# Do you have Will Rogers Foundation ads before your movies? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 21, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-will-rogers-foundation-ads-before-your-movies/635422 "2012-09-21T18:54:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-will-rogers-foundation-ads-before-your-movies/635422/1 "2012-09-21T18:54:41Z")
I’ve noticed an interesting phenomenon, and I’m curious about it. What better place to be curious than here? 🙂 I live in the SF Bay Area (San Jose, specifically). In all the years I’ve lived here (since 1989) and all the different movie theaters I’ve attended, I have never seen an ad for the Will Rogers foundation, trying to solicit charity donations. However, I’ve also attended, while on vacation, movies in San Diego, Scottsdale AZ and Columbus OH. In all three cases I’ve seen Will Rogers ads. Is there something about the Bay Area that doesn’t like Will? I’m just curious to find out: Do you have these ads, and if so, where do you live? It’s been going on for a while, too: the Scottsdale trip was in the mid 90s, while the San Diego trip was in July of this year. Will turned up in both places/times. I wonder if there are any other Will-less metropolitan areas. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-will-rogers-foundation-ads-before-your-movies/635422/2 "2012-09-21T19:14:27Z")
The last time I saw those was probably the mid 80s. And they always seemed to be at the theatres inside or attached to malls. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-will-rogers-foundation-ads-before-your-movies/635422/3 "2012-09-21T19:30:03Z")
ISRT that they only run that at certain times of the year (which may well be coinciding with those vacations of yours). I’ve seen them on and off in various places in the Midwest (Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois), though I don’t think I’ve seen them in the past couple of years. I also suspect that some theater chains run them, and others don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-will-rogers-foundation-ads-before-your-movies/635422/4 "2012-09-22T01:14:10Z")
I only ever saw them at General Cinema theaters, in the 80s and 90s, in the Indianapolis area. Part of the campaign was to also have theater employees pass a popcorn bucket like a church offering plate through the crowd. Always embarrassing when it was a poorly attended matinee showing. Since GC (and competitor Loews) left the market, replaced by AMC, United Artists, and Regal, I haven’t seen them. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-will-rogers-foundation-ads-before-your-movies/635422/5 "2012-09-22T01:32:00Z")
Not for 20 years or so. They would show the PSA, then the lights went up and the ushers would collect donations. The movie theaters around here are all freestanding; we have no malls to speak of for 50 miles. Then one summer - they didn’t do it. And that was it. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-will-rogers-foundation-ads-before-your-movies/635422/6 "2012-09-22T01:34:34Z")
I recall them in Philadelphia area theaters. The ushers would collect donations. I don’t remember how long okay it was or if it was only specific theaters. I also don’t know if it’s happened more recently, since I don’t go to the movies as often as I used to. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-will-rogers-foundation-ads-before-your-movies/635422/7 "2012-09-22T01:42:52Z")
Found some info. It’s actually the Will Rogers _Institute_, and they’re doing something different now. > **[Will Rogers Institute Partners With AMC Theatres(R) to Provide Special Movie...](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/rogers-institute-partners-amc-theatres-130000731.html)** > > BURBANK, CA-- - The Will Rogers Institute -- you've probably heard of us at the movies, but maybe you're not fully aware of everything we do for the public. We're a national charitable health program focused ... > [@](#): > > The Will Rogers Institute has partnered with AMC Theatres, and with the [TheBump.com](http://TheBump.com), to provide a movie-going experience especially for new mothers, and generate much needed funds for the Will Rogers Institute. > > … > > \*Screenings begin at noon in many locations and are always shown in a baby-friendly environment: > > Breastfeeding-friendly atmosphere > Brighter lights and lower volume > Stress-free environment > Stroller parking > Crying babies allowed > > A portion of the ticket purchase will be donated to the Will Rogers Institute. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-will-rogers-foundation-ads-before-your-movies/635422/8 "2012-09-22T01:44:19Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I recall them in Philadelphia area theaters. The ushers would collect donations. I don’t remember how long **okay** it was or if it was only specific theaters. I also don’t know if it’s happened more recently, since I don’t go to the movies as often as I used to. Obviously that should have been “ago” and not “okay”. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-will-rogers-foundation-ads-before-your-movies/635422/9 "2012-09-22T02:32:16Z")
Interesting…because when I was down in San Diego for Comic Con, we went to see the Avengers at a local theater and they definitely had a Will Rogers thing at the beginning (no passing of popcorn boxes, though–it was on screen). ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-will-rogers-foundation-ads-before-your-movies/635422/10 "2012-09-22T03:11:18Z")
I’ve been seeing them at my local Regal for the past few months. They’re not separate ads in my case; they’re part of the pre-show reel that runs for fifteen minutes or so before the lights go down. The reel also includes little behind-the-scenes previews for upcoming TV shows and movies, plus the occasional car or cell phone ad