Universal Weekly (1932-1936)

November 5, 1932 UNIVERSAL WEEKLY ■ 5 Broadway Elects Uniyersal News awarded the picture a rating of three and a half stars, and others agreed with her. The business at the Rialto on the opening days averaged almost fifty percent above normal business. It is in for two weeks and possibly three. Saturday rolled up four and a half grand, and Sunday four. Variety on Tuesday morning predicted $22,000. Reviews on page 18 and )9. The Roxy displayed this “Once in a Lifetime" illumination and took in sixty thousand grand for new record. "The Old Dark House" went into the Rialto for a run, and opened like a whirlwind. Opening business at the Roxy was very flattering, indeed. Over $10,000 on Saturday, and an equal amount on Sunday, which establishes a new record for the theatre since it re-opened at a lower price schedule. This record is not only for money taken in, but for attendance as well. Double record to the credit of "Once in a Lifetime," which moves immediately into the Fox Brooklyn Theatre. Variety on Tuesday predicted $60,000, with a strong possibility of even more. Here is the way the Variety column opened. The heading reads: "ROXY'S 'ONCE IN A LIFETIME' TOPS BROADWAY— WOW $60,000" Here is the way it started off: "Business generally sprightly on the town's biggest first-run front, with the Roxy for the first time since it reopened in August coming into the big money. "With a good week-end also helpful to the other houses, the biggest 'un among them, with 'Once in a Lifetime,' is taking the hurdles for a nice $60,000, with a chance to beat that. It will be by more than $10,000 better business than the Roxy has generally enjoyed in a long time." Crowds in front of the Paramount Theatre for "The All American" showing. A Christy Walsh radio broadcast was one of the features. At top. Universal’s great Broadway sign announcing "Once in a Lifetime." Broadway has elected Unlver Presidential contests come only once every four years, but the battle of the theatres to elect a product ruler of the Main Stem is a weekly event. Universal has just won this victory. No less than five Universal productions have enjoyed first runs in Broadway houses during the last month, and two are repeating. They are "The All American," "My Pal, the King," "Once in a Lifetime," "The Old Dark House" and "Air Mail." "Afraid to Talk" will follow in soon. First, there was the Tom Mix feature, "My Pal, the King," which played the Globe. Imagine! A western on Broadway, and it packed them in for two weeks. Second came "The All American" with its glittering array of football stars, and took the New York Paramount by storm, playing to enthusiastic houses at every showing. Too, the picture was vastly pleasing to the Metropolitan movie critics, as will be seen by the reviews printed on page 32 of this issue. "The Old Dark House" got off to an excellent start last week at the Rialto when Irene Thirer, motion picture critic of the New York Daily The UNIVERSAL WEEKLY A Magazine for Motion Picture Exhibitors Paul Gulick, Editor Published weekly by the Motion Picture Weekly Publishing Company, 730 Fifth Avenue, New York City. Copyright 1932, Universal Pictures Corp. {All rights reserved) Vol. 31 Nov. 5, 1932 No. 21