Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1930)

July 5, 1930 Motion Picture News 37 Week's Balto Low To 'Journey's End' Grossing $3,180 Baltimore — Despite sticky, torrid weather combined with two heavy rains during the first four days of the week, the atmosphere cooled Thursday night and remained so for Friday and Saturday, helping business considerably. The highspot for the week was Loew's Stanley with Nancy Carroll in "Devil's Holiday." This production was liked very much and grossed about $20,000, giving it a rating of 114%. Loew's Parkway, with "Big Pond," did very well after having been shown downtown at Loew's Century. At the uptown theatre it took in $4,300, which gave it an estimated 98% rating. "Courage," which was shown simultaneously at the Metropolitan uptown and at the Rivoli downtown, did not fare so well, but this was blamed on the terrifically hot weather and the day and date showing rather than on the picture. The lowest business was done by "Journey's End," at the Auditorium, with a 50 cents to $1.50 price and two reserved shows daily except on Saturday, when four shows instead of two were given. The gross for the second week was $3,180, and the rating figured at 30%. The drop of Loew's Century was figured due to the weakness of the Corinne picture, "Back Pay," combined with Collins and Peterson in "Step Lively," doing much of the same comic stuff they did at that theatre only a short time previously. Gross was figured at $18,000. Rating 86%. Weather: Monday to Thursday, torrid heat and sticky with heavy rain Tuesday and Thursday nights, then clear and cool Friday and Saturday. Opposition: "Journey's End," second week, Auditorium; 'Back Pay," Collins and Peterson in "Step Lively" (Loew-Copitol ■.tone unit), Loew's Century; "Only the Braze." Hippodrome; "Cuckoos." Keith's, after one week at Auditorium : "High Treason," Little, after one week at Auditorium: "Courage," shown simultaneously at R-ivoli downtown and Metropolitan uptown; "So This Is London,' second week. New: "Devil's Holiday," Loew's Stanley: "Shozv Girl in Hollywood," Loew's Valencia; "Bin Pond," Loew's Parkway, after one week at Loews Century. No stage attractions. "BACK PAY" (First National) LOEW'S CENTURY— (3,221), 25c-60c, 6 days. Other attractions: Metrotone news, "Frolicking Fish" (cartoon), "Saturday's Lesson" (comedy), scenic (Western Electric film), "Step Lively," Loew-Capitol stage unit with Collins and Peterson; orchestra, organ. Gross: $18,000. Rating: 86%. DEVIL'S HOLIDAY" LOEW'S STANLEY— (3,654), 25c-60c. 6 days. Other attractions: Metrotone news, "Lady Bug" (cartoon), "Desperate Sam" (Paramount comedy), Sportlight, organ. Gross: $20,000. Rating: 114%. "SHOW GIRL IN HOLLYWOOD" (First National) LOEW'S VALENCIA— (1,500). 25c-35c, 6 days. Other attractions: Metrotone news, "His Honor the Mayor" (Educational comedy). "Killing the Killer" (novelty). Gross: $3,100. Rating: 89%. "BIG POND" (Paramount) (Shown after one week at Loew's Century downtown) LOEW'S PARKWAY-(1,092), 15c-35c, 6 days. Other attractions: Metrotone news, colortone revue, "Hay Wire" (Laurel and Hardy M-G-M comedy). Gross: $4,300. Rating: 98%. "COURAGE" (Warners) {Shown simultaneously with the Metropolitan uptown) RIVOLI— (1.982), 25c-50c, 7 days, starting Saturday. Other attractions: Pathe news, "How's My Bahy" (comedy). "The Body Slam" and "The Devil's Parade" (Vitaphone Varieties), organ. Gross: $4,200. Rating: 45%. "COURAGE" (Warners) {Shown simultaneously with the Rivoli downtmvn) METROPOLITAN— (1.500), 20c-60c, 6 days, starting Saturday. Other attractions: Kinograjns silent, "System" and "Song Painting" (Vitaphone Varieties), organ. Gross: $2,700. Rating: 45%. "ONLY THE BRAVE" (Paramount) HIPPODROME— (2,500), 20c-60c, 6 da\s. Other at Panhandle Mail Hollywood — Begging letters to screen stars are diversified in every idea except the appeal for money. In a single day Lon Chaney got in his mail an appeal for money to buy a piano, another asking him to start a man in the furniture business, one asking funds to organize a jazz band and one asking for enough money to enable her husband to buy a car, a new outfit, and have some left over so he wouldn't have to worry about a job! "Border Legion'' Grosses $6,000 At Des Moines Des Moines — This town suffered from a couple of very hot days and the theatres suffered also. "Border Legion," at the Paramount, made the best box office showing, rating 100% on a gross of $6,000. Reginald Denny's picture at the Orpheum ran a close second with $5,500. A new master of ceremonies at the Paramount helped. Weather: Very Twt. Opposition: "florodora Girl," 5 vaude acts, 3 days. Paramount: "Second Floor Mystery" 3 days, Strand; "Sweethearts and Wives." 4 days, Strand: "What a Man," RKO vaude, 3 days. Orpheum; "Double Crossroads," RKO vaude, 4 days, Orpheum: "Border Legion." presentation, four days. Paramount; "Big House." Des Moines. "FLORODORA GIRL" (M-G-M) PARAMOUNT— (1,700), 3 days, 25c-35c-60c. Other attractions: Paramount news. Bob Hamilton, feature organist; five acts vaude, introducing Al Morey, new master of ceremonies. Gross: $4,500. Rating: 100%. "BORDER LEGION" (Paramount) PARAMOUNT— (1,700), 4 days, 25c-35c-60c. Other attractions: "U." news; Bob Hamilton, organist; Al Morey stage band in original presentation, "Jazz Patients." Gross: $6,000. Rating: 100%. "BIG HOUSE" (M-G-M) DES MOINES— (1,600), 7 days, 25c-35c-S0c. Other attractions: Paramount news, Pathe sportlight (Sporting Brothers); Paramount act, "The Rube"; Educ. comedy, "Fifty Million Husbands." Gross: $8,000. Rating: 100%. "DOUBLE CROSS ROADS" (Fox) ORPHEUM— (2,000), 4 days, 25c-50c. Other attractions: Pathe news. RK vaude, RKO comedy ("Deerslayer"). Gross: $4,672. Rating: 100%. "WHAT A MAN" (World Wide) ORPHEUM— (2,000). 3 days, 25c-50c. Other attractions: Pathe news, RKO vaude. Gross: $5,500. Rating: 110%. "SWEETHEARTS AND WIVES" (F. N.) STRAND— (1,100), 4 days. 20c-30c. Other attractions: Paramount news, Paramount act ("The Tide Rises"); Columbia colortone ("Mary's Little Lamb"). Gross: $2,500. Rating: 100%. tractions: Pathe news, "Campus Crushes," and "French Kisses" (comedies). Gross: $4,200. Rating: 60%. "CUCKOOS" (Radio) (Shown after one rveek at the Auditorium $1 top night) KEITH'S— (3.016), 25c-50c. 6 days, beginning Friday plus a midnight show Sunday. Other attractions: Pathe news, cartoon. Gross: $5,600. Rating: 70%. "SO THIS IS LONDON" (Fox" (Second Consecutive Week*) NEW— (1,500), 25c-50c, 6 days. Other attractions: Fox Movietone news, "Mickey the Romeo" (Mickey McGuire); "Snapshots of Hollywood," "Palooka Flying School" (Radio act). Gross: $6,000. Rating: 60%. "HIGH TREASON" (Tiffany) (Shown after one week eft the Auditorium at $1 top at night) LITTLE— (267), 35c50c, 6 days. Other attractions: "In a Chinese Temple Garden" (Tiffany co'or); "Men o' War" (Laurel and Hardy M-G-M comedy); "Irish Fantasy" (specialty act). Gross: $1,000. Rating: 100%. "JOURNEYS END" (Tiffany) (Second Consecutive Weew^ AUDITORIUM— (1.600). 50c-$1.50. 7 days, starting Friday and ending Saturday of following week. Two reserved seat performances daily and four on Saturdays. Creatore and his band in Memories (Tiffany), Universal news. Gross: $3,180. Rating: 30%. "Big House" on S. R. O. in N. Y.; Grosses $18,137 "Big House," the M-G-M prison yarn depicting the Auburn break of several months ago, gave managers of many nearby Broadway houses cause for envy when it turned in the wow gross of $18,137 for five and a half days, a jump of eleven grand over the final week of "Rogue Song." It was the big thing on the street, playing to sell-outs at every performance. Dressler-Moran team was a draw at the Capitol, sending the take at this house to $79,176, despite the terrific heat which continued until the last day of the week. "All Quiet" continues at a fast clip, while "Journey's End" showed the strains of its final week at the Gaiety. "Dangerous Nan McGrew" failed to impress at the Paramount, where the comedy took only $55,700, $16,000 less than the previous week's figure at this house. The Byrd south pole film nearly doubled the figure of a week ago at the Rialto, taking $32,300, a splendid figure. "BIG HOUSE" (M-G-M) ASTOR— (1,120), 50c-75c-$l-$1.50-$2, 5]/2 days. Other attractions: Comedy ("College Hound"), newsreel. Gross: $18,137, a sensational figure; selling out to standing rootn only; figure is for five and one-half days. "CAUGHT SHORT" (M-G-M) CAPITOL— (4,700), 35c-50c-75c-$1.50, 7 days. Other attractions: Overture, Hearst Metrotone news, Capitol presentation ("Cheer Up"); organ. Gross: $79,176, a fine intake and a jump of over $7,000 more than last week. "ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT" (U.) CENTRAL— (922), 50c-75c-$l-$1.5O-$2.50), 7 days, 8th week. Other attractions: None. Gross: $18,827, holding up in its 8th week; only two grand lower than previous week. "JOURNEY'S END" (Tiffany) GAIETY— (808), $l-$1.50-$2.50, 7 days, 12th and final week. Other attractions: Short, "Harvest Reverie." Gross: $7,500, low and about the same as last week; picture goes to the Roxy in August for a two weeks' pop price run. "DANGEROUS NAN McGREW" (Paramount) PARAMOUNT— (3,700), 40c-50c-65c-85c-$l, 7 days. Other attractions: Overture, "In Ole Virginny," directed by Paul Ash; vaudeville, "Ginger Snaps"; newsreel. Gross: $55,700, blah ; flopping badly to the tune of $16,200 under the take of last week. "BYRD AT THE SOUTH POLE" (Paramount) RIALTO— (1,904), 40c-50c-65c-85c-$l, 7 days. Other attractions: Comedy, "Insurance"; "Candy Cabaret," cartoon; "There Will Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight." Gross: $32,300, nearly double the fifth and last week's figures of Chevalier's Big Pond." its predecessor. "BAD ONE" (U. A.) RIVOLI— (2,103), 35c-50c-65c-$l, 7 days. Other attractions: Short, "Back Home"; comedy, "His Honor the Mayor"; "Gents Preferred." Gross: $25,200; 2nd week showed a drop of about nine grand. "MOVIETONE FOLLIES OF 1930" (Fox) ROXY— (6.200), 50c-75c:$l-$l.S0, 7 days. Other attractions: Vaudeville, oriental scene called "Aladdin," featuring Gilda Gray. Gross: $72,500; p'enty low. "HOLD EVERYTHING" (Warners) STRAND— (3.000), 35c-50c-60c-85c-$l, 7 days. Other attractions: Shorts, "Evolution," "People Versus" and Martinelli in "Celeste Aida," "And Wife." Gross: $22,702; floppy; last week, with same picture, grossed $27,250. "NUMBERED MEN" (First National) WINTER GARDEN— (1,493), 35c-50c-65c-85c-$l, 7 days. Other attractions: Comedy, "For Sale"; the Potters in "What a Life"; shorts, "Taxi Talks," "Devil's Parade"; Max Schmeling short. Gross: $19,441; fell off $2,000 under last week, with same picture. Fox Working on Plans . For British Production London — British production will occupy an important place in the plans of Fox, W. J. Hutchinson, London manager, stated upon his return from the company's convention in Hollywood. Preparations are being made for a definite start in September, he said.