Motion Picture Daily (Apr-Jun 1936)

10 MOTION PICTURE DAILY Wednesday, April I, 1936 Minneapolis' Top "Colleen" With a Band Minneapolis, March 31. — "Colleen," with Horace Heidt and his band on the stage of the Minnesota, did a nice $12,000 on the week. This was $2,000 over normal. "The Music Goes 'Round" reached $6,500 at the Orpheum, over the line by $1,000, and "Trail of the Lonesome Pine" held up to $6,000, up by $500, at the State in its second week. "The Country Doctor" was $1,000 up on a gross of $6,500 at the St. Paul Paramount, and "Every Saturday Night" was $500 to the good on a take of $4,000 at the Riviera. "The Magnificent Obsession" grossed $2,000 in its fifth week at the World. Total first run business in Minneapolis was $28,500. Average is_ $25,500. Total first run business in St. Paul was $17,500. Average is $16,000. Estimated takings : Minneapolis : Week Ending March 25: "FIRST A GIRL" (G.B.) WORLD — (400), 25c-55c, 7 days. Gross: $2,500. (Average, $3,000) Week Ending March 26: "THE PREVIEW MURDER MYSTERY" (Para.) LYRIC— (1.238), 20c-25c. 7 days. Gross: $1,500. (Average, $1,500) Week Ending March 27: "COLLEEN" (W.B.) MINNESOTA— (4.000). 25c-55c. 7 days. Stage: Horace Heidt and Brigadiers. Gross: $12,000. (Average. $10,000) "THE MUSIC GOES 'ROUND" (Col.) ORPHEUM— (2,900). 25c-40c. 7 days. Gross: $6,500. (Average. $5.5001 "TRAIL OF THE LONESOME PINE" (Para.) STATE— (2,300), 25c-40c. 7 days. 2nd loop week. Gross: $6,000. (Average, $5,500) St. Paul: Week Ending March 27: "THE COUNTRY DOCTOR" (20th-Fox) PARAMOUNT— (2,300). 25c-40c. 7 days. Gross: $6,500. (Average. $5,500) "EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT" (ZOth-Fox) RIVIERA — (1,000), 25c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $4,000. (Average. $3,500) "LOVE ON A BET" (Radio) ORPHEUM— (2.000). 25c-40c, 4 days. Gross: $2,000. (Average for week. $4,000) "YOU MAY BE NEXT" (Col.) ORPHEUM— (2.000). 25c-40c. 3 daysGross: $1,500. (Average for week. $4,000) "TOUGH GUY" (M-G-M) TOWER— (1.000), 15c-25c, 7 davs. Gross: $1,500. (Averaee. $1,500) "MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION" (Univ.) WORLD(400). 25c-35c, 7 days, 5th week Gross: $2,000. (Average. $1,500) Lesser Sets Smith Films Hollywood, March 31. — Sol Lesser lias closed a three-way deal with Frank H. Spearman, creator of the character, for a series of 12 "Whispering Smith" stories. The stories will be published by Doubleday-Doran. serialized on the radio, and made as pictures by Lesser. Lesser is now seeking a player for the role on the air and screen. The pictures will be sold in the same manner as the "Charlie Chan" series, but Lesser has not as yet closed a releasing deal. Condemn 120 Billboards Boston. March 31. — Commissioner of Public Works William F. Callahan has condemned 120 billboards under regulations that recently went into effect after litigation had been dropped. Insiders' Outlook (.Continued from page 2) the line ahead of the others. The result was "Baby, Take a Bow," that memorable attraction which W. G. Van Schmus allowed to slip out of his Music Hall hands and into Howard Cullman's for the Roxy. Van Schmus never doubled back on the same mistake. Made as a James DunnClaire Trevor vehicle with Shirley also in it, "Baby, Take a Bow," cost about $150,000 and grossed $800,000 domestically. The excitement was something by this time and next took form in "Bright Eyes"— cost $225,000, domestic gross $1,300,000, world gross, $1,800,000. From that point on, the Temple fable must be familiar to all hands. . . . ▼ Emphasizing the vagaries of production and also the general fallacy of setting up rules defining what will or will not go calls for another story. It's about Will Rogers, Sheehan and Wurtzel. It is said of Rogers that Will, always independent, was fussy about stories ; that time was when he and Sheehan failed to see matters eye to eye. Whether Wurtzel and Rogers hit it off on a more agreeable plane or whether Westwood Hills turned over the comedian to Western Ave. in a move to eliminate the Hollywood impression Wurtzel was making only the cheap film or whether a combination of both, the facts arc Rogers went to Wurtzel for a series. And this is what happened. . . . T Western Avenue produced "Judge Priest," "Handy Andy," "Life Begins at 40" and "Steamboat 'Round the Bend." The second cost $285,000, grossed between $900,000 and $1,000,000; the third cost $350,000, grossed $1,000,000; the fourth cost $355,000, did $1,200,000. "In Old Kentucky," the final Rogers was produced by Sheehan. Now whether or not Wurtzel again got a break will be a matter of opinion. The facts are Rogers had been doing an approximate $600,000 domestic business. The pictures Wurtzel produced were all $1,000,000 each and over. It may have been Rogers' natural growth as an attraction ; certainly, in large measure, this was true. It may have been things in the product. The conclusion is what you make it. . . . T Certain it is that Wurtzel has earned his spurs as a manufacturer of salable, down-toearth pictures turned out at a price. Owl-like in one respect, at least, is his wisdom about negative costs. "Pictures." he thinks, "should be made at $200,000 or $500,000 and over. The in-betweens represent the loss and the gamble in production." This space is not so certain about his higher bracket when it recalls the $500,000 and beyond negatives which have done about as much and, in some instances, less than lower bracket attractions. On the cheaper type, however, Wurtzel is entirely correct. Any circuit operator with a long view of what takes place at the box-office will step up with verification on request. . . . To Market New Device Hollywood, March 31. — Plans to market a new invention which is said to eliminate side seat distortion in iheatres are being carried out by Light, Inc., of which Major James D. Hetcher, former theatre man, is a -.hareholder. The invention is known as Stereo-Lite, and embodies a method of projecting two different images on the screen at once, sepa■ating them with a beam of light. The device is said to give the projected image greater depth, and calls for no change in the present method of taking or showing pictures. Donovan Foster, the inventor, was recently killed in a motor accident. Para. Signs Irene Dunne Hollywood, March 31. — Paramount has signed Irene Dunne to a threepicture contract. The studio has no story in mind as her first assignment, and Miss Dunne plans to leave for New York shortly to look over plays. Tn addition to Paramount, Miss Dunne has commitments at Radio and Columbia. M-G-M Re-Signs Three Hollywood. March 31. — M-G-M has given new term contracts to the song writing team of Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed, and to Richard Thorpe, who directed "The Voice of Bugle Ann." Brown and Freed are preparing a new "Broadway Melody." and Thorpe has been assigned to direct "Gram." Imperial to Handle Cinecolor in India Hollywood, March 31. — Cinecolor. Inc., has closed with Imperial Film Co., of Bombay, India, giving Imperial exclusive rights to the Cinecolor process in British India, Ceylon, Burma. Afghanistan. I rag, Persia and the Straits Settlements, including all the Malay States. Imperial is headed by Khan Bahadur Ardeshir M. Irani, film pioneer of India, who plans to produce a series of educational films in color. Imperial will build a special Cinecolor laboratory in India. Wolff M. Henius has been signed as head of the foreign department and export manager, as well as chief of the laboratory. He arranged the deal here and is receiving final training in color photography at the local Cinecolor laboratories. "Doctor" 2nd Week Closes at $55,000 "The Country Doctor" demonstrated staying powers at the Music Hall by grossing $55,000 in its second week. "Petticoat Fever" was the only other Broadway attraction to develop any strength in the general Lenten weakness. It reached $38,000 at the Capitol. "Brides Are Like That" took $8,500 at the Strand; "Preview Murder Mystery" was weak at the Rialto with $6,500; "Charlie Chan at the Circus" failed to stir up any excitement at the Center on a take of $8,000. and "Follow the Fleet" garnered a mild $6,400 at the Palace. NRA Dies Officially; Few Mourn Its Death (Continued from page 1 ; ployment, further steps might be taken along these lines. That the Administration might make another effort to regulate business is seen by observers in President Roosevelt's reappointment of George L. Berry as coordinator for industrial cooperation and the creation of a committee under Secretary of Commerce Roper to study the operation and effects of the NRA. Theatre Panic Averted New Orleans, March 31. — Warren Sales, owner of the Garden, prevented what might have been a .fire panic when, under his direction, his audience filed slowly from the theatre following a gasoline explosion three doors distant. Terry Expands Company Paul Terry, undertaking a reorganization and expansion of TerryToons, has effected a 15 per cent increase in production personnel and negative investment. TerryToons have 10 more cartoons for Educational release this season. Start Florida Circuit Tampa. March 31. — Two local projectionists, Woodrow Jones and C. L. Bailiff, have formed Peninsular Enterprises to operate theatres. Three houses have been acquired thus far. in Plant City. Winter Haven and Zephyrhills. They are seeking two other theatres. Discuss Pettengill Bill Omaha, March 31. — Members of the Nebraska-Iowa M.P.T.O., meeting here today, discussed a resolution on the Pettengill Bill but deferred final action in the matter until the next meeting which is slated to be held within 90 davs. Billy Mauch to Warners Hollywood, March 31. — Warners have signed Billy Mauch, twelve-yearold actor, to a long term contract. Mauch played "Anthony Adverse" as a boy, and his next assignment will be in "Angel of Mercy."