Boxoffice-April.07.1958

Kennelly
What It Takes to Boost Boxoffice
(Continued from preceding page*
had this: "Why Look at Television . . .
Walt Disney Pi-esents 'Old Yeller,'
etc."
He got his "business is good" refrain in
the local Nosey News Hawk column h\ the
Terre Haute Tribune, which had this paragraph:
"Ed Kennelly. district manager of
Alliance Tlicatre Corp. and manager of
the Grand, says: 'Motion picture industry
is going great guns." says Ed, who recalls
January is BOBO month, meaning Boost
Our Boxoffice."
The Navy office had the marquee at
the Grand gaily decorated In flags and a
fine model display in the lobby for "The
Deep Six." Kennelly obtained six dozen
yo-yos, added five cartoons to the Saturday
program starting at 1 p.m. only, and
featured the performance as a kiddy special,
and attracted some 200 kids under
12, about 100 over 12.
SNEAK PREVIEWS OFFERED
Sneak previews were presented several
times. A 3x4-lnch ad announced these as
"It's a Big 2 for 1 Bargain . . . You can
come early and see the regular show first
and then see the complete sneak preview
feature at 8:30, or come at 8:30 and see
the regular feature after the sneak preview
feature. Or see the sneak preview
only. It alone wUl be well worth what it
costs to get in . . . When this picture comes
back for its regular engagement at the
Grand you'll urge your friends to be sure
and see it."
Kennelly's second day ad on "Old Yeller."
which opened on a Wednesday, had
this copy above a pressbook mat: "We
Are Proud to Present the Finest in Motion
Picture Entertainment. We Enjoy Having
the Whole Family Be the Judge."
At the bottom was an announcement of
the Friday night "Varieties of 1958" on
the stage.
A giveaway of seven baskets of groceries
worth $50 was featured on Thursday night,
the last night of "Old Yeller." Imprints
of 500 grocery bags of the Seabury supermarket,
the sponsor, lobby displays, screen
trailer clip, etc.. publicized this. The giveaway
was via bingo cards, legal In Indiana.
FINE ENTERTAINMENT!
Kennelly and his aides plugged away at
the themes that he personally, the Grand
Theatre and motion pictures in general
offer the finest kind of entertainment.
and that his business is good because of
that fact. This upbeat thinking was woven
through all promotions.
For example, he had 150 huge Alliance
Amusement Co. complimentary passes
made up for distribution by Jansen's and
Page's department stores, "account, courtesy
advertising in window," when he
played "All Mine to Give." The passes
were printed on yellow stock in red Ink
and measured 9'/2x7y2 inches. This copy
was featured:
"The month of January will be known
as operation (B.O.B.O.) 'Boost Our Boxoffice'
. . . So—In this new era of earth
satellites reaching for the moon Is now In
the realm of reality, so I pledge to the
r)eople of Terre Haute and the Wabash
Valley that I have reached into outer
spmce to bring you the finest in motion
picture entertainment."
Heralds and special ads announced a
Midnight Shriek Show, consisting of Dr.
Satan's "Shrieks in the Night!" stage
presentation, "The Black Room" and a
comedy and color cartoon on the screen.
Two-for-one passes were distributed to
patrons leaving this show, and 500 pictures
of Elvis Pi-esley and 500 pictures of
Marilyn Monroe were given away. Strong
radio advertising was used. SRO business
resulted.
In his campaign for "The Tarnished
'
Angels distributed 500 triangle
. . .
. . etc."
standees to the hotel dining rooms and
coffee shops, several restaurants and drug
stores with this copy on one side, "Make
This Year of 1958 Your Movie Year
Take Your Family to Dine Then .
The Grand sold over 600 hot dog sandwiches
in a two-week period which he
launched with a "National Hot Dog Week"
special, one hot dog free with each purchase.
Kennelly obtained 26 pounds of
weiners free from a Chicago supplier
whom he had approached several months
earlier on a giveaway. The National Hot
Dog Week idea finally got the donation
requested.
WORK ON CONCESSIONS
The concession featured one or two specials
daily, advertised as "The Treat of the
E>ay." The staff got behind Buttercup
com, and in one week sold 3,402 boxes.
"My success in the B.O.B.O. drive took
the tireless effort of my entire staff," Kennelly
reports. "My secretary Irma Cultice,
besides helping me with campaigns, helps
to keep the other employes inspired . . .
And we do have a very efficient and alert
staff—courteous doormen, pleasant cashiers,
neat and smiling attendants and a
crew of alert and polite ushers."
One staff meeting came up with an idea
. .
for distribution of yellow comment slips,
which were headed "Theatre Business Is
Good . There Will Always Be a Theatre."
TV Station Uses Program
Featuring Local Theatre
A local TV station provided excellent
promotion for the Olympic Theatre, Watertown.
N. Y., recently when Olympic Manager
Jack Mitchell had the TV cameraman
come to the theatre and take shots
of the booth, showing new developments
in exhibition and equipment, and of the
auditorium, restrooms and lobby.
The TV station used the material in a
15-minute Sunday evening program, with
its own newscaster doing the narration.
Jack, given 24-hour notice of the time of
the telecast, also was on hand to assist.
The film covered every operation of the
theatre and emphasized its importance to
community life.
Locally Made Film
Chance for Goodwill
The world premiere of a locally filmed
motion picture, "Outside the City," was
not only a goodwill promotion at the Elstun
Theatre, Mount Washington, Ohio,
but also marked a personal achievement
on the part of theatre owner Elstun A.
Dodge. The pictm-e, fUmed In Anderson
township. In which Mount Washington Is
located, was premiered at the theatre on
a recent Monday through Thursday. It
was made by CecU Clark, an Anderson
township businessman, who is also an amateur
photographer, imder the supervision
of Francis Wolfangle, the volunteer fire
and with much encouragement and
chief,
advice from Dodge.
It started as a training film for the fire
department and life saving squad and
grew until it included nearly all of the
townspeople and virtually every activity in
the community. Merchants were included
in the picture and, through the purchase
of advertising, helped defray the production
expense.
At the theatre. Dodge ran one showing
each night to capacity audiences at normal
admission prices, then donated part of the
receipts to the fire department. Music for
the picture was tape-recorded by the
American Legion band, along with narration,
which was synchronized with the
film. The recorder was plugged into the
theatre sound system.
Filmed In 16mm and running three
hours in length, the pictiu-e includes in
addition to the fire department and life
saving sequences, holding of a mass in the
town's Catholic Church, a minister commenting
on Protestants beliefs, etc.
Stage Event for "Enemy'
Clarence Mitchell, manager of the EHmwood
Theatre, Penn Yan, N. Y., with Navy
cooperation, set up a lobby display and
presented a stage event for "The Enemy
Below." On Sunday afternoon a sailor gave
a brief talk on the Navy and Its advantages,
then acted as a judge for a model
ship contest which was part of the picture
promotion. Following this stage event,
Mitchell conducted a drawing for free
model boats.
— 80 — BOXOFFICE Showmandiser April 7, 1958