Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
1<br />
CHESTER FRIEDMAN<br />
i^lHL<br />
EDITOR<br />
HUGH E. FRAZE<br />
Asiocialc Editor<br />
umm<br />
SECTION<br />
PRACTICAL IDEAS FOR SELLING SEATS BY PRACTICAL SHOWMEN<br />
heatremen Put Snows All Over<br />
hrtford in 40-Step Campaign<br />
IUUtl>(<br />
Lou Cohen, manager of the Poh Theatre,<br />
lartford. Conn., and Norman Levin.son. his<br />
.s.sLstant. .set up 40 separate advertising and<br />
.xploitation deals to sell "The Snows of Kiliiianjaro."<br />
The duo promoted a half-hour radio proram<br />
from the theatre lobby every day for<br />
|lve days. Aired by station WTHT. the proram<br />
was titled, "What is Kilimanjaro?"<br />
ersons who appeared on the show received<br />
sses.<br />
News trucks .servicing the area carried thektre<br />
banners on both sides. Three hundred<br />
umbo window cards were distributed in Hartford<br />
and four surrounding towns, and 10.000<br />
okmarks were circulated through libraries.<br />
Chools and bookstores.<br />
One hundred Connecticut bu.ses imprinted<br />
vith Dayglo paint displayed 22x27 cards on<br />
butside frames. A jeep towed a trailer with<br />
six-sheet boards through the main streets and<br />
covered schools, factories and football games.<br />
One of Hartford's leading department stores<br />
used six full windows tied in with the picture.<br />
Fourteen separate news stories and art<br />
breaks were planted with daily papers and the<br />
foreign language pre.ss. Paid spot announcements<br />
and promoted air time publicized the<br />
attraction over five radio .stations. Sidewalks<br />
were stenciled, and theatre employes used<br />
bumper strips on their cars plugging the<br />
playdates.<br />
Supplementing these facets were lobby and<br />
outside displays at the theatre, and teaser<br />
trailers which were spliced into the new.sreel<br />
four weeks in advance.<br />
Cross trailers and lobby displays were used<br />
at the Palace Theatre, another Loew's Poll<br />
circuit theatre in the city of Hartford.<br />
Note the outdoor ballyhoo above.<br />
Harry Wilson Clicks<br />
With Big Campaigns<br />
On Split-Week Bill<br />
Harry WlLson, manager of the Capitol Theatre.<br />
Chatham. Ont.. played "Fearless Fagan"<br />
and "Ivanhoe" on a split-week booking and<br />
gave both attractions strong campaigns.<br />
For "Fearle.-s Fagan." he rented a Hon costume<br />
and had one of hi.s employes visit all<br />
the local .schools as "Mr. Lion" and appear on<br />
the downtown streets with signs. During peak<br />
hours he cut capers atop the theatre marquee<br />
to the amusement of pa.s.sersby.<br />
For "Ivanhoe." Wilson worked out a deal<br />
with Mirwin's department store whereby the<br />
owner agreed to give away Black Knight rings<br />
to the first 150 children who visited the toy<br />
department accompanied by their parents.<br />
The store ran a 170-llne co-op ad In the<br />
Dally News advertising the offer, with prominent<br />
mention of "Ivanhoe." They devoted a<br />
full island counter display in the center of the<br />
store to "Ivanhoe" archery equipment, giving<br />
more than 60 per cent of the display space to<br />
picture and theatre credits.<br />
The public library and two bookstores distributed<br />
bookmarks and displayed lithos. A<br />
walking book ballyhoo appeared on the streets<br />
during peak shopping hours. At slack periods,<br />
he sat on the curb in front of the theatre.<br />
The Kent news service bannered all delivery<br />
trucks with picture copy.<br />
Wil.5on persuaded the principals in several<br />
-schools to announce the theatre dates to students<br />
over the public address system.<br />
A Car for 'Plymouth'<br />
A four-column newspaper co-op ad plugping<br />
"Plymouth Adventure" was promoted<br />
from the Plymouth motor sales company of<br />
Cortland. N. Y.. by Bob Anthony, manager of<br />
the local State Theatre.<br />
reat<br />
C^xpectationA<br />
This is the last writing for this column until next year. In<br />
retrospect, 1952 has been an exciting and wonderful experience.<br />
In this crossroads of correspondence, we have met several<br />
hundred new friends. Across the threshold of our office there are<br />
scores more we have greeted as they came to stay a few days during<br />
vacation. And there have been many with whom we have had the<br />
pleasure of clasping hands at conventions and meetings. These<br />
meetings represent to us the most cherished of attainments<br />
friendship.<br />
From onr office in Rockefeller Center we look sonth, with the<br />
television mast atop the Empire Slate building framed in the<br />
center of the window. Like a giant hypnderniir needle pointed<br />
skyward, it appears to pres;»ge the "shot in the arm" television<br />
will tiring to worried exhibitors during the year ahead. For closedcircuit<br />
theatre television may make it possible for theatres to sell<br />
tickets to what are now home audiences. It should become a<br />
profitablp reality for some exhibitors during the next 12 months.<br />
There are other innovations, to be sure. Cinerama and thirddimensional<br />
films are likewise destined to make revolutionary<br />
changes in the presentation of motion pictures. They already have<br />
made a sen.sational impression on the entertainment-minded<br />
public.<br />
(Continued on next page)<br />
immiimiiMiiiiwiMmiMMMMiiiiiiiiiiM^^<br />
BOXOFFICE Showmiandiser : : Dec. 27, 1952 — 291 — 39
Change language