Major Dundee (Columbia Pictures) (1965)

WORK ON MILITARY ANGLES FOR ‘DUNDEE’! There are, in the United States Army today, no cavalry units like that commanded by "Major Dundee" in the film, but you can still make a major effort to enlist the support of both the Army and the veterans’ organizations in your area. A third approach to "soldier" promotion with "Major Dundee"' is BATTLE FLAGS Museums or local collectors may have battleflags like those used in "Major Dundee," or some branch of the armed services may have such a collection. When you find one, install it in your lobby along with photos and posters, and invite newspaper, radio or TV coverage. A variation would be to issue a call through local communications media to people in town who may have such battleflags, from any military campaign, as family heirlooms or personal mementoes. These can be brought to your theatre and put on display together with the names of the donors. BUGLERS Boy Scouts, church and other youth groups might have single buglers or bugle corps in their organizations. Arrange for an opening day parade of these youngsters, in full uniform and accompanied by their flags and banners; parade winds up with a massing of the buglers at your theatre. The event might be called a "Tribute to 'Major Dundee’ and the U. S. Cavalry," and the stunt can be covered by newspapers, radio and television. Also, buglers or band leaders at local Army post might be brought in to serve as judges in a contest for the best ''bugler boys." SELLING AIDS TV/THEATRE FEATURETTE: For details, see facing page. OPEN-END INTERVIEWS: see facing page. TRANSCRIPTIONS: A variety of spot announcements, all open end for local commentator to add theatre credits. Available on a single disc. Order from your Columbia exchange. TV TRAILERS: For different time slots in wrasse ~ “RAL TR at ow mer For details, CIVIL WAR Still No. Art 1, key art in the film‘s advertising, might be used as a blow-up, properly colored, to key a major lobby or window display of Civil War mementoes or a book store display of Civil War titles in which the “Major Dundee” paperback also figures prominently. STREET BALLY Send a man on horseback, dressed in Union Army uniform, through main business and shopping streets, and wherever youngsters congregate. He might carry a banner reading: ‘I'm On My Way to Join 'Major Dundee’ a State Theatre."' Same ballyhoo man might also make the rounds of the radio/TV programs, newspaper offices and VIP's, with your special message. THE ARMY ¢ Set up military equipment in lobby, and out-front, along with participation in an opening-day parade. ¢ Display medals, battle flags, etc., particularly those of the Civil War period or of the Southwest when the cavalry was fighting Indians. e Honor most decorated local American soldier. ¢ Set up a drill team to appear at your theatre, opening night. e Any men still in uniform who served in the U. S. Cavalry before it became mechanized? They could provide excellent radio/TV/newspaper material, along with picture plugs. ‘DUNDEE’ DISH n of ''Major Dundee," adapted themselves to ry of Mexico and the ‘est. They got to like lados and hot chile. the recipe for the chile out modified it a bit to a bowl of the original was sure he breathed Re we NDEE CHILE ad oil reen pepper 1ions clove beef red ham seans s powder peppers, onions, garlic till light brown, stirring eans, tomatoes, salt and well. If the mixture is ittle water. the Civil War itself; the film has Charlton Heston appearing as a Union Army officer and Richard Harris as a Confederate Army officer, both fighting together under the Union flag against marauding Apaches and the "liberating'' French, in Mexico, where much of the picture was filmed. ‘DUNDEE’ FLAGS Decorate theatre with Union and Confederate flags, keyed to fact that Charlton Heston and Richard Harris are Fed and Reb, respectively, in the Jerry Bresler production. Ballyhoo cars might also be decorated with flags from the Civil War, and move through the streets playing Civil War music, which is readily available in most music stores that carry the folk singing groups so popular today. VETERANS e Arrange for veterans’ organization attendance at special screenings, via a group sales or other ticket-selling approach. ¢ Veterans’ participation in opening-day ceremonies. e Interviews with former cavalrymen. e Veterans’ wartime souvenirs on display. HORSEMANSHIP! "Major Dundee" has some of the finest riding ever screened, in the course of its fast-paced action. Check with local riding academies to see what might be done in the way of parades, precision riding in front of theatre before opening, etc. Also, the United States Pony Club, an important nationwide organization with membership groups scattered about the country, might have a local branch. Set up a contest promotion awarding riding lessons as prizes. CIVIL WAR TIME! Arrange with local antique dealer for the creation of special Civil War displays in your theatre lobby, and on television; displays might include a room of the period filled with furniture, accessories, clothing, jewelry, etc. GO AFTER GUNS! In every situation, there are gun collectors and, almost always, gun dealers. Arrange for a guarded display of Civil War weapons in your theatre lobby, in a store window, and —on television—set up a program wherein a local expert on the subject talks about, and shows, the martial arms of the period in which "Major Dundee" is set. LOCAL DUNDEE? The name of Dundee appears only six times in the Manhattan phone book—and five of those references are to firms and stores of one sort or another! If there is a Dundee in your town, see what can be worked out in the way of endorsement of the picture, interviews, publicity, etc. If there is a firm or service using the name, perhaps you can obtain newspaper co-op advertising or other mutually-beneficial promotion? Check your phone book now!