Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

October 4 , 1930 Motion Picture News 43 Grosses Go Up While Mercury Sinks in Philly Philadelphia — The advent of cool weather toward the end of the week, after a particularly torrid summer, sent the grosses climbing in Philadelphia in spite of the lack of presentation bills owing to the musicians' strike. The strike threatens to grow into more serious proportions if not settled by Oct. 7, for the International Alliance of Theatre Employees has threatened to call out all operators and stage hands on that date. Keith's opened its career as a Paramount house on Friday with "Animal Crackers" and grossed $7,000, or capacity business for its first two days. Saturday was patricularly big with the lobby crowded all day. The Mastbaum reached another top notch gross with $48,000 for the week. Joe E. Brown, a Philadelphia favorite from his stage days, made a personal appearance, working without an orchestra. He appeared in a small play from over the orchestra pit, passing out gags and stories which the audience relished. With Gene Morgan as "straight man," he presented a hilarious "lunatic" skit. The picture was "Little Accident," exploited all over town for its spice angle and, like "The Office Wife" of two weeks ago, the sexy element dragged in a lot of extra trade. "Girl of the Golden West" ran up $27,000 at the Boyd, a high mark which is directly traceable to Ann Harding's popularity after "Holiday." With Milton Sills' last picture, "The Sea Wolf," the Fox clicked along to $27,000, or 100% business. While the cause is hard to find, the Karlton took a new high for the summer season with $7,000 for "On Your Back." Picture received good notices, but hardly enough to account for jump of $2,000 over the average gross. House has a lot of "drop-in" trade and plentiful exploitation of a Laurel-Hardy comedy in the front may have helped things. Estimated takings : "LITTLE ACCIDENT" (First National) MASTBAUM— (4.800), 3Sc-50c-75c, 6 days. Other attractions: Jov. E. Brown, assisted by Gene Morgan, in person on stage, Vitaphone variety, newsreel. Gross: $-18,000. Rating: 120%. "THE SEA WOLF" (Fox) FOX— (3,000), 40c-50c-75c, 6 days. Other attractions: Movietone news, "Little Covered Wagon" (TiffanyChimp talkie), cartoon comedy. Gross: $27,000. Rating: 100%. "GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST" (F. N.) BOYD— (2.400). 3Sc-SOc-75c, 6 days. Other attractions: Fitz-Patrick Travelogue. Vitaphone Variety, newsreel. Gross: S27.0O0. Rating: 150%. "OH, SAILOR, BEHAVE" (Warners) EARLE— (2.000), 25c-65c, 6 days. Other attractions: Our Gang comedy, "Teacher's Pet"; Vitaphone comedy. Universal newsreel. Gross: $18,000. Rating: 100%. "DIXIANA" (RKO) STANLEY— (3,700), 35c-50c-75c. 6 days. Other attractions: W. C. Fields short. Ruth Etting Vitaphone variety. Gross (second week): $12,000. Rating: 66 2-3%. "CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD" (Universal) STAXTOX— (1.700). 2Sc-65c, 6 days. Other attractions: Xewsreel. Vitaphone variety. Gross: $9,000. Rating: 90%. "ON YOUR BACK" (Fox) KARLTON— (1,000), 40c-50c. 6 days. Other attractions: Xewsreel. Laurel-Hardy comedy ("The Laurel Hardy Murder Mystery"). Gross: $7,000. Rating: 140%. "THE SILENT ENEMY" (Paramount) ARCADIA— (450)— 50c, 6 days. Other attractions: Xewsreel. travelogue. \V. C. Fields in "The Golf Specialist." Gross: $4,000. Rating: 80%. Wrong Target They shoot too many pictures out in Hollywood and not enough actors, says Judge. And, in our opinion, some would-be humorists who write for the "funny" papers ought to face the firing line, also. w» ," $120,000 For "Quiet," Bway's Big Sensation Cooler weather worked wonders on much abused box-offices along New York's bigtheatre row, with business generally showing marked improvement over past few months and revealing indications that summer effects have ended. The big thing was a $120,000 performance by "All Quiet on the Western Front," which, following a long run at $2, returned to the street for a popular price booking at the Roxy. Estimated takings: "THE BIG HOUSE" (M-G-M) ASTOR— (1,120), 50c-7Sc-$l-$1.50-$2, 7 days, 14th week. Other attractions: Comedy, "College Hounds"; newsreel. Gross: $19,378; plenty healthy. "DOUGH BOYS" (M-G-M) CAPITOL— (4.700). 35c-50c-75c-$1.60, 7 days. Other attractions: Overture, Hearst Metrotone news, Capitol presentation, "Royal Revels." Gross: $62,887; not good. "ABRAHAM LINCOLN" (U. A.) CENTRAL— (1,490), $l-$2, 7 days, 5th week. Other attractions: Comedy, "Dollar Dizzy"; overture, "Zampa." Gross: $18,325: a wow week. "HELL'S ANGELS" (Caddo-U. A.) (Playing simultaneously at the Criterion and Gaiety) CRITERION— (850), $l-$2-$2.50, 7 days, 6th week. O'-her attractions: Xone. Gross: $17,560; great. EMBASSY (All Newsreel) EMBASSY— (598). 25c, 7 days. Straight newsreel show, running contlnuouslv. Gross: $8 745; very good. "HELL'S ANGELS" (Caddo-U. A.) GAIETY— (SOS). $l-$1.50-$2-$2.S0, 7 days, 6th week. Other attractior-s: None. Gross: $14,245: okay. "AFRICA SPEAKS" (Columbia) GLOBE— (1,050), 35c-50c-75c, 7 days. Other attractions: Shorts, comedy, "Broken Wedding Bells"; cartoon, "Frolicking Fishes": Creatore and his band in "FireWorshippers." Gross: $23 900. another wowl "OUTWARD BOUND" (Warners) HOLLYWOOD— 0. 600). 60c-75e-$l-$I.5O, 1st week. Other attractions: Shorts, "Looney Tunes," "Helen Broderick," "Martinelli." Gross: $23,421. "THE SPOILERS" (Paramount) PARAMOUNT— (3.700), 40c-50c-65c-85c-$l, 7 days. Other attractions: None. Gross: $75,000; good. "ANIMAL CRACKERS" (Paramount) RIALTO— (1,904). 65c-85c. 7 days, 4th week. Other attractions' "Many Mnnns." Gross: $30,500; fair. "MONTE CARLO" (Paramount) RTVOT J— U.103 ), 35c-toc-85c. 1 days. 4th week. Other attractions: Shorts. "Stein Sonp" ind "Sure Cure." C-oss: S34.90"1: keen interest buildine here. "ALL OUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT" (U.) ROXY— (6,200). 50c-75c-Sl, 7 days. Other attractions: Stage show, newsreel. Gross: $119,591; one of season's best weeks. "WAY OF ALL MEN" (First National) STRAND— (3,000), 35c-50c-65c-85c. 7 days. Other attractions: Slmrts. "The Substitute," "Yacht Club Boys." "Congo Tazz." Gross: $35,926; not bad. "OLD ENGLISH" (F. N.) WARNERS— (1.490). $1-$1.50. 7 days, 5th week. Other attractions: Shorts. "The Legacy" and "Believe It or Not?' Gross: $18,816; pretty good for 5th week. "OFFICE WIFE" (Warners) WINTER GARDEN— (1,493). 3Sc-50c-65c-$I, 2 days. Other attractions: Shorts. "Eddie Foy." "Mark Hel linner," "Walter Winchejl"; newsreel. Gross: $14. "*; good for 2 days. Hell's Angels' Leading Boston; Grosses $16,200 Boston — Maintaining a rating of 150% establishes a new record for a road show in Boston, but that is what happened to "Hell's Angels" at the Tremont when it again crossed the $16,000 mark with a six days' showing. $65,000 in four weeks is traveling un all eight and the crowds appear to be in no danger of diminishing for some weeks to come. George Arliss in "Old English" pushed up the Metropolitan gross to $42,000 for a rating of 130%, which is a gain of five per cent over the preceding week. "Madam Satan," at Loew's State, was good for $24,000, with a rating of 120%. "The Spoilers," at the Uptown, hit 125% with a gross of $15,000, plus $16,500 for 110% more at the Olympia. Both Keith houses did good business with "He Knew Women," taking in $22,000, and "Africa Speaks" grossing $25,500. "Let's Go Native" brought in $16,500 at the Scollay Square. Apparently the theatre season is going full blast just about two weeks ahead of schedule. Estimated takings: "OLD ENGLISH" (Warners) METROPOLITAN— (4,350), 25c.60c, 7 days. Other attractions: Revue, "Jewels"; comedy, Paramount news. Gross: $42,000. Rating: 130%. "HE KNEW WOMEN" (RKO) KEITH-ALBEE— (2,500), 25c-60c, 7 days. Other attractions: Vaudeville, RKOlians, Pathe news. Gross: $22,000. Rating: 115%. "AFRICA SPEAKS" (Columbia) KEITH MEMORIAL— (2.800), 30c-65c, 7 days. Other attractions: Comedy, Sportlight, Pathe news. Gross: $25,500. Rating: 110%. "MADAM SATAN" (M-G-M) LOEW'S STATE— (3,700), 30c-50c, 7 days. Other attractions: Comedy. Hearst Metrotone news. Gross: $24,000. Rating: 120%. "GOOD NEWS" (M-G-M) LOEW'S ORPHEUM— (2,100), 25c-50c, 7 days. Other attractions: Vaudeville, comedy, Hearst Metrotone news. Gross: $22,500. Rating: 115%. "HELL'S ANGELS" (United Artists) TREMONT— (1.80O), 50c-$2, 6 days. Other attractions: None. Gross: $16,200. Rating: 150%. "LET'S GO NATIVE" (Paramount) SCOLLAY SQUARE— (1,800), 25c-S0c. 7 days. Other attractions: Vaudeville, comedy, Paramount news. Gross: $16,500. Rating: 120%. "THE SPOILERS" (Paramount) (Playing simultaneously at Uptown) OLYMPIA— (2.500), 25c-50c, 7 days. Other attractions: Comedy, Paramount news. Gross: $16,500. Rating: 110%. "THE SPOILERS" (Paramount) (Playing simultaneously at Olympia) UPTOWN— (2,000), 25c-60c, 7 days. Other attractions: Comedy, Pathe news. Gross: $15,000. Rating: 125%. Callaghan Returns Hollywood — Following a series of business conferences with Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus, president, and other executives of Technicolor, Andrew Callaghan, business manager of the Hollywood division, returned to Hollywood this week. Callaghan made a survey of both New York and Boston headquarters of Technicolor while away. Bodil Rosing on Stage Hollywood — Following a featured role in "Stolen Thunder" for Fox, Bodil Rosing will return to tEe stage in a play by Olga Printzlau, "The Ostrich." This will play at the Theatre Mart, later going to New York as a Sam Harris production. Bans Dog Racing Fort Wayne, Ind. — Following the request of the prosecutor and sheriff here, the management of the Fort Wayne Speedway has consented to bring dog racing there to a close. Complaints received by the county officials concerning the attendant betting in connection with the races prompted the move.