Factory Tieup Proves a Natural For Promotion of According to Dwight Kirk, manager of the Paramount. Middletown, Ohio, 6,000 of the community's total population of 36,000 are employed at the ARMCO Steel Corp. When he received his booking of "'Steel Town," ARMCO seemed the logical point to use as a springboard for his campaign. Accordingly. Kirk arranged an advance screening of the film for department heads and top executives of ARMCO, to which he also invited the city manager, police and fire chiefs, the local Kaiser-Frazer dealer and radio and newspaper representatives. Following the screening, coffee and rolls were served to the guests who responded by making personal endorsements of the picture for use in theatre adverti.'^ng. A week prior to opening, the Listen, Ladies radio program devoted a 15-minute broadcast to "Steel Town," interviewing ARMCO executives, with plugs for the picture and playdates. ARMCO distributed letters to all its employes, endorsing the picture and urging them to see it at the Paramount. It extended an Circus Front Flash Is 'Show' Ballyhoo A special flash front attracted the attention of passersby to "The Greatest Show on Earth" during its current booking at the Paramount Theatre in Toledo. The front was prepared under the direction of Manager Giles Robb. The regular poster frames were covered with beaverboard banners 16 feet long and stretching to the marquee soffit. In front of each display was a colorful cutout poster, handpainted balloons and still montages. At either end of the marquee attraction sign, an 8x8-foot board was placed flat against the building with a picture of a clown. Circus pennants were strung beneath the edge of the marquee, and additional pennants were run from the flagpole to the marquee. The boxoffice was converted into a circus ticket wagon. Robb took advantage of national tieups to obtain numerous window displays. Steel Town' invitation to the public, inviting them to inspect the plant in tribute to "Steel Town." It further cooperated by purchasing theatre tickets, at regular admission price, for groups of employes with exceptional safety records and for all retired personnel of the company. The Kaiser-Frazer tieup proved fruitful, with a new car going on exhibit in front of the theatre, bannered with tie-in copy. The dealer used a 40x60 display in his show window and purchased a cooperative ad. One hundred window cards were posted within a 100-mile radius, a cross trailer and lobby display were used In the affiliated Strand Theatre and six-sheets were pasted to the lobby floor. A working scale model of a ten-ton crane was loaned by ARMCO for lobby display, with an attendant to keep it in operation and answer questions of patrons. During the playdates, a 24-sheet cutout of Ann Sheridan, star of the picture, enhanced the theatre marquee. Kirk had excellent cooperation from the local press in promoting the engagement. Star of 'Bend of River' Sells Tickets One Night Julia Adams, featured player in "Bend of the River," gave patrons of the Paramount Theatre in New York a tlirUl when she appeared in the boxoffice on the opening night to sell tickets. Her appearance was publicized by newspaper stories planted by Henry Siegel, publicist for Paramount. Oregon pears, a gift from the citizens of Oregon, were distributed to passersby in front of the theatre on opening day. Newspaper photographers capitalized when Miss Adams presented fruit trees from Oregon to the mayor of New York. Sets Recruiting Deal For "The Wild Blue Yonder," Helen Colocousis, manager of the St. James Theatre in Asbury Park, N. J., had the army and air force recruiting services install recruiting booths in the theatre lobby and supply exhibits of army equipment for the lobby and window displays. Sid Kleper Makes Bid For 'Invitation Cash With Strong Buildup Sid Kleper. manager of the College Theatre in New Haven, left no stone unturned to exploit "Invitation." MGM's $1,000 exploitation contest for this attraction was an added incentive. An usher dressed as a clown distributed helium-inflated balloons, imprinted with picture and theatre copy, to kids in the downtown shopping section. A photo of the print of "Invitation" being delivered by Eastern Airlines was planted in the local paper. Bus terminals provided space for displays, and windows were promoted with music stores, cosmetic shops, furriers, photographers, beauty salons, men's clothing stores and sporting goods firms. One hundred window cards were distributed to suburban locations. Tent cards were supplied to leading restaurants, and 1,000 imprinted paper doilies placed with restaurants and soda fountains. A telephone campaign was launched in cooperation with the West Hills Parent-Teacher Ass'n. The first 100 women who attended on opening day received an American Beauty rose. Curbs and sidewalks were stenciled, and directory advertising was set up in leading downtown hotels. A girl dressed as a bride distributed invitational form of heralds in the downtown section, and bumper strips were displayed on Yellow cabs. A tie-in was made with the police department to exhibit placards on signal poles with copy, "Here is your 'invitation' to live . . . Wait for the light, etc." Newsstand cards and a special theatre front drew attention to the picture, and publicity was obtained in the local papers when Kleper offered free guest tickets to all couples who applied for marriage licenses a week in advance and during the "Invitation" playdates. Museum Empty Store Is For 'The African Queen' Karl Pasick, publicity manager for Loew's Theatres in Boston, promoted an empty store and converted it into a small museum as part of his ballyhoo for "The African Queen." The picture played a day-and-date engagement at the State and Orpheum theatres. The store windows and walls were plastered with posters, 24-sheets and six-sheets. The exhibit included showcases filled with African curios, live and stuffed animals and birds, foliage, flora and fauna. Admission to the public was free and Bostonians flocked to the location. Stage Singing Contest Supports 'Snow White' A talent contest tied in with the engagement of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" at the Michigan Theatre in Detroit gave the picture strong advance publicity. Gil Green, manager, advertised for talented girl singers under 18 to comjxete in the contest, doing numbers exclusively from the original music score of the picture. Green auditioned all entrants, and those who passed were presented on the theatre stage. Selection of the winner was made by audience applause and the theatre presented her a $100 savings bond. 32 — 104 — BOXOFFICE Showmandiser May 3, 1952
EYE APPEAL IN LOBBY DISPLAYS DOWN IN PANAMA
- Page 1 and 2: I !|i # Vorierir Clubt Intcrnoliono
- Page 3 and 4: TRADE FRBSS Cte^ \\ * tYONO ft UtVI
- Page 5 and 6: RUTH I PICERNI RICHARO WEBB • •
- Page 7 and 8: i Wishington I , BEN i lAMES I I Pu
- Page 9 and 10: JOHNSTON SEES INDUSTRY DUE FOR NEW
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- Page 13 and 14: j ste&aca^ MAY REtEASE DEADLINE-U.S
- Page 15 and 16: wing ii'me! HE'S GOING PLACES IN CO
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. . Arden MILWAUKEE TTnivcrsal and
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. . Reno MINNEAPOLIS . . Four drive
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. . . Frank . . Roy . . Sam OMAHA
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'HOW TO IMPROVE BUSINESS/ THEME OF
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. . Junior . . Bob . . . . Disney's
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I light . . Waller Norris Named Bul
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. . With he came here seven years a
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LYNN f*lem L. McCann, Lynn's younst
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. . State . . The . . Rubin . . Mrs
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Seek Formula for Maritimes Drive-In
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. . The Only Two Pictures Rejected
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profit picture! X-.^J," i i Just as
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Mq\% Any Other (Z^nlea/tUu Consider
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The Accent is on Comfort at the New
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LUXURY HOUSE • For Shopping Cente
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LUXURY HOUSE • For Shopping Cente
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USE SCREEN TO PROMOTE SALES Continu
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REFRESHMENT SERVICE Prominence of T
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REFRESHMENT SERVICE Research Progra
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MORE POP TO THE POUND Continued hor
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Like everybody else, he's kept an a
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REFRESHMENT SERVICE Check the Smoki
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REFRESHMENT SERVICE Many Theatres M
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HI AVE a motor directly to the carb
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The i^onara tu la tionS '9 to HARRY
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IT'S A PLEASURE TO PLAY A PART IN P
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32 The MODERN THEATRE SECTION
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These views 0/ production processes
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Anniversary of Harry Strong and the
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j MEMOIRS OF PROGRESS Continued fro
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j j PROJECTION AND SOUND Change You
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SNAPIJTB USERS CHECK YOUR OIL? Cont
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CHECK YOUR OIL? Continued from page
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A cleanup campaign must precede a g
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MANUAL OF PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE Co
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^ Exhibitors Should Strive to Win G
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You Can't Buy A GOOD Rectifier for
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A Manual of Drive-In Design and Ope
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c e i t, BALLANTYNE'S Completely Pr
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DRAW CROWDS WITH FIREWORKS! DRIVE-I
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READERS' BUREAU For literature on p
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RCA'S Comprehensive As on adjunct t
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ARE YOU COVERED? An Insurance Execu
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Removable Film Trap Door P-894 Aids
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KROEHIER Easy ^'"'"^ "^ office! "l^
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PICTURES UNSTEADY 9 No. E-78L Remov
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J. Robert Hoff, president of the Th
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advance was | I The EXHIBITOR HAS H
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Good; REVIEW DIGEST Very Good; ' '
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