Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

44 .1/ o t i o n Picture News November 1 . 1 Q3 0 Eddie for George Hollywood — Eddie Cantor, Broadwayite who makes pictures once in a while, is on the coast to play a twoweeks' engagement — gratis — at Geo. Olsen's night club. Close friendship between the pair is the reason. Of late the club has been hit hard due to constant raids by prohibition agents. "Whoopee" Clicks 200% in Third Week at Philly Philadelphia — The big noise in theatre circles was the $23,000 piled up by "The Doorway to Hell" at the Stanley, for a 130 percentage. Moved down to the Karlton for a third week in the downtown section, "Whoopee" crashed through for $10,000, a percentage of 200 and the biggest gross for this comparatively small house in the last three years. "Whoopee" had done two good weeks at the Boyd and was strong enough for a third, but was chased out by the necessity of giving a date to "Old English." This Arliss picture was a comparative flop, grossing $17,000, or under average, and was yanked out to make room for "Check and Double Check," which started off like a big hit. Other good business included $19,000 for "Anybody's Woman" at Keith's. The Mastbaum went considerably under average for the third straight week, the combined null of "Love in. the Rough" and Moran and Mack on the stage bringing in $38,000. about $2,000 under average. Figure is big jump, however, over the $35,000 of the previous two weeks. Friday marked the return of the musicians to the Mastbaum, Fox and Earle, with the Duncan Sisters featured at the first named; the Roxy Gang and Chorus at the second and a Jay Mills stage revue at the third. Good houses greeted the returning stage programs. Estimated takings: "LOVE IN THE ROUGH" (M-G-M) MASTBAUM— (4,8001, 35c-50c-75c, 6 days. Other attractions: Moran and Mack on stage, Vitaphone Variety, news. Gross: $38,000. Rating: 95%. "UP THE RIVER" (Fox) FOX— (3.000), 35c-50c-75c, 0 days. Other attractions: Oswald cartoon (Univ.), "Asia" (FitzPatrick), news. Gross: $26,000. Rating: 95%. "ANYBODY'S WOMAN" (Para.) KEITH'S (1,800) 35c-50c-75c. 6 days. Other attractions: "Accidents Will Happen" (Para, comedy), "Her Future" (Para, musical), news. Gross: $19,000. Rating: 125%. "OLD ENGLISH" (Warner's) BOYD(2,400), 35c-50c-75c, 6 days. Other attractions: "Don't Give Up" (Vitaphone comedy), cartoon, news. Gross: $17,000. Rating: 95%. "ABRAHAM LINCOLN" (U.A.) ALDINE— (1.500). 50c to $1.50, 6 days. Other attractions: "Zampa" (U.A. musical short), Terry-toon cartoon, news. Gross: $12,000. Rating: 80%. "OUTSIDE THE LAW" (Universal) EARLE— (2,000). 25c-65c, 6 days. Other attractions: "His Public" (Vita. Variety), "Divorced Sweethearts" Pathe comedy, news. Gross: $18,000. Rating: 100%. "DOORWAY TO HELL' (Warner's) STANLEY— (3,700), 35c-50c-75c, 6 days. Other attractions: "The Last Yard" (Rockne Pathe), "Won by a Neck" (Lloyd Hamilton), news. Gross: $23,000. Rating: 130%. "SCARLET PACES" (F. N.) STANTON— (1,700), 25c-c5c. 6 days. Other attractions: Vitaphone Variety, news, Gross: $9,000. Rating: 90%. "WHOOPEE" (U. A.) KARLTON— (1,0001 40c-50c. Other attractions: Edu Realife "Billy" Opening in K. C. Gets Only 115% Kansas City — Realife at the Midland, heralded with an extensive advertising campaign, was unable to get Kansas City excited. After a strong opening, patronage took a tumble, although cold weather and the first snow of the year may have had something to do with the comparatively slim gross. "Billy, the Kid," the M-G-M Realife attraction, gave the house $16,675, or a rating of 115 per cent. Top honors for the week go to the Uptown, a suburban first-run house, and the Pantages, each chalking up a rating of 140 per cent on its respective offerings. "The Bad Man" gave the Pan $14,000, while "Modern Madness" brought $8,500 to the Uptown. "Modern Madness" in reality is "Wild Company." the picture being given another title by the theatre for "box-office reasons," according to the management. "Old English" was a good draw for the Royal, which did 130 per cent, or $5,850. The Newman had an average week with "Her Wedding Night," which gave the house $12,500, or a 100 per cent rating. The Mainstreet didn't do so well with "East Is West," taking in $13,500, or a rating of 90 per cent. Estimated takings : ' "BILLY, THE KID" (M-G-M) LOEW'S MIDLAND— (4.000). 2Sc-40c. 7 days. Other attractions: Burton Holmes traveltalk, news. G:oss: $16,675. Rating: 115%. "EAST IS WEST" (Universal) MAINSTREET— (3,067), 35c-60e, 7 days. Other attractions: Rockne Football short, Sportlight. vaude. Gross: $li.5C0. Rating: 90%. "OLD ENGLISH" (Warners) R( lYAL— (900). 25c-60c. 7 days. Other attractions: "Marry or Else" (Paramount comedy), "Chop Suey" (cartoon), news. Gross: $5,850. Rating: 130%. "WILD COMPANY" (Fox) UPTOWN— (2.200), 25c-50c, 7 days. Other attractions: "One Nutty Night" (Pathe comedy), Miekey Mouse cartoon, news. Gross: $8,500. Rating: 140%. "THE BAD MAN" (First National) PANTAGES— (2,190), 25c-50c, 7 days. Other attractions: Cartoon, news. F. & M. "Gems and Jams" Idea. Gross: $14.01)0. Rating: 140%. "HER WEDDING NIGHT" (Paramount) NEWMAN — (2.000), 35c-60c. 7 days. Other attractions: "You're in the Army Now" (comedy). "Camera Trails." news. Gross: $12,500. Rating: 100%. Claudette Colbert Hurries Home and Breaks a Law Boston — The haste of Claudette Colbert and her husband, Norman Foster, to reach New York when arriving at this port caused them to fail to remain aboard the motorship Chinese Prince, on their return from a threemonths' tour of Europe, until immigration authorities had passed them. They had departed when the immigration officers looked for them. Evasion of immigration officers carries with it a penalty of $1,000 each. Officials of the steamship company notified their New York offices to get in touch with the motion picture actress and her husband, to report to the New York immigration officials to comply with regulations. cational comedy, news. Gross: $10,00(1. Rating: 200%. "THE SEA COD" (Para.) ARCADIA -(600) 50c. Other attractions: Pathe comedy, news. Gross: $4,500. Rating: 90%. Puny Pills Persist Providence — Theatre men who hoped that the first flurry of snow would remove whatever menace exists in the miniature golf courses find that they will have to contend with the craze all winter. More and more of the demi-tasse links are being installed in buildings here each week. Heavy Stage Plug Shoves 'Liliom' to Front at Seattle Seattle — Fox's Fifth Avenue, celebrating its fourth birthday, took high honors among fust runs. It was not so much the feature "Liliom" as it was the public weddings on the stage each night, plus an elaborate stage revue, that brought the gross to about $14,500 (115%) for the run. Second in the running came the Seattle Paramount with Ann Harding featured strongly as "The Girl of the Golden West." Despite this star's growing popularity, the picture didn't go so well with local fans, and reached onlv about $13,000 for the week (95%). Other attractions did average business only. Highest in the second division came "Old English" at Hamrick's Music Box, where a gross of around $8,000 was quite acceptable (125%) but lower than expected in comparison with the "Disraeli" record that was set there a few months ago. "Madam Satan" in its second week at the Fox took about $9,250 for a rating of 90%. "Du Barry, Woman of Passion" at the Blue Mouse was good for about $7,000 (1.10%) and "Three French Girls" in an extended run at the Coliseum wound up with about $2,950. ;95%). Estimated takings : "DU BARRY, WOMAN OF PASSION" (U.A.) BLUE MOUSE-(950). 25c-35c-50c-75c, 7 days. Other attractions: Vitaphone Varieties, Sportlight, news. Gross: $7,000. Rating: 110%. "THOSE THREE FRENCH GIRLS" (M-G-M) COLISEUM— (1.850), 25c-35c-50c, 7 days, (extended run from Fifth Avenue). Other attractions: Mickey Mouse cartoon (Columbia), news. Gross: $2,950. Rating: 95%. "MADAM SATAN" (M.G-M) FOX— (2,450), 25c-35c-S0c-60c-75c, 7 days, (second week). Other attractions: Pathe comedy, news, band. Gross: $9,250. Rating: 90%. "LILIOM" (Fox) FOX FIFTH AVENUE— (2,750), 25c-35c-50c-60c-75c, 7 days. Other attractions: Fashion reel (S.R.), news, Fanchon & Marco's "Modes" idea, weddings on stage nightly. Gross: $14,500. Rating: 115%. "OLD ENGLISH" (Warners) MUSIC BOX— (950), 25c-35c-50c-75c, 7 days. Other attractions: Vitaphone Varieties, news. Gross: $8,000. Rating: 125%. "GIRL OF COLDEN WEST" (F. N.) PARAMOUNT— (3.150). 25c-35c.50c-(>Oc, 7 days. Other attractions: "At Home" (Paramount comedy), news, Publix stage revue. Gross: $13,000. Rating: 95%. Co-op. Concerts Staged By Unemployed Musicians Montreal — Unemployed musicians have organized the Montreal Concert Symphony Orchestra and are presenting Sunday afterip »in concerts in the Orpheum on a cooperative basis. There are 75 men in the orchestra. These concerts are in direct competition with the theatres where many of them formerly were employed.