Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1928)

March 24, 1928 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MO\ ING PICTURE WORLD 47 ■ — Guy Loudermilk. Fairy theatre. Nappanee, Ind. — General patronage. HOME MADE: Johnny Hines— 25%. March L This is a good funny program picture. — Bert Silver. Silver Family theatre. Greenville, Mich. — General pattronage. SWEET DADDIES: Special cast— 95%. March IL If any one likes comedy this should take well, for if they don't laugh at this I dont' think there is any laugh in them. Everyone of our patrons enjoyed this picture. Seven reels. — David Straszer. Lyceum theatre, Manchester, Mo. — General patronage. SWEET DADDIES: Special cast— Very good. Seven reels. — J. W. Schmidt, Grand theatre, Breese. 111. — General patronage. THE OVERLAND STAGE: Ken Maynard— 32%. February 22. Why buy a covered wagon or any so-called special Western when you can buy Maynards that are better. If there are any of you small town exhibitors who haven't played this star you're passing up 6ome Westerns that will be a knockout at the box-office after your people get acquainted with them. We have played two now and have no trouble getting them in in the middle of the week, which is going some under any conditions. Seven reels. — Pioneer Pete, Pioneer theatre, Amasa, Mich. — ■ Small town patronage. MAN CRAZY': Dorothy Mackaill— 40%. February 29. Good little picture. Plenty of good comments on this one. Not much title to draw them in. Six reels. — E. D. Luna, Cozy theatre, Wagoner, Okla. — Small town patronage. HER WILD OAT: Colleen Moore— 70%. March 5. One of the best pictures Colleen ever gave us. Pleased all who saw it. Good story and well produced. Seven reels. — E. D. Luna, Cozy theatre. Wagoner. Okla. — Small town patronage. THE CRYSTAL CUP: Special cast— 25%. March 2. This is a good program picture. — Bert Silver, Silver Family theatre, Greenville, Mich. — General patronage. BREAKFAST AT SUNRISE: Constance Talmadge — 50%. March 5-6. As good as most, from this star. But she has lost her following for me. I cannot see her as a box office bet. Six reels. — A. E. Andrews, Opera House. Emporium, Pa. — General patronage. SENOR DAREDEVIL: Ken Maynard— 24%. February 8. This is the firef Maynard we have played and boys and girls, I want to tell you it's a wow ! We may be behind the times so this report will serve only as a confirmation for many exhibitors. To tho6e who have not booked any of the Maynards I want to say that you're cheating your patrons out of a real treat. Photography excellent. Backgrounds beautiful and magnificent and on top of this the first real Western plot that we have seen in months and months. Seven reels. — Pioneer Pete, Pioneer theatre, Amasa. Mich. — Small town patronage. THE FLYING ROMEO: Sidney-Muarry— A good clean comedy just as good as previous pictures by these stars. Seven reels.— Whitney Burr, Orpheum theatre, Lancaster. Wis. — General patronage. LADIES NIGHT IN A TURKISH BATH: Mulhall-Mackaill — Good comedy drama. Wasnt' necessary to have the hoochy kooch dance, but it will get by all right. Seven reels. — Whitney Burr, Orpheum theatre, Lancaster, Wis. — General patronage. THE WAGON SHOW: Ken Maynard— March 1. Not as good as "Gun Gospel." A little draggy all along. Ken doesn't get the business like Gibson or Mix. Seven reels. — P. J. Durkin. Majestic theatre, Perry, III. — Small town patronage. THE LOVE MART: Billie Dove— February 26-27. Good picture but think patrons would rather see her in modern stories. Business fair. — J. L. Seiter, Selma theatre, Selma. Cal. — Small town patronage. THE NOOSE: Richard Barthelmess— The best work that Barthelmess has done, and the picture is first rate from every angle and will please all classes. I would say the title is mighty poor for first run houses and should be changed. — IW. H. Brenner, Cozy theatre. Winchester, Ind. — General patronage. THE NOOSE: Richard Barthelmess— March J. This would have been a very much better audience picture if they had made the sad part at least a reel shorter. The women who love to cry enjoyed it, but it was too long drawn out for the men, with no comedy relief. I am not speaking from experience but I always supposed the death march started from the cells nearest to the gallows instead of passing a lot of cells containing a lot of prisoners. A good picture which I would class a great picture if it were not so draggy in the last half. Eight reels. — O. G. Blakeslee, Cozy theatre, Medford, Wis. — General patronage. THE WHIP WOMAN: Special cast— Another reason why people are not going to the movies, "The Whip Woman I" Estelle Taylor does not know where she's at half the time. Overacts : the story is foolish. There is not one atom of entertainment in the whole picture and the general expression of some that ■walked out on it, when I asked what the trouble was, just simply said "Nothing to it. a lot of hooey.' whatever that is. But that must be what it is for it is not entertainment, and I would pay it rather than have run it only I didn't «ee it the first night. All they have to do to take a permanent vacation and shutdown at Hollywood is to make a few in between like this, one and they will get a permanent vacation along with the rest of we small town showmen. That's that. — A. E. Hancock. Columbia theatre. Columbia City. Ind.— General patronage. SAILOR'S WIVES: Special cast— February 8. Very good, but a few didn't catch on. Poor crowd, bad weather. — P. J. Durkin. Majestic theatre. Perry. 111. — -Small town patronage. SAILOR'S WIVES: Astor-Hughes — A fair program picture and two nice stars. A good evening's entertainment. Seven reels. — Whitney Burr, Orpheum theatre, Lancaster, Wis. — General patronage. rox SEVENTH HEAVEN: Gaynor-Farrell— 28%. February 21-22. A wonderful picture. Zero weather kept our patrons away. However, we have never played a better picture. Good print. Don't fail to play it. Eleven reels. — K. D. Francis, Family theatre. Metamora. Mich. — General patronage. PAID TO LOVE: Special cast— 22%. February 29-March 1. Was oversold on this one. Picture was very ordinary and the star is a weak sister for me. Fox film got about ten dollars more for it than I was able to take in at the box office in two days. Seven reels. — A. E. Andrews, Opera House, Emporium, Pa. — General patronage. SILK LEGS: Madge Bellamy— 80%. March 9. Oh, boy, let me tell you, get sold on this one, and then sell it to your customers for what it's really worth. The title will draw and the picture will deliver all you promise. Bellamy is always good looking but in this she is beautiful, such eyes ou la la. give us some more like it and we'll all be happy. Six reels. — Tommy Cannon, Majestic theatre, Greenfield, Tenn. — Small town patronage. THE WIZARD: Edmund Lowe— 18%. March 2. A picture of "Go and Get It" type but quite a few say it is better and I agree. It is different from what we have been showing, and if you boost it it should make you money. Measles killed my percentage and Lowe is good as usual and entire cast one-hundred per cent. Seven reels. — Tommy Cannon, Majestic theatre, Greenfield, Tenn. — Small town patronage. OUTLAWS OF RED RIVER: Tom Mix— 45%. Considered by patrons to be up to Mix standard, but nothing unusual. Six reels. — Tommy Cannon, Majestic theatre, Greenfield, Tenn. — Small town patronage. PUBLICITY MADNESS: Lois Moran— 31%. February 29. Some said good, some bad. Nothing new, old stuff. Six reels. — L. W. Bagwell. Jr., Crystal theatre, Oakman, Ala. — General patronage. BLOOD WILL TELL: Buck Jones— 50%. Jones and Eagle register 6trong in this one. Though business is only fifty per cent of usual. Five reels. — T. A. Shea. Palace theatre, McGehee, Ark. — Neighborhood patronage. THE GAY RETREAT: Special cast— 28%. February 23. Good comedy. Just step in the door when they come out. They sure will compliment on it, for they are still laughing. Six reels. — L. W. Bagwell. Jr.. Crystal theatre, Oakman. Ala. — General patronage. GOOD AS GOLD: Buck Jones— 54%. March 10. Not the best Jones but a very satisfactory Western. I believe the late product is better than last year's. The idea of a man falling from a high cliff and getting up and shaking himself, then walking away, is a little hard for some to understand. We want them more real. Five reels. — Tommy Cannon. Majestic theatre, Greenfield, Tenn. — Small town patronage. LADIES MUST DRESS: Virginia Valli— 22%. First-class program picture ; as usual Valli fine. Too much charitable competition ruined business for me, otherwise my percentage would read different. — Tommy Cannon. Majestic theatre, Greenfield, Tenn. — Small town patronage. ARIZONA WILD CAT: Tom Mix— 50%. When they fail to come and see Mix, then business is poor, and that's what happened with this one. Picture O. K. ; business rotten. Five reels. — T. A. Shea. Palace theatre. McGehee, Ark. — Neighborhood patronage. HIGH SCHOOL HERO: Special cast— Hey, here's a knockout. Tied up with high school girls' society. They put on five acts of vaudeville that would make Roxy weep with jealousy. The cleanest, best doggonned comedy ever. Get behind this one. Get them out. It's nobody's fault but your own if you play to empty seats. 10 and 25 cents. — Dr. F. M. Childs, Cozy theatre, Villisca, la. — General patronage. THE SECRET STUDIO: Olive Borden— Not such a bad picture but very much drawing power. Six reels. — Colonial theatre, Moulton, la. — Small town patronage. PAJAMAS: Olive Borden— Very good entertainment for adults. Some scenes entirely too suggestive for youngsters. Censors must have been asleep when this one was shown them. Six reels. — T. A. Shea, Palace theatre, McGehee, Ark. — Neighborhood patronage. THE LAST TRAIL: Special cast — A good Zane Grey. — J. W. Schmidt. Grand theatre. Breese. III. — General patronage. HILLS OF PERIL: Buck Jones— Good Western. The horse is improving. Five reels. — -Colonial theatre, Moulton. Ia. — -Small town patronage. THE HEART OF SALOME: Alma Rubens— March 1. Didn't draw so well, but it brought out a few who seldom come and I think it pleased. Six reels. — E. C. Bays. Glove theatre, Buena Vista. Va.— General patronage. THE WAR HORSE: Special cast -Good. — J. W. Schmidt, Grand theatre, Breese, 111. — -General patronage. SUMMER BACHELORS: Madge Bellamy— February 26-27. A fair program picture filled with hooch, necking, wild come-ons and suggestiveness. Probably duck soup for the morons in the cities, but not bo good out in the alfalfa districts. Six reels. — Win. E. Tragsdorf, Trags theatre. Neillsville. Wis. — Small town patronage. THE RETURN OF PETER GRIMM : Alec B. Francis — March 1-2. One of the finest pictures I have shown for a long time, and I am not in the habit of picking any poor ones. From reports in the Herald I knew it was very good, but regardless of that information I could not get in the people who ought to see it. 60 I turned it over to the ladies of the Methodist Church and they packed the house. The preacher, among many others, told me it was the finest picture they had ever seen. Eight reels. — Wm. E. Tragsdorf. Trags theatre. Neillsville. Wis. — Small town patronage. CRADLE SNATCHERS: Specal cast— This is a knockout of a comedy. It was sure hot. and some of the prudes thought it was wicked, but they will come and see it. The players are all great in their parts. Six reels. — E. W. McClelland, Rex theatre, Gilman City, Mo. — Small town patronage. THREE BAD MEN: Special cast— They don't make Westerns any better than this. Eight reels. — J. W. Schmidt, Grand theatre. Breese, 111. — General patronage. BERTHA, THE SEWING MACHINE GIRL: Madge Bellamy — Madge is certainly beautiful. Fashion show shots great, will please the ladies and the men will fall for it. J. Farrell MacDonald good, as usual. Basketball tournament hit business. 10 and 25 cents. Six reels.— Dr. F. M. Childs. Cozy theatre. Villicsa, Ia. — General patronage. Gotham THE CHEER LEADER: Special cast^-75%. Very good little college story. Weather was very bad the second night therefore did not make any money. — W. U. Shelnutt, City theatre. Lafayette, Ala — General patronage. ft as good as a trip through Chinatownand a lot JOHNNY I funnier MINES Chinatown Charlie A 3ii*t national Picture