Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1925-Mar 1926)

EXHIBITORS HERALD 99 January 23, 1926 THE LUCKY DEVIL: Richard Dix— A fast action comedy-drama with Dix hitting on all eight. Seven reels. — J. W. Allender, Ritz theatre, Spokane, Wash. — Small town patronage. NIGHT LIFE IN NEW YORK: Louise Dresser — A very good comedy drama. Work of stars good. Six reels. — Wilcox & Miller, Lake View theatre. Lake View, Iowa. — General patronage. THE SHOCK PUNCH: Richard Dix— This is a knockout of a comedy drama. The comedy on the skyscraper will make them all gasp. This star is taking the place of Wally Reid for us. Six reels.— Wilcox & Miller, Lake View theatre, Lake View, Iowa. — General patronage. PETER PAN: Betty Bronson — This picture draws ’em from 6 to 60 equally well. A beautiful production and a drawing card. Ten reels. — J. W. Allender, Ritz theatre, Spokane, Wash. — Small town patronage. CODE OF THE WEST: Special east— One of those Westerns of a better, different comedy type. Excellent drawing card. Seven reels. — J. W. Allender, Ritz theatre, Spokane, Wash. — Small town patronage. THE ALASKAN : Thomas Meighan — This picture surprised us. Contrary to reports, this picture seemed to please our patrons more than many other so-called supers. Seven reels. — J. W. Allender, Ritz theatre, Spokane, Wash. — Small town patronage. NORTH OF ’36: Jack Holt — Very good business. Eight reels. — J. W. Allender, Ritz theatre, Spokane, Wash. — Small town patronage. MERTON OF THE MOVIES: Glenn Hunter — Glenn is good in this one. Pleased generally. Personally thought it was a dandy. Seven reels. — Blue Mouse theatre, Davenport, Wash. — General patronage. CODE OF THE WEST: Special cast— Fairly good Zane Grey. Forest fire scenes very impressive. Seven reels.— Frank L. Humble, Las Plumas theatre. Las Plumas, Cal. — Small town patronage. THE BORDER LEGION: Antonio Moreno— A good drawing card and seemed to have satisfied the audience, as we had quite a few compliments on it. Eight reels. — Kunath, Garbade & Wolters, Liberty theatre. Shiner, Tex. — General patronage. THE AIR MAIL: Special cast — Splendid drama with plenty of action and thrills. Story deals with United States air mail service. Instructive as well as interesting. Seven reels.— Frank L. Humble, Las Plumas theatre. Las Plumas, Cal. — Small town patronage. CONTRABAND: Special east — Very good picture that pleased. Seven reels. — Frank L. Humble, Las Plumas theatre. Las Plumas, Cal. — Small town patronage. THE DRESSMAKER FROM PARIS: Leatrice Joy — This is a dandy. Leatrice Joy's work is exceptionally good. Torrence furnishes the comedy. Excellent fashion show. Seven reels. — Frank L. Humble, Las Plumas theatre, Las Plumas, Cal. — Small town patronage. CONTRABAND: Lois Wilson — Very good story about a small town printing shop inherited by an orphan girl who had to start up in the business to save her inherited mortgaged property. Lots of action and should be advertised good. Seven reels. — R. Duba, Royal theatre, Kimball, S. D. — General patronage. THE DRESSMAKER FROM PARIS: Special cast — This is a dandy and one that ought to go good in any house. It more than pleased for us. Does not have a slow draggy spot in it and carries along a lot of comedy, so that it makes a very good program. Eight reels. — Paul B. Hoffman, Legion theatre, Holyrood, Kan. — Small town patronage. THE LUCKY DEVIL: Richard Dix— Just what my patrons had been looking for. Pleased as near 100 per cent as anything we have shown the past year. Made a dandy New Years show. — Paul Russell, Russell theatre, Somerset, O. — General patronage. NEW BROOMS: Bessie Love — A very pleasing picture. Nothing big but well worth showing. Seven reels. — E. H. Brechler, Opera House, Fennimore, Wis. — General patronage. WELCOME HOME: Lois Wilson — Not big but worth showing. Six reels.— E. H. Brechler, Opera House, Fennimore, Wis. — General patronage. THE SHOCK PUNCH: Richard Dix— This gave general satisfaction. Not big but worth while showing. Six reels. — E. H. Brechler, Opera House, Fennimore, Wis. — General patronage. THE GOLDEN BED: Lillian Rich — Very good. Business fair, due to bad weather and basket ball. Nine reels. — Mrs. F. A. McGinnis, Posey theatre, Poseyville, Ind.— Small town patronage. RUGGLES OF RED GAP: Special cast — Here Special to “Mr. Warner” BOBBED HAIR: Marie Prevost— I consider this as good as I have screened. Chuck full of mystery. Will hold the audience on the edge of their seats. Good cast and a good story. I have not got a lemon from Warners yet. Keep up the good work, Mr. Warner. Eight reels. — A. 0. Lambert, Monticello Opera House, Monticello, la. — General patronage. is another good one. Very amusing comedy. Personally, I thought it great. Pleased all who saw it. Eight reels. — J. W. Baird, Strand theatre, Pattonsburg, Mo. — Small town patronage. Pathe DYNAMITE SMITH: Charles Ray— Good film. Not a terrible picture, as some exhibitors have reported, but then it’s not a special either. Just a trifle below the average program is what we would rate it. Charles Ray and Wallace Beery, Bessie Love and Jacqueline Logan, all play their parts well. The story and continuity are bad and at times there are parts put into the picture that are not necessary. There are better pictures than these. — W. T. Davis & Son, Rialto theatre, Sharon, Wis. — General patronage. BLACK CYCLONE: Rex— A 100 per cent offering. Pleased a good Saturday night crowd and people were high in their praise for “Black Cyclone.” One man remarked it was the best picture he had ever seen, he, of course, being a great lover of horses. Buy it right and you'll not be disappointed. Six reels. — Gunther & Metzger, Palace theatre, Syracuse, Neb. — Small town patronage. THE BATTLING ORIOLES: Glen Tryon— Our patrons received a nice little surprise on this one. Something different and full of good wholesome comedy. Doesn’t cost any more than a common feature and will pep up your audience. Give ’em variety and keep ’em coming, as it is a long time until Spring. Six reels. — Gunther & Metzger, Palace theatre, Syracuse, Neb. — Small town patronage. SAFETY LAST: Harold Lloyd — Exceptionally fine. Some of the ladies have not yet caught their breath. Bought this at a fair price ; then the New York office tacked on a split over a figure which was below my bill of expenses and consequently Pathe made twice what I did. I hope there is a special pen in the next world for “home office” hogs. — Philip Rand, Rex theatre, Salmon, Idaho. — General patronage. KING OF WILD HORSES: Rex— Dandy horse picture. The novelty of the picture and the acting of Rex appealed to the patrons. Five reels. — Frank L. Humble, Las Plumas theatre. Las Plumas, Cal. — Small town patronage. THE FRESHMAN: Harold Lloyd— Harold Lloyd very good, but I am done with Pathe for good. I had to do all the work. Pathe took 50 per cent of the gross, which left me a long empty money sack. Well, Barnum was right. — J. Hollenbak, Liberty theatre, Lynden, Wash. — General patronage. HOT WATER: Harold Lloyd— While the box office was only light, the feature gave better satisfaction than “The Freshman.” Five reels. — Tom Foster, Star theatre, Stanley, Wis. — Small town patronage. Prod. Dist. Corp. SIMON THE JESTER: Special cast— Fair picture but very poor paper. — L. M. Jones, Arcadia theatre, Vandergrift, Pa. — General patronage. THE COMING OF AMOS: Rod La Rocque— This is my first Producer picture and if they are all this good and draw as well, everything will be jake. But it needs advertising. — Jack Davis, State theatre, Tawas, Mich. — General patronage. THE PRAIRIE PIRATE: Harry Carey— Not enough money in it to justify rental for film. Just a good Western. Six reels. — J. W. Allender, Ritz theatre, Spokane, Wash. — Small town patronage. CHARLEY’S AUNT: Syd Chaplin — Biggest we have had since we played "The Four Horsemen” three years ago. Absolute capacity business and pleased everybody. Some more like “Charley’s Aunt,” please. — Paul Russell, Russell theatre, Somerset, O. — General patronage. CHARLEY’S AUNT : Syd Chaplin— If anybody failed to laugh we haven’t heard from them. A laugh from beginning to end. Business splendid. Eight reels. — Faul & Overton, Lyric theatre, Winchester, 111. — Family patronage. THE WISE VIRGIN: Patsy Ruth Miller— This was a very good show and I really believe that every person was satisfied. Very slow to start but gets better at the last. — H. E. J. Oates and Son, Bridge theatre, Petersburg, W. Va. — General patronage. THE TEXAS TRAIL: Harry Carey — Average program picture for Western fans. Not as good as “Bad Lands” but pretty good Western for Saturday. Harry always satisfies my crowd and that is all we can ask for. It is worth running any time. Five reels. — R. Duba, Royal theatre, Kimball, S. D. — General patronage. THE TEXAS TRAIL: Harry Carey — Very much disappointed. Nothing in this to commend at all, and I have several more bought. If Carey is an actor, he does not show it in this picture. Five reels. — L. M. Jones, Arcadia theatre, Vandergrift, Pa.— General patronage. BEYOND THE BORDER: Harry Carey — Just a fair Carey Western. Five reels.. — M. G. Price, Novelty theatre, Paris, Idaho. — General patronage. THE MAN FROM RED GULCH: Harry Carey — V ery good business. Good title : capable cast. Seven reels. — J. W. Allender, Ritz theatre, Spokane, Wash. — Small town patronage. United Artists LITTLE ANNIE ROONEY : Mary Piekford — this is a sweet little picture, and not so little either, as it is ten reels. The crowd liked this a lot. I don’t think it is as good as a lot of hers, but no one can complain because a picture is only as good as Mary Pickford’s average, as that makes it worth three ordinary average pictures. — Chas. Lee Hyde, Grand theatre, Pierre, S. D. — Small town patronage. LITTLE ANNIE ROONEY: Mary Piekford— Excellent. A picture that outdoes them all. A marvelous production handled in every respect to a finished point. Played this with “The Chase,” which makes a combination for entertainment that is hard to equal. Ten reels. — Lorin theatre, Berkeley, Cal. — Family patronage. DON Q: Douglas Fairbanks — Many patrons stopped to tell me that they liked the picture very much, but didn’t sell enough tickets to break even. Eleven reels.— Ernest H. Vetter, Majestic theatre, Homer, Mich. — Small town patronage. DON Q: Douglas Fairbanks — Good-bye Douglas. For years and years I have shown your pictures, used to make a little dough on them, but I know when I have enough. I have stood some awful wallops from you and Hiram but the knockout came with “Don Q.” It’s the best thing you have made in years but after boosting it every way possible I just had to stand a loss on a two day run. Pretty soft for you and Hiram. You sure have good salesmen, but they are going to strike a snag next time they call here. I’ll never forget “Don Q.” Not much. Ten reels.— Steve Farrar, Orpheum theatre, Harrisburg, 111.— High class patronage. THE GOLD RUSH: Charley Chaplin— My audience expected to see a real comedy-drama but most of them told me they were disappointed. Not the picture people expected to see and not worth the money I paid for it. — J. Hollenbak, Liberty theatre, Lynden, Wash. — General patronage. THE GOLD RUSH: Charley Chaplin— This was beyond a doubt the poorest money-getter I have ever played that cost what it did. I paid ten times what I should for it and did not gross the rent in three days. Ten reels. — C. M. King, Palace theatre, Burkburnett, Tex. — General patronage. THE GOLD RUSH: Charley Chaplin — Big business but did not please. Advertised heavy in surrounding towns and that brought them in. Paid too much for film. Just broke even. Ten reels. R. J. LaVoise, Strand theatre, Huntington, W. Va. — General patronage. SALLY OF THE SAWDUST: D. W. Griffith— Forever and ever and then some I am off of D. W. G. pictures at the rentals United Artists gets for them. Here is a wonderful picture, one that pleases them all. A positive knockout, and oh ! the good money I spent on advertising, twenty-fours two weeks in advance, fifty dollars for newspaper space, trailers, teaser slides and can anyone explain why this did not do business ? Damifiknow. But never again for me. Eleven reels. — Steve Farrar, Orpheum theatre, Harrisburg, 111. — High class patronage. THE SALVATION HUNTERS: Mae Marsh— Poorest picture I have ever seen. Absolutely