Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Oct-Dec 1928)

October 6. 1928 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD 59 WHAT THE PICTURE DID FOR ME Verdicts on Films in Language of Exhibitor Copyright, 1928 Incorporated in this original exhibitors report department of Exhibitors Herald, which was established October 14, 1916, is the Moving Picture World department, "Straight from the Shoulder Reports." Chadwick TEST OF DONALD MORTON: George Walsh— A good picture, which pleased 100 per cent. Seven iee|s. — Earl Somerville, Opera House, Raymond, Minn. — General patronage. Columbia MY WIFE'S RELATIONS: Shirley Mason — A real fine picture. Pleased 100 per cent. All Columbia pictures are real good. Never had a poor one yet. Six reels. — Earl Somerville, Opera House, Raymond, Minn. — General patronage. THE SPORTING AGE: Belle Bennett— A good little program picture. Six reels. — John Kamuda. Grand theatre. Indian Orchard. Mass.— General patronage. THE BLOOD SHIP: Hobart Bosworth — A darned good sea picture but it is rather brutal. The 6tory marches right along, and you couldn't cut out a foot of the picture without spoiling it. — Roy W. Adam*, Pastime theatre. Mason, Mich. — General patronage. F B 0 THE COWARD: Warner Baxter— 80%. We need more like this one. it pleased 100%. It is the class of picture every one in a small town likes. F B O are producing some good ones now. — J. A. D. Herrington. Gem theatre, Pontotoc. Miss. — General patronage. JUDGMENT OF THE HILLS: Special cast— 40%. September 9. Some way6 very good. A little too rough in spots but would show it. Six reels. — A. G. Hooper. Ideal theatre, Stanwood. Wash. — Small town patronage. JUDGMENT OF THE HILLS: Frankie Darro— Very unsatisfactory and draggy story. The hero is a drunken good-for-nothing ; at the end of the story he promises to brace up and try to amount to something, but you don't have any confidence in his promises. — Roy W. Adams, Pastime theatre. Mason, Mich. — General patronage. DRIFTING SANDS: Bob Steel 90%. Bob. you are fine. I made 6ome money on this picture, and it went over fine. I hope you stay in our class. — J. A. D. Herrington, Gem theatre, Pontotoc, Miss. — General patronage. LITTLE MICKEY GROGAN : Frankie Darro— 80%. September 22. Excellent picture, many laughs for both grown ups and kids. Clean picture, full of fun and pep. Darro is fine. Six reels. — H. S. Boyd, Community theatre, Woodbury, Conn. — Small town patronage. THE RIDING RENEGADE: Bob Steele— September 7-8. A good W«/stern suited for Saturday night. Bob Steele I believe is a comer. Print and photography good. — P. G. Held, Strand theatre, Griswold. Ia. — Neighborhood patronage. THE TEXAS TORNADO: Tom Tyler— September 15. A good Tyler picture with plenty of action for all. Five reels. — Wm. E. Tragsdorf, Trags theatre, Neillsville. Wis. — Small town patronage. First National THE HAWK'S NEST: Milton Sills— 30%. September 19-20. Wow. what a show. Sills does a Lon Chaney in this and how. An underworld drama that is the best I have seen since "Underworld." Patrons raved over it. You have got to hand it to Editor's Note Percentage ratings given by exhibitors in reports to this department are obtained in the following manner: Average daily gross of picture reported is divided by average daily gross of picture holding house record to determine relative box office value in terms of percentage. EXAMPLE: $75 (average daily gross of picture reported) divided by $100 (average daily gross of picture holding house record) equals .75 (percentage rating given picture in report) . When a picture has received percentage ratings in 10 reports it is entered in THE BOX OFFICE TICKER column of "Quick Reference Picture Chart." First National for their program stuff. Eight reels. — S. B. Kennedy, Central theatre, Selkirk, Man., Canada. — General patronage. THE LITTLE SHEPHERD OF KINGDOM COME: Richard Barthelmess — 80%. September 13. A very good picture with a lot of good acting on Barthelmess's part. Eight reels. — John Kamuda. Grand theatre. Indian Orchard, Mass. — General patronage. THE BUTTER AND EGG MAN: Jack Mulhall— It Won 't Be Long Now! NOVEMBER 3 That's the Date What Date? 9 9 9 • • • 50%. September 23-24. This is a good entertaining picture. Star and cast fine. A better city picture than small town, half of our crowd didn't know what it was all about, as they didn't see any butter and eggs. But just the same, good satisfaction, as the acting was fine and comedy funny. — Bert Silver, Silver Family theatre, Greenville, Mich. — General patronage. THE BIG NOISE: Chester Conklin— 20%. September 14-15. Cheese? Yes. limburger ! Very, very poor. If this is a sample of '28-29 product, deliver me. Poorest picture we have shown. If Conklin is an actor then I am the missing link. My wife took to the basement just before the showwas over so she would not have to face the patrons. Chester Conklin might be okay in short one reeler.but when it comes to anything longer he had better stay out. I. like my wife, had dissappeared when the show was over. Eight too many reels. — W. J. Shoup. DeLuxe theatre. Spearville. Kan. — Small town patronage. BUTTER AND EGG MAN: Jack Mulhall— 27%. September 4-5-6. Not a special, a fairly good program picture. — Dewey theatre. White Salmon, Wash. — Small town patronage. CODE OF THE SCARLET: Ken Maynard— 25%. September 13-14-15. This is the best Maynard in a long time. He plays the part of a mountie and does some fine work, pleased all the fans and business was good. Six reels. — S. B. Kennedy. Central theatre, Selkirk. Man., Canada. — General patronage. NAUGHTY BUT NICE: Colleen Moore— 100%. September IS. Colleen Moore seems to draw them out. This is the best of her pictures that we have shown. Seven reels. — H. S. Boyd, Community theatre, Woodbury. Conn. — General patronage. HAPPINESS AHEAD: Colleen Moore— First I wish to thank you very much, Miss Colleen, for the photo sent me a short t:me ago. It was certainly appreciated. Now, regarding the picture I personally didn't like it so well as your former ones, but my patrons thought differently and as it's their opinion that counts, I am well satisfied. Am attending the premiere showing in Wisconsin of "Lilac Time" tomorrow night, September 24, and will play it at a later date if the price is within reason for my town. More power to you. Miss Col-' lpen. Seven reels.— M. A. Manning, Opera House, Baldwin, Wis. — Small town patronage. MEMORY LANE: Special cast— Not nearly as good as we expected. However, above average. First National has fallen terrifically. Colleen Moore and Ken Maynard are their only good bets, though I understand Barthelmess has some fine new plays. Let us hope so. — Philip Rand. Rex theatre, Salmon, Idaho. — General patronage. THE NOOSE: Richard Barthelmess— Considered by the majority as one of the best pictures they ever saw. It is heavy drama but will cause one to realize he has seen something worth while. — M. A. Manning. Opera House, Baldwin, Wis. — Small town patronage. BROADWAY NIGHTS: Special cast— Failed to go over. People awfully sick of Broadway stuff, stage life, night clubs. Don't pull. Didn't see this though I wanted to as Lois Wilson was in it, but reports were "Oh, fair." — Philip Rand, Rex theatre, Salmon, Idaho. — General patronage. THE VALLEY OF THE GIANTS : Sills-Kenyon— September 2. Fine action picture. Good crowd and majority were pleased. We were too. Seven reels. — John Mraz, Colton theatre, Colton, Wash. — General patronage. STEPPING ALONG: Johnny Hines— Johnny Hines in a Horatio Alger newsboy to political boss. 409819 A