Exhibitors Herald World (Jan-Mar 1929)

68 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD January 12, 1929 J. C. Jenkins — His Colyum CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS, December 30, 1928. DEAR HERALD-WORLD: This city is still decked out in holiday attire. The streets are arched over with a canopy of red, green, orange and blue lights that gives the impression of a gala day at the county fair. The theatres are offering excellent entertainment with a lack of patronage that is difficult to understand, and this calls to mind the question that has been asked us so many, many times in the past few weeks, WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH THE BUSINESS? * * * While it has been a lifelong habit of ours to be optimistic, yet this typewriter has become pessimistic in spite of all we can do. This is occasioned, no doubt, by our constant desire to tell the truth, and to tell the truth as we see it will call forth a storm of protest from the four corners of the earth, and we will be charged with having a sour stomach superinduced by a disgruntled disposition. Be that as it may, here is the truth as we see it and as we have observed it during our wanderings over various parts of the realm during the last year. Generally speaking, attendance at theatres is gradually falling off. That's the first statement, mark it down. In the show business it is considered the proper thing to say that business is good, even though the sheriff is standing out in front with the keys in his hand. But somehow that "hatchet"' story impressed itself on our mind when we were a kid and we have had a great deal of admiration for little George ever since, although historians have disagreed on the question as to whether it was an apple or a cherry tree. On January 1, 1931, there will be 5,000 less theatres in operation than there will be on January 1, 1929. That's statement No. 2 — mark that down also, and if you want to put a note after this statement saying "that guy is crazy," it will be all right with as. * * * How do we arrive at that conclusion? It's the easiest thing in the world. If a man sees a black hen laying a white egg he knows darned well that it isn't a Shanghai rooster — that is, if he knows anything about chickens. Your fir.--t question naturally would be, "What is the cause and what is the remedy," and here is where we all get into deep water. The man who is able to find a cause and point a remedy is the man who is worth while, that's why some candidates are elected President and others are defeated. We are not very strong on causes, but when it comes to figuring effects we believe we will grade 100 per cent. In the last four weeks we have sat in no less than 50 theatres that we know didn't take in enough money at the box office to pay for the program, and anyone who can't figure the effect ought to be put back in the first grade. And that's why we say that there will be 5,000 less theatres two years from next Tuesday. All theories are good provided they are good theories, and we have more theories than there are bootlegger outside of Chicago, most of which are not worth a nickel [Editor's iNote: Who, the bootleggers?] and the balance are worth even less. We will give you some of them but we wouldn't have the nerve to charge for them. You go down the street and you hear Tom Johnson say to Bill Smith, "Why the I dickens didn't you come over to our radio party last night? We tuned in on PX'i M and got Billy Burlap and his jazz orchestra and it was simply immense!" Well, says Bill. "I I wanted "to go down to the theatre and see "THE KISS AT MIDNIGHT" but when I got home I found that my wife had invited the whole damn neighborhood over to hear Ted Malony's 'Royal Syncopators' over XOPQ." * * * That's one of the causes. Then you hear the blonde at the ribbon counter a?k the clerk in the codfish department if he went over to (the nearest city, whatever it i I and heard the Vitaphone. She simply raves about it, says it seemed like the whole town was over there and wonders why they couldn't have such entertainment here at home. And she wind up by saying, "This theatre manager here must be a dub, he never has anything Worth seeing." That's another cause. Then there is the epidemic of flu, of basketball, of football, of election excitement, of home talent plays, of commencement exercises, of Christmas festivities, of house parties, of whist parties and the Lord only knows what else, all of which the small theatres feel the effect of, and feel it so strongly that we again assert that unless something unforseen takes place to change conditions, the small theatres are doomed and there will be none left except those in the cities and possibly county seat towns. Yes, this is a pessimistic view, we will grant. We would like to get up on top of this hotel and shout that business for 1929 had a rosy outlook, and shout it loud enough to be heard from Pipestone, Minn., to Tombstone, Ariz., but that old hatchet story comes up in our mind and, like George, we wouldn't lie to please anybody (unless there was something in it, and there isn't), and you can take this for what it is worth, which isn't much. We have tried to point a few of the causes. The remedy is up to you. We don't offer any remedy, and if you can — and one that will bring the answer — you would be worth more i to Herb in his cabinet than you would be to the theatre business, and that is saying a plenty, for the government needs such as you. We have too few such already. We have heard it frequently said by men who run off at the mouth, that the reason the small town theatremen are not making a success is because they are lazy and unfit for the business. We will grant that in some instances this is true, but when they blanket the entire small town theatremen with this scandalous imputation, we are going to resent it with all the power we have, for we are just egotistical enough to believe that if there is a man in the | business who knows these boys and what they really are, we are the guy, for if our associations with thousands of them in 18 states in the past three years hasn't taught us something, (Continued on next page) Manning, Opera House. Baldwin, Wis. — Small town patronage. THREE RING MARRIAGE: Man' Astor— 75%. December 1. A dandy picture. Everyone pleased. Don't be afraid to step on this one. Seven reek. — B. Hollenbeck, Rose theatre, Sumas, Wash.— Small town patronage. HAPPINESS AHEAD: Colleen Moore— December 25. A good picture and well liked. — M. W. Mattecheck, Lark theatre, McMinnville, Ore. — General patronage. OH, KAY: Colleen Moore— 80%. December 22. Plenty laughs and everybody pleased. Good comedy. Seven reels. — B. Hollenbeck, Rose theatre, Sumas, Wash. — Small town patronage. OH, KAY: Colleen Moore— 75%. Too poor to maintain this star'6 reputation. She must deliver something soon. Curtains are in sight. Farce comedy, please, 75 per cent. — M. D. Frazier, Empress theatre, Arma, Kan. — General patronage. OH, KAY: Colleen Moore — Now here's the type of story people seem to like Colleen in, yet it failed to draw any extra business for me. However, the weather conditions were not bo good. It's pretty silly, but it got a number of laughs. (Colleen, I received your Christmas photo all O. K. It looks just like you, or Al .Tolson, I can't say which for certain. "Lilac Time" better do some business or else — ? — I'm off of you.) Seven reels. — P. G. Vaughan, Sun theatre, Kansas City, Mo. — General patronage. THE WHEEL OF CHANCE: Richard Barthelmess — 10%. December 15, Heavy drama. Good picture of its type, but didn't go over very well here. Seven reels. — B. Hollenbeck. Rose theatre, Sumas, Wash. — Small town patronage. THE BIG NOISE: Chester Conklin— December 7. Good comedy — the kind you enjoy. — M. W. Mattecheck, Lark theatre, McMinnville. Ore. — General patronage. THE VALLEY OF THE GIANTS: Special eastGood. — Julius W. Schmidt. Grand theatre, Breese, 111. — General patronage. HEART TROUBLE: Harry Langdon— December 14-15. The first Langdon ever played here and the last. Of all the eilly. senseless 6tuff put in a feature-length picture, this has it. Two reels would be too long for this one. Five reels. — M. A. Manning, Opera House, Baldwin, Wis. — Small town patronage. CANYON OF ADVENTURE: Special cast— Good. —Julius W. Schmidt. Grand theatre. Breese. 111.— General patronage. THE WHIP : Dorothy Mac-kail— While this is a well dressed, well acted picture, it doesn't click or doesn't please. It must be the old English flavor. I don't know what else it can be. Too many long subtitles also. Seven reels. — P. G. Vaughan, Sun theatre. Kansas City, Mo. — General patronage. BROADWAY NIGHTS: Special cast— Good.— Juliu6 W. Schmidt, Grand theatre, Breese, 111. — General patronage. THE YELLOW LILY: Special cast -This is one of the best Billie Dove pictures I have ever run. The work of Clive Brook is remarkable. A story of Russia during the days of the Czar. A good picture that you can't go wrong on. — W. R. Bratton, Stella theatre, Council Glove, Kan. — Small town patronage. THE NOOSE: Richard Barthelmess— Very good. Eight reels. — Julius W. Schmidt, Grand theatre, Breese, 111. — General patronage. THE NOOSE: Richard Barthelmess -December 25. This is a wonderful picture. Had a good crowd. Acting of Alice Joyce is wonderful. Eight reels. — Andrew Rapp. Theatorium theatre, Emlenton, Pa.— General patronage. HEART TO HEART: Special cast— 85%. December 20-21. Very good picture. Miss Astor very good. Story, plot and acting excellent. Pleased very well. Not a special but an A-l program. Eight reels. — M. D. Frazier, Empress theatre, Arma, Kan. — General patronage. CHINATOWN CHARLEY: Johnny HinesDecember 18. Started out poor, but developed into an interesting picture. — M. W. Mattecheck, Lark theatre, McMinnville, Ore. — General palronage. MAN CRAZY: Special cast — Very good.— Julius W. Schmidt, Grand theatre, Breese, 111. — General patronage. FLYING ROMEOS: Sidney Murray— 60%. December 8. Most of the customers seemed satisfied. Personally didn't think very much of this one. Seven reels. — B. Hollenbeck. Rose theatre, Sumas, Wash. — Small town patronage. THE TEXAS STEER: Will Rogers— I -was about the only one that enjoyed this. Sure fell flat. Oh, for some of the good old pictures like Bill used to make. "Just call me Jim" — those are the kind I believe most all small town exhibitors need today. They sure were CLEAN, and I don't remember Bill kissing Irene Rich once. — Julius W. Schmidt, Grand theatre, Breese, 111. — General patronage. THE LITTLE SHEPHERD OF KINGDOM COME: Richard Barthlemess— 80%. November 29. Ran this Thanksgiving afternoon and night with rain and muddy roads as my opposition. Had a good crowd and special music which helped the picture some. John Fox. Jr.'s novel of the Civil War period again comes to the screen, and for people who have never s .en it before. Richard tries hard at a comeback in a Tol'able David role.— W. R. Bratton. Stella theitre. Council Grove, Kan. — Small town patronage. AMERICAN BEAUTY: Billie Dove— Very good.—