Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1927)

.Ipril S. 19 27 \2tii •• lliintiiiji Bijr (•aim in Africa," and the apix'iifancc of one on the staj;:o wlio was with Ihc crowd in Africa was popular. Tlic residential houses also did well. The Coliseum led in the Richmond district with ■•The Flaminfi Forest" and Max Dolin. ^■(lllni; Richardson numages this house. Kansas City THK fact that Kansas City experienced snow, rain, sleet and sunshine all in the brief jjcriod of ten minutes the first day of last week, with the remainiuf? days keei>infr apace, may be offered as reason aplenty for an attendance slijjhtly under the usual mark. There was one exception, however. That was the Liberty, which provided the unusual novelty of a manajjer personally leasiufj the theatre for the week. The house, which has been leased by United Artists and was to have been closed this week for repairs, was leased by Samuel Carver, manajjer, who ran Clara Bow in "Free to Love," an old picture, but new to Kansas City. The week's attendance was good. At The Xewnian "Evening Clotlies" did a steady l)nsiness, l)ut not what it would have done under better weather conditions. •'Casey at the Bat," at the Royal, which had only a fair week, is expected to do much better on its second week, it having been held over another week. At the Pantages Theatre, "Ankles Preferred" did an average business, while the same can be said of "The Sea Tiger" at the :\Iainstreet Theatre. "For Alimony Only" at the Globe Theatre played to a week's attendance slightly less than the average. Atlanta Til?] outstanding successes of last week were "Tell It to the Marines" at Loew's Grand to big attendance and "Casey at the Bat." which scored strongly at the Howard with one of the best weeks the house has experienced recently. "The Love of Sunya " drew divided opinions and very good business at the Metropolitan, while the Rialto's double program of "The Adorable Deceiver" and "The Gorilla Hunt" pleased emphatically but did not develop great drawing strength. "The Xervous Wreck" was fairly well received at Keith's Georgia, where a good vaudeville l)ill put the house over to a nice showing. The Tudor, featuring "Westerns and action pictures on a split-week policy, fared badiv on "Red Clay" and a little better on "The Denver Dude." The Cameo, second-run downtown house with three weekly changes, did not score conspicuously, but the New Alamo, popular small house in the shopping section, played "Beyond the Rocks." reissue, three days to record business and held it over for a fourth day, Thursday. Weather was snappy all week, with rain ^[onday and Tuesday. Last four days ideal. Cleveland p^.KTRA strong attractions, with added exploitation and drawing numbers proved adequate competition to the Lenten season. All of the downtown theatres did exceptional business. But they all went after it hard. "Slide, Kelly, Slide" literally packed 'em in at the Stillman. ^latinees were crowded at the evening performances. It is bein? continued. "If taxed the capacity of the big Allen Theatre. That it did not establisii any new records is due to Lent and the spring social and club activities. "Casey at the Bat" didn't break a record but it came near to I he record at the Cameo. ••Tlie Sea Tiger" came uj) to exju'ctations at the State. "One Increasing Purpose" was rather disappointing from the box (•nice angle at Keith's Palace. Reade's llippodronu' drew big business with "The -Mystery Club" the fii-st half of the week, and "The Price of Honor" the last half of the week. Keith's East 105th Street Theatre is feeling a depression. "The Mystery Club" pulled only moderately well. The Circle Theatre. i)laying "The Winning of Barbara Worth" second run with Vitaphone specialty attractions, maintained the average standard of the house. Arul business was moderately good at the Park, where •'Heaven and Earth" was surrounded by an exceptionally strong musical program. The neighborhood houses in general report business way off norm.al, but about average of last year's Lenten business. Milwaukee \ yfllAVArKEE theatres, in spite of the -'-'-^ rain and snow storms over the week end aiul early part of last week, and in spite of or because of the home show at the Auditorium, which draws thousands daily, found at the close of the week that active exploitation and good pictures had netted them a very favorable week. "The Fourth Commandment," at the A]haml)ra with an appropriate presentation, introduced by widespread advertising, drew very well. "Stepping Along." at the Merrill, helped by a bit of amusing exploitation proved exceedingly popular. The Wisconsin had its annual "Taka Chance" week, program unannounced. "An Affair of the Follies" was the unheralded photoplay. An elaborate presentation and an usher-guessing contest completed the bill. "Casey at the Bat" held over for its second week at the Strand just luissed living up to its first week's popularity. "The Lunatic at Large," at the Garden, drew an excellent patronage. "I'ighting Love" made a pleasing addition to the Orpheum bill, while "'Tell It to the Marines" proved the drawing card at the Miller. Business in the neighborhood houses was a bit below par during the \veek but proved more lively as the week end drew near. "The Silent Lover" at the Milwaukee was well attended. "Hotel Imperial," showing at both Modjeska and Tower, proved fairly ]>opular. The Venetian continued to draw crowds to view its atniopsheric interior and also to see "The Cheerful Fraud." Seattle TUHX HAMRICK's Blue Mouse Theatre. •-^ in this city, last week presented motion l)icture fans of the Xorthwest with the premiere showings of "Don Juan" and the Vitaphone, and indications based on the opening two days predict a tremendous success for the venture in this territory. In place of the former 2.5-cent admission policy, the Blue ilouse now gets .50 cents and 7.5 cents, offering six shows daily. The same policy, announced ^Ir. Hamrick. will begin at his Blue ^fouse Theatre in Portland next week. "Don Juan" is expected to play at least three M-eeks in this citv, to be followed by "The Better 'Ole" and a second Vitaphone program. Chilly, wet weather and a general slump in retail business throughout the Xorthwest showeil its effeet on thejitre business la>t week, and box oflice receipts suffered n a result. Tlie liigli mark fur the week w:is reaidied by "Orchids and Ermine" at the Fifth Avetiur' Theatre, aided by a \)\i-i\^\\\\x I''anclion and Marco stage revue. An elaborate news|»a])er c;inip;iign assisti'd the Col leen Moore j)icture to a considerable extent. At the Cnited Artists Theatre, "The Fire Mrii^ade" failed miserably to attract business, opening to siii;ill houses over the week end and then gradually dying. The |)ieture, originally scheduled to run at least two weeks, was taken off after seven d.iys and hurriediv replaced bv ".McFadden's Flats." The Coliseum Theatre did a j)leasing business with "The Show," although this Gilbert A'ehide did not meet with the jiopular approval of some of the past pictures that h.ive featured this star. Hamiick's Egyptian Theatre in tin Fniversity district continued to ilo a remarkable business on a .'55-cent second-run ]>(dicy. The week was divided between "We're in the Xavy Xow" and "Stella Dallas" and both pictures attracted large houses, despite their previous big first runs. At Universal's Columbia Theatre. Douglas McLean in "Let It Rain" played to avei'age houses. This is the first Famous Players' ]>icture to play the Columbia in many seasons, a fact which was wiihdy commented on by audiences. Albany A LTII()r(iH the week opened with •^* weather conditions prevailing that made inroads in the attendance at practically all of the motion picture theatres in this city, conditions became more favorable on Tuesday with the result that the week found excellent business at all of the downtown houses and a majority of the neighborhood houses. At the Mark Strand, the opening of the Vitaphone brought better than the usual crowds on Monday and by the latter i>art of the week record breaking attendance characterized the house. The ])icture shown was "Orchids and F'irmine. " At the Mark Ritz. for the first half of the week, onlv fair business was done with "The Gay Old Bird." while "The Magic Garden'' during the last half of the week brought better business to this theatre. At the Leiand, also a downtown house, "The Understanding Heart,'' running for the week, played to capacity business each night with crowds generally standing for the second show. Thus far the business during r.,ent has run far ahead of last year. Proctor's Grand Theatre is jilanning to stage another personal appearance of a motion picture star in the near future, following the one of a week or so ago. when Bert Lytell, in person. l)ronght the biggest crowds in many months. The fact that the Cajiitol Theatre, which has been playing road shows, goes into stock on April 5th will no doubt contribtue additional business to the motion picture houses. A survey of the neighborhood houses for the week showed that there had been irood business in nearly all of these. New Orleans npHE combination of excellent weather -'• and substantial advertising and exploitation on the part of the downtow.n house* brought out above the average attendance last week. Patrons packed Loew's State at almost every show during the week to see