Boxoffice-May.29.1948

I
I
I
I
6
6
d)
Philip Morris Tieup
Sparks Heidt Show
For Nate Wise
Nate Wise, publicity director for RKO Theatres
in Cincinnati, came up with one of his
usual thorough campaigns in connection with
the appearance of Horace Heidt on the Albee
Theatre stage.
Several weeks in advance a tieup was made
with the Philip Morris cigaret distributor,
who did a sensational job of blanketing the
town with display pieces. More than 3,000
•Johnny" figures and window displays were
put out with playdates. These went into
di-ug stores, groceries, cigar stores, hotel lobbies
and empty windows.
Radio station WLW regularly uses 100 taxi
tire covers for advertising, and it devoted
all of these to an exclusive plug tor Heidt's
personal at the Albee. The station also circularized
at its own expense every grocery
and drug store in four states with a bulletin.
Wise arranged a series of personal appearances
for Heidt. He appeared as guest
of the Cuvier Press club and was made an
honorary member of the Foundation for Boys
in Cincinnati, had acts which appear with
him on 25 different radio shows over five
different stations, and attended a cocktail
party for press and radio representatives.
Several thousand local artists made application
for auditions on Heidt's show, the
Post coming up with layout and art on the
auditions. The Enquirer and the Times-Star
both used page-one boxes on the local broadcast
of the program.
Additional exploitation included a front
page picture of Heidt on tlie cover of Host
magazine, distributed at hotels, cross trailers
and lobby displays in affiliated RKO theatres,
5,000 table tents placed with restaurants
and hotel dining rooms and a colorful theatre
front.
^mrMSl
Tommy Roderick, manager of the State, Farmington.
Me., had everyone curious on how he
contrived animation with the above display
on "Sitting Pretty." Nylon fish lines, attached
to the sides of the rocker, were hooked to a
small oscillating fan from which the blades
had been removed. As the Ian oscillated, the
rocker was kept in motion. Simple, but it
sure had the citizens ol Farmington stumped.
Business was good. Roderick reports.
Entire Kentucky U. Team Will Go
To Olympics Due to Benefit Show
The Schine circuit executives at Gloversville,
N. Y., have good reason to be proud
of their Lexington. Ky., showmen for staging
a benefit show in conjunction with "Carnegie
Hall." The boys did a terrific ijublic relations
job in addition to hanging up a record gross
at the State Theatre, a third run operation
in the city.
The benefit shows are strictly a home office
device for building business on pictures which
need extra selling. They aKso serve a commendable
purpose by helping local groups to
raise funds. Tickets are usually sold by the
sponsoring organization which receives a percentage
of the sales they account for.
The Lexington tieup was a real masterpiece
of strategy in which everyone connected with
the three local theatres. Bob Cox, city manager,
and Lew Hensler. district manager,
participated.
The University of Kentucky basketball
team, which won the national championship,
was invited to represent the U.S. in the
Olympics. Unfortunately the invitation included
only the first team so that other players
who had helped the team to victory faced
the unhappy prospect of remaining home.
The plan for a "Carnegie Hall" benefit was
proposed to representatives of SuKy circle,
the student organization of Kentucky U., with
the objective of raising funds so that the entire
basketball team could go to the Olympics.
The State Theatre was offered for the purpose.
The organization immediately went for
the idea.
The Lexington Herald went along on the
Faculty of High School
Guests at 'Union' Debut
All faculty members of the local high school
were invited to the opening night of "State
of the Union" at the Poli Tlieatre. Norwich,
Conn., by Joseph Boyle, manager. Next day,
the instructors recommended the picture tc
their history classes as a must-see attraction.
Boyle also promoted radio plugs on the spot
time of a local leather firm. Catchline was,
"How is the state of your luggage?" followed
by tiein with the picture and playdate credits.
Barometer Lobby Display
Indicates 'April Showers'
After a long and diligent search, Ansel
Winston, manager of the Coliseum in New
York, located a barometer that features two
figures on a swinging platform to indicate
upcoming weather. He borrowed it at no
cost and used it for a lobby display on "April
Showers" with an accompanying sign, "We
can't guarantee the weather but we can
guarantee you'll have a good time when you
see, etc., etc!"
Scene Mat, Radio Contest
Are Planted on 'Mama'
Reynold Wallach, manager of the Strand
in Cumberland, Md., planted a two-column,
five-inch scene mat with his local newspaper
on "I Remember Mama." The NBC radio
outlet featured a letter writing contest on
"Why I Remember Mama," with the picture
coming in for numerous gratis plugs.
deal enthusiastically with a 14-day buildup of
stories and pictures. The mayor of Lexington
issued a proclamation urging all citizens
to coope:ate. Each of the four radio stations
plugged the show continuously for one week.
At an intersection of Main street, a ticket
booth was erected by special permission of
the city commissioners. Lifesize blowups of
the basketball stars were placed in prominent
windows captioned, "I Want to Go, Too."
Lexington was plastered circus-style from end
to end.
The SilKy group was organized into ticket
selling teams and a systematic block-to-block
campaign was set in motion to reach a goal
of 20.000 tickets.
For all practical purposes, the promotion
has already won complete endorsement from
the faculty and students of the university,
city officials, businessmen and Mr. John Q.
Public. The theatres have improved their relationship
with the community as a whole in
a manner that will have enduring effect.
The idea was originally proposed by Lew
Hensler. The campaign was organized and
directed by Bob Cox, who reports that the
two most responsible for the success of the
promotion were John Hutchings, manager of
the State, and Clyde Dickerson. chief of
service. Dickerson is an active member of
SuKy. made all the newspaper and radio
contacts by himself and personally sold 1.000
tickets.
The other Schine managers and assistants
also pitched in to help. They are Bernie
Deap, Bob Anderson, Woodie Walters and
George Pugh.
False Front Backs
'T-Men' Campaign
A barricaded false front in the form of a
gigantic "T" covered the boxoffice of the
Colonial in Allentowai, Pa. It was devised by
Charles Bierbauer, manager, for his engagement
of "T-Men."
Three weeks in advance, all ushers, doormen
and cashiers at the Colonial and affiliated
houses wore large "T-Men Are Coming"
buttons.
Outdoor posting was achieved with an illuminated
24-sheet and six-sheet set in busy
downtown locations. 100 cards used on dashboards
of trolleys and buses running to Bethlehem
and other nearby towns, display boards
in the leading iiotels in" the city and a window
display in Woolworth's with a tieup on comic
books.
The regular advertising budget was upped
accommodate increased newspaper lineage
to
and a series of tea.ser ads tour days in advance
of opening. Cross trailers were used
in affiliated theatres.
Bierbauer was assisted in tliis campaign by
Max MUler, Eagle Lion exploiteer.
Lampposts Posted
Three hundred cards tied to lampposts in
the dowiitown section of Rochester. N. Y.,
advertised "Duel in the Sun" a week in advance
for Lester Pollock, manager of Loew's
Theatre.
BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: May 29, 1948 —Sis- sy