. Y.. for radio disk jockeys,
feature writers, columnists and editors of
daily and weekly newspapers elicited exceptional
publicity breaks in conjunction with
the picture's booking.
The Democrat and Chronicle, and the
Times-Union, gave the picture a terrific play
through art and feature stories starting more
than two weeks prior to opening. Columnists
and film reviewers gave the picture rave reviews
and personal endorsements.
RECORDINGS ON AIR DAILY
Disk jockeys on radio stations WHAM,
WHEC, WEVT, WARD, WSAY and WRNY
used recordings by MGM, Decca and London
almost every day, with mention of the picture
booking at Loew's.
Mort Nusbaum devoted a
15-minute program on WHAM exclusively to
zither recordings, including "The Third Man
Theme." Bob Trebor, station WENT, ran a
three-day contest awarding theatre passes to
listeners responding to a quiz on "The Third
Man." Replies jammed the station telephone
board during the three days.
A joint tieup with the Abendpost, German
daily newspaper, and radio station WARC.
netted a wealth of publicity in connection
with a contest seeking the best zither player
in the area. Pollock promoted a silver loving
cup for the winner. Thirty-eight zither players
who responded were presented and judged
on radio station WARC.
To reach owners of 35,000 television sets in
the area, Pollock used a one-minute teaser
trailer followed by playdate and theatre slide
prior to the INS daily newscast over the
principal television station in Rochester.
CARDS IN HOTELS
Four-column Lux ads, part of the national
tieup, broke currently with the Loew booking
and carried announcements on the local
showing. Seven downtown hotels displayed
40x60s plugging the picture; 50 music streamers
tying in records were placed in music
shops throughout the city; 300 downtown
lampposts were placarded; a juke box display
was set up in the lobby featuring "The Third
Man Theme" and zither record variations
two weeks prior to opening.
Merchandising tieups produced excellent
window locations which helped to promote
the booking, and the personal appearance of
Anton Karas at the Sheraton hotel lounge
produced extra publicity by Way of interviews
and personal appearances on radio programs.
The Sheraton, in newspaper ads publicizing
Anton Karas, gave prominent mention to the
picture booking at Loew's.
Teaser Ad Gets Publicity
For 'Cab Man' Opening
A novel teaser ad aroused widespread
word of mouth publicity for "The Yellow Cab
Man" prior to its opening at the Madison
Theatre, Peoria, 111. The ad was placed by
Len Worley, manager, and sought to attract
house haunters, professional mourners,
grouches etc., to sit through a screening of
the picture. Those who were accepted and
failed to laugh were to be paid $5 in cash.
36 — 174 — BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: May 13, 1950