Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1944)

Ipl I |^ £■ A statistical compilation and comparison of Box-Office Performance in first-run theatres CROSSES Figures directly below picture title compare dollar gross with average gross and show relative percentage of all engagements tabulated. Figures opposite theatre names represent percentage of tabulated grosses to average weekly business based on the six months' period ending April 30, 1944. SYMBOLS: (DB) Double Bill— associate feature title; (SA) Stage Attraction; (MO) Move-Over Run; (AA) Advance Admission. INDEX: Over-all performance percentage figures from previously published final reports appear in Service Data section of Product Digest. See last column of Release Chart for Index. FOLLOW THE BOYS (Univ.) Final Reports: Total Gross Tabulated $481,100 Comparative Average Gross 464,400 Over-all Performance 103.6% BALTIMORE — Keith's, 1st week 117.2% BALTIMORE— Keith's, 2nd week 100.0% BOSTON— Memorial 156.5% (DB) The Scarlet Claw (Univ.) CHICAGO— Palace j 85.2% (DB) Gildersleeve's Ghost (RKO) CINCINNATI-RKO Capitol, 1st week 72.1% CINCINNATI— RKO Capitol, 2nd week .... 103.0% CLEVELAND— Warner's Hippodrome .... 70.0% KANSAS CITY — Esquire 108.6% KANSAS CITY— Uptown 92.8% LOS ANGELES— Hillstreet, 1st week ..... 105.2% (DB) The Scarlet Claw (Univ.) LOS ANGELES— Hillstreet, 2nd week 84.2% (DB) The Scarlet Claw (Univ.) LOS ANGELES— Pan tages, 1st week 107.3% (DB) The Scarlet Claw (Univ.) LOS ANGELES— Pantages, 2nd week 79.0% (DB) The Scarlet Claw (Univ.) MILWAUKEE— Warner 101.2% (DB) Charlie Chan and the Chinese Cat (Mono.) NEW YORK— Criterion, 1st week 179.7% NEW YORK— Criterion, 2nd week 140.3% NEW YORK— Criterion, 3rd week 66.4% PHILADELPHIA— Mastbaum, 1st week .... 135.2% PHILADELPHIA— Mastbaum, 2nd week .... 63.9% PHILADELPHIA— Karlton, MO 1st week .... 85.7% PITTSBURGH— Harris 81.7% PITTSBURGH— Senator, MO 1st week 97.0% PROVIDENCE — RKO Albee, 1st week 120.0% (DB) Three Russian Girls (UA) PROVIDENCE— RKO Albee, 2nd week 68.0% (DB) Three Russian Girls (UA) SAN FRANCISCO— Orpheum, 1st week .... 127.7% SAN FRANCISCO— Orpheum, 2nd week . . . 103.2% SEATTLE— Orpheum 80.0% TORONTO— Uptown, 1st week 141.5% TORONTO— Uptown, 2nd week 111.8% TORONTO— Uptown, 3rd week 82.1% • UNCERTAIN GLORY (WB) Final Reports: Total Gross Tabulated $591,100 Comparative Average Gross 651,000 Over-all Performance 90.7% BALTIMORE — Stanley 94.6% BALTIMORE— Stanley, 1st week 94.6% BUFFALO— 20th Century ' 99.2% (DB) Trocadero (Rep.) CINCINNATI — RKO1 Palace 92.1% DENVER— Denver 122.9% (DP.) Moon Over Las Vegas (Univ.) DENVER— Esquire 150.0% (DB) Moon Over Las Vegas (Univ.) DENVER— Aladdin, MO 1st week 100.0% (DB) Moon Over Las Vegas (Univ.) INDIANAPOLIS— Indiana 89.8% LOS ANGELES— Warner's Downtown, 1st week . 97.2% LOS ANGELES— Warner's Downtown, 2nd week . 82.9% LOS ANGELES— Warner's Downtown, 3rd week . 68.3% LOS ANGELES— Warner's Hollywood, 1st week . 92.5% LOS ANGELES— Warner's Hollywood, 2nd week . 89.8% LOS ANGELES— Warner's Hollywood, 3rd week . 69.4% LOS ANGELES — Warner's Wiltern, 1st week . . 98.0% LOS ANGELES — Warner's Wiltern, 2nd week . . 78.7% LOS ANGELES— Warner's Wiltern, 3rd week . . 68.3% MILWAUKEE — Warner 95.2% MILWAUKEE— Alhambra, MO' 1st week .... 92.7% MONTREAL— Capitol 95.7% (DB) Career Girl (PRC) NEW YORK— Strand, 1st week . . 130.4% (SA) Ted Lewis Orchestra NEW YORK— Strand, 2nd week 91.3% (SA) Ted Lewis Orchestra NEW YORK— Strand, 3rd week 78.2% (SA) Ted Lewis Orchestra NEW YORK-Strand, 4th week 69.5% PHILADELPHIA— Mastbaum, 1st week .... 123.5% PHILADELPHIA— Mastbaum, 2nd week .... 84.0% PHILADELPHIA— Arcadia, MO 1st week . . . 84.3% PHILADELPHIA— Arcadia, MO 2nd week . . . 76.4% PITTSBURGH-Penn 65.4% PITTSBURGH— Ritz, MO 1st week 100.0% PROVIDENCE^Majestic 102.3% SAN FRANCISCO— Fox 94.1% (DB) Jamboree (Rep.) SAN FRANCISCO— State, MO 1st week .... 114.7% (DB) Jamboree (Rep.) SEATTLE — Orpheum 60.8% ST. LOUIS— Ambassador 82.8% (DB) Slightly Terrific (Univ.) WASHINGTON— Earle 111.1% (SA) Vaudeville THE HOUR BEFORE THE DAWN (Para.) Intermediate Reports: Total Gross Tabulated $164,000 Comparative Average Gross 163,600 Over-all Performance 100.2% BALTIMORE— Keith's 106.7% BUFFALO— Hippodrome 88.2% (DB) Harvest Melody (PRC) DENVER— Denham 31.8% MINNEAPOLIS— Orpheum 129.4% (SA) Vaudeville NEW YORK— Victoria, 1st week 123.8% NEW YORK— Victoria, 2nd week 85.7% NEW YORK— Victoria, 3rd week 71.4% OMAHA— Orpheum 119.1% (DB) The Navy Way (Para.) PHILADELPHIA— Earle 121.2% (SA) Vaudeville PITTSBURGH— Stanley 76.5% (SA) Bob Chester's Orchestra PROVIDENCE— Strand 98.1% (DB) Timber Queen (Para.) WASHINGTON— Loew's Capitol 95.4% (SA) Vaudeville MEET THE PEOPLE (MGM) First Reports: Total Gross Tabulated $ 1 1 8,800 Comparative Average Gross 124,200 Over-all Performance 95.6% BALTIMORE— Century . . . 102.8% CINCINNATI— Keith's 132.6% KANSAS CITY— Midland 86.7% (DB) The Whistler (Col.) LOS ANGELES— Carthay Circle 91.3% (DB) Cry Havoc (MGM) LOS ANGELES— Chinese 88.2% (DB) Cry Havoc (MGM) LOS ANGELES— Loew's State 104.1% (DB) Cry Havoc (MGM) LOS ANGELES— Uptown 97.1% (DB) Cry Havoc (MGM) PROVIDENCE— Loew's State 84.2% (DB) Crime Doctor's Strangest Case (Col.) PROVIDENCE— Carlton. MO 1st week 87.5% (DB) Crime Doctor's Strangest Case (Col.) TWO GIRLS AND A SAILOR (MGM) First Reports: Total Gross Tabulated $97,000 Comparative Average Gross 100,600 Over-all Performance 96.4% BALTIMORE— Century Ill 4% CLEVELAND— Loew's State . . . 83.3% CLEVELAND— Loew's Stillman, MO 2nd week . 83.2% KANSAS CITY— Midland 86.7% (DB) The Black Parachute (Col.) PROVIDENCE— Loew's State 112.3% (DB) The Black Parachute (Col.) ST. LOUIS— Loew's State 96.7% (DB) The Black Parachute (Col.) Appeal Board Affirms Award Citing the generally increased admission prices of theatres in the Los Angeles area since the war and pointing out that "mere increase of admission price should not result in a reduction of clearance without regard to any other factors," the arbitration appeal board last Friday affirmed the award of arbitrator Woodson Wallace of the Los Angeles tribunal in the Southgate theatre clearance complaint against the five consenting distributors. The board held that the 42 days' clearance granted by the arbitrator and reduced from 49 days previously held by the Vogue theatre over" the Southgate at a 25-cent admission, was reasonable. In determining its decision sustaining the arbitrator, the board declared that to grant a change in availability simply because of an increase in admission would "disrupt the entire Los Angeles system and make the orderly distribution of feature pictures in that area impossible." In its second complaint against the five companies, the Southgate, operated by L. W. Allen, had sought to have the present 49 days' clearance fixed at 21 days at an admission of 25 cents. The Southgate further sought clearance fixed at seven days to 14 days after the Vogue first-run closing at an admission of 30 cents. The theatre based its clearance claim on the rise of five cents in the admission price. The case was the Los Angeles tribunal's eleventh. Intervenors were the Huntington Park theatre Company and Albert Hanson, operator of the Vogue. Three Paramount Films Hit Record Grosses Record grosses are rolling up for three Paramount films, "Going My Way," "Story of Dr, Wassell" and "And the Angels Sing," Charles M. Reagan, Paramount vice-president in charge of distribution, announced in New York Tuesday. "Going My Way," in its sixth week at the New York Paramount, is running 22 per cent ahead of "Lady in the Dark." It completed its second week at the Brooklyn Paramount 83 per cent ahead of "Lady" and is grossing far ahead of the same film throughout the country, the company reports. The Cecil B. DeMille Technicolor picture, "Story of Dr. Wassell," is ahead of "For Whom the Bell Tolls" at the New York Rivoli, according to Mr. Reagan, beating "Bell" two-a-day gross and also running ahead of "Bell's" total gross at the same house. In Los Angeles, where the picture opened at the Paramount Downtown and Hollywood theatres, the first five days' combined gross at both houses was 57 per cent ahead of "Reap the Wild Wind," the previous DeMille production. "And the Angels Sing" is running abreast of "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek," top grossing comedy, the company said. "White Cliffs" In >th Week At Radio City Music Hall MGM's "The White Cliffs of Dover," starring Irene Dunne and Alan Marshal, began its seventh week at Radio City Music Hall, New York, Thursday, becoming the fifth picture in the theatre's 12-year history to be held more than six weeks. Joining company with "Random Harvest," the long-run record holder, at 11 weeks, "Mrs. Miniver," which ran 10 weeks, and "Madame Curie" and "Mr. Lucky," both of which remained seeven weeks ; the current Music Hall film is the fourth of this group to be produced by Sidney Franklin. "Mr. Lucky" was the one exception. Columbia's comedy, "Once Upon a Time," starring Cary Grant with Janet Blair, will have its New York premiere at the Music Hall following the run of "The White Cliffs of Dover." Grandson to E. B. Hatrick E. B. Hatrick, vice-president and general manager of News of the Day, became a grandfather this week. His daughter, Mrs. Gloria Hatrick McLean, gave birth to a son at Colorado Springs, Colo. 88 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JUNE 24, 1944