On Dress Parade(Warner Bros.) (1939)

MOUNT VERNON Theatre-Manager welcomes a Dead End Kid picture. (1) Parade six kids, dress them in uniforms, but with arm in sling, patch over eye, cut on face, etc. (2) Distribute pictures of kids all over town. Anybody getting a complete set wins passes. Of course, he would hold out one of the kid's pictures, printing up only about twenty-five of them. (3) Contact the local military academy and run a parade to the theatre on opening day. (4) Decorate marquee in military style—flags, pennants. * * * MGR, LOCKE, of Bronxville Theatre, Bronxville, N.. Y.—Runs cooperative campaigns with the Stoddard Theatre in Scarsdale, N. Y. consists of newspaper ads taken from press book. Distribution of 50,000 programs featuring press book material. These programs are distributed by messenger service from house to house. * * * WAKEFIELD THEATRE, Bronx, N. Y.—Street bally with truck going touring town. Distribute 40,000 programs. Local tie-ups. * * * CORONA THEATRE, Corona, L. |.—Contest idea: Distribute cards, with ‘Dead End’ Kids' pictures . . . Anybody getting a set of pictures of each of the 'Kids' would be admitted as guest of the management. Attention, youse guys. Let the Exhibitors have a say! We thought it would be a good idea to sound out a representative group of exhibitors in both first and subsequent run situations on the subject of exploitation for the Dead End Kids “On Dress Parade.” Showmen all, some would go for wide open ballyhoo and all the attendant noise, others preferred institutionalizing. At any rate there are some good ideas here, so we pass them on to you:— IRVING DASKIN, manager Savoy Theatre, Jamaica, L. I. — Tie-up with the Junior Militia and the boy scouts for parade to his theatre. Another stunt would feature two kids, one dressed as a boy of the slums and the other dressed in military school uniform. They could be labelled "Before" and "After." * * * RICHARD C. CARTON, manager, Mayfair Theatre, Newark, N. J.—Secure a quartet of local scout buglers dressed in regulation attire and equipped with placards back and front in sandwich form. The title only would appear under the theatre name on these cards. The buglers' toots will call attention to the cards. On either side of the theatre entrance will be "Dead End Street'' and "Detour" arrows pointing towards the lobby. In the lobby a large painted sign will sell the show. Copy on the sign will announce: DEAD END KIDS "ON DRESS PARADE" here all week. * * * ARTHUR LEWIS, manager, Rialto Theatre, West New York, N. J.—would do up his front with still and poster blow-ups of the six "Dead End" Kids. He will also distribute heralds to kids on the street and contact youth clubs around the neighborhood. "The picture is a natural for the kids,’ says Arthur “and all exploitation should be pointed toward them." FRED DOLLINGER, manager’ Temple Theatre Union City, N. J.—Will tie-up with the local boy scouts for a street parade to theatre . . . bugle corps, banners and all. In addition, he will devote lobby to various displays of scout Handicraft and arrange an exhibition of scout maneuvers, knot tieing, flag signalling, etc. * * * MONROE THEATRE, Jack N. Cohen, Manager, New York City .. . Set up mechanical man, dressed in military costume. Have local band march to theatre. Before showing trailer, have theatre dark. Taps are played from stage as lights thrown on ushers in costume lined up on stage. They stand to side, on stage, as trailer shown, then march down aisle. It is an impressive sight patrons will remember for a long time. * * * ACADEMY OF MUSIC, E. 14th Street, New York City, H. F. Janecky, manager. Tie-ups with all shops: "You Will be ON DRESS PARADE if you buy Blank's hats, Blank's dresses, Blank's shoes, etc.", also planting stills in such shops. Kid's parade, with Naval Junior Militia, boy scouts, etc. Essay contest on whether we should have compulsory military training for young boys at this time. Lobby or sidewalk display with large poster of each picture the KIDS have done, starting from “DEAD END." CRAFT THEATRE, Bronx, N. Y. Plant stills around recruiting stations and military sporting goods stores where persons interested in this type of picture would be attracted. * * * RKO FORDHAM, Bronx, N. Y., Irving Gold, manager—Send out six kids in military costume with gagged posters, "We're in the army now, etc." Parade with band with local groups of boy scouts, etc. march to theatre. Would try to have the Borough President or ranking official or department store owner at theatre to welcome parade, * * * PARA'S COURT, Brooklyn, Lewis Goidel, manager—show the Kids marching to glory. | would take the picture right over to Brooklyn's reform school and show it to those boys. | would then ask the newspaper reporters to write up the kids' reactions. Also stage military school drill in front of theatre and invite the toughest kids in this very tough neighborhood to review such a picture for an essay contest, * * * LOEW'S BORO PARK, Brooklyn, Martin J. Rosenburgh, manager—Conduct a_ photo contest for best military haircut. Get band from local school to play in front of theatre or on stage. PII III AAAI AAA AAA AAA AIA AAA AIA AAAS A AAAS AA AAA AA AAA SAA AAS ASA ASAE AAA AIA AAA AAA AAAI AAA AAA AAA AA AAAS AAA AAAS AAAS AAA SA SA SASS ASIA ASSIA SA ACSACK MORE EXPLOITIPS FOR YOUR SHOWMANSHIP MILITARY QUIZ These military terms make a novel giveaway for a contest. Award passes for the first ten correct solutions and you'll get hundreds of replies. CHECK THE RIGHT ANSWER 1. A NON-COM is: (a) An incompetent officer (b) An officer below the rank of lieutenant (c) A veteran soldier 2. THE MANUAL OF ARMS is: (a) A book of army generals (b) A military drill with a rifle (correct) (c) Thirty days at hard labor 3. A TOP KICK is: (a) A high ranking sergeant (correct) (b) A general (c) A military dance step 4. A. W. O. L. means: (a) Alone without love b) Absent without official leave (correct) c) All's well on the lake 5. K. P. refers to: (a) Kitchen police duty (correct) (b) Kid private (c) Knockout punch in a battle 6. CHOW means: (a) Watch dog at a military post (b) A court martial (c) The soldiers' meals (correct) 7. ON DRESS PARADE means: (a) A fashion show (b) A masquerade ball {c) The picture starring the Dead End Kids in a brand new heroic role as cadets (correct) Alger’s, etc. In their answers have your patrons outline the 2 type of story and write a brief summary of the (correct) plot. Point out that the kids have appeared in the: — following films. In ‘Dead End,’ they were seen as East Side hoodlums. In ‘Crime School’ they 3. Mail letters to’ women's clubs, welfare organizations, were prisoners in a reform school. In ‘Angels With Dirty Faces,’ they learned that all crooks are cowards. In ‘Hell’s Kitchen,’ they turned OUIZ TO FIND ROLES FOR DEAD END KIDS Contest for newspapers—may also be worked in 1. Boys Week... lobby. Ask patrons or readers what type of picture they’d like to see the “Dead End Kids” appear in next, college stories, westerns, Horatio decent to help a friend go straight. In ‘Angels Wash Their Faces,’ they fell under the spell of Ann Sheridan. Now in ‘On Dress Parade,’ they’re classmates at a military academy. What would they like the “Dead End Kids’’ to be in their next picture? ORGANIZE A FATHER AND SON night. P.T.A., American Legion, Boy Scouts and all other such organizations will help you out on this. The Strand set aside one night for this affair and ran a reserved seat sale, that went over with a real bang. INSTITUTIONAL TIPS For institutional exploitation, here are several ideas to look at: contact all appropriate organizations such as big brother clubs, boy scouts, etc. Get them to arrange for the boys in your town to take over the theatre, banks, stores and other commercial organizations during the run of your picture. . Arrange interviews on radio or in newspapers with sociology students, educators, youth organization leaders, etc. on the influence exerted on slum clearance projects by the Dead End Kids.’ charitable groups and other bodies on the change undergone by the ‘Dead End Kids' in "On Dress Parade" and ask them to endorse your showing. BOOM! BOOM! FROM MARQUEE N. Y. Strand exploiteer, once pulled this one. On opening day an usher was stationed atop the marquee equipped with a papier mache cannon and lots of firecrackers. As soon as the doors opened a twenty-one gun salute was fired by exploding the giant firecrackers. Colorful effect was obtained by two other ushers, dressed as cadets, unfurling banner and pennants. PIII I IAI IAAI AAI AAS AAA AAA AAS AAA AAA AAS SAS SA AS ASDA SAAS AAS AAA AAA ASA ASA AIA SI AAS AAA AIA ASIA SSA SAAS AAAI SIA SAAS AAS ASA ASSIA SAS SAAS SI ASS SASSI AA AAI CK Page Ten