Ron Ecker Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 If I ran a theatre in Dallas, I would advertise coming attractions in bold type---prominently and loudly. I wouldn't disguise the ads as cryptic puzzles, then bury them deep within the classified section. Mark, How do we know that the movie wasn't advertised "prominently and loudly" in the newspapers? I'm sure the theater advertised what it was showing, as all theaters did in those days, in the entertainment section. The ads in the classified section may have been just a little icing on the cake, to create curiosity and hence start a little word of mouth publicity. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stapleton Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 If I ran a theatre in Dallas, I would advertise coming attractions in bold type---prominently and loudly. I wouldn't disguise the ads as cryptic puzzles, then bury them deep within the classified section. Mark, How do we know that the movie wasn't advertised "prominently and loudly" in the newspapers? I'm sure the theater advertised what it was showing, as all theaters did in those days, in the entertainment section. The ads in the classified section may have been just a little icing on the cake, to create curiosity and hence start a little word of mouth publicity. Ron Maybe. It would be a more plausible explanation if similar cryptic ads were placed in other newspapers around the country. Who's got time to check that out? Not me. The two big curiosities are: a) Why does the timing of the ads correspond exactly with LHO's application for the job at the TSBD? and If the ads promote the film "Running Man", why don't they mention the character's name, Stella? Can you help with these questions, Ron. (And please don't say it's a coincidence) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Forman Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 If I ran a theatre in Dallas, I would advertise coming attractions in bold type---prominently and loudly. I wouldn't disguise the ads as cryptic puzzles, then bury them deep within the classified section. Mark, How do we know that the movie wasn't advertised "prominently and loudly" in the newspapers? I'm sure the theater advertised what it was showing, as all theaters did in those days, in the entertainment section. The ads in the classified section may have been just a little icing on the cake, to create curiosity and hence start a little word of mouth publicity. Ron In the Dallas Morning News on 11/23, 'The Running Man' is advertised with only a small bit of text - playing at Casa Linda's. In the Dallas Times Herald on 11/22 - the late edition, a small box, about half an inch high by 2 1/2 inches. Preston and Casa Linda's. eBay is currently selling 4 placards that would have been used in the lobby of theatres to advertise the film. http://cgi.ebay.com/THE-RUNNING-MAN-LEE-RE...1QQcmdZViewItem - lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ecker Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 Why does the timing of the ads correspond exactly with LHO's application for the job at the TSBD? Because the timing also corresponds exactly with the movie "The Running Man" being shown in Dallas. The filmmakers and theater owners couldn't help it if LHO happened to get hired at the TSBD at the same time. If the ads promote the film "Running Man", why don't they mention the character's name, Stella? Because no one would know who the hell "Stella" was until they saw the movie. So it would make much more sense to use the name of the actress playing Stella, since "Lee" Remick was well known, to clearly connect the ad to the movie that people hadn't seen yet. (And please don't say it's a coincidence) Sorry, but I'm afraid I just did. And I hate coincidences! Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack White Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 THE RUNNING MAN was released in October 1963. I have never heard of movie companies using such obscure teaser ads. Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ecker Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 In the Dallas Morning News on 11/23, 'The Running Man' is advertised with only a small bit of text - playing at Casa Linda's.In the Dallas Times Herald on 11/22 - the late edition, a small box, about half an inch high by 2 1/2 inches. Preston and Casa Linda's. Lee, Back in those days (I don't know about today), after a movie had its first run in one of the main theaters in a city, it would be shown in a "second-run" theater if it had proved to draw audiences. As has been noted, "The Running Man" was shown in October at the Capri Theater, and I'm sure it was given first-run advertising. The small advertising you're referring to clearly appears to be for second runs of the movie in November at smaller Dallas theaters. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Forman Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 In the Dallas Morning News on 11/23, 'The Running Man' is advertised with only a small bit of text - playing at Casa Linda's. In the Dallas Times Herald on 11/22 - the late edition, a small box, about half an inch high by 2 1/2 inches. Preston and Casa Linda's. Lee, Back in those days (I don't know about today), after a movie had its first run in one of the main theaters in a city, it would be shown in a "second-run" theater if it had proved to draw audiences. As has been noted, "The Running Man" was shown in October at the Capri Theater, and I'm sure it was given first-run advertising. The small advertising you're referring to clearly appears to be for second runs of the movie in November at smaller Dallas theaters. Ron Hi Ron - yes, I drew the same conclusion, but those were the only papers I had handy. - lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stapleton Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 Why does the timing of the ads correspond exactly with LHO's application for the job at the TSBD? Because the timing also corresponds exactly with the movie "The Running Man" being shown in Dallas. The filmmakers and theater owners couldn't help it if LHO happened to get hired at the TSBD at the same time. If the ads promote the film "Running Man", why don't they mention the character's name, Stella? Because no one would know who the hell "Stella" was until they saw the movie. So it would make much more sense to use the name of the actress playing Stella, since "Lee" Remick was well known, to clearly connect the ad to the movie that people hadn't seen yet. (And please don't say it's a coincidence) Sorry, but I'm afraid I just did. And I hate coincidences! Ron Ron, According to IMDb, the release date of the movie was 2 October, 1963. If a distributor or movie company wants to increase interest in the film prior to its release date, then they sometimes come up with creative ways to promote the film, as they did with Independance Day, as I recall (and what a dog that was). It would be very unusual for a theatre owner to still be indulging in esoteric gimmicks well after its release date when many reviews have already been written and most who have seen it know it is no blockbuster (it gets 6.3 on IMDb which makes it slightly better than a turkey, IMO). Sorry Ron, I don't buy it. The main coincidence here is that this movie was released at roughly the same time as the assassination, giving the LNers an opportunity to hastily cobble together a flimsy explanation for the messages which appeared in the Dallas papers at the time of LHO's employment with the TSBD. There's your coincidence--and I hate them too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Unger Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 (edited) Lawrence Harvey. From Running Man to Manchurian Candidate. QUOTE: The Manchurian Candidate begins during the Korean War. An American infantry platoon led by Frank Sinatra is captured by the North Koreans. Later, the men are released and Laurence Harvey receives a Congressional Medal of Honor. Thanks to Communist brainwashing, Harvey is also a timebomb programmed to kill, with no remorse or memory of his actions. Even more shocking, Harvey's Communist handler is revealed to be his own mother. Edited July 18, 2006 by Robin Unger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Howard Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 Lawrence Harvey.From Running Man to Manchurian Candidate. QUOTE: The Manchurian Candidate begins during the Korean War. An American infantry platoon led by Frank Sinatra is captured by the North Koreans. Later, the men are released and Laurence Harvey receives a Congressional Medal of Honor. Thanks to Communist brainwashing, Harvey is also a timebomb programmed to kill, with no remorse or memory of his actions. Even more shocking, Harvey's Communist handler is revealed to be his own mother. I still think there could be more to this than it appears, as I mentioned earlier it was of interest to the DPD and the FBI, even a document stating the manager of the Capri placed the ad could be a deception. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Parker Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 1. The earliest ad (entertainment section) I've found for the movie is 10/22/63. 2. I have found no similar classified ads in any newspapers with similar wording for the time period in question. (neither of the above two searches were exhaustive, but represented a reasonable cross-section of papers acrossthe States) 3. The Capri was a "first run" theater. 3. It was owned by Gordon McLendon. 4. Yes, that Gordon McLendon. 5. McLendon was well-known for his promotional gimmicks. 6. He also owned the Casa Linda. It was indeed, his "second run" theater. Something there for everyone, I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Forman Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 (edited) Redundant post deleted. "The six-five is just a throw-down piece." Edited July 18, 2006 by Lee Forman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Forman Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 (edited) redundant post deleted... "What..did he think he was bulletproof?" Edited July 18, 2006 by Lee Forman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Forman Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 1. The earliest ad (entertainment section) I've found for the movie is 10/22/63. 2. I have found no similar classified ads in any newspapers with similar wording for the time period in question. (neither of the above two searches were exhaustive, but represented a reasonable cross-section of papers acrossthe States) 3. The Capri was a "first run" theater. 3. It was owned by Gordon McLendon. 4. Yes, that Gordon McLendon. 5. McLendon was well-known for his promotional gimmicks. 6. He also owned the Casa Linda. It was indeed, his "second run" theater. Something there for everyone, I think Awesome Greg. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKmclendon.htm Gordon McLendon was born in Paris, Texas, on 8th June, 1921. The family moved to Oklahoma when he was a child. McLendon studied Far Eastern languages at Yale University. While at university he ran the campus radio station and was business manager for the Yale Literary Magazine. During the Second World War he accepted a commission in the United States Navy and worked as an interpreter, translator and interrogator. Later he joined armed forces radio. After the war McLendon returned to Texas and joined the KNET radio station. Eventually he established his own radio station, KLIF, in Dallas. His first innovation was to provide live baseball broadcasts. In 1947 McLendon and his father, Barton McLendon, founded the Liberty Broadcasting System (LBS). By 1952 LBS was the second largest radio network in the United States. The McLendon family eventually owned a large number of radio stations including KNUS-FM (Dallas), KOST (Los Angeles), WYSL-AM (Chicago), KABL-FM (San Francisco), KILT (Houston), KTSA (San Antonio) and KELP (EL Paso). It has been claimed that McLendon was the first person to introduce the traffic reports, jingles, all-news radio station and "easy-listening" programmes. His radio stations also expressed a right-wing political commentary. This included his attacks on federal aid to education, racial desegregation of public schools and equal voting rights for all races. In 1963 rumours began to circulate that McLendon might have been involved in the assassination of John F. Kennedy. In their book, Deadly Secrets, Warren Hinckle and William Turner claim that Gerry P. Hemming obtained money from McLendon to help fund Interpen. McLendon was also an associate of Jack Ruby as well as being friendly with several other suspects including Clint Murchison, Bobby Baker and David Atlee Phillips. Peter Dale Scott claims that McLendon made a secret trip to Mexico City just before the assassination. According to Seth Kantor when Ruby was arrested he "shouted out for Gordon McLendon". The KLIF disc-jockey, Weird Beard, later told Kantor that Ruby "greatly admired McLendon". McLendon was also a film producer and in 1959 made three movies: The Killer Shrews, The Giant Gila Monster and My Dog Buddy. He was also ran the advertising campaigns for 150 movie and between 1963 and 1966 McLendon worked for United Artists. McLendon was also the author of several books including How to Succeed in Broadcasting (1961), Correct Spelling in Three Hours (1962) and Understanding American Government (1964). A member of the Democratic Party, McLendon attempted to unseat Ralph Yarborough in 1964. He later left the party saying he could no longer support the policies of Lyndon B. Johnson. McLendon sold KLIF for $10.5m in 1971. Over the next eight years he sold the rest of his radio stations for approximately $100m. Later it was estimated that McLendon was worth around $200m. In 1975 McLendon and David Atlee Phillips formed the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO). By 1985 Forbes Magazine claimed that McLendon was worth around $200m. Gordon McLendon died of cancer on 14th September, 1986. From Wikipedia Jack Ruby was both a listener and admirer of McLendon and known to the staff of the station. One reason Ruby gained access to Lee Harvey Oswald was that Ruby had begun to imply that he was reporting for KLIF. (See Warren Report.) There was little difference in his move to point a gun or a microphone at Oswald. http://www.historyofklif.com/pgtwo.html KLIF's newsman on duty in the studio was Gary DeLaune. Gary was scheduled to do the 12 Noon newscast and await Joe Long and Roy Nichols to relieve him at the studio. He was then to head to the Trade Mart for Kennedy's speech..Shortly after 12:30 p.m., just seconds after the shooting, DeLaune received a "hotline" call on the newsrooms telephone. The caller asked "what do you know about shots being fired at Kennedy's motorcade and Kennedy and Connally being hit"? DeLaune responded that he didn't know anything about it yet and the caller hung up. With that, DeLaune signaled the KLIF Control Room Disc-jockey to put him on the air immediately as he had a "bulletin" to report. KLIF's first bulletin on the assassination was as follows: A sounder (not unlike the shrieking sound in the movie "Psycho") signaled a forthcoming bulletin and interrupted a song. Gary DeLaune then said..."This KLIF Bulletin. From Dallas, three shots reportedly were fired at the motorcade of President Kennedy today near the downtown section. KLIF news is checking out the report - we will have further reports - stay tuned. The song picked up where it was left off. That was reported before DeLaune received any validation from the DPD, whom he apparently called next. Shortly after 12:30 p.m., just seconds after the shooting... Another amazing set of coincidences. Probably not related, but interesting. Why would Yarborough and Hall be upset with McClendon in regards to a broadcast about Billie Sol Estes? http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/ricewrc/00012/rice-00012.html 41 RWY - WGH correspondence re Gordon McClendon's use of " 50,000 Billie Sol Estes Lie"; FCC April - June 1964 15 RWY special account - used to pay for investigation of a possible libel suit over " Estes lie"? 1965 16 RWY - WGH; Earl I. Harwood; Franklin Jones; J. R. Parten re "McClendon - Estes lie" and possible libel suit Spring/Summer 1965 I assume that McClendon would have had to have known LBJ in the 'old days' since Ladybird managed to pick up their radio station in Austin in 1943? Classic deal. Must be nice to be King. President Lyndon B. Johnson is generally credited with being the first elected U.S. official to execute a blind trust. When Johnson took office in 1963, concerns were raised about his family's ownership of KTBC, a radio and television station in Austin, Tex., that was the cornerstone of the family's wealth. Johnson's staff urged him to sell the station, but for sentimental and financial reasons the president and the first lady were reluctant to part with it. Lady Bird Johnson had bought KTBC in 1943, and the shares were in her name. The task of finding a solution fell to Sheldon Cohen, then a 36-year-old tax partner at Arnold, Fortas & Porter, the law firm co-founded by Abe Fortas, a Johnson confidant. During the Kennedy Administration, Cohen had created the first ever blind trusts for several cabinet undersecretaries, including a State Department official who owned shares in Latin American business interests. For the Johnsons, Cohen devised a blind trust based on the standard grantor trust, under which the owner still owns the assets and can revoke the instrument at any time. In 1964, Johnson appointed Cohen commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service. Under the terms of the trust document, Lady Bird Johnson temporarily transferred control of her shares of KTCB to two Texas lawyers who were old family friends. She gave the trustees complete discretion over the shares, including the right to sell them, though they didn't. (Cohen says that if there was any unstated agreement by the lawyers not to sell the shares, he wasn't aware of it.) The Johnsons kept direct control only of the family ranch, some additional property in Texas, and an undisclosed amount of tax-free municipal bonds. Just some speculation here - if David Atlee Phillips was indeed involved in the operation, it's almost a given that he would have had a propaganda campaign ready to roll in advance. Radio of course being one of his preferred methods of dispersal of same. So if he's a pal of McClendon, well, speculation says this is all very interesting. It makes you wonder if there ever was a hotline call seconds after the shooting; or how anyone would know it was 3 shots, and that both Connally and Kennedy were hit. 'Look well at the rainbow..." Posting issues.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stapleton Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 It's incredible how investigating aspects of this case can lead to a myriad of seemingly interconnected individuals. Now we have George McLendon (many thanks to Greg Parker) who is, by all accounts, connected directly to Ruby and more indirectly to LBJ. Also, like so many other persons of interest in this case, he is ex-Navy. As a former interpreter, translater and owner of not one but a network of radio stations, the communications field is clearly his long suit. Of course, as pointed out by Robert, it's no certainty that McLendon placed that strange set of advertisements. I maintain the ads contained a message related to the conspiracy. The explanation concerning the film 'Running Man' stinks worse than a marathon runner's socks, IMO. It's a red herring designed to confuse and frustrate. The film was released in America two weeks before the ads and the terminology of the film title may have been deliberately used to mask the content of the message. To my way of thinking, the wide circulation print media is ideal for communicating coded messages in a compartmentalised operation like this--nobody speaks face to face and the person transmitting the message doesn't necessarily know who it's intended to reach--he just knows he's done his job. The timing of the ads mesh perfectly with the timing of LHO's ill-fated employment. Like Tiger Woods says--it's all a matter of timing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now