Boxoffice-March.06.1948

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Safety Council Okays
Placards on Poles
In 'Milly' Tieup
Through a tieup arranged by Bob Hynes,
manager of the Missouri Theatre in St.
Joseph, the Safety council approved the
placement of 750 "Don't Be a Mitty" cards on
light and phone poles and traffic stanchions,
urging pedestrians and motorists to use care
when crossing streets and driving. The cards
were put up ten days in advance by local
Boy Scouts.
Hynes promoted 3.000 ''Don't Be a Mitty"
safety pamphlets from the Kansas City
Safety council, restamped them "St. Joseph
Safety council" and had them distributed in
his own community.
One hundred "How to dream the Mitty
way" booklets were placed in all St. Joseph
hotels, librai'ies, doctors' offices, beauty parlors,
etc., well in advance.
Envelopes were imprinted with copy: "These
envelopes contain dream powder. Don't be
a Mitty. Do your dreaming at night." Additional
gag copy included the playdates. Five
thousand of these envelopes were distributed
by ushers throughout the shopping center a
week in advance. Hynes mounted two sixsheets
on the theatre marquee, using them
as an advance ballyhoo as well as during the
current engagement.
Exchange window cards were imprinted
with theatre copy and placed in 100 selected
locations within the 35-mlle radius of St.
Joseph. Eight window tieups were promoted,
and special art and publicity stories were
landed in the Shopper and the Stockyards
Journal, reaching all home owners on rural
and urban routes.
Poster Cutouts Provide
Extra Marquee Service
Lester M. Fagg, manager of the Roxy in
Tacoma, Wash., passes along an idea to
BOXOFFICE readers which has proved very
effective for him.
Fagg searches through the press sheets for
posters which can be cut out and used in
lobby displays, serving double duty dui-ing
the engagement of the picture by incoi-porating
them as part of the marquee attraction
sign. The Roxy marquee, fortunately, is 35
feet long and about five feet high so that
even 24-sheet cutouts frequently tie in nicely
with the regular letters.
Fagg reports that the posters ai-e pasted
to regular beaverboard, cut out and strengthened
with 1x2 strips of firring. A light coat
of varnish serves to protect the display
against the elements.
They are easily suspended, made a part
of the attraction sign, and illuminated by
goose-necked spotlights rigged above the top
the marquee.
Observes Scouf Weelr
W. Ray McCormack. manager of the Elco
Theatre, Elkhart, Ind., gave 100 per cent
cooperation to the recent Boy Scout anniversary
celebration by running a trailer in
BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: Mar. 6, 1948
Penny Wise Earns
Prestige Rise
K. B. Buffington, manager of the Palace
in Weatherford, Tex,, believes it is the
little things which build goodwill on a
big scale.
Three months ago parking meters were
installed downtown in Weatherford.
Every day, Buffington pockets about a
dollar in pennies and makes the rounds,
bailing out overtime parkers. Even the
local policemen have become so familiar
with the Palace manager doing his good
deed that they permit him to precede
them along the block to avoid handing
out parking tickets.
Buffington does not claim any credit
nor does he leave any card to identify his
good Samaritan deed. However, in a
town of 10,000 it doesn't take long for
word to spread, and the fact that the theatreman
was not expecting any credit or
reward for his helpfulness has already
increased his personal prestige and that
of the theatre among the townspeople.
Buffington believes that by getting out
on the street and circulating more often,
he is able to keep a better perspective
on his own theatre operation.
Irish Songs Played
In Lobby for 'Rose'
Several interesting promotions used by
Mike Piccirillo, manager of Loew's Dyckman
in New York, helped sell "My Wild Irish
Rose" and attracted attention to the theatre
generally.
In the lobby, set up on a small table, was
a globe of the world which was split in two,
one half of which was filled with strips of
song titles from the picture, and a still of
Dennis Morgan. A card read, "Have a look
at the man who filled the world with wonderful
Irisih songs." The ot)her half of the globe
was filled with stage money, with a card
reading: "A world full of money couldn't
buy a better picture t)han ..."
Records of Irish melodies were played in
the lobby for two weeks in advance of playdate.
The recorder was enclosed in a wooden
picket fence which was decorated with wild
Irish roses, scene and star stills, and playdate
signs.
For outdoor ballyhoo, a 28x44 card made up
to simulate a house pass, was set up on a busy
street corner, with the following copy: "Don't
destroy me. I'm a pass to Loew''s Dyckman.
Carry this pass to the theatre without mutilating
it and you will be admitted as a guest
"
of the management to see . . .
Theatre Aids Boy Scouts
Observe Anniversary
Mutual cooperation extended by Len
Utecht, manager of the Lake Theatre, Oak
Park, 111., with the Boy Scout observance
of anniversary week resulted in an attractive
exhibit in the Lake lobby which attracted
many parents and well-wishers of that or-
tribute to the youth organization and permitting
Scout troops to exhibit tent and
ganization.
A camp setting was erected with material
camping equipment in the lobby. The front supphed by local troops. With Boy Scouts
page of the Elco's 5,000 weekly programs on hand to demonstrate the equipment, the
was also dedicated to a message of good exhibit attracted new faces to the Lake with
notable results at the theatre boxoffice.
wishes to the movement.
—sea-
Bob Taylor Fan Club
Formed to Assist
'High Wair Run
A highlight of the campaign for "High
Wall" at the Palace in Meriden, Conn., was
the formation of a Robert Taylor Fan club.
MoUie Stickles, manager, and assistant Lou
Jaffa collaborated on details of the promotion,
which included a large display in the
theatre lobby two weeks prior to the opening,
the distribution of 3,000 Fan club heralds, a
tieup with WMMW for eight gratis announcements
on its Ladies Hour program, the placement
of 25 di.splay cards in stores on the
main shopping street, and special art and
story breaks in the Meriden Journal.
The Fan club was tied in with St. Valentine's
day since the opening coincided with
that annual observance. The heralds offered
free membership to all Meriden girls who
submitted an original Valentine greeting
card expressing their personal sentiments to
Robert Taylor. Cash prizes of $20 and 25
free theatre admissions were offered for the
best entries submitted.
A thousand napkins with theatre imprint
were placed in downtown restaurants, a
beauty co-op ad was promoted from a local
charm salon, and window displays were set
in several prominent locations.
Promotes Birthday Cake
In conjunction with a circuit celebration
of Donald Duck's birthday, Harold Murphy,
manager of Evergreen's Liberty in Olympia,
Wash., promoted a birthday cake from a
local baker which was the center of attention
during a special Saturday morning
matinee. Five Donald Duck cartoons plus
the regular feature attractions helped to draw
a capacity audience.
Mrs.
Jay Has Her Say
Ther-tre patrons are so likely to complain
when something does not strike
them right and so infrequently take the
trouble to express their appreciation for
the service, comfort and entertainment
which the theatre provides that Milan
Steele, who operates the Kitz in Pawnee,
Okla.. was recently surprised to find the
following letter in the mail:
"Dear
Sir:
"It's probably customary to accept
public courtesies without any word of
r.ppreciation.
"Maybe so, but I do want to thank
you for my copy of 'Shows of the Month.'
I found in my door this morning.
"Thanks.
"Mrs. Cecil Jay."
Steele responded by voicing his own
appreciation, amplified by the fact that
the monthly calendar of his bookings is
expensive and he had considered
dropping them as a matter of economy.
Two tickets to the Ritz were enclosed in
the letter, and the Pawnee showman is
now convinced that his advertising has a
useful and helpful influence in prompting
his shows.
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