Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1947)

burgef. Paramount Theatre/ Dewey, Okla. Small town patronage. * * * What Next Corporal Hargrove? (MGM) — Robert Walker, Keenan Wynn, Jean Parker. Doubled with "The Sailor Takes a Wife" — • two great comedies worth a try any time. Everyone thought I was nuts to book two features with the some star in both. As it turned out, the boxoffice showed a good black report, but both films were scratched badly. Played Tues., Wed., Thurs. — C. M. Garrett, Yandell Theatre, El Paso, Tex. .■Family patronage. * MONOGRAM Bringing Up Father (Mono) — Joe Yule, Reriie Riano, George McManus. This is a good comedy which failed to do average business. The picture is well cast and Monogram did a good job of bringing this well-known comic strip to the screen. Played Tues., Wed. Weather: Hot and humid. — Carl E. Pehlman, Rio Theatre, Edinburg, 111. Rural and small town patronage. * * Bringing Up Father (Mono) — Joe Yule, Renie Riano, George McManus. Our patrons got quite a kick out of Jiggs and Maggie. We advertised; "Your favorite comics on the screen," and doubled with "Gentleman Joe Palooka" to extra business on a weekend double bill. Try it — it works. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Hot. — Mayme P. Musselman, Roach Theatre, Lincoln, Kas. Small town patronage. * * * High Conquest (Mono) — Anna Lee, Gilbert Roland, Warren Douglas. Not a bad show at all — above average for most pictures of this type. Played Tues., Wed. Weather: Hot. — Terry Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. Rural and small town patronage. * * * PARAMOUNT Blue Skies (Para) — Bing Crosby, Joan Caulfield, Fred Astaire. This program pleased young and old alike — Berlin's songs, Crosby, and some good laughs made it a hit for any situation. The percentage deal, however, leaves the small houses .holding the proverbial bag. Played Sat., Sun. Weather: Good. — Lloyd Lafond, Rimrock Theatre, Winnett, Mont. Small town and rural patronage. * * Blue Skies (Para) — Bing Crosby, Joan Caulfield, Fred Astaire. I was afraid it had played itself out but it did okay by us. The print was in good condition. I wish that someone had cut the plot out. Those interruptions were as bad as the radio commercials. Swell show. — Jacques D. Van Vlack, Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua, N. Y. Summer colony patronage. * California (Para) — Ray Milland, Barbara Stanwyck, Barry Fitzgerald. Here is a natural for Fri., Sat. any place. There isn't too much action nor much of a story but the stars and the fact that it is a western will bring them in. Played Fri., Sat. — C. M. Garrett, Yandell Theatre, El Paso, Tex. Family patronage. * Tues., Wed., Thurs. — Paul Ricketts, Charm ■Theatre, Holyrood, Kas. General patronage. * Welcome Stranger (Para) — Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald, Joan Caufield. This is a very good picture that we saw in a first run house — lots of fun and witty dialog, with Bing at his best and Barry doing a nice job of support. I suppose the selling terms will be out of reach but hope for a break or will make one myself. It's worth playing, only I'm afraid the terms will be ioo tough. — Mayme P. Musselman, Roach Theatre, Lincoln, Kas. Small town patronage. * * • RKO RADIO Banjo (RKO) — Sharyn Moffet, Jacqueline White, Walter Reed. I'm disgusted! "My Pal, Wolf" went over big during midweek two years ago. "Banjo" is even much better, was given better playing time and a big campaign as a swell dog show, and it flopped! Very poor here for a Fri., Sat. playdate. Weather: Warm. — Ralph Raspa, State Theatre, Rivesville, W. Va. Small town patron * * * age. Beat the Band (RKO) — Frances Langford, Ralph Edwards, Phillip Terry. This is an okay programmer that seemed to please the average number of customers. Played Sunday. Weather: Hot. — W. F. Shelton, Louisburg Theatre, Louisburg, N. C. Rural and small town patronage. * * * Honeymoon (RKO) — Shirley Temple, Fronchof Tone, Guy Madison. To advertise this attraction we gave passes to all couples that had a wedding anniversary from Aug. 3 to 9. Our local paper ran a nice story about Shirley Temple with our usual ads. We also had thousands of heralds printed which each newspaper boy put in his paper. It turned out to be a successful two-day run. The picture was a light comedy but with Shirley Chautauqua Cinema Club Suggested for Others 'THE Chautauqua Cinema club which we sponsored might work in other localities. It is a special club for all persons who are interested in special films. Members pay a fee upon joining which covers the cost of films. The motto or catchline for this was ‘Motion Pictures as a Cultural and Artistic Force.’ Showings were held in the mornings and after matinees. Some of the films I used this summer were ‘The Stone Flower,’ ‘Moon and Sixpence,’ ‘Adventures of Chico,’ ‘Abe Lincoln in Illinois,’ ‘Blithe Spirit,’ ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ and ‘Julius Caesar.’ I also planned to use Film Classics’ prints but found the Buffalo office uncooperative. The club was a moderate success. Next season I plan to ballyhoo it into something.” — Jacques D. Van Vlack, Chautauqua Cinema, Chautauqua. Temple and Guy Madison as the stars, it My Favorite Brunette (Para)— Bob Hope, pleased 100 per cent. Played Wed., Thurs.— Dorothy Lamour, Peter Lbrre. Good if you James C. Balkcom jr.. Gray Theatre, Gray, Ga. enjoy Bob Hope— and we do. This had more Small town patronage. * * * of a story to it than the usual Bob Hope pictures. Played Wednesday. Weather: Clear Nocturne (RKO) — George Raft, Lynn Bari, and warm. — J. E. Rougeau, Club Theatre, Virginia Huston. A picture which failed miserSeven Sisters Falls, Man. Small town and ably at the boxoffice for me. I like Raft but rural patronage. * * apparently my patrons don't care too much _ , , , ,,, _ for him. Played Sun., Mon. Weather; Good. — With Women, The (Para) -Ray Terry Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. Milland, Teresa Wright, Brian Donlevy. This Rural and small town patronage. * * * is a pleasing program picture but short on the "doing business" end. Played Thurs., Fri. Sinbad the Sailor (RKO) — Douglas FairWeather: Hot.' — W. F. Shelton, Louisburg, banks jr., Maureen O'Hara, Walter Slezak. Theatre, Louisburg, N. C. Rural and small They turned out at Bothwell, Tilbury and town patronage. * * * Belle River at my theatres for this — it is good for small towns. Played Mon., Tues. Weather: Two Years Before the Mast (Para)— Alan Very hot.— Harland Rankin, Rankin Theatre Ladd, Brian Donlevy, William Bendix. I Enterprises, Chatham, Ont. General small thought this very good but the attendance town patronage. * * * did not indicate much public enthusiasm. Perhaps it was a little too rugged — that seemed Trail Street (RKO) — Randolph Scott, Robert to be the consensus of opinion. Un Ryan, Anne Jeffreys. This is a knock-down doubtedly the very realistic beating in the and drag-out, bang-up good western. It's trailer kept some business away. Played too bad that a series of thunderstorms and Wants Another Picture Like This Republic NIGHT TRAIN TO MEMPHIS (Rep) — Roy Acuff, Allan Lane, Adele Mara. Brought this back for a return engagement on my double feature program, and again my patrons raved over Roy Acuff, Why doesn’t Roy make another picture? What’s the trouble. Republic? Don’t you know a good thing when you see it? Try it again. Played Fri., Sat. — James C. Balkcom jr.. Gray Theatre, Gray, Ga. Small town patronage. * ♦ heavy rains killed business for us. Played Mon., Tues. Weather: Bad. — W. F. Shelton, Louisburg Theatre, Louisburg, N. C. Rural and small town patronage. * * * REPUBLIC Apache Rose (Rep) — Roy 'Rogers, Dale Evans, Olin Howlin. Single billing, at a price we usually pay for complete weekend cowboy double, turned in a two-day gross no greater than the customary figures for a oneday Roy Rogers double. This may be no criterion, though, for business has been generally poor this summer. It seems unfair to pay ten bucks extra just for the Trucolor, a dubious asset here. Supporte.d with "Sweet and Low," a Paramount two-reel tinted musical. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Hot. — Gray Barker, Pictureland Theatre, Glenville, W. Va. Rural, small town and college patronage. * * * Night Train to Memphis (Rep) — Roy Acuff, Allan Lane, Adele Mara. This was fine — just the type for any small town. It has a good story, good music, and is a picture everyone should show. Business was average during the busy harvest season. Played Wednesday. Weather: Cool. — W. H. Swan, Auditorium Theatre, Roscoe, S. D. Rural patronage. * * * Roll On Texas Moon (Rep) — Roy Rogers, George "Gabby" Hayes, Dale Evans. Played with Roy Acuff in "Night Train to Memphis" — need I say more than that it was a terrific combination? Played Fri., Sat. — James C. Balkcom jr.. Gray Theatre, Gray, Ga. Small town patronage. * * * Roll On Texas Moon (Rep) — Roy Rogers, George "Gabby" Hayes, Dale Evans. This doubled with "Secret of the Whistler” (Col) made a fair bill for a single day. Rogers didn't do what we expected. Played Sun. Weather: Warm. — Rahl and Hanson, California Theatre, Kerman, Calif. Small town and rural patronage. * 20th CENTURY-FOX Razor's Edge, The C20th-Fox) — Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, John Payne. This feature held up to average business. Some walkouts and most of the comments said it was too long. It is definitely not a small town picture. — Bill Cosby, Majestic Theatre, Amherst, Tex. Rural patronage. * Razor's Edge, The (20th-Fox) — Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, John Wayne. This picture has plenty of star power and running time but it is too long and too dull for a small town. Business was average and we had some walkouts. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Good. — E. M. Freiburger, Paramount Theatre, Dewey, Okla. Small town patronage. * * * Return of Frank James, The (20th-Fox) — ReIssue. Henry Fonda, Gene Tierney, Jackie Cooper. This is a good picture but we got a poor print — lots of splices. Played Fri., Sat. — Paul Ricketts, Charm Theatre, Holyrood, Kas. General patronage. * ’’ 13 Rue Madeleine (20th-Fox) — James Cagney, Annabella, Richard Conte. This is a good action picture, although it concerns spies in the late war and is a bit outdated. Business (Continued on page 14) BOXOFnCE BookinGuide :: Sept. 13, 1947 3