Exhibitors Herald (1926)

50 BOX OFFICE RECORD SECTION OF April 10, 1926 Scofield, U.) This is a cracker jack. Something different. Full of action. Will get the money. (Monticello Opera House. Monticello. la.) Fairly well but did not please near as well os "The Air Hawk” or "The Cloud Rider.” {Regent. Eureka. Kan.) A very good picture filled with action and thrills. Drew me a large crowd. Pleased everyone. (Ecorsc, Ecorse. Mich.) SLAVE OF FASHION, A, MGM, Norma Shearer. Lew Cody. William Haines, Mery Carr, 5,9SS. — Saturday night to a nice little business. This is a very Interesting little picture, different in soma ways to the average program. You boys can feel sure that this one will be an ornament to your program, so don’t be afraid of it. (Ideal, Chateaugay. N. Y.) Real good woman’s picture, although the fashions were conspicuous by their absence. (Lily, Buffalo, N. Y.) Excellent picture. Quite different from the ordinary run of pictures. Audience seemed well satisfied. (Lorin, Berkeley, Cal.) Day after Xmas. Not so big. Picture O. K. (Regent, Bogota, N. J.) One of the most pleasing comedies we have shown in months and one that was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. Had many favorable comments. Norma Shearer very good but Cody was in a part not usual for him. (Paramount, Okanogan, Wis.) A good society story that pleased. Drew far better than I expected. (Photoplay, Ashland, Kan.) Fine picture and pleased the majority. No kicks at all. (Pastime, Sandersville, Ga.) A nice program picture. No more. Metro-Goldwyn Is putting out the worst 11x14 photos we ever received. (Regent, Eureka, Kan.) A nice entertaining picture. Didn’t seem to get any extra business. (Electric, Chillicothe. Mo.) One hundred per cent entertainment, if you can get them in. Title and photos seemed to kill it for us. (Grand, Rainier, Ore.) We played this Thanksgiving to a 100 per cent audience. Miss Shearer has lots of followers here and is extremely good in this production. Will stand two days in any theatre. (Temple, Aberdeen, Miss.) A very fine picture. This lady is the coming star. Pleased all. (Pastime, Warren, Ark.) Seemed to please majority, but thought it little below star's standard. (Crossett, Crossett, Ark.) SMOOTH AS SATIN, FBO, Evelyn Brent, Bruco Gordon, Fred Kelsey, Fred Esmelton, Mabel Van Buren, 6. — A very good crook melodrama. Did a good biisiness. Patrons like pictures of this sort that keep them guessing what’s going to happen next. No wonder the Capitol in New York booked it. They gave their patrons a wonderful chance. (Bugg, Chicago, 111.) This was a fine show. Rating 96 per cent. Films pretty fair. (Jewel, Verndale, Minn.) I think this is the best this star has made, and she sure made a hit here. The burning tunnel is some thriller. Good for any day. It’s easy a 100 per cent picture. No sickening love trash. (Jewel, Verndale, Minn.) A very good crook story. This star seems to be coming along good for me. Six reels. (Photoplay, Ashland, Kan.) Too slow and draggy. Six reels. (Palace, Seadrift, Tex.) Picture with lots of action, interest and suspense. Best of her recent pictures we have shown. Six reels. (Palace, Mt. Pleasant, Tex.) SOME PUNKINS, Chad., Charles Ray, George Fawcett, Fanny Midgley, Duane Thompson, 7,000. — ^This is a good Charley Ray picture. He sure can act a country boy. You won’t go wrong if you book "Some Punkins" if your patrons like this boy. (Eagle, Westville, 111.) A typical Ray picture. Pleased everyone. Good, clean drama in the heart interest. Give us more of these. Admission 10 and 26 cents. (Woodward Hall, Hill, N. H.) SON OF HIS FATHER, A, FP. Warner Baxter, Bessie Love, Raymond Hatton, Walter McGrall. 6,925. — ^A dandy good picture and one that any small town will make money on. Seven reels. (Washington. Atoka, Okla.) Our biggest business since "The Ten Commandments.” Did a greater business on this picture than "The Freshman.” The so-called National Guide to Motion Pictures says this picture was one of the dullest on record. In other words. Photoplay Magazine (for December) has listed this production as one on which to save your time. Who are these birds that can sit in their swivel chairs and advise the public what to see and what not? I hope none of our exhibitor friends will accept this magazine as a guide. Had we read the report in Photoplay before buying the picture we might have been tempted to lay off, but on the contrary we read favorable reports in Exhibitor’s Herald and made some real money. Pleased our patrons and they stopped on their way out to tell us so. Thanks to the Herald for their service. We have no room on our desk for so-called guides as "Photoplsy." (Palace, Syracuse, Neb.) My patrons said they were a little bit disappointed in this. Several told me they classed It as above the average Western. Didn't see it myself. (Photoplay, Ashland. Kans.) Very good. Action and comedy throughout and a picture you can boost to the skies and not worry about whether you will please the patrons as you will. (Rialto, New England, N. D.) Exceptionally good Western action picture and a drawing card. Pleased my crowd and I did good business. (Lyric, Hartington, Neb.) Another good one from Paramount Almost as good as “The Pony Express.” Play it and reap. (Grand, Yoakum. Tex.) Here is an exceptionally fine picture and one that pleases your audience. However, Paramount asks too much money for it, so that the poor exhibitor is left with the crumbs. Book it but buy it right. (Strand. Ransom. Kans.) Just right in every respect. Don't be afraid of this one. Has everything that an audience likes, scenery, action and comedy. Just the right amount of comedy at the right time and in the right place. (American, Wautoma, Wis.) Did not see this but did see the box oSce statements and they were "a sight for sore eyes.” After failing to do any business with two state right Harold Bell Wrights, we put this one of Paramount's on and did a fine business. Critics do not seem to think so much of it, but at opened big and repeated for us — and they are our critics. (Cresco, Cresco, Iowa.) This picture held up good for a three night run. Geen and just enough comedy to put the picture over. As near a 100 per cent as possible. (Cozy, Fayette, lo.) A fine picture of the West. Drew well but failed to make any money, as rental was too high. (Dixie, Winona, Miss.) A good picture and one that will please any H. B. Wright or any Gray fans. Don’t be afraid of it. (Palace, Burkburnett, Tex.) Good picture but not worth money we paid for it. (Princess, Traer, la.) Here's one that can stand a lot of advertising. The author’s name alone is a good drawing card. Also stood a 40 cents admission, where Hastings, a town of 14,000, charged 30 cents and didn’t bother my crowd at all. (Paramount, Harvard, Neb.) Pleased everyone. Suitable for any audience. Played three nights to capacity house. If we had more like this maybe the small town exhibitor could live. (Strand. Milford, Iowa.) A high-class Western drama, well produced and well acted, with good drawing power due to Harold Bell Wright’s popularity. Title rather misleading to those who haven’t read the story, so let them know that it >3 a Western type and advertise it strong, as it will satisfy at advanced prices. Good comedy relief, and it’s clean. Play up the story’s run in McCall’s Magazine. I ran in too close to release date to get benefit of big town advertising, but drew very well. (Hamline, Estelline, S. D.) This is one of the best out-door pictures I ever ran. Has story, comedy, action, good direction and the paramount finish. Pleased 100 per cent. Would call it a knockout. (Star, Montevideo, Minn.) Boys, step on this one and advertise it big. In my estimation one of the finest ever made. The book will bring 'em in and they'll go away more than satisfied. (Capitol, Hartley, la.) This one was good all right yet it was a little disappointing to my patrons. It could have been better. (Dixie, Russellville, Ky.) A plain ordinary Western that pleased my people. They like pretty near all out-door pictures here. (Reel Joy. King City, Cal.) A 100 per cent entertainment. Pleased all. Good clean Western drama. (Opera House, Fennimore, Wis.) A real picture and a wonderful cast. Broke house records on this one. Just packed ’em in. A good story and a picture that is a good one. You've got to give it to Paramount for making good ones. (Monroe. Monroe, la.) Good entertainment. Nicely put up in every way. Not like the story. Many did not like the cast. Did a fair business. (Princess, Mapleton. la.) We consider this the best Western picture of the year, both from an entertainment standpoint and exhibition value. 60 per cent more business with less advertising than on "The Pony Express.” This story ran as a serial in "McCall’s Magazine” ; tell them about it in your advertising and watch your box office receipts. (Opera House, Greenfield, 111.) An ordinary Western sold at a fancy price. (The Crystal, Flandreau, S. D.) A fine Western which drew a good crowd in zero weather and then pleased them. Better picture than "Wild Horse Mesa" and drew better. Many had read the story in "McCalls," which fact helped at the box office. This show is good for two days anywhere and is sure fire for the small town exhibitor. Bessie Love the real hit of the picture, although Baxter and Raymond Hatton also did good work. (Community. Surprise, Neb.) Are any of you fellows banking on what the critic In Photoplay Magazine says about pictures? If you arc, cut it out. He or she razzed this one, and also "Keeper of the Bees,” which were according to my patrons two of the best pictures I showed in 1926. (American, Wautoma, Wis.) Just ordinary Western, but box office drawing card on account of author. Pleased most all, but no special. (Cozy, Strawn, Tex.) This drew extra good for two days. 20 and 30 cents admission. (O. K., Lewisport, Ky.) Very pleasing high class Westl ern. (Sunshine, Darlington, Ind.) Here is an ideal small town picture from every angle. Grab this and boost it and if you get them in (which should be easy on account of it being a Harold Bell Wright story) the picture will please them. We boosted prices on it for a New Year’s show and done fine business and pleased as near lOO per cent as any of them will. (Rex, Colby, Wis.) A splendid Western picture. (Silver Family, Greenville, Mich.) This picture evidently built for box office. Did nice business and pleased all who saw it. Personally, I thought it only ordinary. (Minor, Areata, Cal.) This picture U a big Western. Done up in Paramount style. Quite a lot of comedy. Will satisfy anybody that likes Westerns, but it is not worth the big price Paramount charges for it. Some told me that it deviates from the book. (Strand, Dunsmuri, Cal.) Ksrold Bell Wright’s novel made a very pleasing picture and both stars suited to their roles. (S. T., Parker, S. D.) Played two days for the benefit of the Boy Scouts to fairly good attendance. Wright’s name helps to pull them in and it will sure please the action lovers and the boys. It is a mighty good program picture. (Y, Nazareth, Pa.) This is another case of just a fair Western, but Paramount makes a yell about it being a special. Also got all the money. Not a special by any means. (Opera House, Arlington, la.) Barely made me price of feature. Bad weather and season no doubt contributing their share (2nd week in Dec.) Feature nothing to rave about, (Regent. Bogota, N. J.) A picture for the whole family. It is a pleasure to show a picture like this. If you haven’t played this be sure and do so. Paramount will treat you right. Print excellent. (Sterling, Fairmount, Neb.) Very fine Western. Paramount is head and shoulders ahead of all of them on Western pictures. Suiting all classes of patrons with Westerns is some achievement. They do it. (Palace, Ashland. O.) Just a fairly good Western, well acted, but the story as pictured is rather lame. Raymond Hatton makes an interesting invalid. (Community, Minneota, Minn.) Excellent. (Texas, Grand Prairie, Te.x.) This picture proved very entertaining and I would rate it as a little above the average Western. Seven reels. (Blende, Benton. Wis.) SOUL MATES, MGM, Ailcen Pringle, Edmund Lowe, Edythc Chapman, Lucicn Littlefield, 6,000. Wonderful picture. Pleased 99 per cent, as do all Elinor Glyn’s stories. (Lincoln Square, Decatur, 111.) Alleen Pringle is also in this and is very fair, but don’t forget that Edmund Lowe puts this picture over. Our people sure like him. They liked the picture, too. It is real good, although no special. Sub-titles a little risque but not too much so for our people. (Majestic, Bowie, Tex.) While this one has a foreign story, they never found it out until we got them in and the very clever titles help make it a pleasing picture. (Regent, Eureka, Kan.) This is a very good picture. Will hold interest all the way through. Very good for Sunday. Six reels. (Monticello Opera House, Monticello, la.) Here is a very good comedy drama. Takes good for any night. Pleased all that saw it. Six reels. (Grand, Springfield, Minn.) SPLENDID CRIME, THE. FP, Bebe DanieJi, Neil Hamilton, Anne Cornwall, Josephine Crowell, 6,100. — This is a good picture and will please. Not big but entertaining and well handled all the way through. (Grand, Pierre, S. D.) Not up to this star’s past performances. Just fair and nothing more. Film rental too high. (Kentland. Kentland, Ind.) Just a fair picture. Business only fair. (Lyric, Morrison, 111.) This pleased large per cent. (Texas, Grand Prairie, Tex.) A good program picture. Bebe is getting better all the time. I have no trouble in putting her pictures over. It is just a program picture with a good star and priced right. (Washington, Atoka, Okla.) A very nice program picture. I ran it on Sunday and it pleased. I think that Bebe gets better in every picture. There was a little action and enough comedy that the picture went over in nice shape. (Moon, Neligh, Neb.) A fairly good little program pictiue. Business only fair. It’s just the same old crook story that don’t mean much to any box office. The acting of Miss Daniels is the only redeeming feature about it. (Bugg. Chicago, 111.) A weak offering that got by and that's about all. Would class this a fair program picture. Nothing more. 1 have found the great majority of Paramount’s Fall and Winter group rather poor pictures. (Majestic, Camden, S. D.) A fine program picture. Clean and entertaining.