Boxoffice-September.23.1950

Pianist in Music Store Window Plays
Radio and Libraries
Songs from 'Three Little Words' ^^ Washinglon Pull
A Hollywood studio preview, with several
novel innovations, helped to stir up unusual
interest in "Three Little Words" three weeks
before opening at the Colonial in Reading,
Pa. The preview and the followup campaign
were handled by Larry Levy, manager, with
an assist from Ed Gollner, MGM exploiteer.
One hundred invitations were delivered to
a select group of businessmen and shopkeepers
by special messengers. This created
considerable t^lk and helped to establish a
cross-section representative audience with an
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influence on molding public opinion. At the
conclusion of the show, king-size comment
cards were distributed and these were used
on a large display setpiece in the lobby.
The theatre staff wore large buttons lettered
with the picture title. The Buick dealer
staged a parade of new cars bannered with
signs, "The perfect description in 'Three
Little Words," Better Buy Buick." Theatre
credits were included.
Radio transcriptions were planted on three
local stations. WHUM .sponsored a contest.
One of the top record shows featured songs
from the picture. The announcer then informed
the public that anyone found whistling
the tunes at a designated place and
time would receive free theatre tickets.
A 24-seet truck, illuminated and equipped
with an amplifier for broadcasting the song
hits, toured the city and outlying towns
for four days. A jeweler tied in with window
displays and newspaper co-op ads.
The Zeswitz music store used a flash window
stunt which attracted hundreds of spectators.
An attractive girl seated at a piano
in the window entertainmed passersby with
song hits from the picture. An amplifier
brought the music score to the attention of
shoppers for blocks around. The store also
sponsored a contest on the theme. "So you
want to be a songwriter." The public was
invited to submit lyrics to the title song of
the picture, with a $25 cash prize and theatre
passes getting a tremendous response.
The contest was publicized in ads and via
heralds, paid for by the sponsor.
The Woolworth store cooperated by displaying
a board made up of .scene stills from
Fred Astaire's former pictures with appropriate
tiein copy for the theatre. As people
entered the store, they received slips of paper
with a li.st of rules governing a conte.st.
Those who identified each picture in the
window were given theatre passes.
General exploitation included 34 counter
cards displayed in dow-ntown shops, 25 photographic
displays in windows, and special
stories and art in the Reading Times and
Eagle and the Shopping Bulletin. Levy proved
again, if you play every angle you get the
extra business.
For 'Ocean Drive'
Frank LaFalce. advertising-publicity
director
for Warner Theatres in Washington, engineered
an imaginative campaign for "711
Ocean Drive" at the Ambassador Theatre. He
tied up with radio station WTOP, getting 21
free spots in exchange for a one-frame
trailer on the .screen calling attention to the
Yours Truly. Johnny Dollar radio show which
stars Edmond O'Brien.
LaFalce contacted all local stations, getting
free plugs on the Mark Evans show, WTOP;
sports quiz program, WEAM: Mystery Quiz,
WGAY: and many other top air shows.
The Washington library and its branches
posted displays of stills on all bulletin boards
and distributed 3,000 bookmarks imprinted
with full theatre copy. Five thousand stagemoney
heralds announcing picture and playdates
were distributed by salesgirls in the
G. C. Murphy store.
A clever lobby stunt created word-of-mouth
advertising. Every night at 7:11. an alarm
clock rang off, and the person standing at
the boxoffice at that moment was given free
admission. The only props used for this were
easel and an alarm clock.
Twelve newsboys at key downtown locations
wore huge buttons lettered. "Are you going to
'711 Ocean Drive'?" The Washington Daily
News used a Story in Pictures feature, and
other dailies ran impressive art and publicity
stories.
Six Warner theatres in Washington used
special teaser trailers announcing the Ambassador
opening, and an advance screening for
members of the police department, the Ju.stlce
department and radio and press luminaries
resulted in additional publicity breaks.
Mule and Wagon Turn
Attention to 'Francis'
No extra expense was involved and considerable
attention was attached to the
"Francis" playdate at the Ritz in Scottsboro,
Ala., through the use of a street ballyhoo.
Horace Wilkerson, manager, obtained
the use of a mule-drawn wagon, placed signs
on the vehicle, and had a dozen teenage
boys drive it through the downtown shopping
section. A week in advance, the wagon w'as
.set up in the theatre lobby and loaded with
bales of hay and stalks of corn. Pesters and
signs announced that the management was
preparing for the arrival of "F^-ancis." The
stunt provoked favorable word-of-mouth
publicity.
Kiwanis Club Provides
Free Show for Kiddies
Bill Straub manager of the Colonia Theatre.
Norwich. N. Y., came up w'ith a timely
bit of showmanship, which gave the local kids
a free show as guests of the Kiwanis club.
Straub learned that the organization was
backing National Kids day on September 23.
He sold the local group on the idea of running
a free morning show for the youngsters.
The club paid the full cost of the theatre
rental and provided gifts for a series of stage
games and door prizes.
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: Sept. 23, 1950