Boxoffice-April.07.1958

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Cavalcade of Fashions
Ups 'Karamazov' Take
Distributor promotional aids such as the
MGM Cavalcade of Fashion, which is
available on special deal in behalf of "The
Brothers Karamazov," admittedly are expensive
and limited to some of the lai-ger
situations.
In Milwaukee, John McKay, manager of
the Riverside Theatre, circuit officials and
MGM publicists highlighted a thorough
campaign for "Brothei-s," which included
the routine media of TV spots, radio,
newspapers, lobby displays, bannered
trucks, etc., with a two-day Cavalcade of
Fashion at the big Boston Store there.
After completion of the run they came up
with an analysis, with figures, offering
proof that the fashion show upped proceeds
21 per cent over expenses.
The Cavalcade, featuring ten of the
shimmering gowns designed for the film,
was in charge of Ruth Schandorff, MGM's
ambassadress of fashion, and the Boston
Store's Mrs. Obendorfer. Five of the gowns
were illustrated in a 5 cols., 21-inch ad
published by the Boston Store and Hollywood
V-ette Vasarette announcing the
Cavalcade for March 7, 8 on the store's
second floor.
Tlie show was heralded as one of the
most spectacular ever presented to the
Milwaukee public, and drew SRO.
It was followed up with radio and TV
interviews, giving the area a strong saturation
for the pictui'e.
Teachers Sell 'Karamazov'
After Special Showing
A special screening of "The Brothers
Karamazov" was held for invited guests
about ten days before the picture's opening
at the Tower Theatre in Dallas, and
Interstate Cii-cuit City Manager Hal
Cheatham said the picture gained excellent
publicity. Invited guests included drama,
history and literature professors at Southern
Methodist University, book review
critics and campus newspaper editors,
county and city librarians.
The picture also received attention
through a two-column, four-inch photo in
the Dallas Morning News showing Tower
Manager James L. Reynolds presenting an
autogi'aphed shooting script of the picture
to the head of the SMU speech department.
One-Price Spook Show
A four-feature program on Halloween,
with one price to eveiTbody, last year produced
a bigger Halloween business than
ever before for a drive-in in Salt Lake City.
According to Harold Chesler, there were
tremendous "stretches" instead of intermissions
and the concessions stand really
did the business.
Going Over Like Sputnik!
A series of Crazy Auctions has gone over
at the Gloria Theatre in Urbana, Ohio,
"like the sputnik," reports William Bean,
manager. He says he had no trouble lining
up merchants for the ten-week series.
Letters With the Sad (or Happy) Look
Work Wonders in Nebraska Community
A promotion with a personal touch is
"working wonders" in the small community
of Chadron, Neb., for Ray E.
David and the Pace Theatre, which he
manages for the Black Hills Amusement
Co.
"I have two separate kinds (illustrated
above) of special stationery printed,"
David explains, "one with a snapshot
of myself wearing the sad, worried
look and one with another snapshot with
the happy, tickled-plnk look.
"Not having seen some of our patrons
for quite some time at the theatre, I
sit down and write them letters noting
their absence, telling how we've missed
having them drop in for a good show
and about the swell n;ovie they have
missed. These are written on the letterheads
with the sad, worried photo.
Boy in Misfits Roams
Town for 'Sad Sack'
There is no dollar sign on public interest.
A little, inexpensive stunt often gets as
much attention as a costly promotion.
Louis Crowe dressed a boy in oversized
army fatigues and size 14 boots and had
him roaming the streets with title and
playdate of "The Sad Sack" painted on a
stuffed duffle bag.
The boy really looked like a "sad sack"
and was worth many extra tickets for the
film.
Pass Contest Aids 'Wind' .
Ray McNamara of the Allyn in Hartford
offered pairs of guest tickets to those newspaper
readers submitting the three longest
lists of motion pictures staiTing Amia Magnani
and Anthony Quinn, as part of his
campaign for Paramount's "Wild Is the
Wind." McNamara also arranged a newspaper
profile story on Miss Magnanl.
BOXOFFICE Showmandiser AprU 7, 1958 — 81 —
"Followup letters are sent out as I
see them show up at the theatre again,
telling how we enjoyed seeing them so
engrossed with our program. The letterhead
with the happy, tickled-pink snapshot
is used this time.
"The comments are flying around fast
and furious. I have at this date sent out
113 letters and I've had at least 200
persons mention to me that so and so
got one how come I didn't write one
to them. It's creating a lot of talk about
us—and we aren't sitting here in the
theatre each night alone either.
"The idea is personal contact! Each
letter is written in longhand by me personally.
The envelopes are plain with
only a box number for return address.
This carries the personal touch aU the
way through."
Suburb Theatre Finds
Family Night Helps
A tie-in with a restaurant is helping to
boost business for the Shores Theatre in
St. Claii- Shores, a Detroit suburb. Family
Night has been a policy here for about
two months on Thursday evenings. Owner
Bert Penzien and Manager Bruce Harsen
decided to take a leaf from the policy tried
at some drive-ins—and offer admission to
an entire family at an even dollar on
Family Night. There is no limit to the size
of the family admitted at the single price.
Regular admission is 65 cents.
Realizing that people enjoy two principal
activities in going out for an evening's recreation—a
show and a good meal—Penzien
made aiTangements with a restaurant
across the street to sei^ve special family
dinners on Family Night. A regular dinner
is sold regularly at 95 cents—a very attractive
price to the diner-out In a typical
suburban neighborhood. Special menus for
children are offered, from 30 cents up.