Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1947)

Los Angeles Grosses Still Unimpressive LOS ANGELES — Grosses neither climbed nor declined perceptibly as another week of unimpressive takes came to an end. Three new entries were on the boards. TwentiethPox’s “The Late George Apley” and United Artists’ “The Private Affairs of Bel Ami” garnered fairly good receipts while the third, Warners’ “That Way With Women,” barely did average business. Holdovers, present on all other screens, turned in low takes with the exception of U-I’s “The Egg and I,” which stood up above the others. (Average is 100) Belmont, El Rey, Orpheum and Apollo — Johnny O'Clock (Col), 2nd wk.; Bulldog Drummond at Bay (Col), 2nd wk 100 Bruin, Ritz, United Artists, Studio City, Iris and Carthay Circle — The Egg and I (U-I), 3rd wk 150 Chinese, State, Uptown and Loyola — The Late George Apley (20th-Fox) 150 Downtown Paramount— Angel and the Badman (Rep), 2nd wk.; The Pilgrim Lady (Rep), 2nd wk...l00 Egyptian, Wilshire and Los Angeles — Sea of Grass (MGM), 3rd wk 100 Four Music Halls — The Private Affairs of Bel Ami (UA) . ,---180 Four Star — Alexander's Ragtime Band (20th-Fox), reissue, moveover; The Brasher Doubloon (20tn Fox), 3rd d. t. wk 115 Hillstreet — Trail Street (RKO), 2nd wk.; Beat the Band (RKO), 2nd wk 100 Hollywood Paramount — Same as Downtown 120 Million Dollar— Same as Belmont, El Rey, Orpheum and Apollo 100 Pantages — Same as Hillstreet 100 Warners' Downtown, Hollywood, Wiltern — That Way With Women (WB) 100 'Open City' and "Years' Tie For Top Score in Seattle SEATTLE — “Open City” and “The Best Years of Our Lives” had top scores for the week with 150. It was the opening week for “Open City” and the third for “The Best Years.” “Dead Reckoning” at the Liberty and "Sinbad the Sailor” at the Paramount were tied for second spot with 140. Blue Mouse — Open City (MB)... .. 150 Fifth Avenue — Alexander's Ragtime Band (20thFox), reissue; The Brasher Doubloon (20th-Fox).. 60 Liberty — Dead Reckoning (Col)..- 140 Music Box — Boomerang (20th-Fox) Susie Steps Out (UA), 3rd d. t. wk 100 Music Hall — The Best Years of Our Lives (RKO), 3rd wk Roadshow We are sincerely proud to have been chosen by Atlas Theatres to do the decorations for their new Lamar Theatre at Lamar. Colorado. We can truthfully say there is no more beautiful theatre comparable in size in the United States. We invite you to see this magnificent theatre when you are in the vicinity of Lamar. -X -X -X Let us visit you and your theatre and exchange ideas and estimates. -x -x -x PHONE WRITE WIRE Theatrical Decorating and Display Co. TAbor 4962 2153 Broadway Denver, Colorado Orpheum — Song ol Scheherazade (U-I), 2nd wk.„. 90 Palomar — Devil on Wheels (PRC) , plus stage show 80 Paramount — Sinbad the Sailor (RKO) : 140 Roosevelt — Abie's Irish Rose (UA) 50 DENVER 'Years' Grips Top Spot In Fifth Frisco Week SAN FRANCISCO — Still top man, and holding the same rating in its fifth week as in its fourth, was “The Best Years of Our Lives” with 300 per cent. Taking a tie for third place were “My Favorite Brunette,” in its third week at the Paramount, and “The Guilt of Janet Ames,” in its second week at the Orpheum. “The Sin of Harold Diddlebock,” in its second at the United Artists, chalked up 130 per cent. Esquire-Tivoli — Stairway to Heaven (U-I); Cigarette Girl (Col), 2nd wk. 120 Fox— Stallion Road (WB); Sweetheart of Sigma Chi (Mono), 2nd wk. 100 Golden Gate — Trail Street (RKO), plus stage show, 2nd wk 105 Orpheum — The Guilt of Janet Ames (Col); Blind Spot (Col), 2nd wk 125 Paramount — My Favorite Brunette (Para), 3rd wk.; Blondie Knows Best (Col), 2nd wk 125 St. Francis — Suddenly It's Spring (Para), 3rd wk ...120 United Artists — The Sin of Harold Diddlebock (UA), 2nd wk 130 United Nations — The Best Years of Our Lives (RKO), 5th wk 300 Warfield — Alexander's Ragtime Band (20th-Fox), reissue; The Brasher Doubloon (20th-Fox) 120 'Years' Still Strong in Denver; Ditto for ’The Jolson Story' DENVER — “Best Years of Our Lives” in its fifth week in the first runs was still strong, as was “Jolson Story” in its tenth week at the Bluebird, boosted to first run status during the film’s stay. Aladdin — Brief Encounter (U-I) 125 Bluebird — The Jolson Story (Col), 6th d. t. wk 200 Broadway — Gallant Bess (MGM); w Born to Speed (PRC), 2nd wk 100 Denham — My Favorite Brunette (Para), 2nd wk. .110 Denver, Esquire and Webber — Boomerang (20th-Fox); Cigarette Girl (Col) 120 Oroheum — Trail Street (RKO), Crime Doctor's Manhunt (Col) 115 Paramount — Temptation (U-I); Strange Journey (20th-Fox) 120 Rialto — The Best Years of Our Lives (RKO), 5th d. t. wk 300 SALT LAKE CITY Oidney Cohen, buyer and booker for Intermountain Theatres, became a bona fide Salt Lake City resident when he purchased a home here last week and his wife, two sons and two dogs arrived here from the east. Sid has been here two months. Bob Quinn, Paramount exploiteer from Denver, was here to set up the campaign for “Calcutta” . . . There probably will be a transfer of one member of the local Paramount staff to the coast office of the company within a short time. Joe Rosenfield, president of Favorite Amusement Co., which operates the Lyric here, was in Salt Lake from the northwest to confer with Warren Butler, manager of the Lyric . . . Butler’s business has picked up some lately with introduction of an auction show on the stage. Eddie Horowitz was in Salt Lake to confer with exhibitors on other dates in this area for “Open City,” which played two weeks at the Studio . . . “The Best Years of Our Lives” closed after a 24-day run to packed audiences at the Rialto. We have the for YOUR THEATRE > contacts with the exhibitors )u of satisfactory results. THEATRE EXCHANGE CO. Count on us lor Quick Action! Our wide contacts with the exhibitors assure you of satisfactory results. 408 S. W. 2nd Ave. Portland 4. Oregon 217 Governor Bldg. i ^irectors of the Central City Opera House Ass’n again elected Frank H. Ricketson jr., head of Fox Intermountain Theatres, as president. The association will produce “Martha” and “Fidelio” in the famous opera house at Central City in alternate performances for three or four weeks this summer. Harry Huffman, Denver city manager for Fox Intermountain, has been elected second vice-president of Denver Rotary . . . The board of trustees of the Cooper Foundation will spend $75,000 for new seats and carpets for several Foundation theatres. To receive this treatment are the Ute and Tompkins, Colorado Springs, and the Stuart and Capitol, Lincoln, Neb. Several theatres will be repainted and redecorated. J. E. Tompkins, for years owner and manager of the Tompkins, Colorado Springs, and Mrs. Tompkins, are vacationing in Cuba . . . Jack Bruno, city manager of the Cooper houses in Greeley, Colo., was again interlocutor for the annual minstrel show of the Greeley Kiwanis club, presented on the stage of the Sterling. Mr. and Mrs. Pat McGee, Denver, and Ralph Ayer, Lincoln, Cooper officials, attended the show. R. D. Ervin has modernized the equipment at the Star, Walden, Colo., by the installation of Simplex mechanisms and other equipment bought from National Theatre Supply . . . Robert Sweeten, booker for Gibraltar Enterprises, has been promoted to city manager at Alamosa, Colo. Margaret Fitzsimons was named to Sweeten’s job, while Robert Clark will book for the group Margaret formerly handled. The first AA Motiographs sold in this territory went to the Black Hills Amusement Co. for installation in one of that circuit’s houses. The sale was made by Service Theatre Supply . . . W. E. Calloway, western district manager for United Artists, conferred with Clarence Olson, branch manager . . . Deraid Hart, former theatre manager, has organized the A to Z Amusement Co. at Lamar, Colo., where the firm is building an amusement park, to include midget auto racing, skating rink, wrestling, boxing, etc. The park will open May 15. Leo Adler, who used to check accounts at the United Artists exchange here, has again been assigned to this territory, and is visiting the Denver exchange for the first time in several years ... A. W. Schwalberg and L. E. Goldhammer, Eagle-Lion sales and district manager, respectively, and Sam Milner, district manager of PRC, conferred with M. R. Austin, branch manager. Clarence Martin has bought the Gem, Hugo, Colo., from Earl Behrens . . . Doyle Shelton is building a 300-seat house at Pritchard, Colo., to be named the Monarch, and will install complete Brenkert booth equipment, bought from Western Service and Supply . . . The MGM exchange is in the throes of a redecorating job . . . Fred Lind is trying to get a CPA approval to build a new theatre at Rifle, Colo., where he already operates. Ross Bluck, former film man, is operating a store at Shaffers Crossing, Colo. . . . Outof-town exhibitors seen on Filmrow included Earl Kerr, Des Moines; Chuck Flower, Bayard, Neb.; Larry Starsmore, Colorado Springs; Dr. F. E. Rider, Waunetta, Neb.; Joe Wills, Socorro, N M.; Fred Lind, Rifle; Lynn Zorn, Julesburg; John Bohannan, Hatch, N. M.; William J. Baldwin, Igloo, S. D„ and Marie Goodhand, Kimball, Neb. John Searcy has been added to the Paramount force as assistant shipper. 64 BOXOFFICE :: April 28, 1947