Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1941)

Horror Duo Does Best Among L. A. Runs Los Angeles — Apparently the first-run customers were in the mood to be horrorstruck during the past week, for the outstanding business was chalked up by “The Monster and the Girl” and “The Mad Doctor” at the Paramount, coupled with a stage show headlining Andy Kirk and his orchestra. Warner’s Hollywood and Downtown houses did slightly over average with “Road Show” and “Behind the News.” At the Hillstreet and Pantages “This Thing Called Love,” dualed with “San Francisco Docks,” held up well in its second week. “Cheers for Miss Bishop” continued to exert a normal pull in its fourth stanza at the Four Star. Detail for week ending February 12: (Average is 100) Chinese — Tall, Dark and Handsome (20th-Fox); Keeping Company (M-G-M) 90 Downtown — Road Show (UA); Behind the News (Rep) 110 Four Star — Cheers for Miss Bishop (UA), 4th wk 90 Hillstreet — This Thing Called Love (Col); San Francisco Docks (Univ), 2nd wk 100 Hollywood — Road Show (UA); Behind the News (Rep) 110 Pantages — This Thing Called Love (Col); San Francisco Docks (Univ), 2nd wk 100 Paramount — The Mad Doctor (Para’t); The Monster and the Girl (Para’t), plus stage show with Andy Kirk and Orchestra 130 State — Tall, Dark and Handsome (20th-Fox); Keeping Company (M-G-M) 90 Seattle First Runs Still Seeking to Find Stride Seattle — This town still needs a good shot of “something” to get it show minded. Store business is great, more autos jamming the streets, beer parlors and other spots doing fine but the show-shops are still not drawing what they deserve. “Gone With the Wind” returned to town at what is termed popular prices but it did not cause any riot although business was better than normal. “Buck Privates” proved that hokum comedy will go any time with the amusement loving public. Other business average or less. Detail for week ending February 15: (Average Is 100) Blue Mouse — Mr. and Mrs. Smith (RKO); Little Men (RKO), 2nd wk 90 Fifth Avenue — Come Live With Me (M-G-M).. 90 Liberty — This Thing Called Love (Col), 2nd wk 100 Music Box — Philadelphia Story (M-G-M); Michael Shayne, Detective (20th-Fox), 5th wk 90 Orpheum — Buck Privates (Univ) ; Case of the Black Parrot (FN) 120 Palomar — The Great Mr. Nobody (WB); Who Killed Aunt Maggie? (Rep), plus vaude 90 Paramount — Gone With the Wind (M-G-M) ... 120 Roosevelt — High Sierra (FN) (move over from Orpheum), 3rd wk 90 San Francisco First Runs Make Mediocre Showing San Francisco — The clouds opened up on this territory again this week and rainy weather kept the boxoffices quiet. The weekends find great numbers of people heading out of town — either for the snow country or for drier and warmer climes. “Come Live With Me” led the first runs but even this film was only a shade above REVIEW FLASHES ANDY HARDY'S PRIVATE SECRETARY (M-G-M) — In which the youngest of the Hardy clan, in the person of Mickey Rooney, very nearly doesn't graduate from high school, but scrapes through after the expected romantic, hilarious and academic complications. The feature, up to par for the series, otherwise is notable because it marks the debut of Kathryn Grayson, youthful actress and singer, who looks to be of star calibre. George B. Seitz directed. COMPLIMENTS OF MR. FLOW (Hoffberg)— A smart cast of Gallic worthies plays this risque crook farce ably but fails to make the effort result in anything more than sketchy entertainment. A French import, it was probably made about seven or eight years ago. Fernand Gravet, Louis Jouvet. HARD-BOILED CANARY, THE (Para't)— An experimental sally into the field of culture, the picture has many moments of rare entertainment to offer music lovers and, because of its preponderantly juvenile cast, may possess a dramatic appeal to youngsters. Andrew L. Stone produced and directed. IN OLD COLORADO (Para't) — Although Hopalong Cassidy gets away from his usual stomping grounds, geographically, he doesn't deviate one bit from his well established system for delivering top notch action entertainment to the sagebrush fans. This is the third in the current series and in every department it compares favorably with its many predecessors. William Boyd, of course, portrays "Hoppy." Harry Sherman produced. Howard Bretherton directed. Paramount’s average business. The rest of the Market Street theatres struggled along. Detail for week ending February 12: (Average is 100) Fox— High Sierra (FN); Ride, Kelly, Ride (20th-Fox) 100 Golden Gate — Kitty Foyle (RKO), plus stage show, 3rd wk 85 Orpheum — Trail of the Vigilantes (Univ); Invisible Woman (Univ) 100 Paramount — Come Live With Me (M-G-M); The Mad Doctor (Para’t) 115 St. Francis — Maisie Was a Lady (M-G-M); Night Train (20th-Fox), 2nd wk 95 United Artists — The Long Voyage Home (UA), 2nd wk 85 Warfield — Philadelphia Story (M-G-M); Jennie (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 85 "Mr. & Mrs . Smith" on Dual Is Denver Pace Setter Denver — “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” with “Let’s Make Music” at the Orpheum topped the town with the Denver double bill, “Chad Hanna” and “Tall, Dark and Handsome,” a close second. Both double bills were moved, the first to the Broadway and the second to the Aladdin. Devote All Energies To Drive on Ascap Los Angeles — Devoting all its energies to its projected suit against the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, for which a bill of complaint is now being drafted, the Pacific Coast Conference of Independent Theatre Owners reports no other activity on schedule, at least for the time being. Completion of the bill of complaint is expected early next week, according to spokesmen for Albert J. Law, PCCITO general counsel. Announcement that the federal court suit was to be filed was made some time ago, at which time it was asserted the attorney was uncovering several “interesting new angles” in the contemplated action, which seeks to kill the “dual scoring” charge which exhibitors must now pay for the privilege of screening films containing Ascap music. It was indicated several weeks may elapse before federal court passes on the complaint and sets a date for trial. Los Angeles Delegation to " U " Convention in S. F. Los Angeles — Those attending Universal’s two-day sales meeting in San Francisco from the local office included: Charles R. Feldman, branch manager; Eddie Cooke, Lon Hoss, Foster Blake and Sam Milner, salesmen; and A1 O’Keefe, western district manager. Presiding at the session was W. J. Heineman, western divisional sales chief. Gets Next "Dr. Christian" Hollywood — Erie Kenton will direct the next “Dr. Christian” feature for RKO starring Jean Hersholt. Detail for week ending February 13: (Average is 100) Aladdin — Hudson’s Bay (20th-Fox),' after a wk. at the Denver 125 Broadway — Philadelphia Story (M-G-M), after 2 wks. at the Orpheum 115 Denham — Hard-Boiled Canary (Para’t) 40 Denver — Chad Hanna (20th-Fox); Tall, Dark and Handsome (20th-Fox) 120 Orpheum — Mr. and Mrs. Smith (RKO) ; Let’s Make Music (RKO) 125 Paramount — Honeymoon for Three (WB); Case of the Black Parrot (FN) 120 Rialto — Four Mothers (WB), after wk. at each the Denver and Aladdin; Lucky Devils (Univ) 115 Salt Lake Houses Profit By Pleasant Weather Salt Lake City — Salt Lake enjoyed the warmest day of 1941 this week with the mercury at 55, and pre-spring activity is evident with the theatres enjoying a good portion of the added business. Detail for week ending February 13: (Average is 100) Capitol — South of Suez ( WB) ; Case of the Black Parrot (FN) 115 Centre — Western Union (20th-Fox) 105 Lake — Chamber of Horrors (Mono) ; Human Monster (Mono) 100 Studio— Philadelphia Story (M-G-M) 100 Utah — Trail of the Vigilantes (Univ) ; Invisible Woman (Univ) 100 Victory — No Time for Comedy (FN) ; Rangers of Fortune (Para’t), held over 110 BOXOFFICE : : February 22, 1941 36-C