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The Great Dictator Clippings 226/369

Motion Picture Herald, New York, November 16, 1940.

Rush! Rush! Rush! Great Dictator (...) Loew‘s State –

Why „Old“? Why „New“? Theatremen who have been around

a few will have no difficulty in placing the photo

reproduced on this page. The shot, of course, is a Chaplin

impersonator followed by the usual crowd. It was

used by Ed McBride for The Great Dictator, as it was by other

members on the same date. Probably Mac

served up the same dish on the last Chaplin and those

that came before. If the comic makes another

picture, the Loew-man will turn loose the same kind

of ballyhoo. And why not?

(...) Photo, Motion Picture Herald, Nov. 16, 1940

„Impersonators for street attention were also spotted here‘“

Editorial content. „Hat and Mustache Back

      As Charlie Rides Again

      ,Dictator‘ Campaign Spotlight Chaplin Costume“ (...)

      „McBride Plugs ,Chaplin Talks‘

      That for the first time, Chaplin talks was seized

upon by Ed McBride for his date at Loew‘s State, Providence,

in selling a ,talking front.‘ Mac got one of the local

announcers to make up a transcription, obtained the rest

of the reproducing equipment together with a radio

beam pickup, publicized the flash vigorously viat the ,radio

beam lite‘ as something new in Providence.

      Frontal decorations were given a new twist by a reproduction

of the New York lobbies wrapped in cellophane.

Attention-value was added with hundreds of action stills

that blanketed the front. All copy stressed ,Chaplin

talks‘ and 40-foot lighted date announcement over the marquee

was sufficient to attract all passing foot and moving

traffic.

      Women‘s Club Enlisted

      Tiein advertising was topped with a six column full, run

three times and for deluxe window cards Eddie

introduced the Chaplin gold-edged insert reprints, mounted

on six-ply Bristol board. For direct mail, one of the

special two-column ads was reproduced and forwarded

to a select list. Outside lists were employed further

by the cooperation of the leading women‘s clubs in with

an ,endless chain‘ phone hookup. Called on the

phone about the picture, each one so addressed was asked

to call two other members until the list was covered.

      Impersonators for street attention were also spotted here

in advance, during the date, and on the stage for the

theatre‘s Hallowe‘en Jamboree. Situated so that the house

can be seen as far away as three blocks, Eddie rigged

up an 80-foot valence transparency to take advantage of the

distance in attracting added attention.“ (...)

      Loew‘s State, 220 Weybosset Street, Providence.

Redaktioneller Inhalt

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