Motion Picture Herald (May-Jun 1946)

PICTURE GROSSES THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (MCM) First Report: Total Gross Tabulated $588,000 Comparative Average Gross 450,300 Over-all Performance 130.5% ■ BALTIMORE— Century 135.3% LOS ANGELES— Egyptian, 1st week .... 144.8% LOS ANGELES— Egyptian, 2nd week .... 110.8% LOS ANGEILES— Egyptian, 3rd week .... 89.7% LOS ANGELES-Los Angeles, 1st week . . 149.6% LOS ANGELES— Los Angeles, 2nd week . . 105.8%, LOS ANGELES— Los Angeles, 3rd week . . 67.5% LOS ANGELES— Ritz, 1st week 137.7% LOS ANGELES— Ritz, 2nd week 114.8% LOS ANGELES— Ritz, 3rd week 92.5% MINNEAPOLIS— State 137.0% NEW YORK— Capitol, 1st week 171.7% (SA) Guy Lombardo's Orchestra NEW YORK— Capitol, 2nd week ...... 153.9% (SA) Guy Lombardo's Orchestra NEW YORK— Capitol, 3rd week 139.3% (SA) Guy Lombardo's Orchestra NEW YORK— Capitol, 4th week 116.6% (SA) Guy Lombardo's Orchestra OMAHA— Paramount 101.5% OMAHA— Omaha 114.2% (DB) A Guy Could CThange (Rep.) DEVOTION (WB) Final Report: Total Gross Tabulated $735,500 Comparative Average Gross 761,900 Over-all Performance 96.5% BALTIMORE— Stanley, 1st week ..... 105.7% BALTIMORE— Stanley, 2nd week 68.5% BOSTON— Metropolitan 108.5% (DB) One Exciting Week (Rep.) BUFFALO— Buffalo 99.4% (DB) Night Editor (Col) CINCINNATI— RKO Albee 81.3% CINCINNATI— Keith's, MO 1st week .... 76.2% CLEVELAND— RKO Palace 81.8% CLEVELAND— Warner's Lake, MO' 1st week 111.1% CLEVELAND— Warner's Lake, MO' 2nd week 97.2% DENVER— Denver 92.8% (DB) Smooth as Silk (Univ.) DENVER— Esquire 58.8% (DB) Smooth as Silk (Univ.) DENVER— Webber 66.6% (DB) Smooth as Silk (Univ.) JENVER— Aladdin, MO 1st week 66.1% (DB) Smooth as Silk (Univ.) INDIANAPOLIS— Indiana 86.3% ANGELES— Warner Downtown, 1st week 114.2% LOS ANGELES— Warner Downtown, 2nd week 86.2% LOS ANGELES— Warner Downtown, 3rd week 60.9% LOS ANGELES— Warner Hollywood, 1st week 146.3% LOS ANGELES— Warner Hollywood, 2nd week 86.9% LOS ANGELES— Warner Hollywood, 3rd week 65.2% LOS ANGELES— Warner Wiltern, 1st week . 165.0% LOS ANGELES— Warner Wiltern, 2nd week . 95.2% LOS ANGELES— Warner Wiltern, 3rd week . 76.1% MILWAUKEE— Warner 98.5% TvEW YORK— Strand, 1st week 123.8% (SA) Louis Prima's Orchestra T^EW YORK— Strand, 2nd week 106.2% (SA) Louis Prima's Orchestra NEW YORK— Strand, 3rd week 91.9% (SA) Louts Prima's Orchestra NEW YORK— Strand, 4th week 93.6% (SA) Louis Prima's Orchestra OMAHA— RKO Brandeis 78.9% (DB) The Notorious Lone Vfolf (Col.) PHTLADELPHTA— Boyd. 1st week 119.0% PHILADELPHIA— Bovd, 2nd week .... 97.4% A statistical compilation and comparison of Box Office Performance in first run theatres PITTSBURGH— Pemi 78.5% PROVIDENCE— Majestic 91.5% SAN FRANOSCO— Warfield, 1st week . . . 88.9% (DB) The Shadow Returns (Mono.) SAN FRANCISCO— Warfield, 2nd week . . . 87.1% (DB) The Shadow Returns (Mono.) SAN FRANCISCO— Warfield, 3rd week . . . 71.1% (DB) The Shadow Returns (Mono.) ST. LOUIS— Ambassador 138.8% (DB) Blondie's Lucky Day (Col.) DO YOU LOVE ME? (ZOMi-Fox) First Report: Total Gross Tabulated $307,000 Comparative Average Gross 291,200 Over-all Performance 105.4% BALTIMORE— New 140.0% LOS ANGELES— Chinese, 1st week .... 113.9% LOS ANGELES— Chinese, 2nd week .... 98.1%, LOS ANGELES— Loew's State, 1st week . . 91.2% LOS ANGELES— Loew's State, 2nd week . . 72.2% LOS ANGELES— Uptown, 1st week .... 116.0% LOS ANGELES— Uptown, 2nd week .... 96.0% NEW YORK— Roxy 98.9% (SA) Count Basic and His Orchestra PHILADELPHIA— Fox 144.6% PITTSBURGH— J. P. Harris 148.4% PROVIDENCE— Majestic 1(M.5% SAN FRAN(nSCO^WarfieId 105.6% • THE HOODLUM SAINT (MCM) First Report: Total Gross Tabulated $104,000 Comparative Average Gross 90,200 Over-a!l Performance 115.2% ATLANTA— Loew's Grand 126.1% BALTIMORE— Century 88.3% BUFFALO-Buffalo 169.3% (SA) Vaudeville KANSAS OTY— Midland 93.5% (DB) Tars and Spars (Col.) OMAHA— Orpheum 81.4% (DB) Seeing Parade of 1946 (Mono) PHILADELPHIA— Aldine 55.8% ST. LOUIS— Loew's Orpheum 104.1% (DB) Up Goes Maisie (MGM) • THE WIFE OF MONTE CRISTO (PRC) First Report: Total Gross Tabulated $83,300 Comparative Average Gross 78,000 Over-all Performance 106.7% BALTIMORE— Mayfair, 1st week 114.7% BALTIMORE— Mayfair, 2nd week 106.5% BALTIMORE-Mayfair, 3rd week 81.9% CHICAGO— Grand, 1st week 137.9% (DB) Murder Is My Business (PRC) CHICAGO— Grand, 2nd week 94.8% (DB) Murder Is My Business (PRC) CINCINNATI— RKO Grand 96.3% ST. LOUIS— Missouri, 1st week 88.9% (DB) Larceny In Her Heart (PRC) ST. LOUIS— Missouri, 2nd week 118.6% (DB) Dragonwyck (20th-Fox) TORONTO— Egtinton 115.2% Eire Considers 16mm Library for Industry^ Farms by TOM SHEEHY ill Dublin The Eire Government is giving new and serious attention to film problems. Representatives of the Department of Education have been appointed by the Government to the Executive Council of the National Film Institute, which deals primarily with substandard films for educational purposes. Additionally, the Institute has been given an official grant of £2,000 ($8,000) for the purpose of buying educational films. The Minister of Education, speaking in the Dail (House of Representatives) stressed the value of building a library of instructional films concerning agricultural and industrial matters, just as the Film Institute has built up a film library for schools. The Government is looking into the whole matter of the film industry, but obviously, to go into it on the scale some people contemplated— in serious competition with Hollywood— would take millions. At the same time the Government could do a certain amount of production, it is felt. It could begin with films like "A Nation Once Again," which was made by the J. Arthur Rank organization for Eire, and then provide equipment for the showing of 16mm. educational films throughout the country. Theatre Interests Divided By Montgomery and Houck The theatre holdings of L. C. Montgomery and Joy Houck have been divided, with the exception of the first run house now being constructed in New Orleans, which will be operated jointly when it opens in September, it was announced recently. Mr. Montgomery's share of the properties consist of the Warner exchange building. New Orleans ; the Arcadia, now under construction, and the Joy theatre, Rayne, La; the Bienvenu and Rex theatres, St. Martinville, La. ; Joy theatre, Dallas ; Joy, La Rose, La. ; and Film Service Corporation, an independent booking and buying agency. Mr. Houck's share consists of the Joy, Minden, La. ; Joy, Gramercy, La. ; Joy, Kinder, La.; Lutcher, Lutcher, La,; OUa, Olla, La. ; Fix and Marine, Pascagoula, Miss. ; and Film Classics Exchange, New Orleans. Eldon Briwa, with the unit for the past year, joins Mr. Montgomery as assistant general manager. S. H. Paul has been named Mr. Houck's executive assistant. Thum Ansco Engineer Charles T. Thum has been appointed chief industrial engineer at Ansco, Binghampton, New York. Mr. Thum served in the late war as Petroleum Containers Coordinator for the Army-Navy Petroleum Board. Figures directly below picture title compare estimated dollar gross with average gross and show relative percentage of all engagements tabulated. Rgures opposite theatre names represent percentage of tabulated grosses to average weekly business based on the six months' period ending April 30, 1946. SYMBOLS: (DB) Double Bill— associate feature title; (SA) Stage Attraction; (MO) MoveOver 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. ivIOTiON PICTURE HERALD, JUNE 8, 1946 57