Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1941)

(Thursday, September 25. 1^41 Motion Picture Daily 7 Ladies' with Coast Busy on Fall Plans; Good $39,400 Boston's Best Boston, Sept. 24. — Business was good at the first-run houses. '"When Ladies Meet,'* coupled with "Blondie Society" at Loew's State and Orphregistering a total of $39,400. Hold Back the Dawn" plus "Henry Aldrich for President" at the Metropolitan grossed $20,500. Estimated receipts for the week ending Sept. 17-19 : "Father Takes a Wife" (RICO) KEITH BOSTON" (2,697) (2Sc44c -55c -65c) 7 davs. Vaudeville including Rochester, Kitty Murray, Gracie Barrie. Walton and O'Rourke, Rubv King and Dick Stabile and Orchestra. Gross: $17,400. (Average, $8,000) "Citizen Kane" (RKO) "Sci'ttergcod Takes a Wife" (RKO) KKITH M F.MORI AL — (2,907) (28c-33c-44c55c) 7 days, 3rd week. Gross: $10,600. (Average, $16,000) "Held Beck the Dawn" (Para.) "Henry Aldrich for President" (Para.) METROPOLITAN — (4.367) (28c-39c-44c55c) 7 days. Gross: $20,500. (Average, $15.50)) "Parscn cf Panamirt" (Para.) "World Premiere" (Para.) PARAMOUNT— (1,797) (28c -59c -44c -55c) 7 davs. 2nd run. Gross: $5,800. (Average, $7,500) "Parscn cf Panamint" (Para.) "World Premiere" (Para.) FENWAY — (1.320) (28c-39c-44c-55c) 7 days. 2nd run. Gross: $2,705. (Average. $4,500) "Alcma of the Scuth Seas" (Para.) "Puddir. Head" (Rep.) SC'OLLAY — (2,500) (28c-33c-44c-55c) 7 days, 3rd run. Gross: $3,000. (Average, $4,000) "When Ladies Meet" (M G-M) "Blondie ui Society" (Col.) LOEWS STATE — (3,000) (28c-33c-44c55c) 9 days. Gross: $16,400. (Average, $12,000) "When Ladies Meet" (M-G-M) "Blcndie in Society" (Col.) LOEWS ORPHE I'M— (2,900) (2Sc-33c44c-55c) 9 davs. Gross: $23,000. (Average, $17,500) Many Assignments Made Hollywood, Sept. 24 ROBERT PRESTON joins Veronica Lake and Alan Ladd in Paramount's "This Gun for Hire," to be directed by Frank Tuttle . . . Paul Gerard Smith's first picture as producer at Warners will be "Leathernecks," which will have a Marines background . . . Carole Landis will support Pat O'Brien and Cesar Romero in 20th 'Bomber' Is Buffalo Winner With $13,400 'Dive Bomber" Great Lakes, drew here with for the week Bi fealo, Sept. 24. — made $13,400 at the "Sun Yallev Serenade" $16,100 at the Buffalo. Estimated receipts ending Sept. 20 : "Sun Valley Serenade" (20th-Fox: "Down in San Diego" (M-G-M) BUFFALO — (3.489) (30c-55c) Gross: $16,100. (Average, $12,000) "Dive Bomber" (W. B.) "Charlie Chan in Rio" (20th-Fox) GREAT LAKES— (3,000) (30c-55c) 7 days. Gross: $13,400. (Average, $7,500) "New Wine" (U. A.) "Highway West" (W. B.) HIPPODROME — (2.100) (30c-50c) 7 days. Gross: $5,200. (Average, $6,800) "Parachute Battalion" (RKO) "Scattergood Meets Broadway" (RKO) TWENTIETH CENTURY— (3,000) (30c50c) 7 davs. Gross: $5,000. (Average. $7,500) "Angels With Broken Wings" (Rep.) "Lady from Louisiana" (Rep.) LAFAYETTE — (3,000) (30c-50c) 7 days. Gross: $4,400. (Average, $6,300) days. Agree on Mil ford House Sale to WB Milford, Conn., Sept. 24. — An agreement of Helen J. Xomejko, owner, to sell the 750-seat Capitol within 45 days to I. J. Hoffman, Warner zone head here, has been filed. The purchase price is set at $67,500. The Capitol has been operated for the past eight years by Lucy Flack, daughter of the owner. It was originally operated for many years by Mrs. Flack's father, H. Xomejko. Century-Fox' "Highway to Hell," formerly called "Law and Order, Inc." . . . "Marines on Parade," the Al Pearoe picture at Republic, will be guided by Joseph Santley . . . Tom Xeal and Carol Hughes have the top roles in Producers Releasing Corp.'s "Miracle Kid." which William Beaudine will direct. • • Orson Welles has signed Tim Holt for the role of George Amerson Minafer in "The Magnificent Ambersons." . . . Robert Sterling is set for support of Robert Taylor and Lana Turner in M-G-M's "Johnny Eager" . . . June Havoc's second film role \\ ill be in RKO's "I'm Dying to Live," Bert Lahr-Buddy Ebsen vehicle . . . Curtis Bernhardt has been assigned to direct "Juke Girl," Ida Lupino vehicle, and John Huston to guide Bette Davis' picture, "In This Our Life," at Warners. Another Warner assignment was Jo Graham, dialogue director, to make his debut as director on "Background to Danger." • • Republic has borrowed William Wright from Paramount to play opposite Margaret Tallichet and Osa Massen in "The Devil Pays Off" . . . 20th Century-Fox has purchased "And This Too Is Love," Cosmopolitan story by Helen Maxard, and "The Pied Piper," by Neville Shcte. Monogram is shipping a large number of features and westerns to Iceland where they will provide entertainment for the American soldiers stationed there. The prints will remain on the island for from nine to 12 months . . . Charles Ruggles has joined the cast of 20th Century-Fox' "The Perfect Snob" with Charlotte Greenwood, John Shelton and Lynn Bari . . . Republic has purchased Michael Burke's original story, "Public Enemies" . . . Ralph Morgan has been set at the same studio as the menace in "Dick Tracy versus Crime, Inc.," serial . . . Mary Carlisle will support Richard Arlen, Frances Farmer and Philip Terry in William Pine-William Thomas' "Torpedo Boat," for Paramount . . . "The Fleet's In" cast at Paramount has been augmented by Leif Erickson . . . Warners announces a football story, "Kickoff," to feature Ronald Reagan, Craig Stevens and Jane Wyman. A. Edward Sutherland will direct. • • Guv Kibbee has been set for "Her Honor" at M-G-M . . . Lew Collins will direct Monogram's "Borrowed Hero" . . . Betty Compson, the one-time star, is now in "Zis Boom Bah," collegiate musical at Monogram . . . Warners has changed the title of "Bridges Built at Night" to "Dangerously They Live" . . . Next picture set at Columbia for Pat O'Brien to follow "Trinidad" with George Raft is "He's Your Old Man," story of the Marine Corps . . . M-G-M has extended the writing contract of Harvey Haislip . . . Lee Bowman is the "other man" in "We Were Dancing," Norma Shearer-Melvyn Douglas vehicle at M-G-M . . . Dean Jagger and Antonio Moreno have been set for RKO's "Valley of the Sun." • • Among pictures lined up by Producer Alex Gottlieb for Abbott and Costello at Universal are a story with a South Seas locale, and a radio studio mystery . . . RKO has signed Bonita Granvtlle for three pictures in the new season . . . "Dancing Debs." original by Sidney M. Biddell, will be converted by Paramount into a musical featuring the lot's younger players . . . Virginia YVeidler has been given a new deal by M-G-M . . . Paramount has signed Sidney Lanfield to direct "My Favorite Blonde," Bob Hope-Madeleine Carroll opus . . . Lesley Selander moves over from Harry Sherman's unit at Paramount to RKO to guide "Thundering Hooves." • • Warners is pushing preparation on two timely stories, "Lisbon Clipper" and "Iceland Patrol." The first, by Jesse Lasky, Jr., and Maurice Hanline, will be directed by Robert Florey. The second, from an original idea by Scott Darling and Erna Lazarus, will have Edmund Grainger as producer and Ross Lederman as director. Defense Show Aids 'Serenade' To Top Detroit Detroit, Sept. 24. — A special Saturday midnight show for defense workers coupled with Sonja Heme's local following, attracted a $30,000 gross at the Fox during the past week, where "Sun Valley Serenade" was shown together with "Charlie Chan in Rio." Other key houses reported average and over receipts. The Michigan gross was $14,000 with "Dive Bomber" and "The Great Mr. Nobody." Estimated receipts for the week ending Sept. 18: "Hold That Ghost" (Univ.) "Private Nurse" (20th-Fox) ADAMS — (1,600) (15c-39c-44c-55c) 7 days. Cross: $5,000. (Average, $5,500) (3rd week) "A Woman's Face" (M-G-M) "Topper Retnrr.s" (U. A.) FISHER— (2,700) (15c-39c-44c-55c) 7 days. Gross: $6,500. Average. $7,000) "Sun Valley Serenade" (20th-Fox) "Charlie Chan in Rio" (20th-Fox) FOX— (5,000) (20c-44c-55c-65c) 8 days. Gross: $30,000. (Average, $15,000) "Dive Bomber" (W. B.) "The Great Mr. Nobody" (W. B.) MICHIGAN— (4,000) (15c-39c-44c-55c-65c) 7 days. Gross: $14,000. (Average, $12,000) "Jungle Cavalcade" (RKO) "Three Cockeyed Sailors" (U. A.) PALMS— (2,000) (25c-39c-44c-55c) 7 days. Gross: $7,000. (Average, $7,000) "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (M-G-M) "Wnistling in the Dark" (M-G-M) UNITED ARTISTS— (2,800) (20c-39c-44c55c) 7 days. (3rd week Gross: $9,500. Average, $10,000) 'Ladies' Scores at $15,000 in St. Louis St. Louis, Sept. 24. — "When Ladies Meet," dualed with "Tillie the Toiler," led with $15,000 at Loew's, as most of the city virtually suspended business to attend the Dodgers-Cardinal series here. Estimated receipts for the week ending Sept. 18 : "When Ladies Meet" (M-G-M) "Tillie the Toiler" (Col.) LOEW'S— (3,162) (28c-39c-44c-56c) 7 davs. Gross: $15,000. (Average. $13,000) "Aloma of the South Seas" (Para.) "Ice-Capades" (Rep.) AMBASSADOR— (3,018) (28c-39c-44c-56c) 7 days. Gross: $11,000. (Average, $11,500) "Our Wife" (Col.) FOX— (5,038) (30c-40c-50c) 7 days. Sally Rand on stage. Gross: $11,500. (Average, $11,000) "Belle Starr" (20th-Fox) "Wild Geese Calling" (Para.) MISSOURI— (3.514) (30c-4Oc-50c) 7 davs. Gross: $4,500. (Average, $4,000) "Parachute Battalion" (RKO) "Lady Scarface" (RKO) ST. LOUIS— (4,000) (25c-35c) 7 days. Gross: $2,500. (Average, $2,600) Author Sues RKO RKO Radio Pictures, Inc., was named defendant yesterday in a suit transferred from the X. Y. Supreme Court to the U. S. District Court brought by Jay George Stein for $50,000 damages. The suit alleged plagiarism of the plaintiff's scenario, ''Turkey With Dressing," in the RKO film, "Xew Faces of 1939," and also claimed a promise to pay $50,000. 'Dive Bomber' Gets ,700, Providence Providence, Sept. 24. — "Dive Bomber" and "Accent on Love" at the Majestic pulled $9,700, and "Lady Be Good" and "Tillie the Toiler" took $14,000 at Loew's State. Business generally was up. Estimated receipts for the week ending Sept. 17-18 : "The Reluctant Dragon" (RKO) "Parachute Battalion" (RKO) R KO A LB E E — (2,239) (28c-39c-50c) 7 days. Gross: $7,500. (Average, $6,000) "Lady Be Good" (M-G-M) "Tillie the Toiler" (Col.) LOEW'S STATE— (3,232) (28c-39c-50c) 7 days. Gross: $14,000. (Average, $11,000) "Dive Bomber" (W.B.) "Accent on Love" (20th-Fox) MAJESTIC— (2.250) (28c-39c-50c) 7 days. Gross: $9,700. (Average. $7,000) "Alcma of the South Seas" (Para.) (3 days) "Forced Landirig" (Para.) (3 days) "Our Wi.'e" (Col.) (4 days) "Two in a Taxi" (Col.) (4 days) STRAND — (2,200) (28c -39c -50c). Gross: $8,500. (Average, $6,000) "Geivtleman from Dixie" (Mono.) METROPOLITAN— (3,045) (30c-39c-55c) 3 days. Stage show featuring "International Casino Revue" with Willie Howard, Vic Hyde, Martin and Allen, Gordon Trio, Chiquita, Charles Senna and Chalif -Sinclair dancers. Gross: $5,600. (Average, $5,000) "Charlie Chan in Rio" (2Cth-Fox) "Bad Man cf Deadwood" (Rep.) FAY'S — (1,800) (15c-25c-35c) 7 davs. Gross: $2,100. (Average, $2,800) "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (M-G-M) "Tanks a Million" (U.A.) CARLTON — (1,526) (2Sc-39c-50c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $3,200. (Average, $3,500) "Ringside Maisie" (M-G-M) (3 days) "Ride On, Vaquero" (20th-Fox) (3 days) "Kiss the Boys Goodbye" (Para.) (4 days) "Underground" (W.B.) (4 days) EMPIRE— (1,200) (20c-28c) 2nd run. Gross: $1,700. (Average, $1,700) Acquires Cuban Firm Havana, Sept. 24. — Cosmo Films, local production organization, has been acquired by Saica Films, short subjects producer.