Motion Picture News (Oct-Dec 1930)

32 Motion Picture News November 29, 19 30 Spoor Wide Film Wows Chicago; Clicks $37,950 Economizing Pat Rooney says times are so hard that he's only dipping now, instead of dunking. 66 Chicago — One of the worst business weeks on record prevailed throughout the Loop with only one house in 12 hitting above the normal average stride. Despite the slackened pace, however, few of the larger houses went into the red; the depression resulting in slimmer margins of profit only. United Artists with "Lottery Bride" in its second week was the worst off — getting an unmentionable $13,550. The State-Lake, offering a world premiere of Spoor-Berggren wide screen and film, was the sensational money house. "Danger Lights" is the novelty feature. Business started off indifferently, with RKO doing nothing out of the ordinary in the way of advertising and publicizing. Critics, however, were awed by the SpoorBerggren spectacle and climbed on the band-wagon. Newspaper editorials, columnists' comments and a genuinely interested public spread the word which did gratis what money has been unable to do for many a better picture. The State-Lake finished the week with $37,950, less than seven grand under the first week's figure for "Check and Double Check." The business done represents a building figure from day to day that showed no indication of falling off at the end of the week. RKO was frank to admit at the beginning of the week that the picture might go at the end of seven days. Two days later it was obvious that the picture would be stronger at the end of the week than at opening, and was held for the second week. The StateLake is the only theatre in the world in which Spoor equipment is installed. Closing business in all run houses was brutal. With the opening of "Hell's Angels" at the United Artists to day-long capacity with sidewalk holdouts, it was indicated that the balance of the Loop was in for another disastrous week. All houses felt the competition immediately after the opening, Randolph Street locations getting only the leftover business. Estimated takings: "HALF SHOT AT SUNRISE" (Radio) (Second Loop run) CASTLE— (.100). 60c. S days. Other attractions: News. Gross: $3,986. Nice figure, but "Tiger of Berlin" (UFA) booking shoved it out. "Reno" (Sono Art-World Wide) flopped here after opening the week. Earning on'y $900 in two days, the house was obliged to get rid of it. "DERELICT" (Paramount) CHICAGO— (.1.940). 35c-85c. 7 days. Other attraction: Orchestra, stage show, news, comedy, musical short. Spoor-Berggren film across the street felt badly here; State-Lake's novelty drawing all the undecided business in this block. Gross: $39,840. "FEET FIRST" (Paramount) McVICKERS— (2.284), 3Sc-85c, first 5 days. Other attractions: News, cartoon, musical short. Gross: SJ4. Hi t; on'y fair. Final four days of "Big Trail" (Fox) were brutal at $9,700. SECOND-RUN DOUBLE FEATURE MONROE— (962). 25e-40c, 7 days. Week's attractions: "A Lady Surrenders" (Universal), "The Cocoanuts" (Paramount), news. House's second and final week of double featuring. Both weeks were flops, the only monetary increase being in overhead. Gross: $.1,200. "REMOTE CONTROL" (M-G-M) ORIENTAL— (3.900). 35c-85c, 7 days. Other attractions: Stage show, organ, news, comedy, novelty short. Feature was authored by local boys which made critics as kind as possible and earned it publicity—all of which saved it from a worse fate. Gross: $33,180. "WIDOW FROM CHICAGO" (F. N.) ORPHEUM— (702). .lScSOc. first week. Other attractions: Thirty minutes news, two Vitaphone acts. Average business for the house, but picture held Big Trail" Big Portland Draw; $15,000 in B. O. Portland — Oregon atmosphere pervaded two of the screen's offerings for the week. "Way for a Sailor," sea story written by Albert Richard Wetjen of Portland, brought out increased attendance at the Fox Broadway and with the help of another Fanchon & Marco Idea, "Fountain of Youth," grossed a total of $15,900 with an extra Saturday midnight show. Oregon's own, "The Big Trail," with clever exploitation and frontpage story crashes in the Portland Oregonian, grossed $15,000, with prospects of a good second week. Estimated takings: "WAY FOR A SAILOR" (M-G-M) FOX BROADWAY— (1.912), 25c-35c-tf)c. _ 7 days. Other attractions: News, Fanchuii & Marco's "Fountain of Youth" Idta, band. Gross: $15,900. Good. "THE BIG TRAIL" (Fox) FOX UNITED ARTISTS— (945). 25c-35c-60c, 7 days. OLher attractions: News, Universal comedy. Gross: $15,000, Big. "TOL'ABLE DAVID" (Columbia) RKO ORPHEUM— (1,71X1). 25c-35c-50c, 7 days, Other attractions: Vaudeville, news. Gross: $14,0,0. Normal. "RIVER'S END" (Warners) HAMRICK'S MUSIC BOX— (1,835), 15c-25c-40c, 7 days. Other attractions: News, Vitaphone comedies. Gross: $10,000. Average. "SEA LEGS" (Paramount) PORTLAND PARAMOUNT— (3.0o8), 25c-3Sc-50c, 7 days. Other attractions: News, "Moments Musical" with Phil Lampkin and Paramounteers, news. Gross: 510,000. Below par. "COLLEGE LOVERS" (First National) RIAI.TO-a.49S). 25c-35c-50c, 7 days. Other attractions: News. "Grandma's Girl" (M-G-M). Gross: $9,800. Okay. for a second week in tin Warner house tor exploitation purposes. Less than a grand better than the second -run house has been using. Gross: $5,850. "HEADS UP" (Paramount) PALACE— (2,509), 35c-75c, 7 days. Other attractions: Four RKO vaudevil.e acts headed by Gus Van (Van & Schenck), news, cartoon, novelty short, orchestra. Critics sneered at the picture. House's worst week in some time. Gross: $18,100, "JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK" (British Int.) PUNCH & JUDY— (354), 50c-75c, second and final week. Other attractions: News, comedy. Poor second week, considering plugs picture drew from critics. Lack of suitable product Heine felt at this independent spot. "Anna Christie" (M-G-M) replaced, as second-run on the entire city. Gross: $2,880. "LIFE OF THE PARTY" (W. B.) ROOSFVFLT— (1,591), 35c-85c, first four days. Other attractions: News. "You're in the Army Now" (Paramount), "Walrus Hunting." Nice opening business. Gross: $12,150. "Up the River" (Fox) dropped off in closing days to a miserable $13,300 for the final seven. "DANGER LIGHTS" (Radio) STATE-LAKE— (2.776). 35c-75c. first week. Other attractions: "Niagara Falls" (Sjioor-Berggren), news, Terrytoon (Col.). World premiere for Spoor-Berggren Natural Vision" film and screen. Spoor's short subject novelty drew more praise from the critics than the feature; though the third-dimensional process was unanimously and sincerely plugged. The novelty is getting tremendous word -of -mouth advertising, plenty of local publicity, and is building from day to day. Theatre was the one bright spot in the Loop this week. Gross: $37,950. "THE LOTTERY BRIDE" (United Artists) UNITED ARTISTS— (1.700), 35c-85c, second and final week. Other attractions: News, "Schnapps. Inc." (Paramount), musical short. Picture fell off bad!] in second week, sending the house into the red. Gross: $13,550. "Hell's Angels" (Caddo) replaced; opening to capacity business ami all -day holdouts. Competition hurtincr ever v thine on Randolph Street. "ONLY SAPS WORK" (Paramount) WOODS (1,166), 35c-75c, first four days. Opened to fair business in mid-week, but "Hell's Angels" across the street stooped that. May l>lov\ any day with 'Today" (Majesticl readv to replace. Gross: $9,450. "The Sauealer" (Columbia) fe'l away miserably in closing iUvs of a two an I one-half weeks' engagement Final four days. $6,300. "Girl of Golden West" Hits Balto Top with $24,000 Baltimore — Loew's Century, as usual, hit the high spot, doing good business with Ann Harding, a great favorite in Baltimore, in "Girl of the Golden West," with the stage show, "Nightingale Melodies," the gross being figured at $24,000. Next following was Loew's Stanley with a gross of $16,500, which was about average for this house with George Bancroft in "Derelict." But with the differences in seating capacities taken into consideration, the business done at the New Theatre with "Just Imagine" was very good, the gross there being reported at $12,500 for the week. "Hell's Angels" did fine business when one considers that $1.50 top was charged at night and only three shows were given a day at the Auditorium. Estimated takings : "GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST" (F. N.) LOEW'S CENTURY— (3,076), 25c-60c, 6 days. Other attractions: News, Loew-Capitol stage unit, "You're in the Annv Now" (Paramount), "Winter" (Columbia). Gross: $24,1)00. "THE DERELICT" (Paramount) LOEW'S STANLEY"— (3,522), 25c-60c. 6 days. Other attractions: News, "Clock Shop" (M-G-M), Our Gang in "Love Business" (M-G-M). Gross: $16,500. LOEW'S VALENCIA— (1.487), 25c-35c. 6 days. Other attiacticns: News, "Johannes Brahms" (FitzPatrick), "The Village Barber" (M-G-M). Cross: $3,700. "PLAYBOY OF PARIS" (Paramount) (Shown uptown at the Parkway after one week downtown at the Stanley) LOEW'S PARKWAY— (987), 15c-35c, 6 days. Other attractions: News. "Looser Than Loose" (M-G-M), "The Picnic" (Mickey Mouse — Columbia). Gross: $4 000 "THE SEA WOLF" (Fox) WARNERS' METROPOLITAN— (1.300), 15c-50c, 6 days, starting Saturday. Other attractions: News. "Putting It On" (Vitaphone." Gross: $4,000. "LAUGHTER" (Paramount) (Second consecutive week at this house) KEITH'S— (2.500). 25c-50c, 5% days, starting Friday and ending the following Thursday at 6 P. M. Other attractions: News, "Mickey's Musketeers" (Radio), "Armistice Dav" (FitzPatrick I. Gross: $5,600. "JUST IMAGINE" (Fox) NEW— (1,600), 25c-50c, 6 days. Other attractions: News, "Humanettes" (RKO). Gross: $12,500. "MARTIN LUTHER" (Cob Films of Germany) (Silent with synchronized musical score) LITTLE— (267). 35c-50c. 6 days. Other attractions: "Zampa" (United Artists), "The Laurel and Hardy Murder Case" (M-G-M). Gross: $1,000. "AFRICA SPEAKS" (Columbia) RIVOLI— (1,982), 25c50c, 6 days, starting Saturday. Other attractions: News. "Racket Cheers" (Educational). "Lambs Will Gamble" (Krazy Kat cartoon), "Flying Feet" (Pathe). Gross: $7,200. "ON YOUR BACK" (Fox) HIPPODROME— (2.250). 20c-60c, 6 days. Other attractions: News. "The Indians Are Coming" (Universal serial), Harvey Players in "Little Accident" on the stage, orchestra. Gross: $9,000. "HELL'S ANGELS" (United Artists) AUDITORIUM— (1.6001. 50c-$1.50. 6 days, with three performances a day. Other attractions: News. Gross: $5,680. Reward for Vandals Offered by Union Portland — The operators' union has offered an additional $50 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons guilty of dropping stench bombs in the Capitol. This offer supplements a like amount offered by C. M. Dunn, owner and operator of the theatre. The union and the theatre have been involved in a controversy for the past year, with union members picketing the house during that period. According to James R. Forsythe. secretary of the union, they have been placed in a wrong light with the public by the use of the "bombs."