Motion Picture News (Jan - Mar 1928)

960 M 0 t i o n r I c t u )■ c X r -w s Harrishurg, Pa. STRONG attractions in the downtown first run houses brought satisfactory financial returns to the managers. Receipts were spurred also by the fact that there is some improvement in the local industrial situation. "The Private Life of Helen of Troy," which showed all week at the Colonial, won favor from the start and continued to be well patronized all week. At Loew's Regent the feature film was King Vidor's "The Crowd," which had a strong appeal and a type of heart interest that went big in Harrisburg. At the Victoria, "The Showdown." starring George Bancroft and Evelyn Brent, started the week with a "Sunday midnight" show — actualh heginning at 12.01 a.m. Alonday. It drew a big crowd, which was typical of the attendance record all weak. Manager Lee Levy tried the midnight performance as an experiment, and has not yet antiounced whether it will be a part of the permanent policy of the theatre. In the case of the Bancmft film, it served to increase the week's receipts materially. The Victoria, since the recent installation of a new Marr & Colton organ, has introduced a tenor soloist who sings illustrated songs at all performances. The main film attraction at the State theatre the last three days of the week was .\1adgc Bellamy in "Soft Living," which contributed to swelling materially to the box office receipts. "Tiiiii Tyler and II i> Pals," III "Splitting the Breeze," provided a very snappy brand of Western thriller for the patrons of the Broad street theatre, while Buster Keaton in "College" packed 'em in at the National on Friday and Saturday. "White Black Sheep," with Richard Barthelmess, was at the Grand for its second run in Harrisburg, and the Capitol offered a return of "Tin Hats," with Conrad Nagle and Claire Windsor. "Straight Shooting," at the Royal, appealed especially to men and boys. Baltimore WITH the exception of the Stanley tlicatre, where Clara Bow, in "Red Hair," proved a strong pulling attraction, with a stage presentation, business in this city continued to be only abctut fair at the first run houses for the week beginning Monday, March 12. Of course, the slump is attributed mainly to the Lenten season. "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," with Ruth Taylor, did not appeal so well U> the public at Loew's Century, although there was a good stage attraction on the bill also and a Blonde P.runette popularity contest was conducted by Junior .McGcttian, the pul)licist. Business was only about fair for that house, while upstairs, at the Loew's Valencia, in the same building, Charlie Chaplin, in "The Circus," continued as the attraction for its second week and only proved a fair puller, but it must be noted that ten shows were being given each day. "The Wise Wife," starring i'hyllis Haver, with Tom Monre, with five acts of KtithAlbce family time vaiidcvilh'. proved a good business getter at Keith's 11 i)>i)0(!r.iiiu-, and business at the New Garden, with "Figures Don't Lie," starring Lsthcr Ralston, with eiglit acts of Kcith-Albee high class vaudivillc. and (Jus i-.dwards as the feature, proved a pretty good business puller there. "A Girl in Every Port," starring Victor McLaglen, with Robert .Armstrong, was liked thoroughly by the public and went over fairly well at Whitehurst's New theatre. "Flying Luck" at the Palace, with burles(|ue on the same bill, operating on a griiifj policy, had fair business, while "My Lady of Whims," starring (Jlara Bow, with a st;ige presentation act, proved a pretty good drawer of patrons at the Rivoli afternoons and nights. Rin-Tin-Tin was seen again at Warners' ^Metropolitan in "A Dog of the Regiment," with \'itaphone attractions on the same bill, and this went over very good throughout the week. People, particularly children, turned out very strong to see Rinty again. Ottatoa THE talk of the week in Ottawa, Ontario, centered around Charlie Chaplin and his picture, "The Circus," which was a big hit at the Regent theatre. Manager Ray Tubman estimated that 500 people were turned away at the first performance of the engagement and they kept coming in droves throughout the week. The comedy was of the very satisfying kind and everybody was glad to see Chaplin again. Nearly everybody also wanted to see "Let 'er Go, Gallegher" at B. F. Keith's theatre, and this thriller proved to be a sensation. It topped a highly successful "Irish Week" arranged by Manager J. M. Franklin in commemoration of St. Patrick's Day. "Sharp Shooters" registered very fair business at the Centre theatre and it added considerable variety to the usual run of features at this house. The Fern theatre was one of the busiest spots in town with "Drums of the Desert," with which was shown a chapter of "On Guard." Although the Fern is a neighborhood house, it drew patrons from all parts of the city with the Zane Grey story. The Rex did very well vnth "A Regular Scout," and the final chapter of "Whispering Smith." The latter proved a real drawing card. "Feel My Pulse," starring Bebe Daniels, failed to draw at the Imperial theatre. It was poor in comparison with "West Point," which played the Imperial during the previous week. The second run of Lon Chaney's "The Unknown," at the Columbia theatre, was a distinct success, as was Lon Chaney's "London After Midnight," at the Laurier theatre, in Hull, Quebec. The strongest double-bill at the Capitol theatre, Hull, in a long time was "A Million Bid," with Dolores Costello, and "Ladies Must Dress," with Madge Bellamy. "The Woman Who Did Not Care" registered a little better than average business at the Eden theatre, Hull. Pittsburgh WfL.\THER, up to P'riday, was fine, but on Friday a blizzard came forth with business doing the opposite, although it picked up again Saturday to normal. The Stanley, playing l''mil Jannings in "The Last Command," and Sophie "Tucker on the stage, did very well. The .Mdine tiieatre, with Jack Molt in "The Tigress," and vaudeville, did a disappointing gross considering the popularity of Holt in this city. Douglas I'airlianks, as "The Gaucho," which was at the Penn, did a normal business, but considering the star and the picture, which also included a great stage .show, things could have been a little better, but there was no need for gray hair. Grand picked a winner with "Legion of the Condemned" and in.my favoraiile t'onmieiits on the picture were iie.ird in town. An unusual incident occurred at the Davis, "Peaks of Destiny" was booked and was taken out Monday afternoon, replaced by Pola Negri in "The Secret Hour," botii picturts being Paramount, and the Cameo booked "Johnnie, Get Your Hair Cut," a Jackie Coogan picture two years old that never had a first run in Pittsburgh until now. Business was so poor that Monday afternoon a Fox revival, "St. Elmo," was added, iii;ikiiig a (loul)K' feature i)ill, and business picking ui), although still off for this house, which does a consistently good business week in and out. This is the first time a double feature has been run downtown in a theatre in over two years, when the State tried the idea unsuccessfully. Salt Lake City AN unusually good downtown theatre business was enjoyed here last week, with several special picture productions having been shown. Clara Bow in "Red Hair" did a tremendous business at the Capitol theatre, in conjunction with the Fanchon and Marco stage presentation "Folliettes." "The Legion of the Condemned" was held over at the Paramount Empress th;atre for a few days longer than the original week's booking due to its great popularity and the capacity houses drawn. Norma "Talmadge, in her first United Artists production, "The Dove." is now being shown at the Paramount Empress with very satisfactory results. A stage presentation is also offered. John Gilbert in "Cameo Kirby" and also"Fourty Thousand Miles with Lindbergh" are playing to crowded houses at each performance at the Pantages theatre, it is reported, in connection with the vaudeville bill shown at this house. All house records at the Gem theatre since the opening thirteen years ago have been broken during the showing of "Chicago" there, according to Manager W. E. Shipley. Crowds have been turned away every night. Wallace Beery and Raymond Hatton in "Partners in Crime" did satisfactorily at the Victoria theatre in connection with a series of "The Collegians," featuring a Salt Lake star, Dorothy Gulliver. The American theatre had fairly good results from the week's run of "Across the Atlantic," featuring Monte Blue. "The Gorilla," with Charlie Murray and Fred Kelsey, drew the average good house to the Rialto theatre as a second run. Miltvaukee M.\NAGERS in Milwaukee's down town theatres report a very good week, one of the best in the past month. Weather was ideal for good business and attractions at practically all houses were strong. "Red Hair" filled the Wisconsin to a satisfying extent at all the evening p;rformances. Charles Chaplin in "The Circus," playing its second week at the Alhambra, was not as popular as it was in its first week, but nevertheless drew good houses. Matinee business was not (juite up to what was expected. "The 13th Hour" and "40.000 Miles with Lindbergh" combined to make a very popuular bill at the Merrill. "Old Ironsides" was held over at the Strand for a second week, and business here was fair. "Chicago" at the Garden is playing to unusually good houses. Business continued to be good in the outlying theatres. "Men of Mystery," _ sa called, and "Mental Marvels" are reaping a harvest in Milwaukee theatres just now. Three or four of these acts are being advertised in a large number of neighborhood houses and are attracting good business. "The Student Prince" is playing to good houses at the Uptown and Tower theatres. The Venetian is celebrating .Xiiniversary Week with "Beau Sabreur" as the feature and has enjoyed very good patronage. Des Moines AT the Des Moines theatre last week the feature was "Old Ironsides," which did not prove a record picture in any way, doing just the ordinary run of business. Comment was favorable. At the Capitol theatre tlie attraction was "Wife Savers," which did not do so very well. The stage show, "Red Hot Capers," did not compare with some which had preceded it and the very pretty weather outside also probablj' had something to do with the fact that the crowds did not come inside the theatre. At the Strand theatre, "The Loves of Carmen" did a very good business and a reissue of "St. Elmo" met with favor.