Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1928)

2194 Motion Picture News Harrisburg, Pa. A SOLID week of rain, including some very sultry days, reduced the amount of business done in the theatres as compared with the cool weeks earlier in June when exceptional results were obtained for this time of year. . . ... Managers say business, which had neia up unusually well due to the late, cool Spring, has declined now to about normal for the summer season. The outstanding picture of the week was "The Street of Sin." featuring Emil Jannings and Fay Wray, at the Victoria, where perhaps more than average sized summer crcwds w:re in attendance all week. Critics and patrons generally pronounced this a strong play. Ramcn Novarro and Renee Adoree were shown on the screen at Loew's Regent in "A Certain Young Man," with a considerate degree of success, appealing particularly to the feminine patronage. At the Colonial, Johnny Hines' breezy ccmedy, "Home Made," achieved fair financial results. \t the State the last three days of the week Dolores Del Rio, in "No Other Woman," proved very acceptable entertainment. , The National, a neighborhood house that recently installed a pipe organ, did fair Friday and Saturday business with Tom Mix in "The Arizona Wildcat." The Russell put on a double bill, tor Saturday only, consisting of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," " With Julia Swayne Gordon and Ralph' Ince, and "Ambushed," starring Bob Reeves. The Broad Street showed Rin Tin Tin in ' The Dog of the Regiment,' and the Grand offering was "Prince of Headwaiters," with Lewis Stone. Portland A WEEK of warm weather made a slight reduction in attendance at the first run theatres, but due to the excellence of the offerings at the big first run houses, they did a little better than average business. "Ramona" opened at The Columbia to good business due in part to the popularity of the well-read book, Dolores herself who has considerable following here, and to the popular song "Ramona" as rendered by both organ and Sampietro and his orchestra. It overshadowed all other selections in the musical score. The screen version will doubtless run a second week. Georgie Stoll was liberal with his violin solos at "The Broadway" last week, giving two out of the fifty-six which he has been requested to play during the coming weeks. The Fanchon & Marco show gave a novelty number well done, "Divine Venus Idea." Woods Miller, baritone sang the theme and the dance numbers were executed by Arlene Langan. Billie Dove in "The Yellow Lily" appealed to both large matinee and evening crowds, especially to June couples. Fox movietone news and an entertaining organ number by Melville Ogden rounded out a good bill. Heading the Vitaphone bill at the "Blue Mouse" was a Portland favorite, Eddie Peabody, the banjo boy who has already made two visits here at The Broadway to good business. Other acts were Hugh Herbert in "The Lemon" and Earl Burnett's orchestra in three numbers were applauded. "The Hut" was' the Movietone Act. Irene Rich in "Powder My Back" drew fairly well. Josef Srodka's orchestra continues to make many musical friends at Tebbetts Oriental, and they scored with their medley number "Life on the Ocean" used to advantage with old time sea songs to accompany "The Wreck of the Hesperus." This appealed to the younger generation, as also did the musical offering of Glenn Shelly at the Wurlitzer, who gave "Zampa." Fair box office receipts. Harry Linden and Phil Lampkin continue to charm with their many musical menus at "The Portland," and Phil exhibited with marked success "Steps and Steppers" with Glenn & Jenkins, while Harry composed the "Rose" overture which included "Wild Irish Rose" "Roses of Picardy' and the like. George Bancroft in "The Drag Net" proved popular, and withal the house should have done much better and brought out larger attendance during the sultry afternoons. The night attendance was good. It is reported that surburban houses in some outlying sections are dropping prices to 15c top. Summer vacations are commencing which will have a tendency to lower attendance. Pittsburgh BUSINESS was but average in most of the theatres. The first half of the week saw heavy rains, and the last few days were too warm. Loew's Perm was the only house that had a really good week's business with "Laugh, Clown, Laugh," which scored a big hit. The Loew-Publix Unit Show, "Seeing Things," was one of the best yet shown here. The Stanley had an average week with Colleen Moore in "Happiness Ahead." The stage presentation was "The Streets of New York." The Davis and Regent played "Tillie's Punctured Romance" to disappointing business. Proved to be but a fair program comedy. The Grand had "Walking Back," which was a delightful screen entertainment, and business was just average. "Honor Bound" held the screen at the Olympic, and went over fairly well with the fans, but the box-office receipts were just average. The Cameraphone did a nice week's business with "The Garden of Eden," another picture that scored with the press and fans alike. The Liberty did average business with "The Drag Net." The Olympic and Regent theatres were closed last Saturday night because of poor business. Both are Stanley first run houses. Indianapolis BUSINESS continued to disappoint the majority of Indianapolis theatres last week. Box office receipts was off as a result of summer depression and weather conditions. Lillian Gish in "The Enemy" and Mort Harris's stage presentation "Flying 'Frolics" ended the week at the Palace with fair business. The Indiana business picked up some due to the First Anniversary Celebration. Gary Cooper and Florence Vidor starred in "Broken Dreams" the film attraction. Charlie Davis' stage band was augmented by a college orchestra making seventy-six persons in the "First Anniversary Revue," the stage presentation. "Roof Garden Revue," with Dick Powell, master of ceremonies, starring in the show drew fair results at the Circle. Dolores Del Rio, in "The Gateway of the Moon," was the film. Pola Negri in "Three Sinners" and Vitaphone acts drew fairly satisfactory business at the Apollo. George Sidney and Charlie Murray in "Flying Romeos" was at the Ohio, with fair attendance. Fritzi Ridgway, well known to Indianapolis audiences as the wife of Constantine Bakaleinikoff, former Circle orchestra director, was a drawing card for the Ohio film. Neighborhood houses reported average business for the week. Ottawa PICTURE honors were rather well divided in Ottawa, Ontario, during the week of June 18, and despite the hot days patronage could be considered satisfactory at three of the principal theatres. There were no counter-attractions around town during the seven days, the most startling events being the annual Sunday school picnics. "Drums of Love" was an outstanding feature at the Regent Theatre, and there were standing patrons every evening, with matinees well patronized as well. The theme was colorful and the acting quite up to the mark. The Paramount News had one of its best issues. There were many who preferred "No Other Woman," starring Dolores Del Rio, at B. F. Keith's Theatre, and business was substantial here also. The Fox News was also one of the sparkling bits of the week's bill. "Hangman's House" created a fine impression among the fans at the Centre Theatre, this picture being one of the best of the week locally. "Easy Come, Easy Go," with Richard Dix, was somewhat of a disappointment at the Imperial Theatre, because of the farcical acting, and "The Virgin Queen," in colors, saved the show. Crowds were fair. The colored picture and the other short subjects gave the people their money's worth. The Laurier Theatre, Hull, Quebec, had a very fair attraction in "Laugh, Clown, Laugh." It was a type of picture that is well liked by the 'French-speaking crowds. Without exception the neighborhood theatres in Ottawa gave lengthy bills and they had the desired effect of drawing good summer crowds. The Columbia Theatre presented "The Black Diamond Express"; a chapter of "Masked Menace"; a comedy; a news weekly and a couple of vaudeville acts. Good community patronage also took in the big bill at the Rex Theatre, consisting of "Hero on Horseback"; an instalment of "Trail of Tiger"; a comedy and a topical film. San Francisco AS school vacation and warm weather has set in, theatre attendance has not been as good as a few weeks ago, although business, generally, in the several houses, is considered as good as it can be for this time of the year. The larger motion picture theatres have put extra good presentation acts on their stages in order to induce the crowds to attend. There was some talk of Daylight saving in San Francisco, but to the joy of the theatre men, it was not put through, partly through their efforts and because most of the men of influence proved no value would come from this idea in this section. Loew's Warfield theatre did better than any in the city. In fact its business was considered good enough for days when the motion picture game is at its height. "Harold Teen" was shown on the screen and Fanchon & Marco's presentation, "Radion Tele-Vision," together with Rube Wolfe, leading his band, drew crowds all week. "Sunrise,' shown on the screen at the St. Francis theatre for a third week did an average business for this time of the year. The picture itself was well thought of by the majority. "The Big Noise," shown at the Granada theatre, together with the Publix Revue of "Milady's Fans," in which 30 and a star participated, did only a comparatively small business. "Buck Privates at the Golden Gate, together with vaudeville acts, did a good business as did the Union Square theatre which featured, "Back To Liberty," "Newlyweds Friend" and vaudeville acts. (Continued on page 2197)