Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1929)

62 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD October 5, 1929 THAT HERALDWORLD FAMILY SPIRIT! The letter that follows is commented or. sufficiently ( if, indeed, any comment is called for) in the heading above. But before submitting this welcome message to the "family," we should like io explain that the blanks referred to huve been sent — yes, absolutely this time. And now: Editor: On April 23 yon wrote me advising that some report blanks to report to your department, "What the Picture Did for Me," would be sent. To date I have not received them, and would request you to forward same. I think when reading some of the reports, how I was saved by not playing some of the pictures, features and comedies, which have been reported on by others, and I feel that I should do my share and report the pictures I play. It might help some exhibitor. Thanking you and hoping yoa will keep up the good work, I am, very truly yours. — Benjamin Shnitka, Royal Theatres, Ltd., Innisfail, Alb. Thanks, Brother Shnitka, for the letter and for the spirit in which it was written! WEST OF ZANZIBAR: Lon Chaney— September 4-5. Very, very good. One of Chaney's best, I think. We pulled a good crowd two nights on it. Seven reels. — G. H. Wright, Jr., Star theatre, Wendell, N. C. — Small town patronage. WEST OF ZANZIBAR: Lon Chaney— A very gruesome picture well acted and will please most of the men, but ladies shudder at it. Who can say that Chaney is not a great actor? I say he is great in this type of role. If you have a hard !x>iled audience this should please, but if your people are of a refined type, better pass it up. — W. J. Shoup, DeLuxe theatre, Spearville, Kan. — General patronage. TIDE OF EMPIRE: Special cast— September 11-12. A good picture, but they sent me a synchronized print with half of the titles left out. Seven reels. — Orris F. Collin6, Palace theatre, Rector, Ark. — Small town patronage. TIDE OF EMPIRE (TME) : Special castSeptember 20-21. A splendid picture. Played by a wonderful orchestra. Great sound effects. I claim it 100 per cent entertainment. Gave satisfaction here. — Bert Silver, Silver Family theatre, Greenville, Mich. — General patronage. WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS: Lon Chaney— Real good and pleased. Did well at the box office. — W. W. Graves, Graves theatre, St. Paul, Kan. — Small town patronage. THE CAMERAMAN: Buster Keaton— August 24. Drew the largest house we had all summer. — W. W. Graves, Graves theatre, St. Paul, Kan. — Small town patronage. BEAU BROADWAY: Special cast— Good, but nothing extra. — W. W. Graves, Graves theatre, St. Paul, Kan. — Small town patronage. THE DUKE STEPS OUT: William Haines— Here's a real good one. Play it even if old. Seven reels. — C. A. Swircinsky, Majestic theatre, Washington, Kan. — General patronage. THE SMART SET: William Haines— September 9-10. This picture is rather old to report On as I had to set it out, but I am glad I went No Losses in the Box Office Z™ f(Z®^® Sim, Ticket registers Automatic Ti ck et Register Corp. 723 Seventh Ave. New York ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ back and got it, as William Haines has become one of my best bets, and this one is a typical William Haines picture. Print in perfect condition. By the way, if you are looking for good old silent product with perfect conditioned print, don't overlook Metro's 28-29 product. I am in the Kansas City district and in three years have yet to receive a print that broke. Seven reels. — James L. Sears, Liberty theatre, Humansville, Mo. — Small town patronage. A WOMAN OF AFFAIRS: Greta Garbo— September 15. A fairly good production that pleased the majority. Gilbert i6 not a big favorite here and as a result does not draw extra patronage. Ten reels. — Paul B. Hoffmann, Legion theatre, Holyrood, Kan. — Small town patronage. Paramount THE SHOPWORN ANGEL: Special cast— September 8. Just a fair picture. Rather slow-moving and not very cheerful. The ending is logical 60 far as the story is concerned, although rather abrupt, but it is certainly all wrong from the audience standpoint. Some of our patrons even accused us of gypping them out of part of the show. Print rather ragged, and the photography must have been shot in the dark of the moon. Very unsatisfactory for Mazda projection. Eight reels. — O. B. Wolfe, Screenland theatre, Nevada, O. — Small town patronage. THE SHOPWORN ANGEL (TME) : Special cast — September 2-3-4. We opened our "Paramount Week" with this one. It is good and did a nice business. Would have been a 100 per cent entertainment if they had put more song and dance in it and given it a real good ending. But even with these faults it pleased above average. However, this picture does not carry enough dialogue or 6ong to be called a talking and singing picture. Film badly worn. Photography good. Eight reels. — R. D. Carter, Fairfax theatre, Kilmarnock, Va. — General patronage. THE SHOPWORN ANGEL: Special cast— Good picture, with a surprise ending that patrons disapproved. Yet this is above average entertainment. Eight reels. — C. A. Swircinsky, Majestic theatre, Washington, Kan. — General patronage. THE CARNATION KID: Douglas MacLean— September 14. Good entertaining comedy-drama, and ideal weather didn't mean a nickel in our jeans, as business was unusually rotten. Did not get expenses, but the picture is all right. Guess they shied off from the star, as he has not been here for a couple of years. Seven reels. — O. B. Wolfe, Screenland theatre, Nevada, O. — Small town patronage. CHINATOWN NIGHTS: Wallace Beery— September 17. A very poor picture. So dark most of the time one could not tell anything about the picture. People are tired of these rough stuff pictures. Seven reels. — Page & Goetz, Gem theatre, Canton, Mo. — Small town patronage. SOMEONE TO LOVE: Special cast— September 7. Rogers and Brian sure make a sweet pair. Everyone satisfied. Seven reels. — H. D. Beebe, Rialto theatre. Nelson, Neb. — General patronage. RED HAIR: Clara Bow— September 12-13. This is another old one I traded for and, boy, how they did flock to see her! Wish I could play a Clara Bow every week. Print in fair condition. Seven reels. — James L. Sears, Liberty theatre, Humansville, Mo. — Small town patronage. BETRAYAL: Emil Jannings— September 12. This is a good picture, and Jannings is a wonderful actor, but for some reason or other his pictures do not go with the average show goer. Eight reels. — Page & Goetz, Gem theatre, Canton, Mo. — Small town patronage. THE SUNSET PASS: Jack Holt— September 7. A very good Western — Zane Grey's story, so 'nuf said. It packed our house and closed our "Paramount Week" with a big bang. Thanks, everybody! It is all a mistake about the public not wanting Westerns. Ninety per cent of the grown-ups like them very well, and all the kids do. We must have them, for nothing will ever take their place. Six reels. — R. D. Carter, Fairfax theatre, Kilmarnock, Va. — General patronage. THREE WEEK ENDS: Clara Bow— September 11-12. An average Clara Bow picture, light comedy entertainment that pleased. Business about average. Photography and film fair. And as to the weather, we have had nothing but fair weather ever since the last of May. Never have known such a dry summer. Six reels. — R. D. Carter, Fairfax theatre, Kilmarnock, Va. — General patronage. STAIRS OF SAND: Wallace Beery— September 3. A very good Zane Grey picture. A Western better than the average picture. Six reels. — Page & Goetz, Gem theatre. Canton, Mo. — Small town patronage. THE CANARY MURDER CASE: William Powell — September 14. Really an interesting NAMING J. C. JENKINS' NEW CAR Another suggestion for a name for J. C. Jenkins' new car, successor to the) retired Nancy. Perhaps everyone will not yet appreciate the full significance of this nomination — the editor of this department confesses that he doesn't, and he charges this ignorance up to a deficiency in his schooling. The name has been added to the list published elsewhere in the department. Below is the note in which it was submitted: Editor: How is this name for Jenkins' car? — Douglas (Exhibitors HeraldWorld cruiser). — A. E. Sirica, Capitol theatre, Waterbury, Conn. picture that most people thought was going to be spooky before they had seen it. Sorry we really don't have some intelligent cops like Vance. We might have relief for the independent exhibitors if we did. Seven reels. — H. D. Beebe, Rialto theatre, Nelson, Neb. — General patronage. INNOCENTS OF PARIS (AT): Maurice Chevalier— September 22-23. Talking, singing and dancing. This picture has got everything. Fine story. A great star, none of them has a thing on him as an entertainer. Direction fine. I call it a 100 per cent picture. — Bert Silver, Silver Family theatre, Greenville, Mich. — General patronage. REDSKIN (ME) Richard Dix— September 5-6. A real picture that pleased 100 per cent. All the Indian and desert scenes are in color and very beautiful. Richard Dix is fine as Wing-foot. Don't miss this one — and don't be afraid to give it the gas, it will stand it. Just the picture for a school benefit. Film good, recording fair. Seven reels. — R. D. Carter, Fairfax theatre, Kilmarnock, Va. — General patronage. Pathe THE FLYING FOOL: William Boyd— September 16-17. A dandy good picture, plenty of comedy and some good air shots. Seven reels. — Orris F. Collins, Palace theatre, Rector, Ark. — Small town patronage. KING OF KINGS: Special cast— September 5-6-7-8. This picture will do you more good than giving your house a fresh coat of paint — in prestige. Will make you glad you're in the show business even though you're broke. Every exhibitor should play this picture as it is good for the entire industry. Will not make you rich, so don't pay too much for it. Don't miss this chance to tie up with your local ministers. Twelve reels. — James L. Sears, Liberty theatre, Humansville, Mo. — Small town patronage. CAPTAIN SWAGGER: Rod LaRocque— September 19-20. A pretty fair picture. Starts out with a bang and is interesting all the way through. Seven reels. — H. D. Beebe, Rialto theatre, Nelson, Neb. — General patronage. THE COP: William Boyd— September 12-13. A fair program picture that is somewhat tiresome up until the last two or three reels, when it begins to pep up. I should order some pills from the exchange to go with some of these that are so draggy. Even some of the walkouts seem dopey. Eight reels. — H. D. Beebe, Rialto theatre, Nelson, Neb. — General patronage. THE RED MARK: Special cast— August 31. No excuse for making any 6uch picture. The public is not interested in foreign prison life, nor is it entertaining. Most of Pathe's pictures have been good, but this one is off, and we are glad it's over. Eight reels. — R. D. Carter, Fairfax theatre, Kilmarnock, Va. — General patronage. Rayart SHOULD A GIRL MARRY?: Helen FosterSeptember 13. A good clean sex picture, no children admitted. Brought them in by storm, our doors were opened at 6:45 P. M. and at 7 P. M. there was standing room only. Book this one and make money. Advertise it big. It will satisfy. Seven reels. — E. Berenson, State theatre, Bogalusa, La. — General patronage. RKO STREET GIRL (ME) : Betty Compson — I am reporting on this, as I have seen it at a preview. I consider the picture as an entertaining one, and the recording was good. I am not wired, but believe [Reports continued on page following Jaysee]