Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

PICTURE CROSSES A statistical compilation and comparison of Box-Office Performance in first-run theatres 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 July 31, 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. SINCE YOU WENT AWAY First Reports: Total Gross Tabulated Comparative Average Gross Over-all Performance (UA) $2,082,700 1,706,600 122.0% BALTIMORE— Century, 1st week 127.1% BALTIMORE— Gentry, 2nd week 104.0% BALTIMORE— Century, 3rd week 83.3% BOSTON— Orpheum, 1st week 131.6% BOSTON— Orpheum, 2nd week 123.4% BOSTON— Orpheum, 3rd week 111.1% BOSTON— State, 1st week 165.3% BOSTON— State, 2nd week 157.8% BOSTON— State, 3rd week 120.3% BUFFALO— Great Lakes, Ist week 139.5% BUFFALO— Great Lakes, 2nd week 126.8% BUFFALO^Great Lakes, 3rd week 104.6% BUFFALO— Great Lakes, 4th week 85.4% CHICAGO— State Lake 144.1% CINCINNATI— RKO Albee 109.1% CINCINNATI— RKO Grand 170.7% aNCINNATI— RKO Capitol, MO, 1st week . . . 123.7% CINCINNATI— RKO Capitol, MO, 2nd week . . . 103.0% CINCINNATI— RKO Lyric, MO, 3rd week . . . 133.9% CINCINNATIRKO Lyric, MO, 4th week . . . 80.3% CLEVELAND— Loew's State, 1st week 156.2% CLEVELAND— Loew's State, 2nd week .... 119.7% CLEVELAND— Loew's State, 3rd week .... 93.7% INDIANAPOLIS— Loew's 139.3% KANSAS CITYMidland, Ist week 171.7% KANSAS CITY— Midland, 2nd week 159.5% KANSAS CITY— Midland, 3rd week 141.1% LOS ANGELES— Egyptian, 1st week 192.6% LOS ANGELES— Egyptian, 2nd week 150.4% LOS ANGELES— Los Angeles, 1st week .... 224.1% LOS ANGELES— Los Angeles, 2nd week .... 201.1% LOS ANGELES— Ritz, 1st week 177.0% LOS ANGELES— Ritz, 2nd week ^51.0% NEW YORK— Capitol. 1st week 151.7% (SA) Gene Krupa's Orchestra NEW YORK— Capitol. 2nd week K7.2% (SA) Gene Krupa's Orchestra NEW YORK— Capitol. 3rd week 145.0% (SA) Gene Krupa's Orchestra NEW YORK— Capitol, 4th week 134.5% (•SA) Gene Krupa's Orchestra NEW YORK— Capitol, 5th week 137.5% (SA) Gene Krupa's Orchestra NEW YORK— Capitol, 6th week 134.4% (SA) Gene Krupa's Orchestra NEW YORK— Capitol, 7th week 139.1% (SA) Gene Krupa's Orchestra NEW YORK— Capitol, 8th week 118.0% (SA) Gene Krupa's Orchestra NEW YORK— Capitol, 9th week 110.6% (SA) Gene Krupa's Orchestra NEW YORK— Capitol, 10th week 98.8% (SA) Gene Krupa's Orchestra PHILADELPHIAMastbaum, 1st week .... 200.0% PHILADELPHIA— Mastbaum, 2nd week .... 141.6% PHILADELPHIA— Mastbaum, 3rd week .... 122.9% PITTSBURGH— Penn, 1st week 180.2% PITTSBURGH— P'enn, 2nd week 133.7% PITTSBURGH— Penn, 3rd week 104.6% PITTSBURGH— Warner, MO, 1st week .... 117.2% PROVIDENCE— Loew's State, 1st week .... 150.2% PROVIDENCE— Loew's State, 2nd week .... 115.6% PROA/IDENCE— Loew's State, 3rd week .... 86.7% PROVIDENCE— Carlton, MO. 1st week .... 100.0% SAN FRANCISCO— United Artists, 1st week . . 223.5% SAN FRANCT.SCO— United Artists, 2nd week . 221.1% SAN FRANCISCO— United Artists. 3rd week . 321.1% SAN FRANCISCOUnited Artists, 4th week . 220.1% SAN FRANCISCO— United Artists, 5th week . 165.1% SAN FRANCISCO— United Artists, 6th week . . 159.6% SAN FRANCISCO— United Artists, 7th week . . 155.9% SAN FRANCISCOUnited Artists, 8th week . . 154.1% SAN FRANCISCO— United Artists. 9th week . . 128.4% ST LOUIS— Loew's State, 1st week 117.3% ST. LOUIS— Loew's State, 2nd week 83.8% ST LOUIS— Loew's State. 3rd week 70.0% ST LOinSLoew's Orpheum, MO, 1st week . . 101.4% ST LOTTIS— Loew's Orpheum, MO, 2nd week . . 91.5% TORONTO-Ix)ew's ............ 140.0% WASHINGTONLoew's Palace, 1st week . . . 122.4% WASTTTNGTON— Loew's Palace, 2nd week . . . %.9% WASHINGTONloew's Palace. 3rd week . . . 71.4% WASHTNGTON— Loew's Columbia, MO, 1st week 131.5% WASHINGTON— Loew's Columbia, MO. 2nd week 98.6% KISMET (MCM) First Reports: Total Gross Tabulated $527,200 Comparative Average Gross 387,800 Over-all Performance 135.9% LOS ANGELES— Egyptian, 1st week 177.0% LOS ANGELES— Egyptian, 2nd week 110.6% LOS ANGELES— Egyptian, 3rd week 80.0% LOS ANGELES— Los Angeles, 1st week .... 218.3% LOS ANGELES— Los Angeles, 2nd week .... 143.6% LOS ANGELES— Los Angeles, 3rd week .... 94.8% LOS ANGELES— Ritz, 1st week 167.4% LOS ANGELES— Ritz, 2nd week 103.6% LOS ANGELES— Ritz, 3rd week 77.0% MINNEAPOLIS— State 100.0% NEW YORK— Astor, 1st week 177.3% NEW YORK— Astor, 2nd week 168.1% NEW YORK— Astor, 3rd week 171.8% NEW YORK— Astor, 4th week 144.5% NEW YORK— Astor, 5th week 158.1% NEW YORK— Astor, 6th week 135.4% NEW YORK— Astor, 7th week 123.1% NEW YORK— Astor, 8th week 120.4% PHILADELPHIA— Stanley, 1st week 152.3% PHILADELPHIAStanley, 2nd week 107.1% PHILADELPHIA— Stanley, 3rd week 72.3% SAN FRANaSCO— Fox . 131.1% (DB) Storm Over Lisbon (Rep.) • MAISIE GOES TO RENO (MGM) First Reports: Total Gross Tabulated $225,400 Comparative Average Gross 188,700 Over-all Performance 119.4% BUFFALO— Hippodrome, 1st week 102.0% (DB) The Whistler (Col.) BUFFALO— Hippodrome, 2nd week 70.4% (DB) The Whistler (Col.) CHICAGO— Chicago 128.1% (SA) Lena Horne and Revue CINCINNATI— Keith's 140.0% KANSAS CITY— Midland 184.0% (SA) Tars and Spars Revue LOS ANGELES— Carthay Circle 118.2% (DB) Barbary Coast Gent (MGM) LOS ANGELES— Chinese 100.0% (DB) Barbary Coast Gent (MGM) LOS ANGELES— Loew's State 111.7% (DB) Barbary Coast Gent (MGM) LOS ANGELES— Uptown 121.5% (DB) Barbary Coast Gent (MGM) PHILADELPHIAStanton, 1st week 122.7% PHILADELPHIA— Stanton, 2xid week 114.5% PHILADELPHIA— Stanton, 3rd week 76.3% • SUMMER STORM (UA) First Reports: Total Gross Tabulated $140,300 Comparative Average Gross 142,900 Over-all Performance 98.1% BALTIMORE— Century 86.7% INDIANAPOLIS— Loew's 90.1% MINNEAPOLIS— World, 1st week 112.0% MINNEAPOLIS— World, 2nd week 72.0% P'HILADELPHIA— Aldine, 1st week 110.2% PHILADELPHIA— Aldine, 2nd week 62.6% PROVIDENCE— Loew's State 98.2% (DB) Undergroimd Guerillas (Col.) SAN FRANaSCO— Orpheum, 1st week .... 129.8% (DB) Ever Since Venus (Col.) SAN FRANCISCO— Orpheum, 2nd week 80.0% (DB) Ever Since Venus (Col.) SEATTLE-Liberty 129.4% (DB) She's a Soldier, Too (Col.) WASHINGTON— Loew's Capitol 101.4% (SA) Vaudeville Philadelphia Trade Begins New War Chest Drive The official start of the Philadelphia industry's participation in the United War Chest drive took place last week at a dinner held at the Hotel Warwick. Ben Amsterdam, of the motion picture division, presided. This year the industry's quota has been increased. The following goals were set : StanleyWarner, $28,500; distributors, $17,000; independent exhibitors, $25,000. In the film division, Mrs. Edna R. Carroll, censor head, leads the film companies ; Ted Schlanger heads the Stanley-Warner Theatres, with J. Ellis Shipman as chief aide, while David Barrist and Jack Beresin will handle the independent theatres. They are assisted by a committee of representative film men. Set Pre-Release Date for "Wuthering Heights" "Wuthering Heights" will be placed in national pre-release and confined only to key city metropolitan theatres on January 1, L. E. Goldhammer, vicepresident and general manager of Film Classics, announced this week. In conjunction with the presentation of the Samuel Goldwyn production, Film Classics shortly will launch an advertising campaign. Other Film Classics' releases which will go into national distribution prior to January 1, will be "Topper," "Resurrection," "I Was Faithful" and "Barbary Coast." Ordinance to Regulate Roller Skating in Reading Because of the increasing volume of patronage in Reading, Pa., roller skating rinks. Mayor J. Henry Stump has presented in City Council an ordinance regulating and licensing them. Because of some provisions, the measure becomes practically a curfew for some of the younger patrons of those places. The annual license fee is $15, and no skating will be permitted Sundays. Minors will not be permitted in such establishments after 9 P. M. with the rinks closing at 1 A. M. nightly, and midnight on Saturdays. To Use Script in Classes Frederic M. Thrasher, New York University professor of education, has announced that the script of Wanda Tuchock's "Sunday Dinner for a Soldier" has been selected as the outstanding example of script writing for originality and excellence. Miss Tuchock's script, the screenplay for the Twentieth Century-Fox film, and the original story on which it has been based, will be used as texts for the study of script writing by the special classes under the supervision of Professor Thrasher. Werner Commended by Navy Lieut. Comdr. George Werner, former shorts subjects booker for Warner Bros. Theatres, was commended for establishing audio-visual training libraries in all amphibious bases, and for inaugurating and directing recreation programs in naval bases and forces afloat. He was advised by Admiral Harold R. Stark that the commendations would be forwarded to the Chief of Naval Personnel. Form Club in Cleveland Herbert Horstemeier, Universal office manager in Cleveland, was elected president of the newlyformed office managers-bookers-cashiers club. The club has not yet been named. Other officers elected at the first meeting are : John Coyne, MGM office manager, vice-president ; Michael Altschule, Twentieth Century-Fox short subject booker, secretary; Arthur Engelbert, Warner cashier, treasurer. Warner Club Reelects OfRcers Ed DePatie, general auditor at the Warjier Bros. Hollywood studio, has been reelected president of the Hollywood Warner Club for the sixth consecutive year. Other officers who continue in office include Steve Trilling, Leon M. Combs and George Penaga, vice-presidents, and Richard A. Pease, secretary-treasurer. 80 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 4, 1944