Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

PICTURE CROSSES A statistical compilation and comparison of Box Office Performance in first run theatres Figures directly below picture title compare estimated 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 January 31, 1947. 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. THE SECRET HEART (MCM) Final Report: Total Gross Tabulated $973,900 Comparative Average Gross 1,026,100 Over-all Performance 94.9% ATLANTA— Loew's Grand, 1st week ATLANTA— Loew's Grand, 2nd week BALTIMORE — Century, 1st week BALTIMORE— Century, 2nd week BOSTON— Orpheum, 1st week . BOSTON— Orpheum, 2nd week . BOSTON— State, 1st week . . . BOSTON— State, 2nd week . . . BUFFALO — Buffalo BUFFALO — Hippodrome, MO 1st week CINCINNATI— RKO Capitol, 1st week CINCINNATI— RKO Capitol. 2nd week CINCINNATI— RKO Capitol, 3rd week CLEVELAND— Loew's State .... CLEVELAND— Loew's -Stillman, MO 1st week CLEVELAND— Loew's Ohio, MO 2nd week . DENVER— Orpheum (DB) Dick Tracy Versus Cueball (RKO) INDIANAPOLIS— Loew's. 1st week INDIANAPOLIS— Loew's, 2nd week KANSAS CITY— Midland (DB) Blondie's Bipr Moment (Col.) LOS ANGELES— Egyptian, 1st week LOS ANGELES— Egyptian, 2nd week LOS ANGELES— Egyptian, 3rd week LOS ANGELES— Belmont, 1st week LOS ANGELES— Belmont, 2nd week LOS ANGELES— Belmont, 3rd week LOS ANGELES— Fox-Wilshire, 1st week LOS ANGELES— Fox-Wilshire, 2nd week LOS ANGELES— Fox-Wilshore, 3rd week LOS ANGELES— Los Angeles, 1st week LOS ANGELES— Los Angeles, 2nd week LOS ANGELES— Los Angeles, 3rd week MINNEAPOLIS— State, 1st week . . MINNEAPOLIS— State, 2nd week . . NEW YORK— Capitol, 1st week . . . (SA) Tommy Dorsey's Orchestra NEW YORK— Capitol, 2nd week . . . (SA) Tommy Dorsey's Orchestra NEW YORK— Capitol, 3rd week . . . (SA) Tommy Dorsey's Orchestra NEW YORK— Capitol, 4th week . . . (SA) Tommy Dorsey's Orchestra OMAHA— Paramount PHILADELPHIA— Goldman, 1st week PHILADELPHIA— Goldman, 2nd week PHILADELPHIA -Goldman, PHILADELPHIA— Goldman, PHILADELPHIA— Goldman, SAN FRANCISCO— Paramount (DB) The Pilgrim Lady (Rep.) ST. LOUIS— Loew's State, 1st week ST. LOUIS— Loew's State, 2nd week ST. LOUIS— Loew's Orpheum. MO 1st week SONG OF THE SOUTH (RKO) Final Report: Total Gross Tabulated Comparative Average Gross Over-all Performance 3rd week 4th week 5th week 108.2% 93.2% 96.0% 79.0% 109.4% 94.1% 100.5% 84.3% 94.5% 84.2% 133.9% 89.2% 58.0% 100.0% 92.5% 100.0% 104.1% 106.3% 67.3% 93.8% 141.8% 88.6% 53.1% 140.4% 89.8% 61.7% 173.9% 108.6% 53.1% 102.6% 60.8% 50.0% 119.4% 74.6% 136.4% 105.9% 82.1% 70.2% 92.9% 127.1% 107.7% 90.5% . 77.5% 60.3% 81.9% 142.1% 83.7% 92.6% ATLANTA— Fox ATLANTA— Paramount, MO 1st week ATLANTA— Paramount, MO' 2nd week ATLANTA— Paramount. MO 3rd week BALTIMORE— Hippodrome, 1st week . (SA) Vaudeville BALTIMORE— Hippodrome. 2nd week (SA) Vaudeville $920,500 $841,000 109.4% 100.0% 125.0% 103.7% 125.0% 103.0% BALTIMORE— Hippodrome, 3rd week . (SA) Vaudeville BOSTON— Memorial, 1st week .... (DB1 the Dark Horse (Univ.) BOSTON— Memorial, 2nd week . . . (DB) the Dark Horse (Univ.) BUFFALO — 20th Century, 1st week . BUFFALO— 20th Century, 2nd week . CHICAGO— Palace. 1st week .... (DB) The Falcon's Adventure (RKO) CHICAGO— Palace. 2nd week .... (DB) The Falcon's Adventure (RKO) CHICAGO— Palace, 3rd week .... (DB) The Falcon's Adventure (RKO) CLEVELAND— RKO Palace, 1st week CLEVELAND— RKO Palace, 2nd week DENVER— Orpehum. 1st week (DB) The Falcon's Adventure DENVER— Orpheum, 2nd week (DB) The Falcon's Adventure KANSAS CITY— Orpheum, 1st KANSAS CITY— Orpheum, 2nd LOS ANGELES— Hillstreet. 1st (DB) The Falcon's Adventure LOS ANGELES— Hillstreet. 2nd (DB) The Falcon's Adventure LOS ANGELES— Hillstreet. 3rd (DB) Alias Mr. Twilight (Col LOS ANGELES— Pantages, 1st (DB) The Falcon's Adventure LOS ANGELES — Pantages, 2nd (DB) The Falcon's Adventure LOS ANGELES— Pantages. 3rd (DB) Alias Mr. Twilight (Col (RKO) (RKO) week . week . week . (RKO) week . (RKO) week . .) week . (RKO) week . (RKO) week . .) MINNEAPOLIS— RKO Orpheum, 1st week MINNEAPOLIS— RKO Orpheum. 2nd week NEW YORK-Palace. NEW YORK— Palace, NEW YORK— Palace, NEW YORK— Palace. NEW YORK— Palace, NEW YORK— Palace, NEW YORK— Palace, NEW YORK-Palace, week week week week week week 7th week 8th week OMAHA— RKO Brandeis. 1st week (DB) The Falcon's Adventure (RKO) OMAHA— RKO Brandeis. 2nd week . (DB) The Falcon's Adventure (RKO) PHILADELPHIA— Aldine, 1st week . PHILADELPHIA— Aldine, 2nd week . 1st week 2nd week SALT LAKE CITY— Utah, SALT LAKE CITY — Utah SAN FRANCISCO— Fox .... (DB)The Fabulous Suzanne (Rep.) SAN FRANCISCO— Paramount. MO 1st week 73.1% 80.6% 96.8% 172.4% 89.6% 87.5% 109.4% 90.0% 73.1% 74.6% 127.9% 97.6% 122.9% 106.5% 149.4% 118.5% 87.6% 160.1% 129.1% 95.5% 155.9% 110.1% 187.7% 126.3% 108.3% 75.8% 151.6% 137.1% 85.9% 75.8% 145.4% 110.3% 139.4% 110.2% 121.8% 126.0% 98.4% 81.8% NEW BASE LINE Beginning in this issue, the average, or 100 per cent, line of these tabulations is the average weekly business of the theatres concerned for the six months ending January 31, 1947. The previous period ended October 31, 1946. This brings into the new base a recognition of current economic conditions as they affect box-office performance. Many New Films Sent to Germany A number of new films, including man)' that were hits when first released in the United States, recently have been approved for showing in Germany, according to Irving Maas, vice-president and general manager of the Motion Picture Export Association. Included among the pictures are "The Green Years," 'Anna and the King of Siam," "Bells of St. Mary's," "Song of Bernadette," "This Land Is Mine," "One Foot in Heaven," "Our Town," "Rebecca," "Spellbound," "Holiday Inn," "How Green Was My Valley" and "Gaslight." Both the U. S. State Department and the American Military Government in Germany have to give their approval before American pictures can be released by the MPEA in Germany. No definite date has been set for the Army to relinquish its supervision of MPEA activities, Mr. Maas said, and even when this happens Army authorities will continue to exercise censorship as long as American soldiers remain in Germany. However, once MPEA is given freedom of operation by the Army, which may happen within the next six months, the present system will be changed. MPEA will then select the films it considers suitable and send them to Germany, where AMG will pass on them. At present the Army asks for specific pictures. Mr. Maas said the present German market required enough product to permit a program change once every week. The Export Association now asks its member companies for the master negative of a film which is then sent to Germany. 92.7% ITS READY Don't wait any longer. Our new Prevue Trailer Service is Ready NOW. For details write, wire or phone Filmack, 1 325 S. Wabash Avenue, Chicago 5, Illinois. FILMACK gives QUICKEST SERVICE on SPECIAL TRAILERS MOTION PICTURE HERALD, MARCH I, 1947 4 i