Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1943)

8 Motion Picture Daily Tuesday, March 9, 1943 Boston Gross Good Despite Snow, Sleet Boston, March 8. — Strong product overcame sn®w and sleet, and "Random Harvest" is expected to garner a total of $36,000 in a second week at Loew's State and Orpheum, $16,000 and $20,000, respectively. "Yankee Doodle Dandy," backed by James Cagney winning the Academy award, is heading for a smash $31,000 in a second week at the Metropolitan. A gross of similar proportions is seen for "Shadow of a Doubt" and a strong stage show at the RKO Boston. The Keith Memorial is maintaining a high level for "They Got Me Covered," with a special preview of "Hitler's Children." Estimated receipts for the week ending March 10 : "Random Harvest" (M-G-M) LOEW'S STATE— (2,900) (35c-50c-60c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $16,000. (Average, $14,000) "Random Harvest" (M-G-M) LOEW'S ORPHEUM— (3,000) (35c-50c60c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $20,000. (Average, $19,500) "Shadow of a Doubt" (Univ.) KRO BOSTON— (2,679) (55c-65c-75c-85c99c) 7 days. Stage: Connee Boswell, Joe Venuti and orchestra, Hal LeRoy, Watson Sisters, other acts. Gross: $31,000. (Average, $27,000) "They Got Me Covered" (RKO) "Calaboose" (U.A.) RKO KEITH MEMORIAL — (2,907) (44c55c-65c-85c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $26,000. (Average, $20,000) "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (W.B.) M & P METROPOLITAN— (4,367) (30c40c-55c-65c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $31,000. (Average, $24,000) "The Black Swan" (20thFox) "Street of Chance" (Para.) M & P PARAMOUNT— (1,797) (33c-44c65c) 7 days. Gross: $7,800. (Average, $8,000) "The Black Swan' (Zftth-Fox) "Street of Chance' (Para.) M & P FENWAY— (1,320) (33c-44c-65c) 7 days. Gross: $5,000. (Average, $6,000) "Star Spangled Rhythm" (Para.) "Truck Busters" (W.B.) M & P SCOLLAY— (2,500) (33c-44c-65c) 7 days. Gross: $5,500. (Average, $6,000) "Star Spangled Rhythm" (Para.) "Truck Busters" (W.B.) M & P MODERN— (705) (33c-40c-60c) 7 days. Gross: $4,000. (Average, $3,500) "This Gun For Hire" (Para.) "The Great Impersonation" (Univ.) TRANSLUX— (900) (17c-28c-44c-55c) 7 days. Gross: $5,000. (Average, $5,000) "Fantasia" (RKO) MAJESTIC— (1,525) (28c-40c-65c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $2,500. "The Pied Piper" (20thFox) "Magnificent Ambersons" (RKO) M & F ESOUIRE (Uptown)— (941) (35c50c) 7 days. Gross: $2,000. (Average, $2,500) Berg Resigns from Para. Herb Berg, member of the Paramount home office publicity department and trade paper contact since 1936, resigned yesterday, effective at the end of the week. MITCHELL MAY, Jr. CO., INC. INSURANCE • Specializing in requirements of the Motion Picture Industry 75 Maiden Lane, New York 510 W. 6th St., Los Angeles 'Casablanca' Smash $18,000, Toronto Toronto, March 8. — "Casablanca" was expected to soar to $18,000 at Shea's Theatre against holdover opposition despite the Saturday night setback of a severe blizzard which tied up most traffic. "In Which We Serve" appeared headed for $11,00 in its fourth week at Loew's Theatre, while the second week of "The Commandos Strike at Dawn" at the Imperial Theatre had a $10,500 look. The Tivoli and Eglinton paired up in the showing of "China Girl" and prospective takes were $7,000 and $6,200, respectively. "Journey for Margaret," in the second week at the Uptown, stood to gross $9,000. Estimated receipts for the week ending Feb. 1 1 : "China Girl" (20th-Fox) EGLINTON— (2,086) (18c-30c-42c-60c) 6 days. Gross: $6,200. (Average, $4,500) "Commandos Strike at Dawn" (Col.) IMPERIAL— (3,373) (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c) 6 days, 2nd week. Gross: $10,500. (Average, $10,500). "In Which We Serve" (U. A.) LOEW'S— (18c-30c-42c-60c-78c) 6 days. 4th week. Gross: $11,000. (Average. $10,000). "Casablanca" (W.B.) SHEA'S — (2,480) (18c-30c-42c-6Oc-9Oc) 6 days. Gross: $18,000. (Average, $11,000). "China Girl" (20th-Fox) TIVOLI— (1,434) (18c-30c-48c) 6 days. Gross: $7,000. (Average, $4,200). "Journey for Margaret" (M-G-M) UPTOWN— (2,761) (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c) 6 days, 2nd week. Gross: $9,000. (Average. $9,500) Top Montreal Gross Goes to 'Casablanca' Montreal, March 8. — "Casablanca," at the Palace, is expected to gross $10,000 for its first week despite weekend competition from the Forum's Ice Follies Show. "Yankee Doodle Dandy," it is anticipated, will net about an average $7,000 at Loew's in its third week. Estimated receipts for the week ending March 1 1 : "In Which We Serve" (U. A.) ORPHEUM— (1,100) (30c-40c-60c) 7 days. 4th week. Gross: $4,000. (Average, $3,500) "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (W. B.) LOEW'S— (2.900) (35c-53c-67c) 7 days. 3rd week. Gross: $7,000. (Average, $7,000) "Silver Skates" (Mono.) "The Great GUdersleeve" (RKO) PRINCESS — (2,200) (30c-40c-52c) 7 days. Gross: $5,000. (Average, $3,500) "Journey for Margaret" (M-G-M) "Moonlight in Havana" (Univ.) CAPITOL— (2,700) (30c-45c-62c) 7 days. 2nd week. Gross: $6,000. (Average, $4,500) "Casablanca" (W. B.) PALACE— (2,700) (30c-45c-62c) 7 days. Gross: $14,500. (Average, $7,000) Producers Approve Script Review Plan Los Angeles, March 8. — A letter defining a formula for submitting scripts to the Office of War Information is being circulated among producers for individual signatures, following which it will be mailed to Lowell Mellett, chief of the OWI Motion Picture Bureau, it was learned. The plan, under which each studio and producer desiring to do so will signify individual approval of the formula, which was worked out by a committee appointed recently by the East-West industry conferees, is expected to obtain 100 per cent cooperation on a voluntary basis. Hollywood Notes By WILLIAM R. WEAVER Hollywood, March 8 EXHIBITOR W. R. Frank, 32 years in the industry and operating 16 theatres in Minnesota in partnership with his quarter-century associates, O. C. Woemper and Val Nearpass, is taking quarters at the General Service studios to produce "Dr. Paul Joseph Goebbels" from a screenplay by Alfred Zeisler and Herbert Phillips. Zeisler, who probably will direct the picture also, ended a career of nine years as a producer-director for UFA in Berlin when, following 'the Hitler-Goebbels seizure of the German motion picture industry in 1934, conditions of operation became intolerable. Frank, who returned to Minnesota on Tuesday, will spend half his time in Hollywood hereafter. He was associated with William Dieterle in production of "All That Money Can Buy" and "Syncopation," and with Samuel Bronston in production of "The Adventures of Martin Eden." • Lloyd Bacon and Warner Brothers ended \7l/> years of association at iveekend when the director's resigmtion was accepted by the studio under an arrangment described as "amicable." Two days previously he had been announced to direct "Night Shift." His spokesman said he would announce a new affiliation in a few days. . . . Ronald Reagan's return from service in the Army to play a part in Warners' "This Is the Army" does not represent, as it may appear, a precedent promising the loan of soldiers to the screen, as wider the British system. It does represent simply a resassignment of a soldier from one post of duty to another, for the "This Is the Army" company is in fact an Army unit in service. • Castings for "This Is the Army," which were stymied for a time, are beginning to flow. Warner Bros, has added Una Merkel, Georgie Tobias and Alan Hale to the roster. . . . Twentieth Century-Fox purchased "The Lodger," the Belloc Lowndes thriller of nostalgic memory, as a vehicle for Laird Cregar, with Robert Bassler assigned to produce. . . . Paramount has signed Stanley Ridges for the role in "The Story of Dr. Wassell" vacated by the late Lynne Overman. • In the wake of the previewing of "The Human Comedy" a wave of anectode retelling the tales of William Saroyan, who wrote the story of the picture and broke his M-G-M contract because he wasn't allowed to direct it, is sweeping the town. Best liked at the moment is a new one which asserts that his Army superiors asked him to do a training-film script dealing with A.W.O.L. and he went that way two weeks in process of obtaining material, returning then with completed script in hand and collecting a Stretch of K.P. duty as compensation. It would be a canard, sponsored or not by the earnest and inventive young man of talent, but the town is past caring, having made tip its professional mind that he'll be welcomed back to the production community and allowed to dictate the terms of his next studio contract on the strength of the picture which bears his signature. Chicago Gross Off; 'Rhythm' Fair, $30,000 Chicago, March 8.— "Star Spangled Rhythm," which is headed for about $30,000 at the State L stands out in a week which so far encountered another cold wave five inches of snow. "Time to Kill" with "Funzafire" and Benny Meroff Orchestra on the stage is doing well at the Oriental with $21,000 expected. Estimated receipts for week ending March 11 : "Palm Beach Story" (Para.) 7 days, 3rd week "Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant" (M-G-M) 7 days, 2nd week APOLLO— (1,400) (40c-55c-75c). Gross: 8,500. (Average, $8,500) "A Night to Remember" (Col.) CH1CAGO-C4.000) (40c-55c-75c) 7 days. Stage: Veloz & Yolanda. Gross: $37,000. (Average, $42,000) "The Meanest Man in the World" (20th Fox) 7 days, 2nd week "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" (Para.) 7 days GARRICK— (1,000) (40c -55c -75c). Gross: $6,500. (Average, $7,000) "Time to Kill" (20th-Fox) ORIENTAL — (3,200) (27c-31c-50c-59c) 7 days. Stage: "Funzafire" and Benny Meroff Orchestra. Gross: $21,000. (Average, $22,000) "Hitler's Children" (RKO) "Silver Skates" (Mono.) PALACE— (2,500) (45c-55c-75c) 7 days, 3rd week. Gross: $19,000. (Average, $16,000) "Commandos Strike at Dawn" (Col.) ROOSEVELT— (1,500) (40c-55c-75c) 7 days, 4th week. Gross: $14,000. (Average, $16,000) "Star Spangled Rhythm" (Para.) STATELAKE — (2,700) (40c-55c-75c) 7 days. Gross: $30,000. (Average, $19,700) "Random Harvest" (M-G-M) UNITED ARTISTS— (1,700) (40c-55c-75c) 7 days, 6th week. Gross: $17,000. (Average, $15,500) Bad Weather Hurts Gross in Baltimore Baltimore, March 8. — Allowing for a rain storm on Saturday and the fact that several of the pictures are holdovers, business is expected to score substantial receipts for the week. "Lucky Jordan" opened strong with $10,000 expected for five days at Keith's, while "Yankee Doodle Dandy," for the first time at popular prices, will draw $15,000 for its second week at the Stanley. Estimated receipts for the week ending March 11 : "Random Harvest" (M-G-M) CENTURY— (3,000) (40c-50c and 55c weekends) 7 days, 3rd week. Gross: $12,500. (Average, $12,000) "Lucky Jordan" (Para.) KEITH'S— (2,406) (15c-28c-33c-44c and 55c weekends) 5 days. Gross: $10,000. (Average, $10,000) , , "The Meanest Man in the World" (20th Fox) NEW (1,581) (15c-28c-35c-5Sc) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $9,500. (Average, $8,000) "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (W.B.) STANLEY— (3,280) (28c-39c-44c-5Sc) / days, 2nd week. Gross: $14,500. (Average, $13,000) "They Got Me Covered" (RKO) HIPPODROME— (2,205) (28c-39c-44c-55c66c) 7 days, 2nd week. Stage: Adrian Rollino Trio, Ramona, Jackie Green, Whitson Bros., Six Grays. Gross: $15,500. (Average, $14,000) "Lady Bodyguard" (Para.) MARYLAND— (1,300) (39c-66c) 7 days. Stage: The Great Gester, Cappy Barra Boys, Three Sailors, Juggling Jewels. Gross: $9,500. (Average, $7,500) "Army Sursreom" (RKO) MAYFAIR— (1,000) (20c-40c) 7 days. Gross: $7,000. (Average, $6,000)