Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1941)

Chicago — By taking all three games from the last-place Universal quintet, the Paramount boys tightened their grip in the Chicago Filmrow Bowling League at the conclusion of the 18th week. Leading scorers to date are: Abe Fischer, Fox, 174; Max Dreifuss, Republic, 174; Johnny Knaffle, UA, 173; Mike Fahey, Para’t, 172, and Jack Kirsch, standings: Republic, 172. Team Team — Won Lost Paramount . . 22 20th Century-Fox . . . 25 Metro 31 26 United Artists 28 29 Film Chauffeurs . . . 28 29 Republic 27 30 National Screen . . . . 25 32 Universal 35 Chicago — In the 23rd week of Warner Bros. Bowling League, the Avalon Cubs proved worthy of representing the league at the ABC Tournament in St. Paul March 26 by retaining a one game margin over the second place Yannigans. Latter quintet will go to St. Paul at their own expense on March 12. Leading scorers to date are: Tom Jones, 183; Ted Turrell, 180; Morty Ayers, 177; Whitey Graf, 175; and George Heiss, 172. Team standings: Team — Won Lost Avalon Cubs 43 26 Yannigans 42 27 Stratford 40 29 Capitol 38 31 Grove 38 31 Hammond 37 32 36 33 Cosmo 34 35 Beverly 32 37 1000 Pounders .... 30 39 Ogden 30 39 Jeffery 28 41 Two Youths Confess to Robbing St Louis Fox St. Louis — The police have reported that Andrew Gruen, 23, and Neal Tesson, 23, arrested in Wellston Loop, have confessed to the $1,300 holdup of the Fox Theatre on Christmas night. The young men were picked up on suspicion and were not connected up with the Fox robbery until Elmer Esrock, a doorman at the theatre, identified Gruen as one of the robbers. On Christmas night two men followed Lowell Smith, treasurer of the theatre, from the boxoffice to Smith’s office. As Smith opened the office door, one of them “covered” him with a revolver, while the other took the money Smith was holding and an additional sum from the office safe. 0 ft "Come Live With Me" Finds Many Willing Bloomington, Ind. — Arthur B. Clark, manager of the Indiana, advertised for a young man to become a "husband of convenience" for a beautiful young refugee, promising an income and residence to the one selected. Volunteers, to what was an exploitation gag, were so numerous that it has become a major problem to get away from the telephone. VS 0 (, ■ ' Copyright Pooling Would Be Banned Jefferson City, Mo. — Representative Paul E. Turner of St. Joseph has introduced a bill to do away with "monopolistic practices" of copyright music pools. It would make it unlawful for two or more persons holding copyrighted works to pool their interests for the purpose of collecting fees or issuing blanket licenses for the right to use such music commercially. Violators of the bill would face confiscation of their music. 0 -■ ■—!) "Four Mothers" Plus Stage Show Best in Chicago Chicago — Warner Bros.’ “Four Mothers” at the Chicago Theatre, aided by Gene Krupa’s band and Andrews Sisters on the stage did best business in loop with Columbia’s “This Thing Called Love” holding down the number two spot at the Garrick. The Oriental Theatre on Friday, February 21, changed from the Jones, Linick & Schaefer banner to a group headed by Michael Todd. A combination filmstage show policy is being continued. Detail for week ended February 13: (Average is 100) Apollo — Son of Monte Cristo (UA), 3 days 85 B&K house closed Sunday, February 9 in order to facilitate installation of equipment for “Fantasia” which began a run Feb. 19. Chicago — Four Mothers (WB), plus stage show. 135 Garrick — X'his Thing Called Love (Col) 130 Following week at the Chicago, film is continuing doing fine business. Oriental — Hit Parade of 1941 (Rep), plus stage show 105 Palace — Kitty Foyle (RKO); Saint in Palm Springs (RKO), first 4 days 125 Palace — Buck Privates (Univ) ; Play Girl (RKO), second three days 120 “Kitty Foyle” finished six big weeks at the Palace piling up best receipts house has had in years. “Buck Privates” opened strong February 11. Roosevelt — Flight Command (M-G-M) 80 Second week, fell off. State-Lake — South of Suez (WB), plus stage show 120 “Screwballs of 1941” stage hit helped. Studio — ltebecca (UA), return engagement .... 125 United Artists — Philadelphia Story (M-G-M), 3rd wk 110 "Wind" and " Back Street" Dominate Indianapolis Indianapolis — Second week of “GWTW” held up well at Loew’s. “Back Street” at the Indiana had terrific appeal for woman. Detail for week ending February 14: (Average is 100) Alamo — You’re Out of Luck (Mono); Doomed Caravan (Para’t) 90 Circle — Invisible Woman (Univ); No, No Nanette (RKO) 80 Indiana — Back Street (Univ); Six Lessons from Madame LaZonga (Univ) 110 Loew’s — Gone With the Wind (M-G-M) 2nd wk 145 Lyric — Honeymoon for Three (WB); Simone Simon Act on stage 95 "Western Union" on Dual Bill Milwaukee's Top Milwaukee — Best bet in what turned out to be only slightly better than an average week was “Western Union” and “Blonde Inspiration” at Fox’s Wisconsin. The Mills Brothers on the stage of the R A C I N IE J^T THE February meeting of the Better Films League of Racine, plans were made for a benefit show later in the month, with “Land of Liberty” the chosen film. Profits will go to the Racine Red Cross for war relief work. Four new groups joined the league, which has as its slogan “Patronize good movies and you will get more of them.” Nate Blumberg, president of Universal Pictures, and his brother-in-law, Matty Fox, vice-president of Universal, spent several hours in Racine February 7 visiting relatives, friends and former associates. Fox, who was formerly associated with the State Theatre here, had just returned from the premiere of “Back Street” in Florida. Blumberg was at one time manager of the Venetian when it was first opened. That drummer man, Gene Krupa, and his band, made a stage appearance at the Venetian Wednesday, February 19. A contest for amateur drummers of Racine preceded his appearance here, with the winners being privileged to play with him and his band on the local theatre stage. A set of drums, given by a Racine music store, was awarded the lucky individual as a post-Krupa appearance feature. An interview over WRJN and a jam session following the stage performances were features of Krupa’s day in Racine. Critic Takes to Paeans In Reviewing of Two Chicago — Mae Tinee, film critic of the Chicago Tribune, picked two Metro pictures in her list of seven best films for January. They were: “Philadelphia Story” and “Flight Command.” Other films chosen by Miss Tinee were: RKO’s “Kitty Foyle,” Warner’s “Santa Fe Trail,” Paramount’s “Second Chorus,” 20th-Fox’s “Night Train,” and “Schubert’s Serenade.” Commenting on “Philadelphia Story,” Miss Tinee poetically wrote: “Yep — in ‘Philadelphia Story’ Hepburn crowns herself with glory, ‘comes back’ in a great big way, as all who have seen her say . . . Plays with touch that’s sure but light. All she does and says is right. Well, she had no little worries. Cast, director, yarn — the berries ! ” In commenting on “Kitty Foyle,” the Tribune reviewer said: “ ‘Kitty Foyle,’ now as a picture, had the Morley novel licked, sure! Ginger Rogers went to town. Did the title role up brown! Naught her grand performance marred. Will she get this year’s award . . .?” Riverside with the flicker, “Behind the News,” finished in second money. Detail for week ending February 13: (Average is 100) Palace — You’re the One (Para’t) ; The Mad Doctor (Para’t) 110 Riverside — Behind the News (Rep); plus Mills Brothers on stage 120 Strand — This Thing Called Love (Col) ; Hudson’s Bay (20th-Fox), 2nd wk 85 Warner — High Sierra (FN) ; One Night in the Tropics (Univ) 115 Wisconsin — Western Union (20th-Fox); Blonde Inspiration (M-G-M) 125 BOXOFFICE : : February 22, 1941 41