Boxoffice-December.02.1950
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14-Ton Missile (It's Real) Rockets Interest in 'Moon'<br />
There have been a lot of "rockets" used to ballyhoo "Destination<br />
Moon" but it remained for H. L. McCormick, manager of the<br />
Fox Rio Grande Theatre at Las Cruces. N. M., to get the genuine<br />
article for an exhibit when he played the picture. After prolonged<br />
and persistent effort, McCormick was successful in getting<br />
officials at the White Sands proving grounds to loan him this<br />
14-ton German V-2. Properly placarded and with four smaller<br />
rockets as auxiliaries, the huge missile was attended night and<br />
day by army ordnance experts who answered questions for<br />
curious passersby and hundreds who were dravm to the scene<br />
by the newspaper and radio publicity. McCormick had a ballyhoo<br />
man standing by in an asbestos fire suit. It was, he reports, as<br />
effective as anything he has ever seen. The unique exhibit is<br />
the first of its kind reported in this country in behalf of a film.<br />
Community Observes<br />
Theatre Anniversary<br />
Vincent Capuano. manager of the Elm Theatre,<br />
West Hartford. Conn., observed the second<br />
anniversary of the opening of the theatre<br />
by promoting a full-page newspaper co-op<br />
ad and arranging a series of special events.<br />
Coincident with Armistic day, he staged a<br />
flag-raising ceremony with veteran contingents<br />
and the Talcott school band. For the<br />
kids, he ran an ice cream eating contest on<br />
the theatre stage, awarding special prizes<br />
promoted from merchants.<br />
A pet show and athletic contests were<br />
staged at Lincoln field, with theatre passes<br />
presented to the winners. For the adults, a<br />
$300 television set was given away on the<br />
basis of lucky-numbered coupons distributed<br />
by cooperating merchants.<br />
A .square dance with free cider and doughnuts<br />
at the school auditorium was another<br />
highlight of the celebration. To advertise<br />
the various events, the merchants sponsored<br />
a full-page newspaper advertisement in the<br />
Hartford Times.<br />
Vets See 'Breakthrough'<br />
Jim McCarthy, manager of the Strand<br />
Theatre, Hartford, invited all local veterans<br />
of the European phase of World War II, holding<br />
medals for meritorious service in the<br />
Normandie breakthrough campaign, to be<br />
guests on opening night of "Breakthrough."<br />
Newspapers noted the occasion with free publicity<br />
including picture credits and playdate<br />
mention.<br />
Ticklish Herald<br />
Rudolph Kramer, manager of the Marble<br />
Hill, New York, used an effective novelty<br />
herald to exploit "Our Very Own." Attached<br />
to each herald was a feather, and the copy<br />
read: "It's a feather in our hat and we're<br />
proud to announce 'Our Very Own,' etc."<br />
Waco's Wa<br />
-^ 5f<br />
(Continued from preceding page)<br />
the industry. It can help to soften up a<br />
tough buyer's market. It can help to overcome<br />
the tenacious competition from<br />
sports and television. It can exert a tremendous<br />
influence on the "lost audience"<br />
and stimulate interest in motion pictures<br />
on a vast general plane. It will serve<br />
to inspire the exhibitor with the knowledge<br />
that movies are better than ever<br />
and provide him with the incentive to<br />
merchandise his product with confidence<br />
and assurance.<br />
Let the exhibitor not forget that COMPO<br />
is no genie from some magical lamp. The<br />
impact of institutional selling will depend<br />
largely upon sound merchandising at the<br />
local level. Its main utility will be to complement<br />
the exhibitor's promotional efforts<br />
—not to replace them.<br />
And let no one forget that any successful<br />
merchandising plan is dependent on<br />
the product and the manner that product<br />
is sold to the public day-by-day, pictureby-picture,<br />
just as Macy's advertises its<br />
special sales features for the day.<br />
— Chester Friedman<br />
tre advertising. E>ery patron received a<br />
coupon redeemable at an adjacent soda foun-<br />
Little Rascal Shorts<br />
Good Kid Stimulant<br />
Lloyd Boyea, manager of tlie Regent Theatre,<br />
Amsterdam, N. Y., promoted a series of<br />
special kid shows featuring the Little Rascals<br />
last spring. They were so successful that he<br />
is repeating them again with an eight-week<br />
series set to end on December 23. His opening<br />
date brought the biggest Saturday<br />
matinee gross in a year and a half.<br />
Boyea promoted eight Hopalong Cassidy<br />
watches from a neighborhood jeweler and<br />
gives one away each week on a lucky number<br />
drawing. Special gifts will be given away<br />
for Mom and Dad at the concluding session.<br />
A lobby display of the watches and gifts<br />
stops the kids in their tracks when they attend<br />
the Regent.<br />
Boyea used his usual advertising channels<br />
to promote advance interest in the Little<br />
Rascal shows and had special circulars distributed<br />
at schools and at a circus held at<br />
the local armory.<br />
Gives Free Ice Cream to<br />
'Good Humor' Patrons<br />
R. E. Agle sr., district manager for the Appalachian<br />
Theatres, Boone. N. C, arranged<br />
with a local ice cream company when he<br />
played "The Good Humor Man" to provide<br />
patrons with free ice cream. Since there is<br />
no Good Humor ice cream in the vicinity of<br />
Boone, Agle called on the Pet Dairy Co. and<br />
promoted free ice cream in return for thea-<br />
tain for a portion of ice cream.<br />
38 — 396 BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: Dec. 2, 1950
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