Exhibitors Herald World (Oct-Dec 1930)

EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD December 6, 1930 w THE VOICE OF THE INDUSTRY LETTERS FROM READERS iVo Romance in Iowa? Listen! WE HAVE AT HAND AN ASSOCIATED Press article published in the Sioux City Journal on November 28th. In this article Mr. Sam Goldwyn is reported to have stated there is no romance in Iowa, that one must go to Italy, France or some other place to find romance. We take exception to the statement in view of the fact we were born, raised, and made a good living in the socalled Tall Corn state. There is romance in Iowa, lots of it. There is the romance of business, of farming, labor, love, good homes, fine families. Romance in the fact that Iowa is first in most farm products, first in the amount of money per capita. In fact, Iowa is full of romance but according to the dispatch Mr. Goldwyn had not discovered the same. We want more than hot lovemaking, Jazz-singing pictures. We need real stories of life, and love, stories filled with commonplace romance of life. To prove the above statement let me cite you the career of Mr. Neil Schaffner, an Iowa boy born in Fort Dodge. This man has been very successful with his repertoire show. He not only packs them in at every performance but sends them away happy and in hopes they will see him again the next year. He has written a great number of his plays. They are made to order for Iowa and for the Midwest. His show is different from the average run of repertoire shows. Hisi show is built for the Midwest. The company has a hundred per cent personality, and Mr. Schaffner is the best part of it. We believe that some of the Eastern producers might get some real ideas for pictures from this boy. He is a success. He knows Iowa. His shows make money. He has found the romance in Iowa. If you have never seen him work it is worth while. The boy with a hundred per cent talent and five hundred per cent personality. It is true that the people in Iowa are busy with business ; that is why they have money to spend on entertainment but not the kind that is taken in France or Italy. We want commonplace romances ofl real life such as the Schaffner players give us. — R. F. Kehrbero, Kehrberg Brothers, Inc., Sheldon, Iowa. exhibitors have are play dates. 1 lost five chances to make a dime by running the last five plays mentioned. Some time ago I said in my reports that all two-reel comedies were uniformly poor. Since then I have been running some of Timely Dope from Rand HERE ARE SOME PICTURES RECOMmended for your best nights. Light of Western Stars (Par), The Rogue Song (MGM), Bad Man (FN) and Unholy Three (MGM). The two Westerns are very funny, just what the small town needs. "Unholy Three" will give you a fine turnout. "Rogue Song" is problematical. Of its type, it is very fine Honey (Par), Devil May Care (MGM), Shadow Ranch (Col), will draw and please. Fast Company (Par), Gentlemen of the Press (Par) and Halfway to Heaven (Par) are Rood also. Floradora Girl (M G M)' is good, very eood for the type. Tt is a costume musical play of the '80's, sort of a burlesque. It did not draw well here. Wise Girls (MG M) was a terrible flop. The young people razzed it. older ones said it was good. Lost badly on it. Numbered Men (FN), Way of All Men (FN). Lady Lies (Par) and Road to Paradise (FN) could be omitted easily and room made for something that would pull, though all pleased to a certain extent. All NOTICE D. J. Harkins is not an authorized representative of EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD. Metro's and am glad to report that nearly all of these are good. Laurel and Hardy, especially, find favor with my people. Also, I wish to say that Paramount's newsreel is getting better right along, that it has more action and less posing of celebrities. Baseball, football, tennis, yachting matches are fine. Give us more sports. I saw a few new plays while out in the larger cities. Those Three French Girls (MGM) is from fair to good. With a big Saturday night crowd it should be okay. In a slim house it would not go over so good. Laughter (Par), with Nancy Carroll, is not as big as Paramount makes out. It is good. Nearly all drama, one dance in it., Not a popular type of picture. Critics will enjoy it. Midweek is best. Heads Up (Par), with Buddy Rogers, is a crazy kind of comedymelodrama that will please at a Friday-Saturday showing. Helen Kane boop-a-doops some music. Not a big picture. The play most talked about was Manslaughter (Par). The lowdown on Dixiana (Radio) was not so hot. I don't know whether to run it on my three best nights or not. If any exhibitor has run it, tell us how it went over. People are already asking for "Amos 'n' Andy." — Philip Rand, Rex theatre, Salmon, Idaho. Grateful for Plaque RECEIVED BEAUTIFUL BRONZE plaque this a. m. There are no words to express my gratitude for your kindness in awarding me the plaque. With very best wishes. — Robert K. Yancy, Tri-County's Paradise theatre, Mansfield, Mo. Backing Up Phil Rand I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT ON SOME pictures just played. The Virginian (Par), a dandy. Everyone said okay. Mamba (T), not what the small towns want. Hardly anyone had a good word for it. Hit the Deck (Radio), good. Mountain Justice (U), with Maynard. The people who like Ken were well pleased. But after you play "The Virginian," the other Westerns will look like a ring on a hog's nose. Beau Bandit (Radio) ought to sell for two bits. The Lost Zeppelin (T), a good Friday-Saturday show, but it didn't compare with "Flight." Runaway Bride (Radio) — I wish she had kent running and they had never found her. They have certainly got to stop making these little 2x4 pictures. Case of Sergeant Grischa (Radio) — do not play it if you can trade it. They sold it to me as a special and, boy, what a flop I Gold Diggers of Broadway (WB) is the best we ever played. Rio Rita (Radio) is another good one. I played Party Girl (T) to adults only and cleaned up. Hot Curves (T), a dandy. It will put them all in a good humor. The Cuckoos (Radio) — book it and watch them pack your house. A few shorts, and some of them were so short they were over before they had started. Hotsy Totsy, with Bennie Ruben, bah! In Old Madrid (T), not bad. Mickey Mixey (Radio), good. Old Black Joe (T), good singing. I read Phil Rand's letter in the HeraldWorld, and Phil certainly hits the nail on the head in regard to small pictures. I have a bunch of Radio, also Columbia, bought and I do not know how I am ever going to work them in. I thought by putting them on "family night" I could get rid of them. Well, to show you how dumb some of these bookers are — but why should I show) you? All of you know from experience. Well, I started "family night" every Wednesday, and they sent me 'The Case of Sergeant Grischa, for "family night," and last Wednesday we had Jazz Heaven, with one reel of film shot to the devil, so I have decided to run one more Wednesday night show and quit. What makes a fellow mad is to think they can send you a program in bad shape and it is okay, but just let you do something and how quick they raise 'ell. Just a few days ago, the paper in Strattin, Colo., said our sound was perfect and our shows were so well timed, then Radio sent us a film all cut to hell. Wouldn't that make you go out and vote for light wines and beer and free lunch? — Vona theatre, Vona, Colo. On Lots of Pictures A FEW REPORTS YOU MIGHT LIKE to have. The Border Legion (Par) is the kind of picture people like. Jack Holt helped, and the Paramount trade mark on a Western makes people think of "Covered Wagon" stuff. Border Romance (T) is above the average as a Western and was sold at a price that enables one to make money. Captain of the Guard (U) is Laura LaPlante's finest picture, and we all liked John Boles, too. The period stuff does not draw at the box office, but you can be proud of the picture, and it will please everyone who sees it. The Escape (Radio) is one of the punk English pictures that has a good plot and a foreign tongue. There is no execuse for shipping this out to a white exhibitor. We can draw people in but we can't make them like English stuff. Let's admit that foreign things are out and not try to force it down their throats. Hot Curves (T), I thought, was a cheap little slapstick comedy, and my folks thought it was great. Bennie Ruben gets the laughs, and for a Saturday night crowd this went over like a million. The Dude Wrangler (Sono Art-World Wide) is a swell comedy Western, and every small town in the Northwest should give the boys a treat and run this, for it carries the action and laughs that please. Sono ArtWorld Wide releases it, and if you can use Westerns you need it. The Thoroughbred (T) is a nice little race track story, with a fair cast, one that classifies as just another