Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1945)

I Sx^i6ct<n *i¥i& Say ABOUT PICTURES COLUMBIA Crime Doctor's Strangest Case (Col) — Warner Baxter, Rose Hobart, Lynn Merrick. Very good, and several remarked, "Why not more like this one? So what — we like 'em." I have seen many so-called class A pictures not so well liked as this one. Warner Baxter is at his best. Played Wed., Thurs. Weather: Good. — W. H. Swan, Auditorium, Roscoe, S. D. Rural patronage. Mr. Winkle Goes to War (Col) — Edward G. Robinson, Ted Donaldson, Robert Armstrong. A dandy 'show. Nothing outstanding, but good enough to please all. Business average. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Bad. — James Scholl, Mary Agnes, Jamestown, Ky. Small town and rural patronage. Secret Command (Col) — Pat O'Brien, Carole Landis, Chester Morris. A good action picture, suitable for small towns. Pat O'Brien a good Irishman that we Irish enjoy. — Harland Rankin, Plaza, Tilbury, Ont., Canada. General patronage. Swing in the Saddle (Col) — Jane Frazee, Guinn Williams. This one is tops for a situation like mine. Played it on Fri., Sat. nights and on Saturday I thought I would have to run all night. Liked by everyone and the kids stayed from the start until we shut down. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Rainy. — Bill Leonard, Leonard, Cedarvale, Kas. Small town and rural patronage. METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER Bathing Beauty (M-G-M) — Red Skelton, Esther Williams, Basil Rathbone. Truly a swell show — nice scenery, beautiful Technicolor, good music, good acting. Esther Williams adds quite a bit to the scenery. You just can't go wrong with this one. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Bad. — James Scholl, Mary Agnes, Jamestown, Ky. Small town and rural patronage. Heavenly Body (M-G-M) — Hedy Lamarr, William Powell. Well, not too hot. A pretty good picture but not extra. Good cast but the story is weak. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. — Bill Leonard, Leonard, Cedarvale, Kas. Small town and rural patronage. Thousands Cheer (M-G-M) — Kathryn Grayson, Gene Kelly, Mary Astor, John Boles. Brother, here is a show. This can't possibly miss in any situation. The buildup to the final situation is a real knockout and the story is good, which is something in a show that has the array of talent this one has. Played Thurs., Sat. Weather: Cold. — S. C. Onerheim, Community, Luseland, Sask., Canada. Rural and small town patronage. Three Men in White (M-G-M) — Lionel Barrymore, Van Johnson, Marilyn Maxwell. This was very good as all of these pictures are. These will do more business than a. lot of these so-called specials. Played Tues., Wed. Weather: Fair. — Otto W. Chapek, Annex, Anamoose, N. D. Rural and small town patronage. Two Girls and a Sailor (M-G-M)— Van Johnson, June Allyson, Gloria DeHaven. Here is one that has what it' takes — a good musical comedy that everyone liked okay. Harry James is a drawing card here. Jimmy Durante okay too. Business above average. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Cold. — James Scholl, Mary Agnes, Jamestown, Ky. Small town and rural patronage. Two Girls and a Sailor (M-G-M) — Van Johnson, June Allyson, Gloria DeHaven. This picture packed plenty of music and entertain ment. The girls are' all crazy for Van Johnson sc the results were extra business. Metro's only slip on this was that color wouldn't have done any harm. Played Sat., Sun. Weather: Good. — Otto W. Chapek, Annex, Anamoose, N D. Rural and small town patronage. MONOGRAM Sonora Stagecoach (Mono) — Hoot Gibson, Bob Steele. Well, it's just another western. Some said it was a bit better than the average western. I did my usual Fri., Sat. business. Weather: Cold. — James Scholl, Mary Agnes, Jamestown, Ky. Small town and rural patronage. PARAMOUNT Double Indemnity (Para) — Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson. This is the type of picture I like and in my estimation was about tops in murder stories. This picture failed to do business, though. Many regular customers stayed away. I guess the combination of love and murder was too much for them. Played Sat., Sun. Weather: Fair. — Otto W. Chapek, Annex, Anamoose, N. D. Rural and small town patronage. Double Indemnity (Para) — Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson. This just isn't the type to draw the business and we failed to come up to Paramount's expectations, according to the price and the gross. Not a money-making proposition and if you can't buy it for a little better than program prices, let it alone. Played Tues., Wed., Thurs. Weather: Fair. — Mayme P. Musselman, Princess, Lincoln, Kas. Small town patronage. Going My Way (Para) — Bing Crosby, Rise Stevens, Barry Fitzgerald. This was tops and did a fair business despite plenty of cold weather, wind and snow. Played Fri., Sat., Sun. — Otto W. Chapek, Annex, Anamoose, N. D. Rural and small town patronage. Going My Way (Para) — Bing Crosby, Rise Stevens, Barry Fitzgerald. This is "one of Don't Rue Billets Doux: We Knew He'd Renew KANSAS CITY— From far off India comes this dramatic plea, sent by CpI. W. Elden Harwood of the army air force: “No! — No! — No! — Not that! — Anything but that! — I’ll pay. — Just don’t stop sending BOXOFFICE. An armload of your magazine just caught up with me — along with a handful of your eight-ball, fire-ball, screw-ball (everything but Lucille Ball) requests for renewal remittance. So forthwith, herewith, I am ‘passing the buck’ to you. Seriously, I want you to know how much I appreciate your continuing my subscription after the lapse date of the original subscription. Reading of people and events of the industry, though three months old (because of my inaccessibility) and halfway around the world, is really a treat. Thanks a million for your service. “In case you wonder, prior to my induction, I was manager of the Granada Theatre for Commonwealth in Lawrence, Kas. — but please don’t hold me or my low attempt at comedy against Commonwealth.” them things" — it just goes on and on, does plenty of business and everyone raves to everyone else. Naturally, no exhibitor likes the terms, but there's no other way out. It is a pleasure to run one that pleases, even at that. Buy it some way — then take care of yourself. Played Sun., Mon., Tues., Wed. Weather: Fine. — Mayme P. Musselman, Princess, Lincoln, Kas. Small town patronage. Great Moment, The (Para) — Joel McCrea, Betty Field, Harry Carey. Very poor. McCrea is on his way to the bottom if they don't stop shoving these poor pictures at him. Played Tues., Wed. Weather: Fair. — Harold Ray, Strand, Tompkinsville, Ky. Rural patronage. Great Moment, The (Para) — Joel McCrea, Betty Field, Harry Carey. A very good picture that had some good action and q lot better than I ever thought it would be. Hardly worth the rental, but what picture did you ever steal lately? Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Fair. — Mayme P. Musselman, Princess, Lincoln, Kas. Small town patronage. Hail the Conquering Hero (Para) — Eddie Bracken, Ella Raines, Raymond Walburn. Very fine although I showed it only one night because the hall was not available. This is more for the midweek but did okay and is another from Paramount that clicked swell with the audience and not so badly at the boxoffice. I had an Autry booked but it went ridin' over the country so I snapped up this one on short notice. They came in to see Autry and were just as well if not better pleased with Eddie Bracken. Played Wednesday. Weather: Cold — below zero. — W. H Swan, Auditorium, Roscoe, S. D. Rural patronage. Henry Aldrich's Little Secret (Para) — Jimmy Lydon, Charles Smith, John Litel. This series is popular with our weekend patrons. — Harland Rankin, Plaza, Tilbury, Ont., Canada. General patronage. Hostages (Para) — Luise Rainer, Arturo de Cordova, William Bendix. William Bendix stole the show. This is an exceptionally fine war picture and well liked here. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Heavy rain. — Francis Powell, Colonial, Stanwood, Wash. Small town and farm patronage. Lady in the Dark (Para) — Ginger Rogers, Ray Milland, Warner Baxter. Although it rated high, it did not draw here. Played Sun., Mon. Good house Sunday — Monday nothing. — A. L. Brown, Hart, Ferndale, Calif. Small town patronage. RKO RADIO Step Lively (RKO) — Frank Sinatra, George Murphy, Adolphe Menjou. Sinatra is not any good for the screen. You are the one who will swoon when you see how little you take in. It takes more than a voice for us. Played Fri., Sat. — Harland Rankin, Plaza, Tilbury, Ont., Canada. General patronage. REPUBLIC South of the Border (Rep) — Gene Autry. This old Autry really went to town for us, just like it did a long time ago and no one seemed to notice the age. Played with "Music in Manhattan" (RKO) and made a rather long double bill but they liked it. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Fair. — Mayme P. Musselman, Princess, Lincoln, Kas. Small town patronage. 20th CENTURY-FOX Laura (20th-Fox) — Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Vincent Price. A very good picture that will do business on your best time and your patrons will like it, and you, for showing it. We ran the latest Nostradamus short and that helped the draw. "Laura" will do you some good, and you can buy it right. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Cold. — Mayme (Continued on next page) BOXOFFICE :: February 3, 1945 37