Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1929)

64 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD November 30, 1929 He Says: Report on Every Talker Along with reports comes a very interesting letter from C. A. Spainhour of Greensburg, Kan. Located in a town of only 1.200 population, Brother Spainhour has sound equipment and is preparing to give his patrons a season of high grade sound pictures. He appeals to exhibitors to report on every audien they play, to which we say, "Atta boy!" But there is much more of interest in his letter, which follows: Editor: I am sending in reports on two talking pictures I have just shown, and make an appeal to other exhibitors in small towns to make reports on talking pictures regularly. If there ever was a time we need this, it is now, and in making reports say what kind of equipment was used and whether disc or film method of recording. This week I had "Bulldog Drummond" booked for four days, and having paid $100 for it, thought I was going to have something. (I wish to say I bought this early and when my blood pressure was up.) I spent six hours rehearsing this picture and trying to get it to talk but couldn't undertsand over 70 per cent of it, and the words were so unnatural it was a pain in the neck. Played the picture Monday night to $52.40, Tuesday night to $12.20. Pulled it. On Tuesday I put two reels of this picture with their records in my car, drove 85 miles to two other theatres that had different equipments. These houses have been getting good results with some pictures they have used. Their houses are acoustically treated better than mine. But the picture talked just as poor for them as it did for me. Now, I ask you is it the equipments or the recording? Now, my town is 1,200 population and we have to depend on crop conditions and weather. On Wednesday night I put on a Paramount picture, Douglas MacLean in "Divorce Made Easy," and I want to say I have had some of the lousiest talking pictures from Paramount that it's possible to have, yet this one talked good, I would say perfect, could understand every word, and the voices were as natural as I ever heard on anybody's equipment. Now is it the equipment or recording? Might add that while the recording on "Divorce Made Easy" was extra-good, the records sent me were badly scratched and would not stay in sync, something I have had very little trouble with up to this picture. All other recording, even though it wouldn't talk, would stay put. I have about 12 more talking pictures to play, and then, unless I can have some assurance the recording will be good, I am going silent, if I last that long. While I last, I am going to report on every talking picture I play, whether it does anyone any good or not. My gross receipts right now are less than they were a year ago with silent pictures' that cost me about 30 per cent of what I am paying now for talking pictures. A year ago I was making money, now I am losing it. You boys that haven't equipped, pray for me. You boys that have equipped haven't time, so I am not going to ask you to pray for me. In the first place, if you have been equipped very long, your prayers would avail you nothing — you just can't keep in tune and run talking pictures. — C. A. Spainhour, Twilight theatre, Greensburg, Kan. (Continued from page 62) Universal SHOW BOAT (M) : Laura La Plante — October 28-29-30. This is a truly wonderful picture. The music was the best sounding music we have had in 6ix months of 60und pictures. The dialog was mostly good, although bad in one scene. Laura La Plante shows that she is an unusually good emotional actress. The older folks fell for it strong, as it brought back memories of their younger days. The young folks liked it because it was a darn good picture. I had several remarks that the last reel alone was worth the price of admission. Thirteen reels. — M. W. Larmour, National theatre, Graham, Tex. — General patronage. THE WAGON MASTER: Ken Maynard— October 19. This is an outdoors picture that will draw well anywhere Westerns are liked. Maynard sure pleased them here. Six reels. — Mre. O. O. Hare, Crosby theatre, Crosby, Tex. — Small town patronage. THE DRAKE CASE: Special cast— October 17. This is a good picture, worth a fair rental from any exhibitor. Seven reels. — Mrs. O. O. Hare, Crosby theatre, Crosby, Tex. — Small town patronage. THE DRAKE CASE: Special cast — November 11-12. This is what I call a good picture. I studied this picture a lot and decided to make it a special. I did. It did. We raised the admission price and received not one complaint. Many compliments on the picture. This is the first of Universal's 1929-30 features I have used, and I want to say right here that if this is a sample, they are the ones who will give us small fellows a new show world. Book it, boost it, bank it. Six reels. — G. H. Wright, Jr., Star theatre, Wendell, N. Car. — Small town patronage. MELODY LANE: Special cast— October 18-19. I did not think this one would amount to much silent, "but I got a pleasant surprise, as it was a dandy picture and pleased most every one. Six reels. — O. A. Halstead, Cozy theatre, Duchesne, Utah. — General patronage. MELODY LANE: Special cast— October 30. Nothing to it, and in my estimation, poorly directed. Had many walkouts on this one. Title misleading. Seven reels. — Charles Cassinelli, Star theatre, Bulan, Ky. — Small town patronage. COLLEGE LOVE: Special cast— October 30-31. This was sold to us as a special. Checks a good clean program comedy-drama only. Just a good two-reel "Collegian" grown up to six reels.— P. G. Estee, 5. T. theatre, Parker, S. D. — Small town patronage. DANGER RIDER: Hoot Gibson— November 9. Good. Six reels. — G. H. Wright, Jr. Star theatre, Wendell, N. Car. — Small town patronage. THE CHARLATAN: Special cast— Just as good a mystery picture as I have played. Pleased a good crowd. Seven reels.— Harold Smith, Dreamland theatre, Carson, la. — General patronage. HOLD YOUR MAN (AT): Special cast^-October 30-31. Well, we'll have to admit that Uncle Carl surely has a winner in this one. Drew fairly good and pleased 100 per cent. We seldom show a picture that pleased as well as this one. Nothing big, but just a corking good little picture. And believe me it is a relief to run a picture like this after having shown murder trial pictures until they made one sick. Recording good. — -Walker and Donnell, Leroy theatre, Lampasas, Tex. — Small town patronage. THE SMILING TERROR: Ted Wells— November 8-9. Razz! This hardly interested the kids. Best thing about it was its brevity. Business punk. Five reels. — O. B. Wolfe, Screenland theatre, Nevada, O. ■ — Small town patronage. TONIGHT AT TWELVE: Special cast— November 6. They sold us this for a special, but there ien't anything special but the price. Six reels. — Mrs. O. O. Hare, Crosby theatre, Crosby, Tex. — Small town patronage. THE MAN WHO LAUGHS: Emil Jannings— Rotten. The man who really laughs is Carl himself for putting over such a picture. Eleven reels. — ■ R. W. Van Hook, Rialto theatre, Morrillton, Ark. — General patronage. Warner Bros. GOLD DIGGERS OF BROADWAY (AT): Special cast — A marvelous picture. Had many patrons come to see it two and three times. Songs, dances and color are all you could ever ask for. Look for Winnie Lightner to be a real star. Drew well in spite of very bad weather. Recording fine. — R. G. Gorham, Auditorium, Hiawatha, Kan. — General patronage. ON WITH THE SHOW (AT): Special cast— October 21-22-23-24. All in technicolor, and a most excellent picture. However, it cost too much. — H. R. Cromwell, Bedford theatre, Bedford, Pa. — Small town patronage. ON WITH THE SHOW (AT): Special cast— It's a wonderful picture. The scenery beautiful all the way through. No kicks, all praises. Box office smiling. Twelve reek.— Walter Odom & Sons, Dixie theatre, Durant, Miss. — -General patronage. SAY IT WITH SONGS (AT): Al Jolson— The great Al Jolson with Davey Lee. Previewed showing this picture with my family and a few friends and I am at a loss for words to express my feelings to tell you all how good it was. You will just have to play it and see and hear it to know its real worth. It's a Warner Brothers' ten-reel picture. Keep your hanky in a handy pocket — you will need it. — Walter Odom & Sons, Dixie theatre, Durant, Miss. — General patronage. FROZEN RIVER: Rin Tin Tin— November 5-6. Surprised at the way they came in for this one. Biggest bargain night receipts we have ever had. Previous Rin Tin Tin pictures have scarcely come up to normal for us, so I suppose it must have been the addition of Davey Lee that brought them out, since we recently played "Singing Fool." This is a pretty good picture of the type, with good print and photography, and it gave good satisfaction all around. Seven reels. — O. B. Wolfe, Screenland theatre, Nevada, O. — Small town patronage. NOAH'S ARK (TME) : Special cast— A good picture, but too long. Seemed to please about 70 per cent of the crowd.— R. B. Gorham, Auditorium theatre, Hiawatha, Kan. — General patronage. THE TERROR: Special cast— October 31. Played one night only for Halloween. A suitable picture for the occasion. Six reels. — Benjamin Shnitka, Royal theatre, Innisfail, Alta., Canada. — Small town patronage. MY MAN : Fanny Brice — A fairly good picture for regular program. We were stuck on 18 of the Warner Brothers' pictures and have begged for a reduction without getting a dime taken off. Paid $110 for "My Man," and receipts were $113. Population, 5,000, seats 800. — Lee theatre, Eufaula, Ala. — General patronage. FANCY BAGGAGE (TME): Audrey FerrisOctober 31. Pictures like this are doing untold harm to the sound business. The recording is terrible. The male voices sound mushy and are about ten times as loud as the girls' voices. The producers who make recordings like this may make a little money off of them, but in the long run they damage themselves and the exhibitors who are compelled to show them far more than could possibly be made off of any one production. I imagine the picture would be fairly entertaining played silent. But lay off of the talking version. If you have to play it, watch your volume control. — M. W. Larmour, National theatre, Graham, Tex. — General patronage. THE ARGYLE CASE (AT): Special castVery good picture. Meighan's voice is fine. Too many crook stories and murder trials in pictures these days. Failed to click. Recording very good. — R. B. Gorham, Auditorium, Hiawatha, Kan. — General patronage. MADONNA OF AVENUE A (TME): Dolores Costello — October 23-24. Had a lot of walkouts on this one. Nuf sed. Only had 80 paid adult tickets the second day, and Warner Brothers asked us for as much for this thing as we paid for "Wings." — Walker and Donnell, Leroy theatre, Lampasas, Tex. — Small town patronage. Serials PIRATES OF PENZANCE (Universal) : Special cast — Am nearly finishing this serial, and if the finishing touch is as good as the serial itself, must admit that it is one of the best of its kind. Pirate stuff. Played it on my weak night, and attendance increased. (Charles Cassinelli, Star theatre, Bulan, Ky. — Small town patronage.) Miscellaneous DELIGHTFUL ROGUE: (F B O) Rod LaRocque— October 27. Gave us a pain, and presume our patrons figured they would have one, for it was lightest Sunday for many weeks, and roads and weather were good. All about the delightful pirate who single handed and unarmed awes the whole police force of some mythical foreign island In the tropics. Then he kidnaps the cabaret girl's lover, and when she goes to his boat to see about ransom, the pirate tells her the price is a night in his room. Of course, being as how he is a gentleman, it's all in fun, and he states that he was merely testing the love of the kidnapped islander for the girl. The love is no good it seems, and the girl comes to sail away with the delightful gentleman. Seven reels. — P. G. Estee, S. T. theatre, Parker, S. D.— Small town patronage. HEADING FOR DANGER: (FBO) Bob Steele— October 31. As an action picture this one takes its part of the honors. Crowd in uproar at the many escapades athletic Bob goes through. Print and photography good. Six reels. — Charles Cassinelli, Star theatre, Bulan, Ky. — Small town patronage. LAUGHING AT DEATH: (FBO) Bob Steele—