Motion Picture Herald (Mar-Apr 1947)

the more they hear the more they'll cheer Short Product in First Run Houses NEW YORK— Week of April 14 CAPITOL: Calling on Costa Rica MGM Part-Time Pal MGM A Gun in His Hand MGM Feature: It Happened in Brooklyn MGM CRITERION: The Tennis Wizards ... Columbia Feature: Johnny O'Clock Columbia GLOBE: Mefody of Vouth Warner Bros. One Meat Brawl Warner Bros. Feature: That's My Man Republic HOLLYWOOD: The Forgotten Casualty 20th Cenf.-Fox Rabbit Transit Warner Bros. Feature: The Two Mrs. Carrolls Warner Bros. MUSIC HALL: Double Dribble RKO San Francisco RKO Feature: The Late George Apley. . .20th Cent.-Fox PALACE: Melody Time RKO Flicker Flashbacks RKO Feature: Trail Street RKO RIVOLI: Ice Skippers RKO Pepito's Serenade United Artists Feature: The Farmer's Daughter RKO ROXY: McDougaff's Rest Farm. 20th Cent.-Fox The Cape of Good Hope 20fh Cenf.-Fox Feature: Alexander's Ragtime Band. 20th Cent.-Fox STRAND: Cat's Tale Warner Bros. A Boy and His Dog Warner Bros. So You Want To Be A Father. .Warner Bros. Feature: Stallion Road Warner Bros. WINTER GARDEN: Miniature Musical Universal Feature: Stairway to Heaven Univ.-lnt. CHICAGO— Week of April 14 CHICAGO: Selling the Sun Paramount Feature: Suddenly It's Spring Paramount GARRICK: Kingdom of the Wild .Warner Bros. Feature: 13 Rue Madeleine 20th Cent.-Fox GRAND: Smoked Hams Universal Feature: Smash-Up Universal-lnt. ROOSEVELT: Sentimental Over You Warner Bros. Feature: Nora Prentiss Warner Bros. STATE-LAKE: Island Fling Paramount Feature: California Paramount UNITED ARTISTS: Squatter's Rights RKO I Disney) Feature: Lady in the Lake MGM Newsreel Units Hit Price Rise With newsreel-theatre attendance down from 25 to 30 per cent since the end of the war, operators are resisting demands by the producers for higher rentals, according to newsreel circuit executives in New York. Paramount and MGM have sought increases and two circuits with New York houses have dropped the Paramount reel altogether and a third, Translux Theatres, is using it only in its Philadelphia house. It also was understood in New York this week that plans were under way for Embassy Newsreel Theatres, Translux and Telenews Theatres to sponsor a 10-minute newsreel of their own. Contracts are now being negotiated with independent cameramen all over the world and the reel probably will make its first appearance at the end of the month. According to Stewart R. Martin, treasurer of Embassy Newsreel Theatres,, Paramount and MGM asked an increase of approximately 100 per cent. Newsreel houses pay an average of $70 a week for their shows. The producers' demand was not fair, he said, because during the war the circuit's five New York houses played the reels of all companies despite frequent overlapping. "We are getting along fine with three reels now," he declared, adding that he expected RKO-Pathe, 20th-Fox and Universal to ask moderate rental increases when their contracts expire late this year. Telenews Theatres, which runs nine newsreel and four feature houses throughout . the country, has not booked a Paramount reel for several months and has the MGM reel in some of its houses. Because of slackening post-war interest in newsreels the circuit plans to convert some of its newsreel units into feature houses. UA Acquires Five Houses; New Releasing Deals Set Releasing deals with three producers were approved last week when the United Artists board of directors met in what was described as a "routine" session. Mary Pickford, UA co-owner, attended the meeting and later disclosed that the company had acquired five theatres. However, she refused to indicate whe.e the houses were situated o/ whether their purchase marked the start of a theatre acquisition program. Distribution agreements approved by the board included one with producer Sam Coslow for five musicals, each to be budgeted in excess of $1,500,000; one with Edward Small for two films starring Robert Young and both to be delivered within 18 months, and one with a company in which Edward Gross is associate producer, for one picture with a reported budget of $2,000,000. "Jolson" Return Engagement At New York's Victoria Although having just finished a complete tour of the territory, Columbia's "The Jolson Story" will return to Broadway for an indefinite run in the Victoria theatre immediately following the current run of "The Adventuress," A. Montague, general sales manager for Columbia, announced last week. No other New York house will be able to book the film during the engagement. Since its opening October 10 and the subsequent eight-week run at the Radio City Music Hall, "The Jolson Story" has blanketed the metropolitan area, playing Loew top-houses for an unusual nine consecutive days, and booked into a great number of independent theatres. While playing at the Victoria the picture will show at $1.40 top. During its nationwide run, "The Jolson Story" made gross and attendance history in many situations. MOTION PICTURE HERALD, APRIL 19, 1947 39