Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1937)

Tuesday, February 16, 1937 MOTION PICTURE DAILY 13 66 Great Guy" Omaha's Best With $14,500 Omaha, Feb. 15. — Local houses had the best business of the year last week The A. B. Marcus shows, with "Great Guy" on the Orpheum screen, collected $14,500, or more than double the aver aee of $7,200. "The Holy Terror" and "Charlie Chan at the Opera" grossed $7,600 at the Omaha, or $2,100 over par. "Stolen Holiday" and "Devil's Playground" at the Brandeis garnered $5,700. Several factors influenced the heavy take. The weather tapered off to new high temperatures for the winter at the close of the week, and the three houses played an extra show on Bank Night. Total first run business was $27,800. Average is $16,700. Estimated takings: Week Ending Feb. 9: "THE HOLY TERROR" (ZOth-Fox) "CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OPERA" (20th-Fox) OMAHA — (2,200) , 25c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $7,600. (Average, $5,500) Week Ending Feb. 10: "STOLEN HOLIDAY" (W. B.) "DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND" (Col.) BRANDEIS— (1,200), 25c-35c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $5,700. (Average, $4,000) Week Ending Feb. 11: "GREAT GUY" (G. N.) ORPHEUM — (3,000), 35c-55c, 7 days. Stage: Marcus show. Gross: $14,500. (Av erage, $7,200) "Million" High as Cincy Houses Open Cincinnati, Feb. 15. — Everything considered, business was quite satisfactory last week after the theatres opened following a 11-day shutdown caused by lack of power during the flood. "One in a Million" went $950 over the line on a third downtown week at the RKO Grand. "God's Country and the Woman" did $10,000 in six days at the RKO Palace, this being the seven-day average figure. "The Plainsman" came within shouting distance of par at the RKO Lyric, and moved across the street to the RKO Grand. Total first run business was $51,400. Average is $58,700. Estimated takings for the week ending Feb. 1 1 : "BELOVED ENEMY" (U. A.) RKO ALB EE— (3,300), 35c-42c, 5 days. Gross: $9,000. (Average, 7 days, $12,000) "GOD'S COUNTRY AND THE WOMAN" (W. B.) RKO PALACE— (2,700), 35c -42c, 6 days. Gross: $10,000. (Average, 7 days, $10,000) "UNDER COVER OF NIGHT" (M-G-M) RKO SHUBERT— (2,150), 40c-60c, 7 days. Stage: "Greenwich Village Scandals." Gross: $11,000. (Average, $12,000) "CAMILLE" (M-G-M) RKO CAPITOL— (2,000), 35c-42c, 7 days, 2nd downtown week. Gross: $4,800. (Average, $6,500) "THE PLAINSMAN" —(Para.) RKO LYRIC— (1,400), 35c-42c, 7 days, 2nd downtown week. Gross: $6,400. (Average, $6,500.) Moved to RKO Grand. "ONE IN A MILLION" (20th-Fox) RKO GRAND— (1,200), 25c-40c, 7 days, 3rd downtown week. Gross: $3,700. (Average, $2,750) "I COVER CHINATOWN" (Steiner) RKO FAMILY— (1,000), 15c-25c, 4 days. Gross: $1,300. (Average, —$1,250) "HOUSE OF SECRETS" (Chesterfield) RKO FAMILY— (1,000), 15c-25c, 3 days. Gross. $1,300. (Average, $1,200) "SING ME A LOVE SONG" (F. N.) KEITH'S— (1,500), 30c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $3,900. (Average, $6,500'* Overseas Previews "The Great Barrier" (Gaumont British) London, Feb. 3. — "The Great Barrier" is one of the best of recent G.B. efforts. Made in Canada, major producers in the United States would be proud to have it on their schedule. Further, there seems to be no reason why it should not go as well with audiences on your side as any of those American epics of the outdoors to which it has an affinity. The historical background is the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway. In the dramatic foreground is the struggle in company board room, bank parlor, and political cabinet to keep the enterprise Canadian instead of merging with American J. J. Hill. Even more prominently there is the sterner struggle with nature in the Rockies, where an allCanadian route through the peaks is sought by a band of pioneers. The romantic element is provided by a gambler, reformed by a compulsory spell on the railroad and by the daughter of the working boss. A remittance man and a tough lady of the saloons help with contrast. Richard Arlen, Antoinette Cellier, Barry Mackay and Lilli Palmer are all alive in these parts and talk a language as near American as matters; most emphatically it is not "Oxford." There is good human drama in their relations. Still, the real drama is that of the railroad, going forward although locomotives sink in swamps and financiers get cold feet, and of the motley crew who built it. There is the taste of real adventure and real achievement in the picturizing of this achievement. Thrills aplenty on the side, including a great canoe-spill in the rapids and a real old time Western bit when Arlen jumps from horse to locomotive cab, to stop the train from rushing into the swamp. The story of a piece of historical pioneering, it screens finely as an example of the real life drama that leaves the fiction writers guessing. It will surely go on the record as one of the really big pictures to come from England. Running time, 100 minutes. "G." Allan. Coast Independents Meet for Law Talks ("The Great Barrier" was briefly reviewed by cable Feb. 4) Out Hollywood Way Hollywood, Feb. 15. — Rochelle Hudson and Robert Kent will be teamed for the fourth time when they appear with Jane Withers in an untitled film to be started Feb. 18 by 20th Century-Fox. Jan Rubini and his orchestra signed by 20th Century-Fox for "Cafe Metropolis". . . Universal delays starting date on "Love in a Bungalow" until end of March . . . Franz Waxman assigned to do music on "There Was a Lady" at M-G-M . . . Universal to start "Oh, Doctor" Feb. 24, with Edmund Grainger producing . . . Dr. William Axt and Gus Kahn of MG-M have done two songs for "Song of the City" . . . Major David Hilton signed by M-G-M as technical director on army sequences of "They Gave Him a Gun" . . . Col. E. A. Schiller of Loew's leaves for Jacksonville. Barbara O'Neill signed by Samuel Goldwyn . . . Edward Bernoudy assigned by Samuel Goldwyn as assistant to John Blystone on 'The Woman's Touch". . . Frank Skinner, musical arranger, given term contract by Universal . . . First assignment may be on Deanna Durbin's next, "100 Men and a Girl" . . . John Wayne's next for Trem Carr to be "I Cover the War." + Casting — Arline Judge, Arthur Treacher and Walter Catlett in "She Had to Eat," 20th Century-Fox . . . Harold Huber and Joseph Sawyer in "They Gave Him a Gun," Harlan Briggs in "The Old Soak," and Aubrey Asher in "Night Must Fall," M-G-M . . . Humphrey Bo gart in "Dead End," Samuel Goldwyn . . . Lucille Gleason and Warren Hymer in "Navy Blues," Eddie Kane in "Hit Parade," Republic. + William Farnum in "Git Along, Little Doggies," Sammy White and Rita LeRoy in "The Hit Parade," Republic . . . Zeni Vatori, on loan from Warners, in "The Stones Cry Out," Universal. + Writers — Lester Cole doing the script of "The Cop" from Kubec Glasmon's original for Universal . . . Joseph Anthony working on the script of "Super Sleuth," Radio . . . Ernest Toller and Mordaunt Shairp given contracts by M-G-M . . . Toller will work on story about Lola Montez and Shairp to collaborate on "Once There Was a Lady." + Story Buys — Alexander brothers acquire film rights to radio and magazine character "The Shadow," created by Maxwell Grant . . . Radio acquires the Victor Mapes play, "The Kangaroos," for Wheeler and Woolsey. + Contracts — Spanky McFarland signed for another year by Hal Roach . . . Robert Dalton, actor, held for another six months by Universal. + Director — Frank Borzage moves to M-G-M soon . . . His Warner contract settled by M. C. Levee, agent. Los Angeles, Feb. 15.— One hundred and six independent exhibitors, including I.T.O. members, held a mass meeting at the Elks Club here today at the request of B. D. Russell, organizer of the New California Independent Exhibitors' Protective League. Russell outlined campaign plans for the passage of legislation banning block booking and designation of playdates on percentage pictures and told exhibitors he already had introduced a bill at Sacramento calculated to divorce production from exhibition and planned to introduce additional measures affecting production. Russell asked exhibitors to aid in the campaign for the measure, which closely parallels the Pettengill Bill. Jack Berman, I.T.O. president, appointed a stearing committee consisting of himself, E. S. Calvi, Harry Vinnicoff, Lou Bard and J. Sutton to investigate the plan and confer further with Russell for a later report to the organization. Many exhibitors already have signed pledges to aid the campaign. Delay Albany Pooling Further negotiations on the pooling of Warners' Ritz and Strand and Si Fabian's Palace and HarmanusBleeker Hall in Albany will be delayed until Fabian returns March 1 from a three-week vacation in Miami. A tentative working arrangement has been set, but classification of houses and other details will not be completed until next month. Edward Davidow Dead Edward Davidow, 67, agent and brother-in-law of Lee and J. J. Shubert, succumbed to a heart attack Sunday in his room at the Edison. He coproduced "Satellite" at the Bijou last year. Funeral arrangements will be completed today. Loew's Remodel Office Loew's is remodeling the reception sector of the seventh floor in the home office. The work is scheduled to be completed in the next few days. Wall Street Board Still on Decline Net High Low Close Change Columbia 37% 37 37% — % Consolidated 5 V/t V/» — 'A Consolidated, pfd.. 16% 16%. 16J4 Eastman Kodak . . 173% 173% 173% — 1% Gen. T. Equip. ... 31 % 30% 3&7/s —V/s Loew's, Inc 77 75% 76 —1 Paramount 26% 25% 25% — % Paramount 2 pfd.. 23$i 23 23% — % Pathe Film 9 9 9 rko &% 8% &% + % 20th Century -Fox. 36% 36 36% + % 20th Century, pfd.. 45 44% 45 Warner Bros 16 15% 15% — % Little Curb Change Net High Low Close Change Grand National ... 3% 3% 3% — % Sentry Safety .... 1 15/16 1 Sonotone 2% 2% 2% Technicolor 20% 19% 205% Trans-Lux 4% 4% 4% + % Slight Bond Movement Net High Low Close Change Loew's 3%s '46. . . . 100% 100 100 Paramount Pict. 6s '55 103% 103 103 RKO 6s '41 pp ..121 121 121 Warner Bros. 6s '9 wd 98% 98% 98% — % (Quotations at close of Feb. 15)