Boxoffice-August.19.1950

CHESTER FRIEDMAN
EDITOR
OKOffIG
HUGH E. FRAZE
Associate Editor
SECTION
PRACTICAL IDEAS FOR SELLING SEATS BY PRACTICAL SHOWMEN
i lot Jlckln %
A couple of months back, Kroger
Babb, president of Hallmark Productions,
addressed the Georgia theatre
owners on "How to Make the Boxoffice
Tick." Since then scores of
circuit heads and supervisors have
written to Babb requesting copies of
the speech for distribution to their
managers. It is surprising to note
such high interest in a subject in
which some circuits appear to have
lost interest.
Since the war years, there has
never been a full recovery of the
showman spirit which at the Chicago
Showmanship meeting was called
"the old-fashioned kind." Twentieth
Century-Fox took the bull by the
horns and tried to get the important
circuit heads back in the groove.
The guests were tremendously inspired,
and went home full of vim
and energy.
But what happened then? Was
there an all-inclusive wave of showmanship
to engulf the country in
behalf of the boxoffice? In some
sections good results were obtained
but in others, outside of an attempt
to sell a slogan instead of a doctrine,
nothing happened. There are circuits
which still are busy making
surveys in theatre lobbies instead of
ringing doorbells. One organization
we know recently concluded a survey
to determine what forms of advertising
are most effective. This
group spends a fortune yearly in
newspaper ads, but little on anything
else.
The circuit owner will tell you
there is nothing the manager cannot
do, if he so elects. Hum-bug and
tommyrot. In altogether too many
instances if the manager wants to
use an occasional circular, he must
get an okay first from the supervisor
who in turn contacts the publicity
department, which in turn must get
an approval from the top. The same
is true of window cards and other
forms of exploitation. And make no
mistakes, the word "occasional"
nveans once in a while, not as a
steady exploitation media, because it
costs too much.
The same circuit owner will tell
you that business today is either
very good or else it is extremely bad.
There is no in-between. That, he
(Continued on next page)
I
Down-to-Earth Selling
Covers 'Happy' Angles
Bob Portle. manager of the Elm Street
Theatre, Worcester, Mass., went back to "oldfashioned"
.showman.shlp and plenty of exploitation
to .sell two first run attractions on
a twin bill, "Mystery Street" and "The Happy
Years."
Sidewalks were stenciled, directional arrow-s
were placed on poles, grocery bags were
rubber-stamped with theatre copy, and a
new Nash car, bannered with signs, toured
the streets on a no-cost deal for the theatre.
Lawn signs were posted in residential areas,
banners were hung at the four main highways
leading into town and eight news trucks
carried posters tying in with Parents' magazine
serialization of "The Happy Years."-
A couple dressed in Gay Nineties costumes
walked through the downtown business area
with signs. Window displays were arranged
with nine stores selling books, Kodak film
and men's hats.
Youth organizations and adult groups were
contacted directly and urged to attend in
groups. A newspaper co-op ad was promoted
from a beauty shop featuring a head cut of
Sally Forrest with prominent credit.
Portle contacted seven night spots in the
area and promoted gratis plugs for the show
through music popular during "The Happy
Years." He used advance teaser trailers and
obtained a cross plug on the screen of the
affiliated Poli Theatre in Worcester.
Pull window displays were arranged by
tying in merchandise sales with production
stills at men's furnishing, florist, jeweler and
women's apparel stores. The program was
publicized In stores and art breaks in the
daily new.spapers. the Sunday Telegram and
the Jewish Civic Leader. Radio spots over
WTAG advertised the .show. E. J. Lazar.
assistant manager, helped in the campaign.
Good results were reported.
BOXOFFICE Showmandjser :
: August 19, 1950 — 277 — 27