Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1927)

2284 Motion Picture News Chicago POOR box office statements were reported by a great majority of Chicago theatres last week, although there were a few houses M'here business was more favora])le. McVickers where "The Night Of Love" opened for an indefinite run, did better than average business, probably due to tlie controversy with the eent')rboard over a permit for this picture, which received wide publicity. At the Chicago, "Rough House Rosie," Spitalny's orchestral production, "Martha," and stage production "The Sampler," drew only fair business. "Three Hours," the tcatuic and Paul Ash's "Night Club Nifties," accounted for average business at the Oriental. "Convoy" got away to only a fair start at the Roosevelt. "Rough Riders" went into its second week at the Auditorium with a fair attendance. At the Uptown, "Evening Clothes" on the screen and Bennie Kreuger on the stage, played to average business, while the (Irajuuia witli "Cradle Snatchers" a Vitaphone program and Charles Kaley in a clever stage production, brought an encouraging box office report. The same was true at the Sheridan which had as its screen offering, "Wedding Bills" and Yerne Buck and his orchestra, who arc ra])i(liy L;r(iwiii<i' in ]»(i))ularity. The Harding, with "Children of Divorce" and the Senate with "The Scarlet Letter," did fair business. The Capitol with "The Love of Sunya" as its screen feature and Del and his merrymakers, did an average business, wliilc at the Tiv((li, "The Scarlet Letter," and usual elaborate stage show, accounted for fair box olfice. Oklahoma City ' ' ]V4 ^ WU ' ' k^Pt business good all ^^^ week at the Criterion Theatre. The sign boards on this were attractive, but there was no extra advertising apparently. "Babe Comes Home" didn't break any records at the Empress, in fact, it was changed in mid-week to "Three Hours." This later picture played to only fair business. "Almost a Lady" was well received by audiences at the Liberty tlie first part of the week. The usual change in program was made in niid-weok, and "The Overland Stage" drew good sized crowds for three days. "The Brute" was well attended at the Capitol the first of the week, and "Wedding Bells" drew well at the last of the week. The weather remained fair with a couple of days of real heat — this tends to lessen the theatre crowds here. St. Louis /^NCE more the Weather Man played the ^-^ part of villain in tlie cast and business as the result was far from Avhat it should be, and it was impossible to judge the pulling power of the feature films that were on the screens of the leading first runs of the city. In the neighborhood houses business was again decidedly off. This appears to be a general condition throughout this territory. At the Grand Central the screen attraction was "The Love Thrill" in wiiich Laura La Plante was starred. It enjoyed a fair week. Tlic Missouri Tlicatrc offcicd on its screen "The Whirlwind of Youth with Lois Moran and Donald Keith as the headliners. The Ambassador's feature Mas "A Mil lion Bid." Dolores Costello was the starctte. Over at Loew's State Theatre "The Demi Bride" with Norma Shearer as the chief atti'action. She has quite a following in St. Louis and despite the adverse weather on many days many of her admirers turned out. The St. Louis Theatre's film attraction was "The Night Bride" with Marie Prevost in tlic leading role. Five acts of Orpheum Circuit Vaudeville helped to keep business up to standard everything considered. Ottawa UNCERTAIN weather played havoc with outdoor plans all during the week of May 16 in Ottawa, Ontario, and the result was that the people forsook garden plots, painting jobs and auto outings to attend the local theatres. "Getting Gertie's Garter" drew well at B. F. Keith's Theatre and Manager J. M. Franklin found that patronage increased from day to day. The Centre Theatre had a good all-round week with ' ' The Notorious Lady," both matinee and night business being well up to the mark. Patrons at the Regent Theatre did not think much of "Lovers" insofar as the story was concerned but they liked the stars Ramon Novarro and Alice Terry as of yore. These film artists undoubtedly saved the picture. Box office returns were excellent at the Regent. The Imperial Theatre, with Ray Tubman as new manager, had the best week in several months with "Love's Blindness' by Elinor Glyn. The picture was liked and the name of the authoress also helped to draw. Matinee patronage was much improved. The Francais Theatre split the week with "The Better 'Ole" and "The Beautiful Cheat. ' ' The former again proved highly popular and the latter better than average. At the Laurier Theatre in Hull, Quebec, ' ' Tell It to the Marines ' ' brought out heavy patronage and both old and young liked it. At the Eden Theatre, Hull, there was not much excitement over "The Transcontinental Limited." Philadelphia jDUSINESS in the downtown section at ■*^ most of the theatres is moving along at just a fair tempo. Gloria Swanson in "The Love of Sunya" at the Stanley did a fairly good business. The show was })olstercd up by Allen K. Foster's Cob-Web Revue, the Balabanow Five, accordionists, and Edward Albano, baritone. "Cabaret" with Gilda Gray, continues to do fairly well at the Stanton, wliilc "The Better 'Ole," with Vitaphone Unit is doing better than satisfactory })usincss at the Aldino. A repeat of Lon Chaney in "Mr. Wu" at the Arcadia after playing the Stantoto proved a wise decision as the picture is holding up very well there. The Karlton, with "Women Love Diamonds" reported fair business for the week. Marion Davies in "The Red Mill" with Charlie Chaplin in "Shoulder Arms" at the Victoria aided by a lobby ballyhoo, did weU. "The Show" with John Gilbert and Renee Adoree had a good week at the Palace while the Globe offering "Prisoners of the Storm" and the Capitol with "Heroes of the Night" had a mediocre week. The Fox drew well with Corinne Grifl&th in "Three Hours." The cinema feature was supplemented by the Keller Sisters and Frank Lynch, radio and recording stars, Julia Kelety, Parisian singer, and Eddie Conrad and Marion Eddy in separate numbers, helped to nuike an attractive liill. Los Angeles LOS ANGELES theatres over the past few weeks have all stepped along to good business and this week was no exception. Every theatre is featuring a good bill and the box offices have registered accordingly. The Forum Theatre last week presented a foreign picture; a production from Germany— "The Aftermath" and from aU indications it pleased the audience. The sponsors are looking for a release but up to the present time no affiliations have been made. The Carthy Circle is building steadily with "7th Heaven" and according to reports the picture is getting over nicely. "The Love of Sunya" at the Criterion is hitting along in its second week to good receipts. Grauman's Chinese Theatre report heavy advance sales on "King of Kings" and good business every day. "Lost At the Front" featured at Loew's State is doing average and Clara Bow in "Rough House Rosie" sent the box office barometer up a few notches at the Metropolitan. Better than normal is reported for "Rough House Rosie." "Rookies" is clicking at the Million Dollar. "Is Your Daughter Safe?" a sex exposure picture dealing with white slave conditions has held the California Theatre for over nine weeks. San Francisco THE past week was an especially good one at both down town first run houses of San Francisco and at the residential houses also. The reasons for the especially good business was that the pictures shown, practically all over were of the superior type. The weather also was favorable. "Do)n Juan" at the St. Francis drew a large crowd and all were more than pleased with the acting and the manner it was jnit on. "Senorita" also drew a large crowd and Partington's revue on the stage, called "Paramount Revue," was considered marvelous. "Wedding Bills" at the California . was a good show, but the house did not draw as well as expected for this picture. "Lovers" as shown at the Loew's Warfield Theatre was fair and the stage offering "Spring Idea" proved attractive. "Abie's Irish Rose," drew a big crowd to the Capitol, even though the prices were advanced a great deal. "No Man's Gold" at the Pantages was considered well put on, which together with the acts drew well. The screen comedy, "Man Bait," proved popular at the Golden Gate Theatre, as did their acts of vaudeville and Pathe Review. The Union Square did well with "Flaming Fury" and "When the Wife's Away," together with the vaudeville acts. The Cameo Theatre drew a crowd by playing to Avomen onlv the picture, "The Naked Truth." J