Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

40 Motion Picture News November 1 , 1930 Coast Hypnotized By Amos V Andy To $31,000 Tune Los Angeles — It was all Amos 'n' Andy in town this week, their "Check and Double Check," hooked to the sensational national campaign on the picture, running away from all competition to grab $31,000 at the Orpheum. This is a rating of 190% and an all-time record for the theatre. Up went the Orpheum grosses over last week-end, with other downtown houses taking it on the chin, while the crowds flocked to the Orpheum. The house got $12,500 over the week-end, sensational any way you look at it, particularly when "A Lady Surrenders" did only $10,500 the preceding week. Meanwhile, the Carthay Circle spurted upward with "Just Imagine." backed by a heavy exploitation plug. "The Big Trail" slipped at the Chinese and strong advertising is being resorted to in an effort to maintain grosses. Pop price houses on the boulevard sagged, the Egyptian getting the best rating. Estimated takings: Los Angeles "JUST IMAGINE" (Fox) FOX CARTHAY CIRCLE— (1,650), 75c-$1.50, 3rd week, 7 days, twice daily. Other attractions: Abe Lyman and band, news. Gross: $22,175. Rating: 175%. "UP THE RIVER" (Fox) FOX CRITERION— (1,652) 35c-65c, 2nd week, 7 days. Other attractions: "Mickey Mouse" cartoon, news. Gross: $11,500. Rating: 115%. "LOVE IN THE ROUGH" (M-G-M) LOEWS STATE— (2.418) 35c-65c, 7 days. Other attractions: F. & M. "Way Back When" Idea, news. Gross: $27,500. Rating: 105%. "LAUGHTER" (Para.) PARAMOUNT— (3.596). 35c-65c, 7 days. Other at. tractions: "High Speed" revue, Rubinoff. news. Cross: $24,500. Rating: 98%. "ONE NIGHT AT SUSIE'S" (F.N.) WARNERS DOWNTOWN— (2.400) 35c-65c, 7 days. Other attractions: Vitaphone varieties, news. Gross: $12,000. Rating: 80%. "WHOOPEE" (U.A.) UNITED ARTISTS— (2,100) 3Sc-65c, 7 days. 3rd week. Other attractions: News, organ concert. Gross: $15,500. Rating: 114%. "BROTHERS" (Col.) RKO— (2,700) 35c-65c, 7 days. Other attractions: News, vaudeville. Gross: $11,500. Rating: 72%. "CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK'' (RKO) ORPHEUM— (2,750) 35c-65c, 7 days. Other attractions: News, Knute Rockne short. Gross: $31,000. Rating: 190%. "ESPRILLADOS" (M-G-M) CALIFORNIA INTERNATIONAL-12,000) 25c-50c. 7 days. Other attractions: Spanish comedy, news. Gross: $7,000. Hollywood "THE BIG TRAIL" (Fox) GRAUMAN'S CHINESE (2.030), 75c-$1.50, 4th week, 7 days, twice daily. Other attractions: Stage revue, news. Gross: $20,200. Rating: 128%. "MONTE CARLO" (Para.) GRAUMAN'S EGYPTIAN-(l.SOO) 35c-65c, 7 days. Other attractions: Comedy, news. Gross: $7,500. Rating: 100%. "MAYBE ITS LOVE" (Warners) WARNERS HOLLYWOOD— (3,000) 35c-65c, 7 days. Other attractions: Vitaphone varieties, news. Gross: $13,500. Rating: 96%. "THE BIG FIGHT" (Craze) PANTAGES' HOLLYWOOD— (3,000) 40c-65c, 7 days. Other attractions: U. S. Indian Reservation band, news. Gross: $12,000. Rating: 76%. Return Runs for "Whoopee" Cleveland — "Whoopee" is now playing a round of leturn engagements in first-run theatres in this district, according to Charles Kranz, United Artists branch manager. Loew's Valentine, Toledo, will play a return booking of one week, starting Nov. 1. The first run of "Whoopee" was a one-week engagement at the Valentine, starting Sept. 27. Deep Stuff Having seen his "Escape" filmed, John Galsworthy has given his consent to the screening of two of his best plays, "Justice" and "Loyalties." Preparing for the screen these three high class dramas should help to raise the standard of cinema plays. The pictures adapted from the better stage plays are the salvation of the talkies. In fact, the only good talkies I have seen thus far this season were "Holiday" and "Let Us Be Gay." The worst talkie I have seen was a Western picture, which had what was evidentlv an original scenario. I cannot recall either the title of the picture or the leading plaver. Yes, it was as bad as that. Thus, instead of the talkies killing the legitimate theatre, the latter is saving the talkies. — N. Y. Sun. "Half Shot" Pulls In Snowbound Putters for 125% Omaha — Though the first frost and snowfall folded up all miniature golf courses for the week, it did not have the expected favorable reaction on all downtown box-office grosses. "Half Shot at Sunrise" at the Orpheum got most of the idle putters along with $20,000 for a 125% week. "Heads Up" at the World hit 95% for $10,450, but Buddy Rogers should have done better. At the Paramount, "Girl of the Golden West" failed to equal Ann Harding's previous grosses with $7,650 (90%). "The Santa Fe Trail," first half at the State, "pulled $2,475, which is 110% rating. Last half, "Men of the North," dropped to 90%, bringing $2,250. Weather was somewhat wintry all week. Estimated takings : "HALF SHOT AT SUNRISE" (Radio) ORPHEUM— (3,000), 2Sc-60c, 7 days. Other attractions: Four vaude acts, RKO comedy, Sportlight, news and Rockne short. Gross: $20,000. Rating: 125%. "HEADS UP" (Paramount) WORLD— (2,500), 25c-60c. 7 days. Other attractions: Five Publix acts, Billy Meyers & band, news. Gross: $10,450. Rating: 95%. "GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST" (First National) PARAMOUNT— (2.900). 2Sc-50c, 7 days. Other attractions: "Parley Vous" (Universal comedy). "While the Captain Waits" (Paramount comedy), organ solo and news. Gross: $7,650. Rating: 90%. "THE SANTA FE TRAIL" (Paramount) STATE— (1,200). 25c-40c. 3 days. Other attractions: "The Fatal Card" (Paramount comedy), "Won By a Neck" (Educational comedy), news. Gross: $2,475. Rating: 110%. "MEN OF THE NORTH" (M-G-M) STATE— (1,200), 25c-40c, 4 days. Other attractions: "Strike Up the Band" (Paramount song cartoon), "Carnival Revue" (Pathe), news. Gross: $2,250. Rating: 90%. Salesman Now Exhibitor Milwaukee — Jack A. Kraker, formerly salesman for Paramount, has taken over the Greenfield theatre, local south side neighborhood house which figured in bombings earlier in the year, from Columbia Enterprises. The name of the theatre has been changed to the Pastime. "Office Wife" at $27,200 Leader At Minneapolis Minneapolis — Strong attractions enabled local theatres to make the grade, in the face of current conditions, although there was nothing unusual about takings. "The Office Wife" grossed $27,200 for 80% and the city's leader at the Minnesota. A strange factor enters into the situation in considering hard times and box-office take. The Minnesota, Orpheum and Century find their clientele still holding jobs and able to pay the relatively modest prices asked. A look at the matinee business, however, reveals a noticeable percentage of the temporarily or permanently unemployed using the theatres as a sedative against their troubles and worries or possibly as the best available shelter with assurance of keeping out of trouble. Minneapolis business reacts more slowly than that of most other cities to unsettled or depressing conditions. The town doesn't go on spending sprees, nor does it squeeze the dimes till they pop when things go badly. This accounts for the fact that many individuals and some good-sized families who can't be quite sure of the winter's coal bill are still to be found going to theatres. Another theatre was added to the first run string during the week with the reopening of the Seventh Street, formerly the home of the Orpheum circuit for extended runs of certain types of feature pictures. The opener is "Africa Speaks" from the Columbia lisl. Estimated takings : "THE OFFICE WIFE" (Warners) MINNESOTA— (4.025) 30c-40c-60c, 7 days, 7 shows daily. Other attractions:' Stage show, news. Gross: $27,200. Rating: 85%. "EAST IS WEST" (Univ.) RKO ORPHEUM— (2,900) 35c-50c-75c, 7 days, 3 shows daily. Other attractions: Four acts vaude. Gross: $20,300. Rating: 70%. "WHAT A WIDOW" (U. A.) CENTURY— (1,640) 25c-35c-60c, 7 days. 6 shows daily. Other attractions: News. Gross: $8,000. Rating: 80%. "EYES OF THE WORLD" (U. A.) STATE— (2.300) 25c-.15c-60c, 7 days, 6 shows daily. Other attractions: Comedy, screen novelties, news. Gross: $6,500. Rating: 65%. "ROAD TO PARADISE" (F. N.) LYRIC— (1,238) 15c-25c-40c, 7 days. 7 shows daily. Other attractions: Comedy, news. Gross: $2,000. Rating: 70%. "THE FURIES" (F. N.) ASTER-(812) 15c-25c-30c. 7 days, 7 shows daily. Other attractions: News. Gross: $1,500. Rating: 65%. "AFRICA SPEAKS" (Col.) SEVENTH STREET— (1.300) 25c-35c-50c, 7 days, 6 shows daily daily. Other attractions: News. Gross: $1,200. Rating: 45%. Vilma and Rod Draw Wilmington — The appearance of Rod LaRocque and Vilma Blanky in "Cherries Are Ripe," legitimate, at the Playhouse here during October showed the local appeal film stars have on the stage. Houses were good during the run. Coppock Managing Tour Rochester, N. Y. — E. S. C. Coppock, acting manager and publicity director of the Eastman theatre and for three years associated with Publix, resigned last week to become manager of a Coast-to-Coast demonstration of bantam cars.