Exhibitors Herald (Sep-Dec 1923)

60 EXHIBITORS HERALD December 15, 1923 vertised this big and was well repaid. Cost us high for rental but worth it. Don't overlook this sure bet. Eight reels. — Needham and Mattingly, De Luxe theatre, Moline, Kan. — Neighborhood patronage. Smilin' Through, with Norma Talmadge. — Rather late playing this one so will just put my O. K. to all the reports of other exhibitors. Had the honor of playing it, even if it was late. Eight reels. — M. A. Manning, Opera House, Baldwin, Wis. — Town and country patronage. Smilin' Through, with Norma Talmadge. — First three reels were very poor introduction but rest of picture was so good that it made everyone forget the first and leave the house smiling and saying "Some picture." Eight reels. — C. R. Miller, Gem theatre, Spur, Tex. — General patronage. One Clear Call, with a special cast. — A fair picture, but a disappointment at the box office. Don't book it as a special. It's only a program picture. Seven reels. — Mrs. R. D. Lemmon, Colonial theatre, Constantine, Mich. — General patronage. Daddy Long Legs, with Mary Pickford. — Sure got the kiddies with this, and when you get the kiddies you get the parents, and it's better than most Mary made since then. — G. J. Ritter, Regent theatre, Bogota, N. J. — General patronage. Trouble, with Jackie Coogan. — Jackie rang the bell agaiiT for us, and while this is not so appealing as "My Boy," it gets over to good satisfaction. Good business to raised admission. — V. G. Bollman, Postville theatre, Postville, Iowa. — Small town patronage. Lying Lips, a Thomas H. Ince production.— Must be good. We were away from home but on our returning our patrons took the trouble to tell us what a good show we had and what we missed by not being here. — Unique theatre, Bricelyn, Minn. — General patronage. The Sea Lion, with Hobart Bosworth. — A fine action picture of the sea. Fights galore. Will please as a program picture. — Needham & Mattingly, De Luxe theatre, Moline, Kan. — Neighborhood patronage. Love's Penalty, with Hope Hampton. — A very good picture. Parts well played but partly killed by too many close-ups of star. Five reels. — Mrs. John Huyette, New theatre, Berryville, Va. — Neighborhood patronage. Love's Redemption, with Norma Talmadge. — Pleased the few that saw it. Account of hard times, people come only every so often and I had them all in to see "Human Wreckage," so couldn't get them back for "Love's Redemption" as I used it next day after "Wreckage." — S. G. Ihde, Photoplay theatre, Ashland, Kan. — Small town patronage. Mother o' Mine, with a special cast. — This is a good picture but would not advise any one to run it where conditions are bad due to crop failures, etc., on account of the people having enough to worry about without coming to the show and crying for half an hour. Average business first night; almost worst flop in history second night. Six reels. — H. G. Stettmund Jr., Odeon theatre, Chandler, Okla. — Small town patronage. The Song of Life, with Gaston Glass. — A real story and fine acting throughout. Is bound to please. Just what the title suggests — a story of real life. — Needham & Mattingly, De Luxe theatre, Moline, Kan. — Neighborhood patronage. Fox Soft Boiled, with Tom Mix. — I have not read many reports on this picture. I used it a few weeks ago on Saturday night at 15 and 25 cents admission, town of 1,200, and broke all house records. Used ones, 3, 16, llxl4's and heralds. The only real money I have made since I ran "Blind Husbands," a Universal Jewel, a few years ago. This picture held house record until "Soft Boiled" broke it. "The Silent Command," two weeks ago, just a few admissions behind "Soft Boiled." Fox sure has the goods for 1923-24 — C. E. Barber, Electric theatre, Tilden, 111. Skid Proof, with Charles Jones. — A splendid story built about some auto racing that was well done. Six reels. — P. G. Estee, Fad theatre, Brookings, S. D. — Neighborhood patronage. The Lone Star Ranger, with Tom Mix. — Here is a picture that should make money for any exhibitor. Mix does some good acting and Zane Grey stories are mostly all good. — Pace & Bouma, Rialto theatre, Pocahontas, Iowa. — Neighborhood patronage. The Eleventh Hour, with Charles Jones and Shirley Mason. — Just what press sheets represent it to be — melodrama, with accent on the melo. Will please those who enjoy thrillers. Seven reels. — T. A. Shco, New Palace theatre, McGchee, Ark. — Neighborhood patronage. The Gun Fighter, with William Farnum. — Not a Farnum by any means. Played to small houses. Did not have the Farnum punch of other days. Too bad we are losing such a great character. Goodbye, Bill. Five reels. — Jack Cairns, Brooklyn theatre, Detroit, Mich. — General patronage. The Gun Fighter, with William Farnum.—Farnum is a good bet here and this picture will please any Saturday crowd. — Pace & Bouma, Rialto theatre, Pocahontas, Iowa. — Neighborhood patronage. The Gun Fighter, with William Farnum.— Didn't sec the picture but box office statement told a sweet story. Six reels. — Marsden & Noble, Noble theatre, Marshfield, Ore. — General patronage. The Man Who Won, with Dustin Farnum.— Very good Western, suitable for Saturday night. In fact best Farnum in some time. Five reels. — T. A. Shea, New Palace theatre, McGehee, Ark. — Neighborhood patronage. The Man Who Won, with Dustin Farnum.— A good Western and a fine boost for Farnum. Five reels. — E. L. Wharton, Orpheum theatre, Glasgow, Mont. — General patronage. The Great Night, with William Russell. — A nice program picture that will please the most of them. An out of the ordinary story, well acted. Five reels. Film good. — Ralph Gribblc, Grand theatre, New Hamburg. Ont., Can. — General patronage. Bucking the Barrier, with Dustin Farnum.— A very good picture of the North that did fair business considering the opposition. Five reels. — Hugh G. Martin, American theatre, Columbus, Ga. — General patronage. The Footlight Ranger, with Charles Jones. — They sure ought to be awarded a medal for hanging this one on the showmen. How they do it is beyond me. This is absolutely a worthless waste of film. Rotten. — S. L. Byerly, Rainbow theatre No. 3, De Graff. Ohio. — General patronage. The Footlight Ranger, with Charles Tones. — Buck is out of his class in this. Fvervone disappointed, thinkiner it a Western. Give us B'ick in Westerns. Five re's — C. L. Brown. Paramount theatre, Elizabeth. La. — Small town patronage. Snowdrift, with Charles Jones. — Very good for program picture. Five reels. — L. J. Frana, Olympic theatre, Calmar, Iowa. — General patronage. Man's Size, with William Russell.— Above the average William Russell feature that drew good business. Print in only fair condition. Five reels. — Hugh G. Martin, American theatre, Columbus, Ga. — General patronage. Man's Size, with William Russell. — No monkey glands missing in this one. Plenty of action and a good story and William Russell has not lost his pep. Book it; it's a good one. Fair business and played against a minstrel show. Five reels. — E. E. Gailcy, Crystal theatre, Wayne, Neb. — General patronage. Man's Size, with William Russell. — A good program that seemed to please a poor crowd two nights. Russell does not draw for me. Print in good condition. Admission ten and twenty-two cents. — W. E. Elkin, Temple theatre, Aberdeen, Miss. — Neighborhood patronage. Romance Land, with Tom Mix. — This in our opinion is one of the best pictures Mix has made. The races, large and small, were the talk of the town for a week. — O. B. Sterling, Sterling theatre, Dayton, Tex. — Small town patronage. Romance Land, with Tom Mix. — A dandy Western. Did good business considering conditions. Five reels. — C. M. Hartman, Liberty theatre, Carnegie, Okla. — Small town patronage. Calvert's Valley, with John Gilbert. — Can't say much for this. A very weak story indeed. Play it on the off night. Print in good condition. Admission ten and twenty-two cents. — W. E. Elkin, Temple theatre, Aberdeen, Miss. — Neighborhood patronage. A California Romance, with John Gilbert.— We rated this 95 per cent perfect for a small feature. It has more action than lots of serials. Starts out like "The Sheik" and ends like a cyclone. We have played five of this star's pictures and every one has been above average. Has plenty of comedy and mystery and wonderful photography. Five reels. — W. Cruickshank, Lyceum theatre, Wingham, Ont., Can. — General patronage. A California Romance, with John Gilbert.— Lots of action but the picture as a whole is a failure. Lay off of this one. — S. L. Byerly, Rainbow theatre No. 3, Dc Graff, Ohio. — General patronage. Moonshine Valley, with William Farnum.— We had one person express the opinion to us that this was a fine production. Another said it was the poorest one he had seen for a long time. That makes it a tie. Therefore, I will vote with the latter. The Noes have it. The decision is that it is the most terrible thing I have witnessed since the devil quit making pictures. In addition to that, we drew another of those poor prints which should have been thrown in the scrap heap long ago. Among its many shortcomings it had no title. Such people should be arrected for obtaining money under false pretenses. — Wm. H. Creal, Suburban theatre, Omaha, Neb. — Neighborhood patronage. Moonshine Valley, with William Farnum.— We considered this a very poor offering. Expected something good from this star but he failed this time. Drags in places and story improbable. Did not draw. Six reels. — W. Cruickshank, Lyceum theatre, Wingham, Ont., Can. — General patronage. Moonshine Valley, with William Farnum.— Seemed a disappointment to Saturday crowd. Farnum's as fat as an old