Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1945)

Decision Tops Week's A| ong New York's Filmrow Tates in Fifth Wept y 1 alWCd 111 1 11111 11 CCu — — — CHARLES BECKER— — — — NEW YORK — “Valley of Decision,” in its fifth week at the Music Hall, was the best business-getter at the first runs. It had a good margin over the runnersup, “Thrill of a Romance,” at the Capitol, and “Pillow to Post,” at the Strand. Rainy weather and many holdovers affected grosses. New openings included “Where Do We Go From Here?” at the Roxy; “Son of Lassie,” Criterion, and “Wonder Man,” Astor. (Average is 100) Astor — The Enchanted Cottage (RKO), 6th wk 130 Capitol — Thrill of a Romance (M-G-M), plus stage show, 2nd wk 150 Hollywood — The Cora Is Green (WB), 10th wk 105 Palace — China Sky (RKO), 2nd wk 120 Paramount — Salty O'Rourke (Para), plus stage show, 6th wk 115 Radio City Music Hall — Valley of Decision (M-G-M), plus stage show, 5th wk 165 Rialto — The Body Snatcher (RKO), 2nd wk 115 Rivoli — A Medal for Benny (Para), 2nd wk 130 Roxy — Diamond Horseshoe (20th-Fox) , plus stage show; 5th wk 125 Strand — Pillow to Post (WB), plus stage show, 2nd wk 140 Victoria — The Way Ahead (20th-Fox) 110 “Without Love" Scores Heavily in Buffalo BUFFALO — “Without Love” was the big leader here with better than twice average at the Great Lakes. “Between Two Women” and “Gentle Annie” were destined for a moveover after a good first week at the Buffalo. “A Royal Scandal” and “The Bullfighters” held to average in a moveover week at the Hippodrome. “Flame of Barbary Coast” and “The Big Show-Off” at the Century and “Imitation of Life” and “East Side of Heaven,” two reissues, at the Lafayette, were fair. The weather has been cold and rainy and Filmrow is beginning to wonder if Buffalo is really going to have a summer, or even a spring. Buffalo — Between Two Women (M-G-M); Gentle Annie (M-G-M) 126 Great Lakes — Without Love (M-G-M) 227 Hippodrome — A Royal Scandal (20th-Fox); The Bullfighters (20th-Fox) , 2nd d. t. wk., moveover.. 100 20th Century — Flame ot Barbary Coast (Rep); The Big Show-Off (Rep) 100 Lafayette — Imitation of Life (Univ); East Side of Heaven (Univ), reissues 106 “Pillow to Post" and “Caballeros" Set the Pace in Philadelphia PHILADELPHIA — “Three Caballeros” and “Pillow to Post” lead the boxoffice parade here. A couple of holdovers kept a steady pace, but the rest were not spectacular. Aldine — Three Caballeros (RKO) 185 Arcadia — Practically Yours (Para), 2nd run 165 Boyd — Without Love (M-G-M), 2nd wk 170 Earle — Having Wonderful Crime (RKO), plus stage show 90 Fox — Diamond Horseshoe (20lh-Fox), 3rd wk 150 Karlton — Call oi the Wild (20th-Fox) , reissue 165 Keith's — The Uninvited (Univ), 2nd run 110 Mastbaum — Pillow to Post (WB) 185 Stanley — Salty O'Rourke (Para), 3rd wk 175 Stanton — Flame of Barbary Coast (Rep), 2nd wk 155 Florida Circuit Court Upholds Ascap Verdict NEW YORK-— Judge W. May Walker of the Florida circuit court has upheld the report by Special Master James Messer jr. of the state of Florida in favor of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Ascap was one of three original defendants in a suit brought by Florida Attorney General J. Tom Watson, charging infringement of the Florida statute. “The defendant, Ascap, is not a price-fixing combination, and is not prohibited from doing business in Florida,” Judge Walker decided, adding “Ascap has legally complied with the Florida statutes, and is legally doing business in the state.” THE INDEPENDENT Theatres Service, Inc., A now buying and booking for 54 New Jersey houses, found its former offices at 303 West 42nd St. inadequate and has moved to larger quarters in the Herald-Tribune Bldg., 230 West 41st St. The new quarters are approximately three times the size of the former offices, according to A1 Suchman, chief film buyer. The newest theatre to join its group is the Strand, Newark. Lucian Feldman is president of the operating company. More than 65 Timberdoodlers, a group composed of guests who have visited Fred J. Schwartz’s hunting lodge, Timberdoodle, at Lake Placid, N. Y. during recent years, staged a farewell party for Schwartz at the WaldorfAstoria. Schwartz is expected to leave soon on an OWI assignment in Germany. He is vice-president of Century circuit. Ed Freiberger, president of Timberdoodlers, presided. Schwartz was presented a goingaway gift. Century employes have been rewarded with a trip to the lodge for outstanding work. THEATRE NOTES: The Boro Hall, Brooklyn, is now booking through the Brandt office . . . Sam Stiefel is handling bookings for the Rivoli, Hoboken . . . Prudential and Island circuits have closed deals for Paramount’s 194445 product. Irving Rothenberg, salesman at the New York exchange, headed the list of salesmen for the seventh week of Warner Bros, sales drive . . . Bernie Brooks, film buyer for the Fabian circuit, is a benedict. His bride is Ruth Siegel. Ralph Pielow, manager of the M-G-M exchange, got the thrill of a lifetime when his son, wounded in action in Europe last December, telephoned him from Charleston, S. C. This was the first information that Pielow had of his son’s arrival in this country. Pielow jr. said that he expected to be transferred to a hospital closer to New York within a short time. Tom Farrell, former M-G-M salesman now with the OWI, cabled his arrival in London . . . Louis Allerhand, hitting his stride, broke 100 for 18 holes while playing recently at the Engineers Club, Long Island . . . Edward Richter’s son, Michael, is convalescing from a minor operation at his home. The New York Bookers’ Club will hold an informal party and dance at the Hotel Taft, June 25. At the fete, a drawing will be held to select the winners of $500 in bonds. Proceeds of the drawing are to be donated to the service men’s fund . . . Capt. Bob Saunders, former Metro Cincinnati booker, visited old friends. He recently completed a training film for the AAF, with which he is serving. Exhibitor Tom Wisner of the Oakland Theatre, Warwick, N. Y., was a visitor . . . Danny Ponticelle, ex-Warner Bros, booker, who spent 18 months on Admiralty Islands on a U.S. navy detail, has returned to the U.S. for a furlough and reassignment . . . Booker John Cunniff is vacation-bound . . . Nick Giordano, former UA film shipper now in the army stationed at Camp Croft, S. C„ came in for a look-see. Virginia Aaron, Metro booker, is wearing broad smiles these days since her favorite nephew, James A. Silverman, seaman first class, graduated from the U.S. naval training station at Bainbridge, Md. The lad, who recently turned 18, expects to be assigned to the Pacific theatre of operations. Beatrice Calvert is a new film inspector at the UA exchange . . . Bess Brewer, a member of the statistical department at the same exchange, has returned after a brief illness . . . Sam Rinzler is back from a fortnight’s vacation in Saratoga looking fitter than ever. He’s glad that Louis Frisch, his partner, is feelingbetter because he missed the master hand in the writing of his speeches recently. PARAMOUNT-M-G-M AGREE — Signing of the long-delayed agreement for return of Paramount product to the Loew New York circuit was the occasion for a luncheon in the M-G-M executives’ dining room. Left to right (seated) : Robert Gillham, Paramount advertising and publicity director; Charles Reagan, Paramount vice-president in charge of distribution; Charles C. Moskowitz, vice-president of Loew’s, and Oscar A. Doob, advertising and publicity director for Loew’s Theatres, Standing: Eugene Picker, Loew booking chief, and Hugh Owen, eastern district sales manager. BOXOFFICE :: June 9, 1945 45