Exhibitors Herald (1926)

February 5, 1927 EXHIBITORS HERALD 51 “What the Picture Did For Me” VERDICTS ON FILMS IN LANGUAGE OF EXHIBITOR Copyright, 1926 This is the original exhibitors * reports department, established October 14, 1916. Beware of cheap, misleading imitations. “ What the Picture Did for Me” is the one genuine source of exhibitor-written box office information. Address: “What the Picture Did for Me,” EXHIBITORS HERALD, 407 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, III. Associated Exhibitors KING OF THE SADDLE: Bill Cody— Dandy little Western, and a little higher class than the general run of Westerns. Bill, give us some more. Five reels. — Steve Brown, Mission theatre, Santa Paula, Cal. — General patronage. NORTH STAR: Strongheart — An extra good dog picture. In fact, it is about the best Strongheart picture I have had and I think I have shown all of them. Will please. Played January 11-12. Five reels. — Wm. E. Tragsdorf, Trags theatre, Neillsvile, Wis. — Small town patronage. RAWHIDE: Buffalo Bill, Jr.— This is the first of six which I bought of this star. Pleasing little Western and the star picked out a good name for drawing purposes. Buff is a likely looking cuss and looks as though he is going to be a good bet. Played January 15. Five reels. — Wm. E. Tragsdorf, Trags theatre, Neillsville, Wis. — Small town patronage. Columbia THE BELLE OF BROADWAY: Betty Compson — 30%. A simple story that seemed to please as a change from a steady diet of action pictures. Played December 24-25 — Roy W. Adams, Pastime theatre, Mason, Mich. — General patronage. JUSTICE OF THE FAR NORTH: Special cast — 54%. This was fair. Some Alaska scenery. Slow moving until the last two reels. Played January 13. Six reels. — Mrs. Hulda J. Green, Gem theatre, Greenriver, Utah. — General patronage. SWEET ROSIE O’GRADY: Shirley Mason— 30%. Not much to the story, but the comedy touches in it seemed to put it over acceptably. Played January 21-22. — Roy W. Adams, Pastime theatre, Mason, Mich. — General patronage. THE FALSE ALARM: Dorothy Revier — Another fire picture that will go over and draw a little extra. Story is weak, but the fire scenes are very good, and it has a good bunch of players that are convincing. The main thing in advertising this show is to impress on the public that this is a new story and new picture and is not the “Third Alarm” nor “Still Alarm.” The name is confusing and you will hear them saying it has been here before, etc. Played January 7-8. Six reels. — Raymond Robbins, Pythian theatre, Belt, Mont. — Small town patronage. F. B. 0. BREED OF THE SEA: Ralph Ince— 36%. A good South Sea picture, but it had no drawing power here. New print and good service from F. B. O. Played January 15. Seven reels. — Mrs. Richard A. Preuss, Arvada theatre, Arvada, Colo. — Small town patronage. BREED OF THE SEA: Ralph Ince — 80%. This is one of the F. B. O. Gold Bond pictures. I have shown a number of these Gold Bonds and have not run across a poor one yet. More power to F. B. O. if they keep this up. They will be the talk of the industry. Margaret Livingston is very charming in this picture. She wears very little clothes in this picture and was real good to look at. Some of the men came in again the second night. Played January 5-6. Seven reels. — Lena Harper, Wa-Pa-Co theatre, Watervliet, Mich. — General patronage. BIGGER THAN BARNUM’S: Special east— Editor’s Note Percentage ratings given by exhibitors in reports to this department are obtained in the following manner: Average daily gross of picture reported is divided by average daily gross of picture holding house record to determine relative box office value in terms of percentage. EXAMPLE: ($75 average daily gross of picture reported) divided by $100 (average daily gross of picture holding house record) equals .75 (percentage rating given picture in report). *‘Box Office Ticker ” on page 27, 61%. Fair. Did not draw so well. Good circus picture. Good fire scene. Sixth sheet on advertising killed picture. Played January 7-8. Six reels. — Howard F. Matthews, Huree theatre, Caldwell, Idaho. — General patronage. BIGGER THAN BARNUM’S: Special cast— 50%. This is a good circus picture. Very entertaining ; cast good. They had the wire act a little too high, 80 feet is too high for a canvas with 45-foot center poles. Played January 11— Bert Silver, Silver Family theatre, Greenville, Mich. — General patronage. LONE HAND SAUNDERS: Fred Thomson— 90%. Drew the best crowd we have had in a long time. Played January 11. Six reels. — Meldrim & Clark. Opera House, Edwards, N. Y. — General patronage. LONE HAND SAUNDERS: Fred Thomson— I have seen many very good reports on this, but for myself say that I consider it only fair. Story is too impossible. Silver and the boy both do some good work. I would consider “Hands Across the Border” and “The Tough Guy” as the two best pictures in this last group of four. "The Two Gun Man” and “Lone Hand Saunders” not quite so good. Did not do any big business. Too much cold weather. Played January 14-15. Six reels. — Walter Hohlfeld. Elite theatre, Greenleaf, Kan. — General patronage. LONE HAND SAUNDERS: Fred Thomson— The poorest Fred Thomson to date, and they did not hesitate to tell me so. The whole thing is ridiculous from beginning to end. Can you imagine a man letting a total stranger shoot at a little steel disk strapped over his heart with a six gun ? Suppose there are some who think it is O. K., but personally think it is rotten. Five reels. — Steve Brown, Mission theatre, Santa Paula, Cal. — General patronage. THE BLUE STREAK: Richard Talmadge— 72%. Good stunt picture for Saturday with good plot. For myself I thought there was too much impossible stuff, but they seemed to like it here. Did good business with bad weather. Played January 22. Five reels. — C. E. Longacre, Dixie theatre, Dickson, Tenn. — Small town patronage. DOUBUNG WITH DANGER: Richard Talmadge— 70%. Well up to the standard of all Talmadge pictures. Splendid entertainment that never fails to please the majority of fans. Played January 17. Five reels. — H. P. Morley, Princess theatre, Buchanan, Mich. — Small town patronage. LADDIE: John Bowers — 65%. This is an extra good picture. Get behind it and boost it. Good for Monday and Tuesday at a raise in admission. Seven reels. — S. D. Hyter, Kansas theatre, Kiowa, Kan. — General patronage. NO MAN’S LAW: Bob Custer — 70%. Very good Western for Saturday. All of Bob’s pictures go good here. Played January 15. Five reels. — C. E. Longacre, Dixie theatre, Dickson, Tenn. — Small town patronage. THE WILD BULL’S LAIR: Fred Thomson— 25%. Very good. Will please the women as well as the men. Six reels. — Earle J. Williams, Tivoli theatre, Knoxville, 111. — General patronage. LADY ROBINHOOD: Evelyn Brent— 90%. A very good Saturday picture ; full of action. Nobody registered a kick. Think they were well pleased. 1 think they are good enough that I am shifting them over to two days. Played January 8. Six reels. — C. E. Longacre, Dixie theatre, Dickson, Tenn. — Small town patronage. LET’S GO GALLAGHER: Special cast— 58%. Like all the others, pleased 100 per cent. Had this booked long ago, but was substituted at the time. However, print in good condition. We have played all the old Tyler’s and can say there was not one bad one. We start on the new ones next month, and if the coming eight are as good as the last, we are satisfied and consider we have made a good buy. How about a photo, Tyler? Played January 8. Five reels. — J. S. Landry, Columbia theatre, Morganza, La. — Small town patronage. HANDS ACROSS THE BORDER: Fred Thomson— 75%. Fred shooting, riding and loving his way to fame ’midst dashing cabalerros and fascinating senoritas. Fred’s pictures always speak the box office language for us, with Silver King’s assistance. Played January 15. Six reels. — O. B. Junkins, Manzanita theatre, Carmel, Cal. — General patronage. KEEPER OF THE BEES: Special cast — 60%. This is one of the best pictures I ran for some time, although it is quite old it is O. K. Played January 4-5. Seven reels. — A. J. Koehler, Koehler theatre, Uehling, Neb. — General patronage. THE WYOMING WILDCAT: Tom Tyler— 88%. Good Saturday night program. My first Tyler picture. Kids went wild over Frankie, dog and pony. Tom, I would like your photo for my lobby. Played January 18. Six reels. — W. J. Matthews, Princess theatre, Bolivar, Tenn. — Small town patronage. ONE MINUTE TO PLAY: Red Grange— 25%. This was a good picture. Was surprised to see how “Red” could act. He screens well, too. Did not make much money on this, but all who came were pleased. Eight reels. — Adeline G. Hunter, Ruth theatre, Ruth, Nev. — Small town patronage. THAT DEVIL QUEMADO: Fred Thomson— 30%. Here is a good picture ; not as good ais some of Thomson’s latter pictures, but will please. Fred and Silver are well liked here. Fred, send me a picture of you and Silver King for my office. Five reels. — Earle J. Williams, Tivoli theatre, Knoxville, 111. — General patronage.