Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1941)

"Meet John Doe" Is A Hit at Premiere Los Angeles — Benefited by a gala world premiere at the Hollywood in the best film colony tradition, a smash first*' week for “Meet John Doe” in its advanced-price, day-date run at Warner’s Hollywood and Downtown was the one bright spot in an otherwise only average week. “Gone With the Wind” wound up a four-week engagement at the Four Star to under-par business, and continues for a short time longer at the United Artists, where it is doing slightly above normal. Detail for week ending March 19: {Average is 100) Chinese — Son of Monte Crisfo (UA); Chump; at Oxford (UA) 100 Downtown — Meet John Doe (WB) 200 Four Star — Gone With the Wind (M-G-M), 4th wk 75 Hillstreet — Adam Had Four Sons (Col); Play Girl (RKO) 100 Hollywood — Meet John Doe (WB) 225 Pantages — Adam Had Four Sons (Col); Play Girl (RKO) 90 Paramount — The Lady Eve (Para't), plus stage show 110 State — Son of Monte Cristo (UA) ; Chump at Oxford (UA) 115 United Artists — Gone With the Wind (M-G-M) 110 Salt Lake Takes Hold Satislactory Record Salt Lake City — Snow, rain, hail and sleet, wind, thunder and lightning and occasional sunshine heralded official spring here this week in various parts of the region. Theatre reports held their own in a highly satisfactory manner. Detail for week ending March 20: (Average is 100) Capitol — Lady in Question (Col); Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery (Col), plus stage spook show 105 Centre — Lady Eve (Para't) 100 Studio — Virginia (Para't), 4th wk — 100 Utah — So Ends Our Night (UA) 100 Victory — East of the River (FN); Love Thy Neighbor (Para't), 2nd run 105 " Lady Eve " Proves Able House Packer in Denver Denver — “Lady Eve” at the Denham easily took that house to the top money again, packing the house repeatedly. Detail for the week ending March 20: (Average is 100) Aladdin — Strawberry Blonde (FN), after a week at the Denver 115 Broadway — Andy Hardy's Private Secretary (M-G-M); Land of Liberty (M-G-M), after a week at the Orpheum 130 Denham — The Lady Eve (Para't) 230 Denver — High Sierra (FN); Blackout (UA) 125 Orpheum — Rage in Heaven (M-G-M); Scatter good Baines (RKO) 65 Paramount — Great Mr. Nobody (WB); Murder Among Friends (20th-Fox) 110 Rialto — Nice Girl? (Univ), after a week at each the Denver and Aladdin, and Wagon Train (RKO) 125 " Meet John Doe " Doubles Take in San Francisco San Francisco — “Meet John Doe” put the Warfield at the top of the heap with a neat double of the average take at the theatre. The jump of the evening admission from 50 to 65 cents was a factor that helped garner the weekly honors. Four of the seven first runs were playing holdovers and only one theatre on Market Street did below average business. The weather throughout the entire Bay area was fine. Detail for week ending March 19: (Average is 100) Fox — The Hard-Boiled Canary (Para't); Life With Henry (Para't) 105 Golden Gate — A Girl, a Guy and a Gob (RKO), plus Carl Brisson on stage, 2nd wk 130 Orpheum— Back Street (Univ); Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga (Univ), 2nd wk 130 Paramount — Footsteps in the Dark (WB); Father's Son (WB) 110 St. Francis — Tobacco Road (20th-Fox); Sleepers West (20th-Fox), 2nd wk 100 United Artists — So Ends Our Night (UA), 2nd wk... 65 Warfield — Meet John Doe (WB) 200 " John Doe " a Power in Seattle First Runs Seattle — Some real business happened this week. Despite warm weather, “Meet John Doe” came through. A grand campaign was put on and the Hamrick-Evergreen gang pulled a nifty by opening the picture in two houses, the Fifth Avenue and the Orpheum. To date the houses are running neck-and-neck at the boxoffice but both doing outstanding business. Other attractions just fair. Detail for week ending March 22: (Average is 100) Blue Mouse — Tobacco Road (20th-Fox); Play Girl (RKO), 3rd wk 90 Fifth Avenue — Meet John Doe (WB) 175 Liberty — Adam Had Four Sons (Col); Blondie Goes Latin (Col) 90 Music Box — A Girl, a Guy and a Gob (RKO); You're the One (Para't), 2nd wk 150 Orpheum — Meet John Doe (WB) 175 Palomar — Let's Make Music (RKO); Shadows on the Stairs (WB), plus vaude 90 Paramount — So Ends Our Night (UA); Road Show (UA) 90 I A Local 150 Will Hold Pact Meeting April 1 Los Angeles — General membership meeting of Projectionists Local 150, IATSE, has been called for April 1 to discuss the status of negotiations for new contracts with circuit and independent houses in this territory. R. L. McDonald, business manager, will preside. Preliminary sessions have already been held with Fox West Coast, RKO, Warner, Fanchon & Marco and several independent operators. Projectionists, now receiving from $1.15 to $2.05 hourly, will ask an increase, the exact amount to be determined at the April 1 session, and are also seeking certain improvements in working conditions, including longer vacation periods with pay. An agreement arrived at will be retroactive to December 1, 1940, at which time an earlier pact expired. The local at present has 86 members employed in FWC theatres, and a total of about 210 throughout the territory. RKO Squad Visits Salt Lake City — The Ned Depinet Drive squad now touring the country met here with the RKO exchange personnel headed by H. C. Fuller. RKO executives present included Leo Devaney, drive captain; Cresson E. Smith, western division sales manager; Harry Michalson, short subjects sales manager, and Herb MacIntyre, western district manager. Give Full Support lo Drive for Greece Los Angeles — In addition to big benefit performances at Grauman’s Chinese and the Shrine Auditorium, 350 theatres in the Los Angeles exchange area participated in the Greek War Relief Drive by taking up collections from audiences and in their lobbies. In the Denver and Salt Lake territories, more than 350 theatres participated, some 50 holding elaborate midnight stage-screen shows at advanced prices. Nearly 300 theatres were enrolled for the campaign in the San Francisco territory, and wholehearted support likewise was extended by the Seattle area. Mayor in Charge of Salt Lake Benefit Salt Lake City — Mayor Ab Jenkins was in charge of the midnight benefit show at the Utah for Greek War Relief. The program included a number of variety acts, as well as a film bill. All employes, including projectionists, stagehands and musicians, donated their services. Charles Pincus of the Utah and Ray Hendy of the Centre, headed the committee in charge of the campaign locally. Tie-Up With RCA-Victor For ", Penny Serenade " New York — A comprehensive and far reaching exploitation campaign has been launched by the RCA-Victor Company to pre-sell Columbia’s “Penny Serenade,” co-starring Irene Dunne and Cary Grant. This tie-up covers nearly every phase of advertising, including national magazine and newspapers, radio, billboards, window cards, counter displays, special stills, car cards, throwaways and direct mail. There also will be publicity spreads in the three Victor consumer magazines reaching 750,000 homes. The campaign is based on recordings of the musical numbers heard in “Penny Serenade.” These records are now on sale all over the country. “Penny Serenade” will be advertised to millions of radio listeners on the RCAVictor program, and Good Housekeeping, The New Yorker and Parents magazines, with more than 10,000,000 readers, will carry Victor Record advertisements preselling the picture. Set "Texas" Director Hollywood — George Marshall has been engaged by Columbia to direct “Texas,” a story of the cattle wars in the Panhandle, immediately following the war between the states. William Holden and Warren William will play the male leads. Ray McCarey Chore Hollywood — Ray McCarey is directing “The Man With the Shovel” for Producers Ralph Dietrich and Walter Morosco at 20th-Fox. 84 BOXOFFICE :: March 29, 1941