Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1947)

6 Motion Picture Daily Friday, February 28, 1947 Short Subjects . . . Key City Grosses FOLLOWING are estimated picture grosses, exclusive of Federal tax, for current engagements in key cities as reported by Motion Picture Daily correspondents. BOSTON A majority of local houses are showing satisfactory business for the week. Estimated receipts for the week ended Feb. 27 : SWELL GUY (U-I) — BOSTON (2,900) (50c-$1.10) Stage show: Lionel Hampton orchestra. Gross: $34,000. (Average: $27,500) HUMORESQUE (WB) and MR. HEX (Mono.) — FENWAY (1,700) (40c-80c) Gross $6,000. (Average: $6,900) THE RAZOR'S EDGE (2flth-Fox) — MEMORIAL (2,900) (40c-80c) Gross: $38,000. (Average: $25,000) CALIFORNIA (Para.) and SUSIE STEPS OUT (UA)— METROPOLITAN (4,736) (40c80c) Gross: $26,000. (Average: $25,000) THE JOLSON STORY (Col.)— ORPHEUM (3,200) (40c-80c) 4th week. Gross: $25,000. (Average: $23,500) HUMORESQUE (WB) and MR. HEX (Mono.) — PARAMOUNT (1,700) (40c-80c) Gross: $13,500. (Average: $15,100) THE JOLSON STORY (Col.) — STATE (2,900) (35c-80c) 4th week. Gross: $14,000. (Average: $16,900) CLEVELAND "Sinbad the Sailor" played to good attendance, while business at other theatres was fair. The city escaped the heavy Eastern snow storm. Estimated receipts for the week ending Feb. 26-27 : BLUE SKIES (Para.)— LOEWS OHIO (1,268) (50c-70c) 7 days, 5th week. Gross: $5,500. (Average: $7,000) LADY IN THE LAKE (M-G-M)— LOEWS STATE (3,300) (50c-70c) 7 days. Gross: ' $23,000. (Average: $23,800) LOVE LAUGHS AT ANDY HARDY (M-G-M) — LOEWS STILLMAN (1,900) (50c-70c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $8,000. (Average: $11,000) MURDER IN REVERSE (Four Continents) — LOWER MALL (563) (45c-60c) 7 days. Gross: $2,500. (Average: $2,500) ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE (RKO Radio) — RKO ALLEN (3,000) (55c-70c) 7 days, 3rd week. Gross: $15,000. (Average: $12,000) SlNBAD THE SAILOR (RKO Radio)— RKO PALACE (3,300) (55c-70c) 7 days. Gross: $30,000. (Average: $21,400) HUMORESQUE (WB) — WARNERS' HIPPODROME (3,500) (55c-70c) 7 days. Gross: $21,500. (Average: $22,600) THE SHOCKING MISS PILGRIM (20thFox) — WARNERS' LAKE (714) (55c-70c) 7 days, 2nd week. Gross: $3,000. (Average: $3,650) CINCINNATI Although there are some bright spots on the box office horizon, grosses generally are below ' the figures registered in recent weeks. The weekend weather was cold. Estimated receipts for the week ending Feb. 23-27 : THE MIGHTY McGURK (M-G-M)— RKO ALBEE (3,300) (5Oc-55c-6Oc-65c-70c-75c) 7 days, plus a Saturday midnight show. Gross: $14,000. (Average: $15,000) TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY (M-G-M) —RKO CAPITOL (2,000) (50c-55c-60c-65c70c-75c) 7 days, 3rd week, plus a Saturday midnight show. Gross: $9,000. (Average: $10,000) BLUE SKIES (Para.) — RKO FAMILY (1,000) (50c-55c-60c-6Sc-70c-75c) 7 days, 5th week, after an initial two weeks at the Albee, and two moveover weeks at the Shubert. Gross: $4,500. (Average: $3,500) SINBAD THE SAILOR (RKO Radio)— RKO GRAND (1,500) (50c-55c-60c-65c-70c75c) 7 days, 2nd week, plus a Saturday midnight show. Gross: $9,500. (Average: $8,000) "Goofy Gophers" (Warner Brothers) A prize-winning vegetable patch is carefully guarded by a watchdog, but two gophers manage to raid it anyway. They got the dog off their trail, but encounter new competition in the person of Bugs Bunny. In Technicolor. Running time, seven minutes. "Monkey-Tone News" {20th Century-Fox) Lew Lehr in this "Dribble-Puss Parade" issue, pops up with the commentary for a newsreel-like presentation of comical stunts. Running time, nine minutes. "Follow that Music" (RKO Radio) Gene Krupa and his band, with Nan Leslie, furnish the music and acting in which Gene, the small-town favorite son, takes his band to New York for a seven-league jump to success, while he leaves his fiancee and soloist at the town radio station, where she is spotted by a talent scout and lands a job at a New York nitery, while the boys are having tough going in the big city. But it all turns out all right, after a couple of jam sessions and a sequence in which the boys dress as Russians to get a job and are chased by immigration authorities. Running time, 18 minutes. "The Singing Barbers" ( Universal) Four singing barbers and a cowboy sing "I Want a Girl Just Like the Girl," "By the Light of the Silvery THE SONG OF SCHEHERAZADE (U-I) -KEITH'S (1,500) (50c-55c-60c-70c) 7 days, plus a Saturday midnight show. Gross: $14,000. (Average: $7,500) IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (RKO Radio) —RKO LYRIC (1,400) (5Oc-55c-60c-65c-7Oc75c) 7 days, 4th week, following two initial weeks at the Palace and a first moveover week at the Lyric. Gross: $6,500. (Average: $5,000) CROSS MY HEART (Para.)— RKO PALACE (2,700) (40c-55c-6Oc-65c-70c-75c) 7 days, plus a Saturday midnight show. Gross: $10,000. (Average: $15,000) 13 RUE MADELEINE (20th-Fox)— RKO SHUBERT (2,150) (50c-55c-60c-65c-70c-75c) 7 days, 2nd week, on a moveover from the Albee. Gross: $8,000. (Average: $5,000) OMAHA Business hovered around average as snow flurries discouraged weekend attendance. Estimated receipts for the week ending Feb. 26-27: THE MIGHTY McGURK (M-G-M) and IT'S GREAT TO BE YOUNG (CoL)— OMAHA (2,000) (50c-65c) 7 days. Gross: $9,400. (Average: $8,600) TWO SMART PEOPLE (M-G-M) and TALK ABOUT A LADY (Col.)-ORPHE UM (3,000) (50c-65c) 7 days. Gross: $9,300. (Average: $9,400) THE SHOCKING MISS PILGRIM (20thFox) — PARAMOUNT (2,900) (50c-65c) 7 days. Gross: $9,600. (Average: $11,000) TINBAD THE SAILOR (RKO Radio) and BETTY COED (Col.)— RKO BRANDEIS (1.200) (50c -65c) 7 days. Gross: $8,400. (Average: $6,800) H ellman, Zanuck to C onfer London, Feb. 27. — Marcel Hellman, managing producer-director of Excelsior Productions will fly on March 5 to Hollywood for discussions with Daryll Zanuck on the proposed worldwide release of Excelsior product through 20th Century-Fox. Hellman will also seek a loan of American stars. Moon" and "Oh, You Beautiful Doll." The Gordonaires of Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians are also featured. Running time, nine minutes. "Music Through the Ages" (Superfilm) Accompanied by artful photography which has captured the scenic landscape of the Italian countryside, "Music Through the Ages" traces the development of music from the early Gregorian chants down through such masters as Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Rossini, Chopin, Verdi and others, concluding with music and scenes from the "jazz era." An English commentary elaborates on the visual presentation. Running time, 16 minutes. "Summer Trails" (20th Century-Fox) The subject covers the trail of four lads through the beautiful Pocono Mountain scenery at Buckhill Falls in Pennsylvania. Pausing for some fishing, the scene follows the trail to Wellsboro, the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania. Running time, eight minutes. "Sleepy Time Donald" (Walt Disney-RKO Radio) Donald Duck proves to be a very sound sleepwalker as he goes through some hair-raising adventures, including a walk through the zoo and a flylike stroll along skyscrapers, with his girl-friend, Daisy, taking most of the punishment. In Technicolor. Running time, seven minutes. Raftery on UA Sales (Continued from page 1) liam Penn Hotel here that under the sales procedure decreed by the New York Federal Court such agreements "will be termed unlawful" and "leave the burden of responsibility upon the distributor." Raftery also recommended that UA place a series of institutional advertisements to explain the company's policy. Other speakers at today's meeting of delegates of the PennsylvaniaWashington and Central districts were: J. J. Unger, general sales manager ; Edward M. Schnitzer, Eastern and Canadian sales manager, and Paul N. Lazarus, Jr., advertising-publicity director. UA product to be seen by the delegates include: Loew-Lewin's "The Private Affairs of Bel Ami" ; Enterprise-Sherman's "Ramrod" ; California Pictures' "The Sin of Harold Diddlebock" ; Benedict Bogeaus' "The Macomber Affair" ; Jules Levey's "New Orleans" ; Enterprise's "The Other Love" ; Hunt Stromberg's "Dishonored Lady" ; Federal Films' "Carnegie Hall" ; Charles R. Rogers' "The Fabulous Dorseys," Andrew Stone's "Fun on a Weekend." Fire Follows Repairs Brazil, Ind., Feb. 27.— A fire believed to have originated in or near the projection room swept the Sourwine Theatre here. Carolina Theatre Fire Henderson, N. C, Feb. 27. — Fire destroyed the Vance Theatre and a tobacco warehouse here. Dimes' Drive Winners (Continued from page 1) 7,000 theatres participated in this year's campaign. Also present at the luncheon were : Warren D. Coss, National Foundation director : Emil Jensen, film campaign director ; Charles Reed Jones, publicity director ; Joseph W. Savage and John J. O'Connell, of the Foundation; Lillian Feldman and Thomas J. Murphy of the film, March of Dimes ; Glendon Allvine, MPA ; Dave Badfetiand Jack Alicoatej chairman of ti"thf/ j udging committee. Winners m contest No. 1. on the basis of the most dimes per seat, first to 14th places in the order named were: Lamar Swift, Capitol Theatre, Macon, Ga.; John L. Miller, Henry's, Hagerstown, Md. ; Jack Foxe, Columbia, Washington; J. Cleveland Hester, Florida, Pensacola; Joel Margolis, Capitol, Washington; Fred MacMillan, Earle, Washington; J. Elmer Redelle. Victory, Dayton; Orangela Ratto, Palace, Washington ; M. Thode, Princess, Honolulu ; Notis Komnenos, State, Jersey City; Sol Sorkin, RKO' Keith's. Washington; Roland Robbins,, Trans-Lux, Washington; Mrs. Louise Nconan Miller, Little, Washington, and Sante Macci, Wayne, Greenville, O. Winners in contest No. 2. on the basis of the largest percentage of collection increases over last year, first to 14th places, in the order named, were: S. Frank, Chief Theatre, Coldwater, Kan.; Ray Syufy, Rita, Vallejo, Cal.; Thomas R. Stancil, Rialto, Grayling, Mich. ; Elaine S. George, Star, Heppner, Ore., W. E. Anderson, Palace, Mt. Jewett, Pa.; Gerald Anderson, Union, Richwood, O. ; L. Frederick, Minnesota Lake, Lake Bronson, Minn.; Marjorie M. Muzikj Lee, Carson City, Mich.; M. L Reibold, Princeton. Princeton, Wis.; Carl Mansfield, Colfax, Schuyler, Neb.; Douglas D. Bunch, Parkway, West Jefferson, N. C.Roy C. Hallowell, Amus U, La Harpe, 111.; Mrs. E. F. Weinreich, Flasher, Flasher, N. D., and G. Wise, West End. Birmingham. Winners in contest No. 3. division No. 1. on the basis of ' the largest percentage increase in collections for theatres with a seating capacity of 300 or less, first to third places, in the order named, were: Harry Bert Lee, Rialto Theatre, , Terry, Mont.; Gerard Lavigne, Roxy, Island Pond, Vt., and Frances M. Wright, Rialto, La Bell, Mo. In contest No. 3, division No. 2, on the basis of percentage increase for theatres with seating capacities of 301 to 600, the three winners were: Paul Horton, State Theatre, Inman, S. C. ; Milburn Kenworthv, Nuart, Moscow, Id., and Earl S. McKendrick, Eldred, Eldred, Pa. Division No. 3, for theatres with seating capacities of 601 to 1,000, the three winners were: Allan Koff, Murray Theatre, Rochester, N. Y. ; E. Chadwick, Beverly, Peoria, I1L, and Jack A. Cameron, Ritz, Bartow, Fla. Division No. 4, for theatres with capacities of 1,001 to 1,500, the three winners were: George P. Santer, Radio City, Ferndale, Mich.; William C. Riester, Capitol, Shamokin, Pa., and Walter D. Heaney, Mayfair, West New York, N. J. Division No. 5, for theatres with capacities of 1.501 and over, the three winners were: N. A. Meyers, Adams Theatre, Detroit; James A. Field, Paramount, Salem, Mass., and Harvey G. Cocks, Palace, Fort Wayne, Ind. Portuguese Quota (Continued jrom page 1) tering Portugal must obtain a special license from the Board of Public Entertainment and must be passed by the censor ; money obtained from the licenses to go into a fund to protect the national Portuguese film industry ; no Portuguese theatre may be owned or exploited by any foreign company or individual ; the screening of any pictures dubbed into Portuguese in a foreign laboratory would not be permitted. An exception was made in the case of Brazilian films. The amendments still to be decided upon involve a reduction in exhibition licenses for short features and newsreels and exemption of all short features imported into the country prior to Dec. 31, 1946, from dubbing regulations.