Uncle Ezry’s Hayloft Jamboree with all local talent: the Empire Plan. . . ; [together with] Mr. Cole’s territory (County & Population) of cities [typescript] with Dallas Territory -- County Data [typescript].

[Kansas City, MO]: Empire Producing Co., 1949. Two parts. 1st - 4to. [18 leaves (unnumbered).], printed in red & black. With photo and text illustrations throughout. Simulated wood softcovers, red lettering & illustration on front cover, red plastic comb binding as issued (minor wear, rubbing, some scuffing to fore-edges), still VG- copy; 2nd - 4to. 8 leaves, typescript (5 on onion-skin paper - 3 on ruled paper), typed in red & black, rust marks to upper corner, minor creasing, still VG. First edition of this very scarce sales promotional catalogue for the Empire Producing Co., which partnered with Rotary Clubs, Fire Departments, Public Schools, and many other non-profit organizations from California to Texas up to Chicago for fundraising theatre productions. Pitched as a way to motivate organization membership, advertise to the community and helping solve the “juvenile delinquency problems in every town by giving the youngsters something to do” Empire organized community entertainment such as Uncle Ezry’s Hayloft Jamboree. They fielded reps in every territory, provided sets, scripts, entertainers, directors, seed money, and advertising, and would use the local talent to augment post-World War II America’s enthusiasm for country music. They typically targeted smaller towns, and supposedly were generating from $ 500.00-$ 1400.00 per production in 1949. The typescript sheets by Mr. Cole show that although his quotas for the July 1945-1946 year were $ 500,000, he only succeeded in contracting 61 shows in Texas, Southern, and Midwest towns, which actually generated about $ 175,000, of which Empire would have received half. No copies in Worldcat.