Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1936)

M OT ION JPICXWRJE DAILY Monday, October 26, 1936 "Desperado" Seattle Top With $7,200 Seattle, Oct. 25. — "The Gay Desperado" was the best box-office bet of the week with a take of $7,200 at the Liberty. This was $2,200 in the profit column. The picture was held over. "Ladies in Love," on a dual with "Three Married Men," garnered $7,600, up by $1,600, at the Orpheum and the bill was moved to the Blue Mouse for an extended run. "Road to Glory" was moved from the Fifth Avenue to the Music Box for another week after getting $7,200. The weather was clear. Total first run business was $38,850. Average is $36,500. Estimated takings for the week endings Oct. 23 : "SWING TIME" (Radio) BLUE MOUSE— (950), 25c-40c-5Sc, 7 days, 3rd week, extended run from Fifth Avenue. Gro<=s: $^.8fl0. (Averaee. $4.fXX)) "THE ROAD TO GLORY" (20th-Fox) FIFTH AVENUE — (2,500), 25c-40c-55c, 7 days. Gross: $7,200. (Average, $7,000) "THE GAY DESPERADO" (U.A.) LIBERTY— (2,800), 20c-30c-40c-55c, 8 days. Gross: $7,200. (Average, $5,000) "GIVE ME YOUR HEART" (W.B.) "BACK TO NATURE" (Para.) MUSIC BOX— (950), 25c-40c-55c, 7 days, 2nd week, extended run from Paramount. Gross: $3,200. (Average, $4,000) "LADIES IN LOVE" (ZOth-Fox) "3 MARRIED MEN" (Para.) ORPHEUM— (2,450), 25c-30c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $7,600. (Average, $6,000) "THE PRESIDENT'S MYSTERY" (Republic) PALOMAR— (1,500), 15c-25c-35c, 7 days. Stage: Vaudeville and band. Gross: $4,500. (Average, $4,500) "DIMPLES" (ZOth-Fox) "EAST MEETS WEST" (G.B.) PARAMOUNT — (3,050), 25c-30c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $5,350. (Average, $6,000) Ricketson Shifts Men Denver, Oct. 25.— Rick Ricketson, manager of Fox Intermountain, has named Ray Davis, former city manager in North Platte, Neb., as city manager in Cheyenne, Wyo., succeeding Walter Smith, who has resigned to go to the coast. Donald Dungan, assistant at the Imperial, Alliance, Neb., will manage the Rourke, La Junta, succeeding Ed King, assigned to Durango, Col. Mike Zalensky will go from Durango to become city manager in North Platte. Ohio Spot Tries Shows New Philadelphia, O., Oct. 25. — The Union, a Shea house, has inaugurated a combination stage show and picture policy on Fridays and Saturdays. The units are booked through the Gus Sun Agency, at Springfield. Straight films has been the policy of the house for several years. House Has New Entrance Boston, Oct. 25. — Increased business has necessitated the construction of an additional entrance to the South Station Theatre, the only local short subject and newsreel house. Heretofore the only entrance has been from the interior of the South Station. "Sissy" a $16,000 Draw, Providence Hmise for Cambridge, Md. Cambridge, Md., Oct. 25.— L. W. Goodman of Cumberland has made plans to build a theatre in this city and has started to dig for the foundations. Providence, Oct. 25. — Bringing in a neat $16,000 to Loew's State, "The Devil Is a Sissy" was far and away the best bet of the week. The gross was $4,000 over average. The only other house to equal par was the Majestic, which caught an even $7,000 with "Give Me Your Heart" and "Yellowstone." "East Meets West" and "Sitting on the Moon," at the Strand, were $300 under the usual $6,500 and the RKO Albee yanked "Follow Your Heart" and "Don't Turn 'Em Loose" after six days with the take around $3,000, which is $4,000 sub-par. Fay's, with "Missing Girls" and a revue, was $1,000 down from the average, $7,000. The weather was fallish and cloudy most of the week. Opposition now has settled down to the usual football games and club socials. Total first run business was $38,200. Average is $39,500. Estimated takings for the week endins: Oct. 8 : "THE DEVIL IS A SISSY" (M-G-M) "THE LONGEST NIGHT" (M-G-M) LOEW'S STATE— (3.400), 15c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $16,000. (Average. $12,000) "EAST MEETS WEST" (G.B.) "SITTING ON THE MOON" (Republic) STRAND— (2,300). 15c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $6,200. CA'-erage. $6,500) "MISSING GIRLS" (Chesterfield) FAY'S— (1.600), 15c-40c, 7 days. Stage: "Bye, Bye Baby" revue. Gross: $6,000. (Averaee, $7 000) "GIVE ME YOUR HEART" (W.B.) "YFLLOWSTONE" (Univ.) MAJESTIC— (2.400), 15c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $7,000. (Average. $7,000) "FOLLOW YOUR HEART" (Republic) "DON'T TURN 'EM LOOSE" (Radio) RKO ALBEE— (2,300), 15c-40c, 6 days. Gross: $3,000. (Average, $7,000) Milwaukee Grosses Go Into Bad Slump Milwaukee, Oct. 25. — "Ladies in Love" and "Back to Nature," grossing $6,500 at Fox's Wisconsin, took high money in a rather sickly week. This was $1,500 below par. All other business was off due to the combined Food and Radio Show in the Auditorium which attracted approximately 125,000 people for six days. Two vaudeville shows and numerous daily prizes were offered in connection with this attraction. The weather for the most part was fair and cool. Total first run business was $19,900. Average is $24,500. Estimated takings : Week Ending Oct. 14: "A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM" (W. B.) WARNER— (2.400), 25c-35c-50c, 6 days. Gross: $4,000. (Average, $5,000) Week Ending Oct. IS: "WIVES NEVER KNOW" (Para.) "MURDER WITH PICTURES" (Para.) PALACE— (2,400), 25c-35c-50c, 7 days. Gross: $4,300. (Average. $5,000) "SECRET AGENT" (G. B.) RrVERSIDE— (2.300). 20c-25c-30c, 7 days. Stage: Centennial Follies with June Carr, Toe Rollo. Slap Haopy, Monroe & Adams Sisters, Beatrice Hagen, Lowe, Hite & Stanley. Gross: $4,100. (Average, $5,000) "LADIES IN LOVE" (20th-Fox) "BACK TO NATURE" (Ztth-Fox) WISCONSIN— (3,200), 25c-35c-50c, 7 days Gross: $6,500. (Average, $8,000) Week Ending Oct. 16: "MY MAN GODFREY" (Univ.) "A STAR FOR A NIGHT" (20th-Fox) STRAND — (1,400) , 25c-35c,50c, 7 days Gross: $1,000. (Average, $1,500) "Brute" and Lewis Indianapolis Hits Indianapolis, Oct. 25. — Ted Lewis and his band on the stage with "The Magnificent Brute" on the screen did the business here last week, bringing the Lyric $13,700, which was $6,700 to the good. Lewis is a perennial favorite at the house and the management had to turn customers away Saturday and Sunday nights. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" went $1,000 into the black at the Apollo for a gross of $5,000. It was roadshowed at B. F. Keith's here last winter. Federal Players, closing for the week in preparation for an elaborate presentation of "It Can't Happen Here," probably helped "A Midsummed Night's Dream." General Motors' Parade of Progress showed during most of the week at the edge of the downtown area. It draw sightseers by the thousands and sliced something from first run business. Total first run business was $26,900. Average is $21,000. Estimated takings for the week ending Oct. 16: "A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM" (W. B.) APOLLO — (1,100). 25c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $5,000. (Average, $4,000) "WALKING ON AIR" (Radio) "HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD" (Para.) CIRCLE— (2,800). 25c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $3,000. (Average, $4,000) "THE DEVIL IS A SISSY" (M-G-M) "THEY MET IN A TAXI" (Col.) LOEW'S— (2,800). 25c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $5,200. (Average. $6,000) "THE MAGNIFICENT BRUTE" (Univ.) LYRIC— (2,000), 25c-40c, 7 days. Stage: Ted Lewis and Band. Gross: $13,700. (Average, $7,000) "Dodsworth" Sets New Portland Mark Portland, Oct. 25. — "Dodsworth," in its initial week at the United Artists, topped all previous weeks at this house for this year with a take of $9,500, over par by $4,500. "Gorgeous Hussy" was moved to the Mayfair for a third downtown week, securing $4,500, over the usual here by $1,500. "Ramona" was held for a second week at the Orpheum. It ran up to $6,200, over average by $1,200. In its first week at the Paramount "Dimples" and "Seven Sinners" brought in $8,900, bettering the house average by $4,900. Total first run business was $38,100. Average is $24,700. Estimated takings for the week ending Oct. 17: "OLD HUTCH" (M-G-M) "THE CAPTAIN'S KID" (F. N.) BROADWAY— (1.912). 30c-35c-40c, 7 days. Gro^s: $6,500. (Average. $5,000) "MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN" (Col.) "IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT" (Col.) BLUE MOUSE — (1,700). 30c-35c-40c, 7 davs. 24th week. Gross: $2,500. (Average. $1,700) "GORGEOUS HUSSY" (M-G-M) MAYFAIR— (1,700). 30c-35c-40c, 7 days. 3rd D. T. week. Gross: $4,500. (Average, $3,000) "RAMONA" fZOth-Fox) "BACK TO NATURE" (20th-Fox) ORPHEUM— (1,700). 30c-35c-40c. 7 davs. 2nd week. Gross: $6,200. (Average, $5,000) "DIMPLES" (2ftth-Fox) "SEVEN SINNERS" (G. B.) PARAMOUNT — (3.008). 30c-35c-40c. 7 days. Gross: S8.9TO. (Average. $5,000) "DODSWORTH" (U. A.) UNITED ARTISTS — (945) , 30c-35c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $9,500. (Average, $5,000) "Cain,Mabel" Gets $16,500 In Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Oct. 25. — Despite a succession of rainy days and some stiff competition, the Stanley led the field with "Cain and Mabel," bringing in close to $16,500, while "The Magnificent Brute," although it got off to a slow start, built steadily and came through with a first rate $6,800. Only the Perm was a disappointment. "The Devil Is a Sissy" began excellently on opening day when the annual teachers' institute emptied the schools, and the weekend generally was fine, but it dropped after that to around $10,000, just fair. The Fulton came down the home stretch in great fashion with "My Man Godfrey," getting slightly better than $5,000 on the seventh and final week, while "Three Married Men" and "Isle of Fury" eased off the Warner, unable to better an ordinary $4,100. Total first run grosses were $42,400. Average is $37,000. Estimated takings for the week ending Oct. 22: "MAGNIFICENT BRUTE" (Univ.) ALVIN— (2,000), 25c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $6,800. (Average, $5,500) "MY MAN GODFREY" (Univ.) FULTON— (1,750), 25c-40c, 7 days, 7th week. Gross: $5,000. (Average, $4,500) "THE DEVIL IS A SISSY" (M-G-M) PENN— (3,300), 25c-50c, 7 days. Gross: $10,000. (Average, $11,000) "CAIN AND MABEL" (F.N.) STANLEY— (3,600), 25c-50c, 7 days. Gross: $16,500. (Average, $11,500) "THREE MARRIED MEN" (Para.) "ISLE OF FURY" (W.B.) WARNER— (2,000), 25c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $4,100. (Average, $4,500) Neilan, Maynard Back Hollywood, Oct. 25. — Marshall Neilan and Harry Maynard, who have been scouting St. Louis and Chicago for a "Tom Sawyer" for SelznickInternational, have returned here. William H. Wright, who accompanied Neilan and Maynard, has gone on to New York to confer with Katherine Brown, the eastern talent head. Tri-States Scales Up Omaha, Oct. 25.— Tri-States Theatres have increased last half of the week prices at the Bonham in Fairbury, Neb., from 20 to 25 cents for matinees and from 25 to 30 cents for evenings and admissions at the Empress in Hastings, Neb., and Majestic in Grand Island, Neb., from 20 to 25 cents. Changes Opening Day Denver, Oct. 25. — Saturday football games at the University of Denver stadium here have led Harry Huffman to change the opening day of three of his first run houses to Thursday. Theatres affected by the change are the Denver, Broadway and Aladdin. Toronto Dance Nov. 6 Toronto, Oct. 25. — Once a year film exchange officials and exhibitors toss aside business worry and rivalry for the annual Motion Picture Ball. Lively preparations are under way for the next function which is dated for Nov. 6. About 800 are expected.