Motion Picture Daily (July–Sept 1938)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Out Hollywood Way 8 "Torchy" Gets $6,500, Best Seattle Take Seattle, June 30. — "Torchy Blane in Panama," with Blackstone, the Magician, on the stage at the Palomar, beat out the competition of night baseball and a carnival by getting $6,500. This was $2,000 over normal. "Crime School" and "Goodbye Broadway" was the only other combination to get into the money. The take at the Orpheum was $6,600, up by $600. Total first run business was $34,750. Average is $36,500. Estimated takings for the week ending June 24: "THREE COMRADES" (M-G-M) "RASCALS" (2(lth-Fox) BLUE MOUSE— (950), 30c-40c-55c, 7 days, 2nd week, extended run from Fifth Avenue. Gross: $2,950. (Average, $4,000) "THE TOY WIFE" (M-G-M) "HOLD THAT KISS" (M-G-M) FIFTH AVENUE— (2,500), 30c-40c-55c, 7 days. Gross: $6,400. (Average, $7,000) "HOLIDAY" (Col.) LIBERTY— (1,800), 20c-30c-40c-55c, 7 days, 4th week. Gross: $3,950. Average, $5,000) "ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD" (F. N.) MUSIC BOX— (960), 30c-40c-55c, 7 days. 4th week, extended run from Fifth Avenue. Gross: $2,700. (Average, $4,000) "CRIME SCHOOL" (W. B.) "GOODBYE BROADWAY" (Univ.) ORPHEUM — (2,450), 30c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $6,600. (Average, $6,000) "TORCHY BLANE IN PANAMA" (F. N.) PALOMAR— (1,500), 15c-25c-35c, 7 days. Stage: Blackstone, the Magician. Gross: $6,500. (Average, $4,500) "BLOCKADE" (U. A.) "LITTLE MISS THOROUGHBRED" (W. B.) PARAMOUNT — (3,050), 30c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $5,650. (Average, $6,000) Both New and Old Weak at New Haven New Haven, June 30. — Business remained generally off, and reissues and new product both fell far short of par. "Gold Diggers in Paris" and "Beloved Brat" took $3,200, under by $1,500 for the Roger Sherman. "Toy Wife" and "Three Blind Mice" grossed $6,000, under by $2,000. Both the Paramount and College had reissue programs. The former, with "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," garnered $2,400, short of the usual by $2,100; while "Count of Monte Cristo" and "I Cover the Waterfront" at the College totalled $1,300, $1,500 below the line. Graduation activities diverted much business. Total first run business was $12,900. Average is $20,000. Estimated takings for the week ending June 24 : "COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO" (U. A.) "I COVER THE WATERFRONT" (U. A.) COLLEGE— (1,499). 25c-35c, 7 days. Gross: $1,300. (Average, $1,800) "THE TOY WIFE" (M-G-M) "THREE BLIND MICE" (20th-Fox) LOEW-POLI— (3,040), 35c-50c, 7 days. Gross: $6,000. (Average, $8,000) "DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE" (Para.) "SKY DEVILS" (U. A.) PARAMOUNT— (2,348), 35c -50c, 7 days. Gross: $2,400, (Average, $4,500) "GOLDDIGGERS IN PARIS" (W. B.) "BELOVED BRAT" (W. B.) ROGER SHERMAN— (2,200), 35c-50c, 7 days. Gross: $3,200. (Average, $4,700) Hollywood, June 30. — Signing of Lew Ayres to a term contract at M-G-M has forced the actor out of the cast of Paramount's "Touchdown, Army," and Robert Cummings has replaced him. . . . Jean Parker gets the romantic feminine lead in Paramount's "The Arkansas Traveler." "In Old Mexico" will be the release title of Harry Sherman's Hopalong Cassidy, formerly known as "Return of the Fox" . . . John E. Burch, for 12 years with RKO and one year with Paramount, has been signed as production manager for Edward Small productions . . . Jack Fier, supervising production of the Columbia serial, "The Spider," material for which has been taken from lead stories appearing in The Spider magazine, a weekly detective story publication, has assigned Basil Dickey, George Plympton, Robert Kent, Charles Condon and Marty Rawson to write the script. + Casting — Sons of the Pioneers, local radio troupe, will appear in "West of "Holiday" Is Washington's $5,200 Lead Washington, June 30. — -"Holiday," playing a return engagement at the Metropolitan, turned in the best gross of the week, $5,200. This was $750 over normal. "The Rage of Paris" was the only other attraction to get into the money. It took a par $10,000 at RKO Keith's. Total first run business was $56,200. Average is $66,580. Estimated takings, exclusive of tax : Week Ending June 23: "BLOCKADE" (U. A.) LOEW'S CAPITOL— (3,434), 25c-66c, 7 days. Stage: Paul Draper and Chester Hale's 24 dancing Texas Comets. Gross: $15,000. (Average, $18,075) "CRIME SCHOOL" (W. B.) EARLE — (2,218), 25c-66c, 7 days. Stage: Gene Krupa and his orchestra. Gross: $15,000. (Average, $17,000) "HOLIDAY" (Col.) METROPOLITAN — (1,591), 25c-40c, 7 days, return engagement. Gross: $5,200. (Average, $4,450) "THREE COMRADES" (M-G-M) LOEW'S PALACE— (2,370), 25c-55c, 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $7,000. (Average, $12,650) "THE RAGE OF PARIS" (Univ.) RKO KEITH'S— (1,836), 25c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $10,000. (Average, $10,000) "DR. RHYTHM" (Para.) LOEW'S COLUMBIA— (1,243), 25c-40c. 7 days, return engagement. Gross: $4,000. (Average, $4,325) Rosener to Take Two San Francisco, June 30. — Herbert Rosener Co., operating four foreign language theatres in major Pacific coast cities, has leased the Nob Hill Theatre, Portland, effective Aug. 1, and will take over Cleveland's City Theatre, Sept. 1, on an operating agreement. The expansion is an outgrowth of a deal with Jean Lennauer of New York's Filmarte to show the latter's films in all Rosenor houses. Sante Fe," Charles Starrett western at Columbia . . . Joan Fontaine has been assigned the feminine lead in RKO's "Gunga Din" . . . Joan Marsh in Columbia's "Lady Lawyer" . . . Dan Borzage, brother of Director Frank Borzage, in Goldwyn's "The Lady and the Cowboy" . . . James Stephenson in "Return of Doctor X," Warners . . . Rex O'Malley, stage actor and director, in Paramount's "Zaza." + Writers — Don Hartman will work with Ken Englund on the script of "Follow the Sun," Paramount vehicle for Bing Crosby . . . Robert RosSON is working on the script of "Heart of the North," and Anthony Coldeway on "Haunted Bridge," third of the Nancy Drew series, at Warners. + Directors — William Nigh will direct Monogram's "The Girl From Nowhere," with Anne Nagel in the lead. "Birth" Gets $11,300, Top Detroit Gross Detroit, June 30. — "Birth of a Baby" grossed $11,300 at the Adams. Normal for this house is $5,000. "Josette," helped by Olsen and Johnson on the stage, turned in $21,000 at the Fox, but none of the other first runs got into the profit column. Total first run business was $56,600. Average is $55,000. Estimated takings for the week ending June 9 : "BIRTH OF A BABY" (Special) ADAMS — (1,770), 30c-40c-55c, 7 days. Gross: $11,300. (Average, $5,000) "JOSETTE" (20th-Fox) FOX— (5,100), 15c-65c, 7 days. Stage: Olsen and Johnson revue. Gross: $21,000. (Average, $20,000) "DAVID COPPERFIELD" (M-G-M) (Reissue) "TREASURE ISLAND" (M-G-M) (Reissue) MADISON— (2,000), 15c -65c, 7 days. Stage show. Gross: $4,300. (Average, $5,000) "THREE COMRADES" (M-G-M) MICHIGAN — (4,100), 15c-65c, 7 days. Gross: $15,400. (Average, $20,000) "VIVACIOUS LADY" (RKO) STATE— (3,000), 10c-40c, 7 days. Gross: $4,600. (Average, $5,000) Gutenberg Open 4 Nights Milwaukee, June 30. — As a result of his controversy with the local projectionists' union, A. C. Gutenberg is running his Grand only Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday evenings of each week. Gutenberg continues to operate his own machine. Trouble which had been brewing between the exhibitor and union for some weeks came to a head when Gutenberg refused to pay Class 4 wages, claiming he is entitled to Class 5 rating because of his seating capacity, which is on a par or less than that of 17 houses recognized by the union as Class 5 houses. Friday, July I, 1938 "Holiday" Is $18,000 Win, Philadelphia Philadelphia, June 30. — "Holiday" was the week's winner. It ovf came a heat wave to click $18,000 \ the Boyd and was held a second week. The Earle's stage and screen setup of Sammy Kaye's orchestra and "Little Miss Thoroughbred" turned in a good $17,000. "Three Blind Mice" hit a fair $14,000 at the Fox and "Three Comrades" held up with $12,500 for its second Stanley week. Total first run business was §74,450. Average is $73,400. Estimated takings for the week ending June 23 : "RASCALS" (20th-Fox) "COLLEGE SWING" (Para.) ARCADIA— (600), 25c-40c-55c, 3 days each. Gross: $600, 2nd gross: $550. (Average, 7 days, $2,800) "HOLIDAY" (Col.) BOYD— (2,400), 40c-55c,65c, 7 days. Gross: $18,000. (Average, $14,000) "LITTLE MISS THOROUGHBRED" (W. B.) EARLE— (2,000), 25c-40c-55c, 6 days. Stage: Sammy Kaye and orchestra; Crane Sisters, Shea and Raymond. Gross: $17,000. (Average, $14,000) "THREE BLIND MICE" (20th-Fox) FOX— (3,000), 40c-55c-65c, 7 days. Gross: $14,000. (Average, $14,000) "TOY WIFE" (M-G-M) (2nd run) KARLTON— (1,000), 25c-40c-55c, 7 days. Gross: $3,500. (Average, $4,000) "GOLD DIGGERS IN PARIS" (W. B.) " (2nd run) KEITH'S— (2,000), 37c-48c-55c, 7 days. Gross: $3,300. (Average, $4,000) "THREE COMRADES" (M-G-M) STANLEY— (3,700), 40c-55c-65c, 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $12,500. (Average, $14,000) "GANGS OF NEW YORK" (Republic) STANTON— (1,700), 30c-40c-55c, 7 days. Gross: $5,000. (Average, $7,000) "Comrades" Good as Montreal Swelters Montreal, June 30. — "Three Comrades" survived the heat attack and registered $9,500 at the Palace as against par of $11,000. "Blockade," heading a double bill at the Capitol, was good for $7,500 as compared with $9,500 average, while "Josette" collected $5,500 at the Princess as against average of $7,000. Total first run business was $25,000. Average is $32,500. Estimated takings for the week ending June 25 : "BLOCKADE" (U.A.) "ONE WILD NIGHT" (Republic) CAPITOL— (2,547). 25c-35c-4Oc-50c-60c, 7 days. Gross: $7,500. (Average, $9,500) "JERICHO" (British) "THE SKY'S THE LIMIT" (British) ORPHEUM— (919), 25c-35c-50c, 7 days. Gross: $2,500. (Average, $5,000) "THREE COMRADES" (M-G-M) PALACE— (2,600), 25c-35c-40c-50c-65c, 7 days. Gross: $9,500. (Average, $11,000) "JOSETTE" (2Dth-Fox) "MR. MOTO'S GAMBLE" (20th-Fox) PRINCESS— (2,272), 25c -30c -35c -50c -65c, 7 days. Gross: $5,500. (Average, $7,000) Drop Adorno Lease Case Middletown, Conn., June 30. — The lease case of Sal Adorno vs. Warner Theatres has been dropped from the Superior Court docket here, subject to reinstatement, under Section 191 of the Practice Act which orders the docket cleared at this time of cases pending more than two years.