Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

42 Motion Picture News November 1 , 1930 "Scotland Yard" 4Liliom' Chicago Red Ink Spots Chicago — Two flops and a new leaseholder came into the Loop. The flops were "Liliom" at the Roosevelt and "Scotland Yard" at the Oriental, former getting only $15,600 {78%) at the run house and was replaced at the end of its first week by "Old English." Oriental, after one good week, went back to the red line with a $30,200 gross (72%). Palace, in the midst of a "big name" stage list, chalkod up its third successive good week, getting $23,280 (97%) with Irene Bordoni headlining and "Brothers" on the screen. Other good figures were registered at the Woods with $17,000 (150%) from "East Is West," playing to adults only. The picture moved to the Palace for a second Loop week, and "Half Shot at Sunrise" moved over from the State-Lake after two swell weeks to occupy the Woods during its last two days under RKO management. Jones, Linick & Schaefer took over the lease from the Shuberts and opened Monday with "Swing High." State-Lake did $38,160 (90%) for the second week with "Half Shot." "Check and Double Check" replaced on Saturday and did a tremendous week-end business. "Plavbov of Paris" earned the Chicago $43,680 (91%) ; McVickers got $25,200 (90%) in "Madam Satan's" second week. The picture sticks till the end of its third week, with "The Big Trail" set to follow it in mid-week. "Whoopee" fell more than six grand in its third week at the United Artists with a take of $17,160 (78%), and "Du Barrv, Woman of Passion" replaced. Castle collected $4,800 (146%) on "Extravagance." Estimated takings : "EXTRAVAGANCE" (Tiffany I CASTLE— (3001. 60c, first 10 days. Other attractions: News. Picture playing to adults only. Good for another week. Gross: $7,900. Rating: 192% (10day basis). "PLAYBOY OF PARIS" (Paramount) CHICAGO-(3.940). 35c-85c. 7 days. Other attractions: Stage show, orchestra, news, comedy, novelty short. Cross: $4.1,680. Rating: 91%. "MADAM SATAN" (M-G-M) McVICKERS— (A284), 35c-8Sc. 2nd week. Other attractions: News. Screen Song (Paramount). Picture playing to adults only. "Big Trail" replaces in mid-week after three weeks for "Satan." Gross: $25,200. Rating: 90%. LAST OF THE DUANES" (Fox) (2nd time in Loop) MONROE-1962). 25c-40c, 7 days. Other attractions: Thirty minutes of news, comedy. Gross: $.1,990. Rating: 68%. "SCOTLAND YARD" (Fox) ORIENTAL— (3.900), 35c-85c, 7 days. Other attractions: Stage show, organ, comedy, news, cartoon. One of_ the house's familiar red weeks once more. B. & K. considering renaming this spot the "Maison Rouge." Gross: $.10,200. Rating: 72%. "ANIMAL CRACKERS" (Paramount) (2nd time in Loop) ORPHEUM-(-OO), 35c-50c, 7 days. House reopened as an _ "intimate" theatre with swell chairs and modernistic decorations. Nice business for the house. Gross: $6,300. Rating: 90%. "BROTHERS" (Columbia) PALACE— (2,509). 35c-75c, 7 days. Other attractions: Four acts RKO vaude headed by Irene Bordoni; news; "Society Goes Spaghetti" (Radio). Gross: $23,280. Rating: 97%. "ABRAHAM LINCOLN" (U. A.) PUNCH & JUDY— (390)), 75c-$2, fifth week. Other attractions: Chimp comedy (Tiffany). Picture leaves in mid-week for a total of six weeks. Gross: $8,100. Rating: 99%. "LILIOM" (Fox) ROOSEVELT— (1,591), 35c-85c. one week. Other attractions: News. "Ole Man Whoopee" (Paramount), "Go to Blazes" (Univ.). Poorest week in some time (orchis run house. Critics didn't like it, but called it "art," and the handful of customers who paid to Capitulates Montreal — Charlie Lalumiere, one of the oldest exhibitors in Canada, has fallen to the lure of the talkies at last although he had publicly sworn to stick to silent through thick and thin. Which is another way of saying that the Roxy, last of the silent main stem houses of Montreal, has been rejuvenated with a talking system, a Phonofilm set having been installed. But just for spite, Lalumiere presented a silent feature, "Anne Against the World," with non-synchronous accompaniment during the week, this being the Canadian premiere. 'Big House' Pace Swift; $22,500 in 2nd Cleve. Stanza Cleveland — "The Big House" was the outstanding box-office attraction of the week, playing a second week at Loew's Stillman to $22,500. The picture is benefited in this entire state by the wire publicity gained when the censor board refused to pass it. Newspapers, in retaliation, printed the story of "The Big House" in tabloid form, and aroused unusual interest in the production. It is being held a third week. The rest of the first-runs did average business, but the suburban theatres report a consistent decline in box-office receipts regardless of attraction. Estimated takings : "THE BIG HOUSE" (M-G-M) STILLMAN— (1,900), 40c-7Sc, 7 days. 2nd week. Other attractions: "Bigger and Better" (M-G-M). "Swing, You Sinners" (Paramount Talkertoon), news. Gross: $22,500. Rating: 150%.. UP THE RIVER" (Fox) ALLEN— (3,300), 30c-60c, 7 days. Other attractions: "Who Killed Rover" (M-G-M), "The Cactus Kid" (Columbia), news. Gross: $14,500. Rating: 80%. "SCOTLAND YARD" (Fox) STATE— (3.400). 30c-60c, 7 days. Other attractions: "Helping Grandma" (M-G-M), "Don't Give Up" (Educational comedy). "Let's Go to the Zoo (Fischer). "Melody Maidens" on the stage, news. Gross: $20,000. Rating: 100%. "THE LADY SURRENDERS" (Universal) RKO PALACE— ((3,600), 25c-7Se. 7 days. Other attractions: news, 5 acts vaudeville, headed by Ruth Etting. Gross: $25,000. Rating: 100%. "EAST IS WEST" (Universal) RKO HIPPODROME— (4.500). 25c-75c, 7 days. Other attractions: "His Error" (Educational comedy). "The Last Yard" (Knute Rockne). nsws. Gross: $16,500. Raring: 82%. see it came out wondering what it was all about. Replaced after one week by "Old English" (W.B.). Gross: $15,600 Rating: 78%. "HALF SHOT AT SUNRISE" (Radio) STATE-LAKE-(2,776). 35c-75c, 2nd and final week. Other attractions: News. Terrytoon. Second good week for this former vaude-film spot as a straight picture house. "Half Shot" moved to Woods for final two days of that house under RKO management. "Check and Double Check" (Radio) replaced and opened to tremendous business. Gross: $38,160 Rating: 90%. "WHOOPEE" (U. A.) UNITED ARTISTS— (1.700), 35c-85c, 3d and final week. Other attractions: News, travelogue. Fell off more than six grand from secnnd week's grnss. "Du Barry" (U. A.) replaced and opened to good trade. Gross: $17,160. Rating: 78%. "EAST IS WEST" (Universal) WOODS— (1,166), 35c-75c. one week. Other attractions: News, cartoon. Picture nlaying to adults only. Moved to Palace for a second Loop week. "Half Shot at Sunrise" (Radio) came in here for Saturday and Sunday after tw0 big weeks at StateLake. Jones, Linick & Schaefer succeed RKO as lessees of this house, and opened "Swing High" (Pathe) Monday. Gross ("East Is West) $17,000. Rating: 150%. Gross: (2 days— "Half Shot" )$4.950. Rating: 103%. W. R. Graham continues as manager of Woods for J. L. & S. Ohio Censors Help "Big House;" Gets $23,900 in Cincy Cincinnati — "It's an ill wind, etc." was never more vividly exemplified than in the case of "The Big House," which this week broke all attendance and intake records at the Lyric, dating back some sixteen years. This record is more than ordinarily significant from the fact the previous managements usually advanced admission prices for a picture with special box-office value. No increase in the scale was made in this case. From a box-office angle the censors "budded better than they knew" when they withheld the picture from showing in Ohio for past five months, thereby unconsciously creating state-wide advertising which, for result, exceeds anything of a similar nature in the past several years. Not only did the crowds storm the Lyric box-office, but double rows of standees extended two blocks down the street the greater part of the week. Translated into exhibitor language, this means a gross of $23,900, or a rating of an even 200%. Business generally was good at all houses, the aggregate gross reaching around $92,000, in itself a record, indicating pretty conclusively that the first-runs are not suffering from competition to any appreciable extent. Estimated takings: "HEADS UP" (Paramount) RKO ALBEE— (3.300), 35c-SOc-65c-75c. 7 days. Other attractions: Vaudeville. "The Knockout" (Universal comedy), "Booze Hangs High" (Vitaphone cartoon), "Play Boy" (Vitaphone), "Cobb Goes Fishing" (Pathe), news. Gross: $25,780. Rating: 117%. "THE BIG HOUSE" (M-G-M) RKO LYRIC— (1,400), 30c-50c, 7 days. Other artracUons: "Fried Chicken" (Educaitonal cartoon), news. Gross: $23,900. Rating: 200%. "LAUGHTER" (Paramount) RKO PALACE— (2,700), 30c50c, 7 days. Other attractions: "From Grenada to Toledo" (Fitzpatrick Traveltalk), "Tobey the Fiddler" (RKO cartoon), news. Gross: $17,100. Rating: 122%. "GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST" (First National) RKO CAPITOL— (2,000), 30c-50c, 7 days. Other attractions: "Parlez-vous" (Universal comedy), news. Gross: $14,200. Rating: 109%. "ANYBODY'S WOMAN" (Paramount) RKO STRAND— (1,350), 25c-40c, 7 days. Other attractions: "Arctic Antics" (Columbia cartoon), "Flying Feet" (Pathe, Rocnke series), news. Gross: $5,900. Rating: 170%. Second run for the picture at this house. "CONCENTRATION KID" (Universal) RKO FAMILY— (1,140), 20c-25c-35c, 4 days. Other attractions: "Neat and Tidy" (Pathe cemedy). "Hot and Bothered" (Columbia), news. Gross: $2,778. Rating: 142%. "RECAPTURED LOVE" (Warners) RKO FAMILY— (1,140), 20c.25c.35c. 3 days. Other attractions: "Slick As Ever (Vitaphone comerlv* news. Gross: $1,497. Rating: 142%. Revival as Double Feature at Montreal Montreal — To keep up with rival theatres in the matter of morning shows starting at 10:30 or 11 A. M., Manager J. C. Adams of Loew's has adopted a policy of presenting a "revival" as an extra feature each week for the one performance starting at 11:15 A. M. The revived feature for the week of Oct. 12 was "The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu." The admission price to 12:30 is 25 cents and morning patrons see a show lasting from 11 :15 A. M. to 3:15 P. M., all different, if they want to — and may stick the four hours. The regular feature for the week was "Forward March," starring Buster Keaton, and there were also five acts of vaudeville.