Moving Picture World (May-Jun 1927)

Record Details:

Title:
Moving Picture World
Date:
May-Jun 1927
Publisher:
New York, Chalmers Publishing Company
Volume:
Moving Picture World (May-Jun 1927)
Leaf #:
00081
Language:
English
Collection:
Hollywood Studio System and Early Cinema
Format:
Periodicals
Contributor:
The Museum of Modern Art Library, New York
Sponsor:
Media History Digital Library
Coordinator:
Media History Digital Library
Description:
Moving Picture World, founded in 1907 by J.P. Chalmers, was one of the motion picture industry's first trade papers. Published on a weekly basis in New York City, Moving Picture World informed exhibitors about films available for rental and editorialized on behalf of the growing industry (improving the quality of movies through higher filmmaking standards, not government censorship, was a frequent topic). The paper reached its height in the mid-to-late-1910s--a fact reflected in the circulation figures and the huge amount of advertising that filled every issue during the period. In the 1920s, Moving Picture World lost ground to other competing weekly trade papers -- including Variety, Exhibitor's Herald, and Motion Picture News. In 1927, Moving Picture World ceased publication when it was acquired by Martin Quigley's Exhibitor's Herald. Across the 20 year run of Moving Picture World, readers can watch the transition from short film programs to feature films and witness the transition from the dominance of Edison's Trust to the rise of the "Independent" film companies that ultimately became the Hollywood studios. Silent film historians have utilized and cited Moving Picture World more frequently than any other trade paper, and the publication still has many insights left to offer. -- Eric Hoyt, 2012/2013
Date Added:
September 21, 2023
Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!

Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.

Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.




We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.

Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.

May 7, 1927 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 71 days, Sunday and Monday, and did very good business. J. A. Eldridge, Idle Hour Theatre, Indianapolis, Indiana. United Artists SON OF THE SHEIK. Star, (late) Rudolph Valentino. This is a dandy from any angle. Has action and a good story, with Valentino at his best. But this isn’t what I had to pay for it; it does fairly well and pleased everyone. It is not a big special. Tone good. Draw small town class. Admission 10-25-35. H. V. Ritter, McDonald Theatre (250 seats), McDonald, Kansas. Universal ARIZONA SWEEPSTAKES. Star, Hoot Gibson. This was as poor a Hoot Gibson as we ever ran. Appeal 60 per cent. Sunday, special no. Draw town and farm class, town 860. Admission 10-25. Oren J. Spalti, Strand Theatre (235 seats), Pleasantville, Iowa. BUCKAROO KID1. Star, Hoot Gibson. A very poorly connected story with a sorry plot. The poorest Gibson feature we have ever shown. No wonder it is rumored that Hoot is dissatisfied with the stories Universal has been giving him. The title led fans to believe that this would be a terrifically fast action picture but instead it was slow and dragg*y. Tone O. K., weak appeal. Sunday yes, far from being special. H. H. Hedberg, Amuse-U Theatre, Melville, Louisiana. CHASING TROUBLE. Star, Pete Morrison. This was one of the poorest westerns that I ever saw. No story. Nothing but a jumbled mess of scraps and horse riding. Tone good, appeal poor. Sunday yes, special no. Draw farm, town class, town 600. Admission 10-25, 15-35. H. W. Batchelder, Galt Theatre (175 seats), Galt, California. BUSTER BE GOOD. (Universal-Buster Brown). Another good comedy with Buster Brown. Buster and his gang break up a spiritualist meeting, causing lots of fun. H. V. Ritter, McDonald Theatre, McDonald, Kansas. DENVER DUDE. 'Star, Hoot Gibson. Not so good here. Draw general class, town 2,200. Admission 10-25. A. F. Jenkins, Community Theatre (469 seats), David City, Nebraska. HER BIG NIGHT. Star, Laura LaPlante. A good, clean comedy with a dandy star. Everybody pleased. Tone good, appeal 60 per1 cent. Sunday, special no. Draw general class, town 2,200. Admission 10-25. A. F. Jenkins, Community Theatre (469 seats), David City, Nebraska. HIDDEN LOOT. Star, Jack Hoxie. Slow motion! — Hoxie is right there with the goods when it comes to action, but he is a poor bet when it comes to acting. The story was draggy. This was very disappointing, especially when you know that this star can hold his own with most any of them when it comes to trick riding, rough and tumble, etc. Tone fair, weak appeal. Sunda'y, special no. Draw all classes, town about 1,000. Admission 10-25 to 15-35, special. H. H. Hedberg, Amuse-U Theatre, Melville, Louisiana. MIDNIGHT SUN. Star cast includes Laura LaPlante, Pat O'Malley. I was rather disappointed in this one. I thought it would be a big special, but — the same as Universal’s The Flaming Frontier — there is something missing, just enough to keep it out of the special class. This picture is good, but not a big special. Tone O. K. Good appeal. Sunday yes. Draw all classes, town 3,000. Admission 15-25. T. L Barnett, Finn’s Theatre (525 seats), Jewett City, Connecticut. PHANTOM BULLET. Star, Hoot Gibson. A pretty good comedy western with Hoot playing the part of the boob in order to find his father’s murderer. Will please the western fans. Think Hoot has made better pictures though. Draw small town class. Admission 10-25-35. H. V. Ritter, McDonald Theatre (250 seats), McDonald, Kansas. Pictures that bring them out in the rainy weather, pictures that get out the S.R.O. sign — these are worth knowing about, and dependable exhibitor tips in this department give you the lowdown on which ones they are, as well as when to step heavy and when to bear light on the advertising. It’s simply a question of choosing as your guide the exhibitor who agrees in his reports with your experience on pictures you both have run. It’s only fair to return the favor by sending tips to help the other follow as he helps you. POKER FACES. Star, Laura LaPlante. A good comedy drama. Those who saw it liked it, but on. account of playing four da!ys before Easter, business was poor. Draw neighborhood class, city 90,000. Admission 10-20. Charles Epler, New Allen Theatre (600 seats), Allentown, Pennsylvania. SPORTING LIFE. Star, Marian Nixon. Patrons complained on the poor quality of the picture. It was all hand inspected before it went through the machine, but I had stops anyway. Film in extremely poor condition broken, and sections of sprocket holes gone. Parts missing. This was not even a program picture. Draw* 1 farm and community 400. Admission 10-15 to 10-35. O. G. Brothers, Star Theatre (200 seats), Grand River, Iowa. Warner Bros. SEVEN SINNERS. Star, Marie Prevost. A good Crook picture. Marie Prevost and Clive Brook well liked here. Draw neighborhood class, city 90,000. Admission 10-20 Charles Epler, New Allen Theatre (600 seats), Allentown, Pennsylvania. Miscellaneous LAST CHANCE. Very good western subject— about the usual picture. Tone fair, appeal 75 per cent. Draw general class, city 23,000. Admission 10-25. Ed C. Curdis, Bijou Theatre (300 seats), Greenville, South Carolina. THUNDERING SPEED. Star, Sedgewick. Fair subject only and as to female star, it fell flat. Tone fair only, appeal 70 per cent. Sunday, special no. Draw general trade, city 23,000. Admission 10-25. Ed C. Curdts, Bijou Theatre (300 seats), Greenville, South Carolina. Short Subjects ALICE CUTS THE ICE. (F. B. O.-cartoon). These cartoons are getting better right along. R. A. Preuss, Arvada Theatre, Arvada, Colorado. CHIP OF THE OLD BLOCK. (Educational). One reelers that are usually good and this one is that. R. A Preuss, Arvada Theatre, Arvada, Colorado. CLOSE CALL. (Universal-Gump). This two reeler is a snappy one: the sand “witches” on the beach capture Andy, and then the fun begins. R. A Preuss, Arvada Theatre, Arvada, Colorado. COLLEGIATE. (F. B. O.-Alice cartoon). Here is, without a doubt, the best Alice to date. R, A. Preuss, Arvada Theatre, Arvada, Colorado. DUMMY LOVE. (Educational-Bobby Vernon). Bobby Vernon always rings the bell here. His comedies are clean and fast and if that boy can’t work your audience up into a laugh it is time for you to quit the show game. H. H. Hedberg, Amuse-U Theatre, Melville, Louisiana. EDUCATING BUSTER, (Universal-Buster Brown). This is a great one! But it has seen its day — print not so good! R. A. Preuss, Arvada Theatre, Arvada, Colorado. EDUCATIONAL COMEDIES. As a whole these comedies are good. A E. Sharer, Globe Theatre, Savannah, Missouri. HOT DOGGIE. (Educational-Waiter Hiers), is good in this comedy and dog playing with him is well trained. Fans got several laughs out of this one. A. E. Sharer, Globe Theatre, Savannah, Missouri. HOT LIGHTNING. (Educational Geo. Davis). Lots of foolishness that caused hearty laughs. R. A. Preuss, Arvada Theatre, Arvada, Colorado. HOWDY DUKE. (Educational Lupino Lane). Didn’t get to see this one myself as I was very busy in my office but I Could always tell when it was being shown for the crowd roared with laughter from the time it started until it ended. Tone O. K. Good appeal. M. W. Larmour, National Theatre, Graham, Texas. JANE’S ENGAGEMENT PARTY. Universal-comed’y). Two reels. Star, Wanda Wiley. This young lady isn’t the laughproducer in this comedy: it’s her sweetie that the stole the picture. R. A. Preuss, Arvada Theatre, Arvada, Colorado. MADAME MYSTERY. (Pathe-Our Gang). One of the best comedies I have played this year. They all like to see Our Gang. Draw farm, town class, town 400. Admission 1025. Floyd G. Ward, Ward Theatre (250 seats), Stark, Kansas. NON-STOP BRIDE. (Fox-comedy). Very good. A. F. Jenkins, Community Theatre, David City, Nebraska. OH, WHAT A KICK. (Universal-Fanny, the Mule). One reel. A war comedy with some new gags in it, but they didn’t laugh much. R. A. Preuss, Arvada Theatre, Arvada, Colorado. PEACEFUL OSCAR. (Educational-Lloyd Hamilton). Gee, Ham! You were a sure come-back in this one. You made them laugh hard just when they saw your face and that cute walk. R, A. Preuss, Arvada Theatre, Arvada, Colorado. REVERSE ENGLISH. (Educational-Felix oat). This is not as good as some Felixes although they always seem to please. R. A Preuss, Arvada Theatre, Arvada, Colorado. ROMEO FOR RENT. (Universal-Gumps) . Laughs. Lots of them. R. A. Preuss, Arvada Theatre, Arvada, Colorado. SMASH UP. (Universal-Gumps). Good two-reel comedy: some good laughs in it. Play it. L. L. Like, Dreamland Theatre (150 seats), Drummond, Montana. SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON. (Universalserial). 10 parts. Star, Joe Bonomo. Would say not so good although it has plenty of action, mostly on South Sea Islands, with lots of wild animals and plenty of dangers. The trouble seemed to be in the direction, as it is rather jumpy. Had plenty fair appeal. Draw small town class. Admission 10-25-35. H. V. Ritter, McDonald Theatre (350 seats), McDonald, Kansas. TIED UP. (Universal-Tuttle comedy). Not much of a comedy. Too slow. H. H. Hedberg, Amuse-U Theatre, Melville, Louisiana. WEDDING YELL. (Educational Johnny Arthur). They didn’t “yell” on this one: it must have been mild comedy for my patrons. R. A. Preuss, Arvada Theatre, Arvada, Colorado. WHEN A MAN’S A FAN. (F. B. O.series). Bill Grimm’s Progress. These two reelers are always good. They never disappoint our gang. R. A. Preuss, Arvada Theatre, Arvada, Colorado.