Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

'/what the picture did for . . . the original exhibitors' reports department, established October 14, 1916. In it theatremen serve one another with information about the box office performance of product — providing a service of the exhibitor for the exhibitor. ADDRESS REPORTS: What the Picture Did for Me, Motion Picture Herald, Rockefeller Center, New York 20. Columbia BOSTON BLACKIE'S RENDEZVOUS: Chester Morris, Nina Foch — Played to nice Sunday midnight business. Played Sunday midnight. May 19. — Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont., Can. ONE WAY TO LOVE: Janis Carter, Chester Morris— Very good program picture that was well received by our weekend patrons. Played Friday, Saturday, May 17, 18.— Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont., Can. TARS AND SPARS: Alfred Drake, Janet Blair, Marc Piatt — This is a fair musical and it will appeal to a general audience. It has a good comedian and good music. Considerable advertising necessary, as it has no star value at the box office. Played Tuesday, Wednesday, May 7, 8.— Jim D. LofifUn, Ritz Theatre, Prentiss, Miss. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer HER HIGHNESS AND THE BELLBOY: Hedy Lamarr, Robert Walker — A dandy picture that pleased all. Fair draw for a rainy night. Good story, well done. June AUyson was tops in this one. Good for any spot. Rags Ragland needs some more parts. Let's see more of him. Played Sunday, Monday, May 12, 13.— F. W. Hamilton, Shelby Theatre, Shelbyville, Mo. Small town and rural patronage. SHE WEPjr TO THE RACES: James Craig, Frances Gififord— Although just a programmer, it had the usual Metro excellence of production. Doubled with Paramount's "Tokyo Rose" and played to average weekend business. Played Thursday-Saturday, May 2-4.— Roy C. Irvine, Ritz Theatre, Ritzville, Wash. SHE WENT TO THE RACES: James Craig, Frances Gifford— A light comedy enjoyed by my patrons with a few good races. It could have been a good picture with a much better draw, if it had been produced in Technicolor. There is some comedy and a few good shots with the horses. It seems that any pictures with animals please the rural audiences more than interior scenes and dancing numbers. Good light entertainment. Played Tuesday, April 30.— A. L. Dove, Bengough Theatre, Bengough, Sask., Can. THEY WEIRE EXPENDABLE: Robert Montgomery, John Wayne — Excellent production of its kind, but my patrons will not attend this type of picture, and as a result business was oflf. Played Sunday-Tuesday, May 5-7.— Roy C. Irvine, Ritz Theatre, Ritzville, Wash. VALLEY OF DECISION, THE: Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon— Played this late to good Sunday business and best Monday to date. Again Greer Garson carries the tops in acting. Thanks to Leo for pictures you can pull them in with. Steel mill strikes and a tender love story. Played Sunday, Monday, May 12, 13.— Gus Samuelson, Lake Theatre, Turtle Lake, N. D. WHAT NEXT, CORPORAL HARGROVE?: Robert Walker, Keenan Wynn— Used on midweek to better than average business. This is the only kind of war picture that our customers will turn out for. Played Wednesday, Thursday, May 8, 9.— A. C. Edwards, Winema Theatre, Scotia, Cal. Small lumber town patronage. WHAT NEXT, CORPORAL HARGROVE?: Robert Walker, Keenan Wynn— A lot of "meat" in this one and the audience liked it. Business above average. Played Sunday-Tuesday, April 28-30.— Roy C. Irvine, Ritz Theatre, Ritzville, Wash. Monogram BORDER BANDITS: Johnny Mack Brown— This will not hold up, except on a double bill. We played to a poor crowd three nights. Played Thursday-Saturday, May 9-11.— Harry T. Wachter, Flint Theatre, Gentry, Ark. Small town patronage. LIVE WIRES: Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall— Just a good series. This came up to par. Played ThursdaySaturday, May 2-4.— Terry Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. SUNBONNET SUE: Gale Storm, Phil Regan— Don't know why this team can't pull them in more, as they do as well for my patrons as some of the big stars. If you can get them in, you shouldn't have many complaints. Played Sunday, Monday, May 5, 6. — Terry Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. SWING PARADE OF 1946: Gale Storm, Phil Regan— We did well on this. It is a nice small town picture. Good music. Advise you to give it a Sunday and Monday playdate. It will hold up. Played Sunday-Tuesday.— Harry T. Wachter, Flint Theatre, Gentry, Ark. Small town patronage. SWING PARADE OF 1946: Gale Storm, Phil Regan — They had the ingredients, but not the right cook. Weak lower half. Very long. Played Thursday-Saturday, May 9-11.— L. Woody, Jr., Palace Theatre, Golden City, Mo. WEST OF PINTO BASIN: Ray Corrigan, John King — This is a very good Western. These Ranch Buster Westerns are always good to play. Business average. Played Friday, Saturday, April 19, 20. — Nick Raspa, State Theatre, Rivesville, W. Va. Small town patronage. Paramount DUFFY'S TAVERN: Bitig Crosby, Ed Gardner and Guests — Paramount's parade of leading stars with radio's favorite program. Victor Moore stole the picture. Mixed reaction, but pleased the majority. Running time, 96 minutes. Played Sunday, Monday, May 5, 6. — Gus Samuelson, Lake Theatre, Turtle Lake, N. D. TOKYO ROSE: Byron Barr, Lotus Long— Doubled with Metro's "She Went to the Races." Good programmer. Business average. Played Thursday-Saturday, May 2-4.— Roy C. Irvine, Ritz Theatre, Ritzville, Wash. PRC CARAVAN TRAIL, THE: Eddie Dean, Al LaRue —This is the first Cinecolor Western I have played. It is good and the audience went for it in a big way. I sold the house out on the first performance and they were lined up a block waiting for the next show. The color is good and the story runs along the same old pattern that Western fans enjoy. Played Saturday, May 11.— Jim D. Loflin, Ritz Theatre, Prentiss, Miss. I'M FROM ARKANSAS: Slim Summerville, El Brendel — We hillbillies go for this. Give us more. Very good small budget picture. Played Thursday Saturday, May 2-4. — L. Woody, Jr., Palace Theatre, Golden City, Mo. RKO Radio BACK TO BATAAN: John Wayne, Philip Ahn— Played this after the war. There was not a service man in the house either night. All I had were the kids and the old folks who wanted to see some war pictures. No more for me. Wouldn't have made rentals, if I hadn't used it on Friday and Saturday. Played May 3, 4.— F. W. Hamilton, Shelby Theatre, Shelbyville, Mo. Small town and rural patronage. FARGO KID, THE: Tim Holt, Ray Whitley— Fair Western but no music. They like the music here. Let's have a little music in all of them, and more good comedy. Played Friday, Saturday, April 26, 27. — F. W. Hamilton, Shelby Theatre, Shelbyville, Mo. Small town and rural patronage. RADIO STARS ON PARADE: Wally Brown, Alan Carney — Inane nonsense that got a lot of laughs. Everyone was happy about it, including the management. Doubled with "Thoroughbreds" and it made a fine program. Played Sunday, May 12. — A. J. Sindt, Rankin Theatre, Rankin, 111. SPANISH MAIN: Maureen O'Hara, Paul Henried — One of the best costume pictures we have had here in a long time. It also has adventure, thrills, action, romance and beautiful color. The cast was wonderful. Play this by all means. Business good. Played Sunday, Monday, April 14, 15. — Nick Raspa, State Theatre, Rivesville, W. Va. Small town patronage. TALL IN THE SADDLE: John Wayne, Ella Raines — A Western with a plot. Good acting and good running time. Satisfaction at the box office and the patrons left smiling. Story of ranch land murders. There is nothing about John Wayne that resembles the drug store juke box cowboy. Thanks, RKO. Played Friday, Saturday, May 10, 11. — Gus Samuelson, Lake Theatre, Turtle Lake, N. D. TARZAN AND THE LEOPARD WOMAN: Johnny Weissmuller, Brenda Joyce, Johnny Shefifield — This is the best of the series and played to a full house each evening despite inclement weather one day. Played Tuesday, Wednesday, April 30-May 1.— Jim D. Loflin, Ritz Theatre, Prentiss, Miss. WANDERER OF THE WASTELAND: James Warren, Audrey Long — This is a very good Western. Liked by everybody that saw it. This new star is great. Play it. Business good. Played Friday, Saturday, April 12, 13. — Nick Raspa, State Theatre, Rivesville, W. Va. Small town patronage. WANDERER OF THE WASTELAND: James Warren, Audrey Long— This is a goood Western. Enjoyed by those who liked this type. Played Wednesday, May 8.— Stegelmeier & Fiedler, Grand Theatre, Java, S. D. Republic ALONG THE NAVAJO TRAIL: Rcy Rogers, Dale Evans — One of the poorest of the Rogers' series that I have played in this theatre. The popular Republic star will be killed out by this company if they do not keep up the standard of his pictures. He is a money maker for the exhibitor and Republic Pictures. The rural patrons come to hear him sing and also hear the music of the Sons of the Pioneers. This release has very Uttle music, but plenty of gun shots which never hit anyone. Republic should keep up the singing end of these Westerns to keep this star popular. Played Saturday, May 11.— A. L. Dove, Bengough Theatre, Bengough, Sask., Can. ANGEL COMES TO BROOKLYN, AN: Kaye Dowd, Robert Duke — "Angel Comes to Brooklyn," but the devil to pay at the box office and to face the few patrons that stayed. A fantasy about actors and their love affairs. Skip it, if possible. Played Wednesday, 'Thursday, May 15, 16. — Gus Samuelson, Lake Theatre, Turtle Lake, N. D. BORDERTOWN TRAIL: Smiley Bumette, Sunset Carson — Good Western that seemed to pack them in. As long as it is a Western, they love it. God bless them! Played Friday, Saturday, May 17, 18. — Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ont., Can. DON'T FENCE ME IN: Roy Rogers, Dale Evans — This was very satisfactory on a weekend double bill. Played Friday, Saturday, May 10, 11.— A. C. Edwards, Winema Theatre, Scotia, Cal. Small lumber town patronage. ROAD TO ALCATRAZ: Robert Lowery, June Storey — You will find Alcatraz only in the title of this cops and robbers melodrama. It got by on Fri (Continued on following Page) LOVE LETTERS: Jennifer Jones, Joseph GottenRather deep for a small town, but an exceptionally fine production from Paramount with a good cast. It is a splendid evening's entertainment and would recommend this for special playing time. Played Saturday, April 27. — A. L. Dove, Bengough Theatre, Bengough, Sask., Can. WANDERER OF THE WASTELAND: James Warren, Audrey Long — Whether you do or don't use Westerns in your operation, this picture should do O.K. The story and the photography are good. In situations such as mine, I can only say, "plenty good." Played Thursday-Saturday, May 2-4. — "Terry Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JUNE I. 1946 37