Boxoffice-November.17.1956

Prep Shop Kid Show Tieup
Brings Turn-Away Crowd
A kiddy show tieup with the newly
opened Princeton Prep Shop in Birmingham,
Mich., gave Lee E. Fraser, manager
of the Bloomfield Theatre, a total attendance
of over 1,000 youngsters at a recent
JSaturday children's matinee.
The prep shop printed 2,000 tickets,
which it distributed free to all comers at
the store. Tickets were numbered for
prize awards, including a Junior Thunderbird,
which was displayed at the store and
which was given away with other prizes
to lucky ticket holders at the theatre.
Added attractions at the show included
WXYZ-TV stars Gee Whiz and Gramps of
a children's program, "Wixey's Wonderland."
The theatre ran a trailer announcing the
show as "Princeton Prep Matinee Party,"
with a photostat on the trailer showing the
store front, address and store hours. The
theatre also printed 2,000 heralds on the
program.
On the day of the show, the boxoffice
was opened 15 minutes earlier than usual,
but one-half hour before showtime the
children formed a line two blocks long and
still were coming. At opening time, the
theatre was filled and about 300 children
were turned away.
Gee Whiz and Gramps appeared before
the line of disappointed youngsters outside
the theatre, putting on a little skit
for them and telling them the free tickets
would be good the following Saturday. All
free admission tickets given out by the
""iiPrep shop and presented for admission
'/were redeemed by the shop at the full
child admission price of 25 cents each.
Helps Football Bands;
So Schools Aid Theatre
The theatre that ties up with all community
events is the theatre that does consistently
good business. On this theory.
Manager Sly Pierce of the Berea (Ohio)
Theatre, recently helped the Balwin-Wallace
and the Berea High School bands
launch their football season. The teams,
the cheer leaders, and the majorettes appeared
on the stage and put on an act
that went over big with both youngsters
and olders. Then Pierce inserted a squib
in some of the football programs. Those
who happened to get a lucky program received
a pass to the theatre. Between
quarters of the game members of the
audience were instructed to check their
programs for the free tickets to see (the
current picture) at the late 11 p.m. Saturday
night show. Pierce reports the response
was excellent.
Stroll for 'High Society'
During the run of "High Society" at
^Loew's Poll in Worcester, Mass., Manager
John DiBenedetto used a strolling couple,
a young man and woman in formal attire,
who passed out advertising cards on
the street and visited radio stations and
newspaper.
Showman's Movie Marathon Brainstorm
Peps Up Boxoffice Through 9 Days
A Movie Marathon, the brainstorm of
Carl Salmons, manager of the Mid-City
Outdoor Theatre, JanesviUe, Wis., paid off
handsomely at the boxoffice and the concessions
stand when it stretched out for a
total of 215 hours—nine days.
Based on the old dance marathon idea
of the 1920s, the idea according to Salmons,
is "little more than a seven-feature
dusk-to-dawn show with a gimmick for
continued attendance." Salmons promoted
a 1947 used automobile valued at $175 to
give away as first prize in the marathon,
and a new portable TV set valued at $100
for second prize. The next 25 winners received
passes to the theatre.
The contest began at 11:30 a.m. Saturday,
when Salmons opened the boxoffice
and concessions stand. The first contestant
arrived at the theatre gate at 7 that morning.
By noon, there were 30 contestants
in the theatre.
Salmons had Movie Marathon time cards
printed and given out to contestants as
they entered the theatre. The following
rules were printed on the back of the card:
1. Winning contestants must be the
driver of the car. (One contestant per car.)
2. Contestants' time must be machine
stamped and verified. (The cards were
stamped with the time as the patrons entered
the theatre.)
Lige Brien, standing in rear. United Artists
director of special events, managed the New
Ycric judging in the first of o series of regional
eliminations in the national Miss Exquisite Form
contest spotlighting UA's forthcoming "The
King and Four Queens." The winner of th«
New York crown, shown before panel, is
Merle Moriarity, who qualified for a Hollywood
test and other grand prizes. Judges included
Mrs. Jeanne Ezickson, Associated Press fashion
editor, and Bob Olin, former light heavyweight
champion of the world. More than 700 contestants
were entered.
3. Contestants will be disqualified for
leaving theatre park.
4. No ties, (winners must have greatest
time elapse.)
5. Final contestants must remain parked
in a specified area. (In front of the concessions
building.)
6. Contestants will be checked periodically
to assure their presence in the
theatre throughout the marathon.
On the opening night of the marathon,
Salmons had a capacity crowd, with 600
cars in the theatre, and concessions business
was tripled. By dawn Sunday, there
still were 103 cars scattered throughout
the drive-in lot.
By Monday night, eight contestants were
left, and an average of one dropped out
each night thereafter until the final two
contestants were named winners of the
car and TV set.
During the daytime, the marathoners
watched the world series on TV or heard
a morning disc jockey program conducted
from the booth, with movie-type chatter.
Some of them read, played bingo in a
game conducted over the public address
system, with concessions items for prizes,
or played ping pong in the concession area.
Breakfast, dinner and supper meals for
the contestants, said Salmons, really
boosted the concessions take.
A local radio station gave over-thephone
broadcasts of the marathon details
every day and the local paper kept up a
day-to-day coverage of the contest.
Throughout the nine-day period, Salmons
said, local interest was tremendous
and business and the concessions boomed.
Plans 1957 Giveaways
Two big giveaways at Fabian's Mohawk
and Saratoga drive-ins near Albany, N.
Y., proved such publicity and business producers
the last season that the number
may be increased next year, according to
supervisor Irwin Ullman. He said that the
award of a Plymouth car and later of a
Trotwood trailer clicked. The automobUe
was purchased from a dealer at a special
price; screen advertising was sold to
liquidate the investment. A Schenectady
dealer in trailers picked up the check for
the second and sizable prize.
Ullman said consideration was being
given to the giveaway of six Chevrolets
at the two ozoners in 1957.
Charge '80 Days' Tickets
Members of the Diners Club, totaling
350,000, can see "Around the World in 80
Days" at the Rivoli Theatre in New York
on the club's regular charge plan as a
result of arrangements made with Todd
Enterprises, producer if the film. Similar
arrangements will be made in other cities
for
the film.
BOXOFTICE Showmandiser : : Nov. 17, 1956 — 289—