Boxoffice-March.06.1948

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The House Program
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Wood Corpse Box Gag
Set Up as Whodunit
For 'Corpse Came'
M. C. Glendy, manager of the La Salle
Theatre, La Salle, 111., stirred up interest ft iiW
in "The Corpse Came C.O.D." with a promotion
which was good for a special story
pllBli*
in the local newspaper.
Glendy arranged to have a local undertaker
ship to the theatre a regular casket shipping
box with the original label on it from Chicago.
The entire theatre cost was $2.
The inside of the box was dressed up with
stills and a three-sheet from the picture.
Lettering on the sides carried copy: "From
city morgue, San Francisco . . . One Corpse,
C.O.D. to the La Salle Theatre . . . Use no
hooks . . . One corpse . in a cool,
dry place."
Upon receipt of the box, Glendy took the
story to the editor of the Daily News-Tribune
which reported that the theatre had received
the box and was at a loss to explain its
origin. An announcement followed that if no
further information was forthcoming, the
box would be opened on Sunday and its contents
examined.
On opening day of the picture, Glendy
opened the box before a large crowd of curious
citizens, who, thereupon were highly amused.
The News-Tribune ran a followup story, explaining
the contents of the box.
In addition to engendering word-of-mouth
comments, Glendy reports excellent business
during the picture's run.
]
The appearance of the cover page ol the house program frequently determines whether or
not the patron will be interested enough to continue reading the sales message within. At
the Louis Theatre in Chicago, Manager Hugh Borland endeavors to make the page so attractive
and so interesting that seldom does anyone refuse them as they are proffered by
ushers on breaks, and rarely is one discarded after acceptance. The trick, as Borland points
out, is to make each issue different from its predecessor. Teaser copy, institutional messages,
announcements of house policy or just personal philosophy brighten the cover each
week. In the inside spread appear small cuts on the week's coming attractions. The back
page heralds either future bookings or additional copy in the institutional vein.
BOXOFFICE NUGGETS
To exploit "Good News," Eddie DiResta,
manager of the Rialto in Amsterdam, N. Y.,
sold the back page of several thousand exchange
heralds to a local record dealer
plugging the "Good News" album. A window
display completed the tieup, and DiResta used
a sound truck to ballyhoo the playdate around
town.
Bert Ruder, manager of the Malone in
Malone, N. Y., promoted a full page co-op ad
from local businessmen in behalf of the March
of Dimes campaign. Banner headline read:
"Schine's Malone and These Leading Merchants
Join in Support of the March of
Dimes." The current attraction was well
played up on the page at no cost to the theatre.
Carrying out the prison theme of "Each
Dawn I Die," Jerry Siegal, manager of the
Lyric, Asbury Park, N. J., dressed his ushers
and ticket takers in convict's uniform. Siegal
also tied up with a local pet shop which paid
for the printing of heralds announcing the
show.
Sleep capsules distributed by a pretty young
woman dressed in a nurse's uniform and cap
helped to promote "Sleep, My Love" for manager
Boyd Sparrow at Loew's Indianapojjs.
To attract extra interest, the capsules read:
" 'Sleep, My Love.' The most terrifying words
ever whispered to a woman. See why, etc.,
etc."
Extensive outdoor ballyhoo preceded the
opening of "Green Dolphin Street" at the
Beach and Paramount theatres in Miami.
Twenty-two 24-sheets were sniped and all
Royal Crown Cola trucks were bannered with
signs announcing the playdates. Window
tieups were placed in excellent locations to
augment a stepped-up radio and newspaper
campaign.
Trailer Ballyhoo Used
To Aid 'Frankenstein'
An animated performance by an usher
during the showing of the trailer for "Son
of Frankenstein" provoked an interesting
audience reaction at the Strand in Amsterdam,
N. Y.
Clark Jordan, manager, had the usher strut
across the stage with his cap worn backwards
and special makeup on his face, while a green
spot played on him. This was done at the
evening performance a week in advance
while the trailer was being run.
Jordan also had a young woman in nurse's
attire sitting in the lobby in advance of playdate
with a sign announcing: "We are taking
this precaution for those who have weak
hearts and intend seeing, etc., etc."
A sandwich man helped ballyhoo the program.
WCOP Radio Quiz Sparks
'Treasure of Sierra'
A novel treasure hunt radio quiz highlighted
the campaign for "Treasure of Sierra
Madre" at the Metropolitan in Boston.
A tieup was made with WCOP with Nelson
Bragg conducting the quiz daily, in advance
of the opening, in the Hotel Statler lobby.
Contestants and radio listeners were asked
to name the place they would hide "the
treasure" and their reasons. Somewhere in
the city "the treasure" was hidden. The
entrant who came closest to guessing the
hidden location was awarded a savings bond.
The daily press also carried stories on the
promotion with the theatre benefiting
through playdate announcements.
42 -410- BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: Mar. 13, 1948