Motion Picture News (Jul - Sep 1930)

34b Idle Idols Hollywood — As Walter Catlett stepped from the Hotel Roosevelt to a taxicab he passed a group of fellow thespians. "Idlers," he scoffed as he passed by. "How are you, Walter," laughed Snitz Edwards. "Idle," said Catlett. "Birth" Reissue Dies in Frisco On 19% Rating San Francisco — "The Birth of a Nation" did very poor business at the Geary for its third and last week. Its gross was $5,000 and the rating 19%. A "top-notcher" was "Moby Dick," at the Embassy, with a gross of $12,500 and a 120% rating. "Song o' My Heart," second week at Loew's Warfield, grossed $16,200 and 105%. "Eyes of the World" drew many to the St. Francis, where the rating was 85% and the gross $8,500. "Follow Thru" did $8,000, rating 80%, at the Paramount, which was not as good as this house usually does. The Orpheum finished the third week of "Africa Speaks" with a $7,000 gross and 85%. Business generally was not as good as usual, due principally to foggy and drowsy weather in afternoons and evenings. Estimated takings: "DOUGH BOYS" (M-G-M) FOX— (5,000), 50c-65c-75c-$l, 7 days. Other attractions: Walt Roesner's concert overture, Fox news, "Dogville" comedy, Fanchon & Marco's "Busy Bee" [flea. Gross: $27,000. Rating: 105%. "SONG O' MY HEART" (Fox) LOEW'S WARFIELD— (2,700), 25c-35c-50c, 2nd tveek. Other attractions: Vagabond Director, news, Charlie Chase comedy, "Girl Shocked"; Jan Rubini and his violin. Gross: $16,200. Rating: 105%. "FOLLOW THRU" (Paramount) PARAMOUNT— (2,700), 35c-50c-65c-$l, 7 days. Other attractions: Paramount news, Ken Whitmer presenting Harry Gourfain's revue, "Looney Lunatics"; organ recital. Gross: $8,000. Rating: 80%. "AFRICA SPEAKS" (Columbia) ORPHEUM— (2,700), 25c-35c-50c, 3rd week. Other attractions: Music, "Traffic Tangle." Gross: $7,000. Rating: 85%. "THE STORM" (Universal) 'f.DEN GATE— (2,500), 30c-40c-50c, 7 days. Other attractions: RKO vaudeville, Claude Sweeten and his RKO:ians. Gross: $9,800. Rating: 73%. "BIRTH OF A NATION" (Triangle) GEARY— (1,500), matinees, 50c-$l; evenings, SISI. 50; 3rd and final week. Other attractions: Prologue with 50 people. Gross: $5,000. Rating: 19%. "EYES OF THE WORLD" (United Artists) ST. FRANCIS-O.400), 35c-50c-90c, 7 days. Other attractions: Larie De Pries' band, Charles Ruggles comedy, Paramount news. Gross: $8,500. Rating: 85%. "THE BAD MAN" CALIFORNIA— (2,200), 35c-50c-65c-90c, 7 days. Other attractions: Paramount news, Rudy Vallee playing "Stein Song"; Chester Conklin in "Cleaning Up"; music. Gross: $9,000. Rating 90%. "MOBY DICK" rWarners) EMBASSY— (1.4C0). 50c-65c-90c, 7 days. Other attractions: "Looney Tune" comedy, Liborius Hauptman and his "Me!ody Artists" in papular classic music and a song fantasy. Gross: $12,500. Rating: 120%. "THE BREAK UP" (State Rights) DA VIES— (1,500), 35c-50c, 7 days. Other attractions: News, comedy, orchestra, short subjects. Gross: $7,500. Rating: 100%. Wheland Sells to Guthrie Uhrichsville, O.— The Vale and State have passed from Charles Wheland, who has retired, to J. H. Guthrie. Guthrie closed the Vale indefinitely and is operating the State on a six-day basis. Motion Picture News "Clay" Only Run At Omaha to Pass Par; Others Flop Omaha — Ideal weather kept lots of folks out of the shows here. Result was that the State, with a second run of "Common Clay" for three days, was the only picture that passed the 100% mark. Film grossed $2,625, which is 125%. Orpheum had another 100% week with "Holiday" and should have done better. Piled up $15,000, however. Paramount slipped to 90% with "Follow Thru," despite an extensive campaign. Result was $7,650. "Big Boy," at the World, hit the same per cent, doing $8,550. "So Long, Letty" nosedived at the State, last four days, bringing only $1,725, or 75%. Weather was great. Estimated takings: "COMMON CLAY" (Fox) STATE— (1,200), 25c-40c. 3 days. Other attractions: Universal news, shorts. Gross: $2,625. Rating: 125%. "HOLIDAY" (Pathe) ORPHEUM— (3,000), 25c-60c, 7 days. Other attractions: Four RKO acts, Pathe news, shorts. Gross: $15,000. Rating: 100%. "FOLLOW THRU" (Paramount) PARAMOUNT— (2,900), 25c-60c. 7 days. Other attractions: "Freshman's Goat," Paramount and Universal news, organ, shorts. Gross: $7,650. Rating: 90%. "BIG BOY" (W. B.) WORLD— (2,500), 25c-60c, 7 days. Other attractions: Five Publix acts, Billy Myers and band, Paramount news, shorts. Gross: $8,550. Rating: 90%. "SO LONG, LETTY" (W. B.) STATE— (1,200), 25c-40c, 4 days. Other attractions: Universal news, shorts. Gross: $1,725. Rating: 75%. September 27, 1930 Providence Off; "Satan" High on $19,300 Gross Providence — Sizzling weather and a dearth of outdoor attractions took the pep out of theatre-goers here and exhibitors suffered somewhat. The week opened and closed strong, but the hot spell in between worked havoc. Loew's State, ballyhooing "Madame Satan," hit the peak with $19,300, which is fairly strong. Both the RKO Victory and RKO Albee, with "Queen High" and "Leather Necking," respectively, Kit around $9,000 apiece. "Let's Go Native," Paramount, registered in the vicinity of $11,000, and the Majestic hit $10,800 with "Big Boy." Estimated takings : "OUEEN HIGH" (Paramount) RKO VICTORY— (1,600), lOc-SOc, 7 days. Other attractions: "Traffic Tangle," Pathe Audio Review, Pathe news. Gross: $9,000. Rating 90%. "LEATHER NECKING" (Radio) RKO ALBEE— (2,300), 10c-50c, 7 days. Other attractions: "The Fiddler," "I'll Take That One," "Snapshots," Pathe news. Gross: $9,000. Rating: BS%. "LET'S GO NATIVE" (Paramount) PARAMOUNT— (2,300). lOc-SOc, 7 days. Other attractions: "Barnacle Bill." Joe Alexander, organ logue; Paramount news. Gross: $11,000. Rating: 90%. "BIG BOY" (W. B.) MAJESTIC-(2,400). 10c-50c. 7 davs. Other attractions: "The Leeracy." "At the Round Table," "Sun Dea." Gross: $11,000. Rating: < "MADAM SATAN" (M-G-M) LOEW'S STATE-(3 8001. lOc-SOc. 7 days. Other attractions: October Horoscope. Maurice in organ J, Hearst news. Gross: S19J00. Rating: 95%. Lobby Quartet Cincinnati — Under the leadership of John L. McCurdy, RKO divisional manager, musical quartets have been stationed in the lobbies of the Albee and Lyric to entertain the crowds awaiting admission. This feature will, in all probability, be extended to some of the other RKO houses here in the immediate future. Holiday" and "Follow Thru" Tie on $8000 Oklahoma City — With rain and cooler weather prevailing, and much exploitation, theatrical business here picked up some. The Capitol and Midwest ran neck and neck with $8,000 each to their credit on 125%. The Capitol, showing "Follow Thru" and the Midwest, "Holiday." "The Spoilers," at the Criterion, did good business with 115%, while "All Quiet on the Western Front," at the Liberty, only grossed $6,500 and registered 95%. "The Dawn Patrol," at the Empress, was in the city for the second time and cashed in on $6,000. The Orpheum, with "Most Immoral Lady" and "Doublecross Roads" and vaudeville, did $6,500 and was well exploited by Manager Sam McAfee. Estimated takings are : "HOLIDAY" (Pathe) MIDWEST— (1,500), 25c-60c, 7 days. Other attractions: News, Mickey Mouse cartoon. Gross: $8,000. Rating: 125%. "FOLLOW THRU" (Paramount) CAPITOL— (1,200), 25c-50c, 7 days. Other attractions: Metrotone news, Raymond Caverly in "Counfounded interest." Gross: $8,000. Rating: 125%. "SPOILERS" (Paramount) CRITERION— (2,000), 25c-75c, 7 days. Other attractions: Paramount news, song. Gross: $7,000. Rating: 115%. "ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT" (U.) LIBERTY— (1,800), 25c50c, 7 days. Other attractions: Universal newsreel, Mickey Mouse cartoon. Gross: $6,500. Rating: 95%. "DAWN PATROL" (F. N.) EMPRESS— (1,200), 25c-50c, 7 days. Other attractions: Fox Movietone news, Mickey Mouse in "Sunken Treasures." Gross: $5,000. Rating: 100%. "MOST IMMORAL LADY" (F.N.) ORPHEUM— (1,500), 25c-50c, 4 days. Other attractions: RKO vaudeville, Kinogram news. (Second half: "Doublecross Roads," 3 days.) Week's Gross: $7,000. Rating: 100%. Bachman at Baltimore Baltimore — Changes in the personnel at Warners' Metropolitan, which have been made recently include Harry Bachman, appointed house manager, and Robert G. Wood, from Charlottesville, Va., appointed manager. Bachman is a brother of Johnny Bachman, manager of the Philadelphia exchange of Educational. Frank M. Boucher, Warner's district manager in this territory, who has had his headquarters in Baltimore, will move back to Hagerstown because that is nearer the center of the district. Himmelein Gets Managership Cleveland — Mike Simon, manager of the local Paramount branch for the past year. has resigned. John Himmelein, a member of the Paramount sales organization in this territory for the past eight years, succeeds him.