Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1943)

8 MOTION PICTURE DAILY Wednesday, February 24, 1943 Mild Weather and Holiday Boost Pitt. Takes; Grosses Big Pittsburgh, Feb. 23. — With springlike weather coaxing people away from the home fires, and Washington's Birthday to bring in the school crowds, theatre attendance in general went above average. Leader was "Random Harvest," at the Penn for a healthy $22,000. Estimated receipts for the week ending Feb. 23-25 : "Immortal Sergeant" (Zttth-Fox) FULTON— (1,700) (30c-40c-55c) 7 days. Gross: $10,000. (Average, $7,500) "The Amazing Mrs. Holliday" (Univ.) HARRIS— (2,200) (30c-40c-55c) 7 days. Gross: $9,500. (Average, $9,200) "Random Harvest" (M-G-M) P'ENN — (3,400) (30c-40c-55c) 7 days. Gross: $22,000. (Average, $17,000) "In Which We Serve" (U.A.) RITZ— (1,100) (30c-40c-55c) 7 days, 3rd week (moveover from Penn via Warner). Gross: $3,500. (Average, $2,600) "Time to Kill" (20th-Fox) "Over My Dead Body" (Stth-Fox) SENATOR— (1,750) (30c-40c-55c) 7 days. Gross: $2,500. (Average, $2,400) "The Powers Girl" (U.A.) STANLEY— (3,800) (30c-40c-55c-65c). On stage, 6 days: Lawrence Welk's orchestra, Dennis Morgan. Gross: $22,000. (Average, $20,000) "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (W.B.) WARNER— (2,000) (30c-40c-55c) 7 days, 2nd week (moveover from Penn). Gross: $8,000. (Average, $6,500) 'Yankee' Heads for Big $14,000, Montreal Montreal, Feb. 23. — Temperatures, which during last week's cold spell, plunged to 37 degrees below zero in the Montreal area, relaxed this week and permitted better boxoffice business. "Yankee Doodle Dandy" at Loew's, judging from week-end trade, is expected to lead the city with about $14,000 in its first week. "In Which We Serve" at the Orpheum in its second week, is still high, with $4,500 expected. Estimated receipts for the week ending February 25 : "In Which We Serve" (U.A.) ORPHEUM— (1,100) (30c-40c-60c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $4,500. (Average, $3,500) "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (W.B.) LOEW'S— (2,900) (35c-53c-67c) 7 days. Gross: $14,000. (Average, $7,000) "The Mummy's Tomb" (Univ) "Night Monster" (Univ.) PRINCESS— (2,200) (30c-40c-52c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $3,500. (Average, $3,500) "Thunderbirds" (20th-Fox) "That Other Woman" (2ftth-Fox) CAPITOL— (2,700) (30c-45c-62c) 7 days. Gross: $7,000. (Average, $4,500) "Who Done It?" (Univ.) PALACE— (2,700) (30c-45c-62c) 7 days. Gross: $9,500. (Average, $7,000) Tradeshowings of 4 RKO Pictures Listed Key city tradeshowings of four RKO Radio pictures were announced yesterday by Ned Depinet, president of the company. "I Walked With a Zombie," and "Ladies Day" will be tradeshown March 15, except St. Louis where the date has been set for March 16. "This Land Is Mine" and "The Falcon Strikes Back" will be tradeshown March 16 in key cities, except St. Louis where both will be shown March 17, and New York where "The Falcon Strikes Back" will be shown March 17. 4Serve,'$ 23,000, in Good Week at Gin. Cincinnati, Feb. 23. — A strong opening for "In Which We Serve" indicates a $23,000 week at the RKO Albee, while "Star Spangled Rhythm" continues to click on a second moveover week at the RKO Shubert, where a $9,000 gross is indicated. "Random Harvest" is piling up around $8,000 in its third week at the RKO Capitol at an advanced scale, and "The Great Gildersleeve," dualed with "We Are the Marines" is doing $6,000 at the RKO Grand. Milder weather and the semi-observance of the Monday holiday helped business somewhat. Estimated receipts for the week ending Feb. 25-27: "In Which We Serve" (U.A.) RKO1 ALBEE— (3,300) (33c-40c-44c-55c) 7 days. Gross: $23,000. (Average, $14,000) "The Meanest Man in the World" (20th Fox) RKO1 PALACE— (2,700) (33c-40c-44c-50c) 7 days. Gross: $8,500. (Average, $12,000) "Star Spangled Rhythm" (Para.) RKO SHUBERT— (2,150) (33c-40c-44c-55c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $9,000. (Average, $4,500) "Random Harvest" (M-G-M) RKO CAPITOL— (2,000) (40c-44c-50c-60c) 7 days, 3rd week. Gross: $8,000. (Average, at 33c-40c-44c-55c, $5,500) "The Great Gildersleeve" (RKO) "We Are the Marines" (20th-F'ox) RKO GRAND— (1,500) (33c-40c-44c-S5c) 7 days. Gross: $6,000. (Average, $5,000) "Wings and the Woman" (RKO) "Meet the Stewarts" (Col.) RKO LYRIC— (1,400) (30c-33c-44c) 7 days. Gross: $4,800. (Average, $4,000) "Haunted Ranch" (Mono.) "You Can't Beat the Law" (Mono.) RKO FAMILY— (1,000) (20c-30c) 4 days. Gross: $1,400. (Average, $1,400) "Moonlight in Havana" (Univ.) "The Avenger" (Para.) RKO FAMILY— (1,000) (20c-30c) 3 days. Gross: $800. (Average, $800) "Shadow of a Doubt" (Univ.) KEITH'S— (1,500) (33c -40c -44c -55c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $4,000. (Average, $5,000) Warm Weather Aids Cleveland Boxoffice Cleveland, Feb. 23. — Warmer weather is giving all key houses larger attendances. "Random Harvest" proved to be one of the season's best grossers for Loew's State, two days of near sell-outs indicating a vigorous $25,000. Guy Lombardo's orchestra is the Palace's big magnet that gave "Margin for Error" a strong push up to $25,000. "Hitler's Children" at the Hipp stood to collect a satisfactory $15,000 and was moved to the Allen for a third week. Estimated receipts for the week ending Feb. 25-26: "Casablanca" (W.B.) ALLEN— (3,000) (35c-40c-45c-55c) 7 days, 3rd week. Gross: $9,000. (Average, $5,000) "Hitler's Children" (RKO) WARNER'S HIPPODROME — (3,800) (35c-40c-45c-55c) 7 days. Gross: $15,500. (Average, $13,000) "Chetniks" (2flth-Fox) WARNER'S LAKE— (8C0) (35c-40c-45c55c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $2,400. (Average, $2,000) "Margin for Error" (20th-Fo(x) RKO' PALACE— (3,700) (45c -50c -55c -65c75c-85c). Stage: Guv Lombardo's Orchestra, 7 days. Gross: $26,000. (Average, $17,000) "Riwlm Harvest" (M-G-M) LOEW'S STATE— (3.450) (35c-40c-45c55c) 7 days. Gross: $25,000. (Average, $14,000) "An-lv Hardy's Double Life" (M-G-M) LOWS STILLM AN— (2,700) (35c -40c45c-55c) 7 davs. 2nd week. Gross: $6,000. (Average, $6,500) SWG Moves to Cut Agent Commissions Hollywood, Feb. 23.— The Screen Writers Guild has revived the agency franchise plan in a move to reduce agency commissions below 10 per cent. The guild has called a mass meeting of members for March 1 to open the way for negotiations with the Artists-Managers Guild. The SWG franchise project is similar to that of the Screen Actors Guild. A bulletin to members announcing the meeting pointed to the possibility of the SWG establishing its own agency service for writers as an alternative under discussion. Capacity Business In Baltimore Week Baltimore, Feb. 23. — The first touch of springlike weather this season brought capacity business to theatres. Results were the biggest grosses in weeks. Top honors went to "Random Harvest" which scored $25,000 at the Century, and "The Amazing Mrs. Holliday," which opened on Washington's Birthday at Keith's and took |9,000 in four days. Estimated receipts for the week ending Feb. 25 : "Random Harvest" (M-G-M) CENTURY — (3,000) (40c-50c and 55c weekends) 7 days. Gross: $25,000. (Average, $12,000) "The Amazing Mrs. Holliday" (Univ.) KEITH'S— (2,406) (15c-28c-33c-44c and 55c weekends. 4 days. Gross: $9,000. (Average weekly, $10,000) "Immortal Sergeant" (20th-Fox) NEW— (1,581) (15c-28c-35c-55c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $11,000. (Average, $8,000) "Casablanca" (W.B.) STANLEY— (3,280) (28c -39c -44c -55c) 7 days, 3rd week. Gross: $14,000. (Average, $13,000) * "Journey Into Fear" (RKO) HI PPODROM E— (2,205 ) (28c 39c -44c 55c 66c) 7 days. Stage: Charles Spivak and Orchestra; also Borrah Minnevitch & Harmonica Rascals. Gross: $19,500. (Average, $14,000) "No Place for a Lady" (Col.) MARYLAND— (1,300) (39c-66c) 7 days. Stage: Ray Kinney's "Salute from Hawai." Gross: $9,000. (Average, $7,500) "Chetniks" (20th-Fox) MAYFAIR— (1,000) (20c-40c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $6,000. (Average, $6,000) 3 Hired, 1 Promoted In 'U' Publicity Dep't Hank Linet, of Universal's home office publicity department, has been promoted to be executive assistant to Maurice Bergman, Eastern advertising and publicity manager, John Joseph, national director, announced yesterday. Three additions to the home office staff also announced by Joseph are : Morris Abrahams, formerly of M-G-M ; Irving Golder, former employe of an advertising agency, and Robert Ungerfeld. Linet will have supervision of the field advertising force and will continue as trade paper contact. Registers as Lobbyist Hartford, Feb. 23. — Herman M. Levy of New Haven has registered with the office of the Secretary of State at Hartford, as lobbyist for the Motion Picture Theatre Operators of Connecticut and the Johnson Wholesale Perfume Company of Hamden. 'Harvest' Grosses Terrific $23,700 In Buffalo Bow Buffalo, Feb. 23. — "Random Harvest" seems destined for a long stay here, its first week being expected to gross more than double the average at the Great Lakes. "Star Spang' ^ Rhythm" was expected to gross $\\ 700 at the Buffalo in a second weeK. Others were off, but "Andy Hardy's Double Life" remained good in a second week at the Hippodrome with $9,200. Estimated receipts for the week ending Feb. 27: "Star Spangled Rhythm" (Para.) "Time to Kill" 1 20th -Fox) BUFFALO— (3,489) (35c-55c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $16,700. (Average, $15,000) "Random Harvest" (M-G-M) GREAT LAKES— (3,000) (35c-55c) 7 days. Gross: $23,700. (Average, $10,800) "Andy Hardy's Double Life" (M-G-M) "Truck Busters" (W.B.) HIPPODROME— (2,100) (35c-55c) 7 days, 2nd week downtown. Gross: $9,200. (Average, $8,500) "Tarzan Triumphs" (RKO) "The Great Gildersleeve" (RKO) TWENTIETH CENTURY— (3,000) (35c55c) 7 days. Gross: $6,200. (Average, $8,500) "Something to Shout About" (Col.) "Parachute Nurse" (Col.) LAFAYETTE— (3,000) (35c-55c) 7 days. Gross: $8,000. (Average, $8,000) Holdovers Strong; Aid Toronto Gross Toronto, Feb. 23. — "In Which We Serve" drew an estimated $17,500 for the second week at Loew's Theatre, with a belated cold snap putting a check on patronage for a day or two. "Thunder Birds" was expected to reach $15,000 at the Imperial Theatre in the midst of holdovers at three opposition houses. "Springtime in the Rockies" looked headed for $12,000 in its third week at Shea's, while "Shadow of a Doubt" promised $8,000 for the third week at Uptown. Estimated receipts for the week ending Feb. 25 : "The Common Touch" (Br.) EGLINTON— (1,086) (18c-30c-48c-60c) 6 days. Gross: $5,500. (Average. $4,500) "Thunder Birds" (20th-Fox) IMPERIAL— (3,373) (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c) 6 days. Gross: $15,000. (Average, $10,500) "In Which We Serve" (U.A.) LOEW'S— (2,074) (18c-30c-42c-60c-78c) 6 days, 2nd week. Gross: $17,500. (Average, $10,000) "Springtime in the Rockies" (20th-Fox) SHEA'S— (2,480) (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c) 6 days, 3rd week. Gross: $12,000. ((Average, $11,000) "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" (Para.) "Seven Days Leave" (RKO) (Moveover) TTVOLI— (1,434) (18c-30c-48c) 6 days. Gross: $4,800. (Average, $4,200) "Shadow of a Doubt?' (Univ.) UPTOWN— (2,761) (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c) 6 days, 3rd week. Gross: $8,000. (Average, $9,500) British Industry in Big War Fund Drive London, Feb. 23. — The industry committee which is collecting investments for "Wings for Victory" week, starting March 6, has collected $5,400,000 of its $20,000,000 goal, J. Arthur Rank, head of the committee, announced. All circuits have contributed $100,000 each. Until the American companies have decided and announced the amounts i they will invest in the funds for war |: bonds and national savings a forecast j of the total industry collection is im [ possible.