Variety (Sep 1933)

Tuesdajr September 26, 1933 PICT E CROSSES VARIETY Loop Awaiting ' IHToman,' EDin on Spurt ; Band to Chicaero, Sept. 26. TowD -now waiting .for the AmerlT can Iiegioh convention for its oiie bis spurt as the Fair goes Into its llnal month. iElxpected to hop-theax ire grosses for the large splurge ■hefore everything ..settles- down "to the pre-Falr normal. While the pace of the Fair has slacked isllghtly the effects of bUt'Of-town attend- ance are stlU ftivorable at the box- offlce. Apparent ihecca for visitors, is the Chicago theatre but this week Bili>s to $42,000; good, however,, aa compared to pre-Fair grosses. Currently the. show Includes -I JjoVed a, Wonian* (FN), the Duke SJlllngtoh band ijihd the additional holdover of' Sally Rand, fan-dancer. Other top grosser of town is the Tia'udfllm Palace where 'La.dy for a Day' (Col) is reaping box-office; fodder from a sheaf of capital- let- ter notices.' Lou Holtz on .the stage is exhibiting, his hew-fbuh^ box- bfflce strength for Chicago; since h^ went the ether route. Palace has been: establishing. itself i'ecentiy as the house . with human interest flickers. Hasn't had an-s.a^ picture on- the screen' in some weelcs, all of the product being character work and that heart throb business has been paying, heavy dividends at the register. Both Oriental and XTlilted Artists held off switching flickers last week, 'Tugboat .'Annie': managing - a full, fourth week to..' continued profits and .'Paddy* picked up at the finish on the ahnouhcement. of closing date; Estimates for Th,(s. Wftek - Chicago. (B&K) . (3,940; 35-5e-.75) •I Loved a Woman'. (FN) and stage . show. Dukei Ellington, band, on.flrst' visit to.town in some time and Sally Band orice more the only fan dancer In the loop^ looks like only $42,000, good, biit away beloiw houses's re- cent av«rage. Last week 'Dr. Bull' .(Fox), and Ted Lewis unit <>n the! Btage smacked 'em over at pace that «pelled plenty profit at |G0,100. McVickep^e (B&K) (^,284; 25-35) ^Bureau of Missing Persons' (WB),. and Boss-Canzoneri fight. Both flicker and fight reels attracting patronage. . Will turh'ih one of !the neatest figures for this house at ihV dicated $17,000. 'Captured' (WB) fell away -Swiftly in its second half of the fortnight to fittish lamely with $4,200 on four days. Oriental (B&K) (3,200; 30-40-66) fTugboat Annie' (MG). Finishing today (26) and will be replaced by 'Too Much Harmony' (Par). Switch due last week was postponed a,t the last minute when 'Annie' exhibited, renewed vigoi*. WHl finish after more than a month's stay to fair $9,500 for the final Week. Previous week $13,700, okay.; . Palace (RKO) (2,583; 40r65-83) *Lady for a Day' (COl) and vaiide. Lou Holtz headlining. Picture is in the-big money-from the gong start- ing with the biggest overflow in the l.oop on the opening day. Building on word-of-mouth;^and will touch high up on the gross list. Maybe $29,000; hlgh-de-high. Last week "Pilgrimage' (Fox)^ held the pace to hot $25,600. Roosevelt (B&K) (1,500; 25-35) •Shanghai Madness' (Fox). Maybe $11.000,. okay. 'Beauty for Sale' (MG), clicked previous session $10,- 400. State-Lake (Jones) (2i700; 20-40) •Tomorrow/at Seven' (RKO) and ■yaude. Smoothest box-office, pace in town, seldom -varying from- its steady take; Not ofC. more than two grand either way on any. week. Currently looks like $15,000. Last week .'Don't Bet on Love' (U), ex- cellent at $16,200. Uniiled Artists (B&K-UA) (1,700; 36-55) 'Paddy' (F.dx). Will stretch it out to three weeks With 'Voltaire' in on Wed. (27). aftej; having been pushed back and .blck. 'Paddy* perked Will finish at $9,000 for final week. Previous session okay at :$12,600. L'yiile Labor Jams, 'Power Glory' Big $4,300 Louisville, Sept, 25. Threatened labor trouble, in the- atres did not take place. Rialto, Strand, Loew's and Mary Ann^ rated .,as^A _tlveatre3,, now..paying..QpexatQr3 $56.50 each week. Brown, rated as B, paying $50 each, and' the Alamo and Kentucky, rated as C theatres, employ only three operators at sal ary of $55 each. Stngehands' yet made. NEstirtiates for This Week .Loew's (3.400; 25-40), ■'Beautiy for Sale' (MG). Fair gate. $3,500. Last weok 'Penthouse' (MG), better at $4,100. Mary Anderson *(,Switow) (1,100; 5-40), 'Goodbye Again' (WB). Good goln' for $3,400... Last. w-eek 'Mayor of Helf . (WB), $2,800, light. Rialto (Fourth Ave.) (3,000; 25- 40), 'I Loved That Wbman' (WB). Edw. G. as a pash. hero liked herei for $3,300, fair. Last week 'Torch Singer' (WB/, $3,500, niore hotcha. Strand (Fourth Ave.) (1,786; 25- 40)> .'Power and th« Gloi-y' (Fox). Corking, gross, $4,300.. Last week nroltaire' (WB)> $2,500. Brown (Schwartz-Piersoh) (1,600; 25-40), 'Her .Bodyguard' (RKO). Off, only -$i,606, Last .week 'Lady for a Day' (Col): bo-isvled 'em ovet for. a big $3,000.. ' Alamo (Schwartz-PIerSon) (950; 15-20-26)* 'Sing You Sinner: (Maj). Average . at. $1,100. Last week .'Stranfer's Return' (MG> and 'Rafter Rohianpe' (Radio), split, $900,- f'. mU BULUSH, INDPLS. Indianapolis,. Sept.'26i Things are biieaklng right for the Indiana this week and It looks like the town's a,c6 deluxer will' Anally turn in a winning' gross with the figures ddncini^.. along towards thei $12,000 .mark oh 'Mornii^ lory? pilus a strong- stage bill. . its fburth week ot trying to turn the trick.-.slncei its reopening under the KatzrFeld banner, the Indiana Is in good shape to. show a profit for the first time. this season. Hepburn Is developing into a strong picture name here aind Johnny Perkins on the stage Is helping considerably. In addition, the Lyric is still closed since its sauabble a week ago with the operators' . union. That elimin- ates the only stage show competl tlon in town and the holdover at the - Apollo cuts do-wn further on the? downtown competition. -Smiling faces are In evidence at the Circle for the first time in sev eral weeks as 'Lady for a Day- hieads confidently for a very good $6,000. . Rayia revlewB, national ads, and excellent wprd-of-mouth are helping this one build, and it's pos- sible that the Circle will do even better than the current pace indi- cates. .'At any rate, the picture Is sure to come out ahead of anything shown at the Circle for some time. The Apollo .is faring well in _ its holdover of 'Dr. Bull,', the Palace is still having its troubles as -Beauty for Sale' lags along at a snail's pace, and Keith's is doing only moder ate^ly well with 'Picture Snatcher' as ' Its second attraction since' its opening. No announcements have been inade conc'eming the reopening of the Lyric which was closed Sunday (17) by Charles -M. Olson, owner, as a result of the ultimatum by the operators' union demanding the signing of a new contract at an in- creased scale amounting to $11 man more than the current wa;^o.«. Olspn claims it was a walkout, and (he. union claims it was a lockout. The outlook for reopening- • is gloomy. The Indiana and Circle, which were involved with, the Lyric in the same squabble, have man- aged to reach an agreement -with the operators', union forestajling the increased scale at least until De- cembej-. Estimates for'This Week Apoi 16 (Fourth Ave.) (1,100; 26- 40), 'Dr. Bull' (Fojt), In Its second week, the gross is justifying the holdover with, figures 6f ,$3,400 in- dicated. Last-week the picture led the town with its: strong $5,700. irclr (Katz-Feld)-(2,600; 25-40), 'Lady f or a Day' (Cbl). Is stieady and looks like it will .build to Some-r thing more than good -With a ; gross of. at least $5,000 looming up; Last -w'eek 'Tarzan the Fearless' (Prin) was disappointing at $3,500 aftei* a big opening. Indiana (iKatZrFeld) (3,100;. 25- 33-40-55), 'Morning Glory' (RKO) and . stage preserttatlon. Into the black for the' closing week of its flirst month-.iinder the present man- agement with figures of $12,000, oke. Last week was dismal with 'This Day and Age':(Par) and stage pres- entation, hitting the bottom at a bad $7.000._ _ J _ .. Legion's 'Forgotten Men* Tie-In Counts in N. H. New Haven, Sept. 26. College getting' oke results from a plug 'on 'Forgotten Men,' by adr vertlsing 'not r^cpinmehded fof those w'ith shattered nerves or weak hiearts!' A.nightly parade by Amer- ican Legion,; under .whbse spbhspr- shlp; film is oftered, stirred up some telling' publicity. iPalace, working Columbia's "Lady fgr a Day' stunt locally, drew, enough free space to, send picture ofie to great start. Spreading, of openings for delux- ers over four, nights. beginning- Wednesdaty seems to, give everybody a, better break. ; Estimates for is Week Paramount (Publix) (2,348; 35.- fiO), 'Three Cornered Moon' (Par) and 'TO Last Man.' Headed, for a nice $8,600. Last week 'This Day and Age' (Par) and 'Her Splendid Fbily,': $4,900, mild; Palace (Fox-Poll) . (3,:040 ; 35-50), "Lady f or a Day' (Col) and 'Ladies Must Lo-ve." Indicates big $8,600 to equal last week's .'Doctor Bull' (Fox) and IChan's Greatest Case' (Fox).;. Roger Sherman (WB) (2.200; 35'-- 50)r 'I Loved a Woman' (WB) and 'iDaiice Girl Dance/ Probably a nice $6,000. Last wieek 'Bureau Missing Persons' (WB) and 'Rafter Roniance,' okay at. $5,600.. .College <Fbx-I>oli) (1,565; 35-60), Forgotten Men', and 'Flying Devils' (RKO). Best oeening to date s^ipuld build to a satisfactory $4,000. Last week 'Turn Back Clock* (MG) and 'Brief Moment,' with Ross-Can- zoneri fight at ^3,600 riieaiit no com- plaint. 'Penthouse Off Sister Akee $5,000 Flop at Cap; M. H. 'Jones' Wow 375/26, Ifoman' 32G Keith's (Switow) (1,200; 15-25), 'Picture Snatcher' (WB), The low price scale is attracting a fair busi- ness but it hasn't had. a chance to reach ,'par figures yet. This one Icoks no better than fair at $1,700. Last week, in Its opening stanza, the hou.se did $l,80o with 'Little Giant' (WB). Loew's Palace (Loew's) (2,800; 25-40), 'Beauty for Sale' (MG). This house still in the dold^'uni.s with a bad $3,000. Last week was sour at $a,900 with 'Penthouse' (MG). Pittsburgh, Sept. Looks like a week of. in-and- otiters, but with possibilities of a better than average showing at that. Tehthouse' started 'big at the Fenn and. on strength of: excellent notices and Inevitable wbrd-bfr mouth should have no trouble build- ing to an attraqtive $16,000. At Stanley, 'Torch Singer* has Claud- ette Colbert lor a marqUee hame and some good entertainment to back it up, with a $10,500 week in prospect, • Nothing to account for good get- away of 'Shanghai Madness' at the Pulton unless It's Spencer •'Tracy. This one gave house a good open- ing, and unless there's a eerious re- action ought to sail along to an all tight $4,700. 'Ladies Must Love,' with a flock of censor deletions, will have a' struggle on its hands to crack $2,000 at the Davis, where elimination of duals in favor of single features, has affected biisl-' ne^ss materially. At the Warner, 'One Sunday Afternoon'- shapes up like a sur- priser on a chance for $6,500. Main- Stem, «yeing steady and profitable business of Fulton, wondering what house will do When next-door Alvin opens up and if picture code, eliminates two-for- ones. Estimates for This-Week Davis (WB) (1,700; 15-25-40)— 'Ladies Must Love' (U). Np "marquee names and less entertain- ment, Which means magnolia. Will be lucky . to struggle through' tP $2,000. Elimination of double fea- tures obviously •costing this site business^' Last Week 'Brief Moment' (Cpl)~ around $2,150i Fulton (Shea-Hyde) (1,750; 15-25- 40)—'Shanghai Madness' (Fox) House seems :t.o'have struck a happ/ average, sincia reopening. Doing nice business, and' turning a fair profit. Current session..looks like $4,700, all right. Last week 'Tarzan the Fearless' (Small) slightly over the $5,000 mark. Penn (Lpew' -UA) (3,300; 25-3S 50)—'Penthouse* (M-:G)i. Brisk en- tertainment should account for a fine $15,000. Hearst paper started to run the-: story serially 10 days before picture got to town. Even So, this one can stand on its own merits. Last week 'This Day .and Age' (Par) pretty brutal at $7,500. =!1Siamtr:n^B5^(?«-^-^0^—"TOrcF Singer* (Par). Has a good femme angle. and should capture a .nice matinoe trade, A $10,500 Week at least looked for, which Isn't .l)ad. La.st week 'I Loved a Woman' (FN) came through for good $12,500.. Warper (WB) (2,000; 25-35-50) — 'One Sunday Aftcrndon' (Par). Shapes up as a surprise gro.sscr and climbing to a big $6,500; Last week 'Bureau of Ml.ssing Persons' (WIJ) cra.shed through to ' $6,200 on strength of some flnst-rato ballyhoo. Ainiee Seniple MacPhierson, sav- ing souls at the Capitpl at $5,000 a.-week, as the. current issue of Paramount News facetlonsly puts It,, has the -wrong kind of ah act for New Yorkers frcini all Indications. Her routine , may be big box office at the Angelus Temple in L; A., biit^ at the Cap the Loew people are finding it of little appeal. Theatre aitd Aimee are djying as New Yorkers, avoiding the evangel- ist, .are flllingr all the other, houses instead. 'Solitaire Man' on the screen? Isn't helping, either. on the. basis of .the sniibful be- ginning the Gap will be lucky: tp hit $35,000. It's a blow In the face for Loew's, -paying a juicy '$5,000 for Aimee. in expectatlpn of packing 'em in; If it- was publicity, Aimee^s an- nouncement she planned an An- gelUs Temple here to. save the souls of slnfur New Yorkers,, it's okay as such, but If the pulpit spell-binder was serious about opening a branch here, she might look at her Capitol fiopi for guidahce. ; While /the rule albiig the street Is good busInes'S. It's the, ParamPuiit this week wfiich kites itself away above this year's house average to 9, striking $60,000 on 'Too Much Harmony.* Theatre has Ethel. Mer- man and Borrah Mlnevitch on the stage.-as -an aid. ' ,. This is the finest.business-the-Par has dOne ih so long.memory doeS.h*t "serve.^ Its^average has been arOuhd^ : half of that right along all summer. Picture-wiU be held o.yer. .EncQuraglnig outstanding grosses are also, flow- ing into the Music Hall, Rtvoll, Strand and Rialto, With 'My Weak- ness' the giant in' Radio City start- ed out stoutly,'public prol)ably pre"? ferring that title to what an Aimee sermon promised, and on the; week expectations are high fov $86,000 .or better. ■ Rivoll and Rialto both have unusual attractions which either would die or go above average, 'Em- peror Jones' and ."Thunder Over Mexico,* respectively. The 'Jones' picture, with a big time premiere Tuesday night (19), flhishes its first week today (Tues.) at $37;500, big, while the. -Rialto's 'Mexico' will get $18,000 or more, also very fine. Both hold. Curiously enough, with the whole street -walking away from the CainI- tol, Sister Aimee's estranged hus- band, Dave Hutton, Is doing better at the Palace than his mOre illusr trlous wife. Pal should get around $12,500 or better, good.. At the Strand the Fldward G. Robinson picture, 1 Loved a Wom- an' is up in the big mohey and thunibiiig its iiOse at the MacPhec- son opposition with a large $32,000. Picture will get a secoiid and per-, haps, a third week at this rate. 'Wild Boys of the Road' picture, at first booked for the' Strand but later switched to the Hollywood, IS not doing as good by comparison but won't be so- bad at $13,000. Estimates for This Week Astor (1,012; 83-$l.i0-$l.«6-$2.20), 'Dinner -at Eight' (MG) (5th week) Maintaining strong appeal on what looks like a healthy run at the tilted scale. Last v/eek (fourth) $20,000 Capitol (5,400; , ' 35-72-83-$1.10- $1.6,5), 'Solitaire Man* (MG) and "Aimee" Seniple McPherson in pcr^ ison. Evangelist upset all expepta tlOns by failing to -lure, although business everywhere .else better than average. Sister Aimee's :draw Very weak at around $35,000. She's getting $5,000 of that as salary and probably Is the poorest freak draw yet found., Last week -Beauty for sale' (MG) did $44,000, okay. Gaiety (808; 55-$l.l0-$t.-6'S^, 'Bef- keley ' Square* (Fox) (2ci week). Having a class draw, hdlijing up well on this engagement. Got $11;- 500 the first Week, very good. Criterion (875;' 4O'-83-$1.10-$1.65)» 'S. O. S. Iceberg' (U). Opened Fri- day night (22) and' on first, two days, $3,500, good.. Hollywood (1,553; 25-35-55-75-86- $1.10), 'Wild Eq^s of Road' (WB). Not strong, b. o., will have to be sat- i.sfied. at $13,000, not bad in. view of reduced operating hut here. Mayfair (2,200; $5-55-65), 'Devil's Mate' (Mono). Offer's, fair appeal arid about $10,000, goOd.. Three days -w^horaovcr"w?R!)rT>f-'Mi'rBroaaway*= (B'way-llollywood), $4,700. Palace (1,700.; 25-40-55-75)—'Lady for a Day' (Col) ahd Dave Hutton on vaudc show. SLster Aimee's hus- band doing better by°thls house than the wife Is by the. Cap; looks like $12,500, pretty good, and 'topping last woek'.s $12,000 on 'One Man's Journey' (UKO). . :/) Paramount (3,064; 35-55-75)—"TiiQ Much irarniony' H'ar) anrf stago show. A powerful draft Ijclng ex- hibited by this one and $60,000 seems aSspred^ sensational and: like, the old^ipire-depresh: daysl ■ WiW hold a' seconjd weeki maybe three; Last week, second Of .'Song of Songis' (Par), $35,600, unusually good on a hoVdPver here. Radio City Music Hall (6;d46; 36- 55-75)—'My weakness' (Fos;) and stage show... Getting a nice play and ought ta come put with $86,000 or over. Last week 'Power and the Glory' (FOX), hit $77,000. Rialto (2,0(^p; 40-56766)—'Thunder Over. Mexico' (Prin)., Elsenstein picture going big and will get $18iOOO first week. With holdover for two. or three weeks' in sight. Final four dayisi of 'Secret of Blue. Room' (U)i $5,800,. okay after filrst week's take of $13,000. Rivoli (2,200; 40-55-75^85)—'Em-, peror Jones' (UA).: Eugene O'Nell} piecel getting a. large slice .of carr riage trade^ is taking the hurdles for a.. s-\vell $37,600 first week. Last week, 'Masq.iierader' got $12,000 oh final four days of third week. RKO Roxy (3,625; 25-40), 'Lady for a Day' . (Col), four days, and 'Three-Cornered Mpon' (Far), .three, days.; Duo on split week should get about $14,000, ° beating previous week's $12,000 on 'One Man' Jour- ney' (RKO), four days, and 'No Marriage Ties' (RKO), three days. Roxy (6,200; 26-36-56), 'Shanghai Madness* , (Fox), and stage Tshbw. House -won't, be as good as pre-vious week, but -at nice $23,000 will- have^ no complaints. P. i' (Pox-Gau- : mont) last weeK drew a- handsome $26,500. State (2.900; 36-65-76). 'Mary Stevens^ M.D.' (WB) and vaude. Indications point to the Kay Francis picture enticing arouhd |16>000i gobd. Last . week*s .'Penthouse' (MG) soared to a high and hand- some $26,000. Strand (2,900; 35-56-75), 1 Loved a Womah' (WB). Eddie Robinson's latest there, at. the ticket windows. Opening stoutly, it looks to garner a smash $32,000 on the .first Week,, and holds. Last week, second of 'Missing Persons' (WB), $16,000, oka,y. • ALL'S BUT FAIR IN ST. L, W rALONE BIG, 246 -St. Louis, Sept. 26. After several weeks of unex- plained big bo& bfilce, things are easing off. But it's due not so much to the - unwillingness ot prospective patrons tp turn loose the coin as to the fact the. Screens Offer noth- ing outstanding.. Same goes for the stages with the exception - of Billy Rose's 'Crazy Quilt' at „the Ambas- sador. Believing the names the produc- tion carries would stand it, that house ha,s hoisted its prices a dime and as a result -will enjoy another big week. Lpoks'llke around $24,- 000, which , nieans plenty of profit, despite a big price paid for show. Offering its second production with former muny opera stars, a tab of the musical comedy, 'Queen High,' the FOx Isn't finding the re- sponse nearly as pleasing as on the first occasion When recent box- bfflce records came tumbling down. Then Gaynor and Baxter were on the screen; now it is only 'Charlie Chah,'' " The St. Louis, which toolc 11 on, the chin for a week or two after its recent reopening, apparently has hit Its stride and with a.stage pro- gram, of Aim - and radio names is holding its own .at most of the other houses. Except fpr the Am- bassador, the profits will be great H943w;here,. although little red Ink may^be' spilled. Estimates for Vhis Week Ambassador (Skouras) (3,000; 25- .35-55). t'GPodbye Agaln^ (WB) and Billy Rpse's 'Crazy Quilt' oh stage, A big $24,000.. Last week .'I LPved: a .Woman' (WB), only $14,000; Fox . (Fox) (6,000; 25-35-56), 'Charlie Chan's. Case' (Fox) and 'Queen High' tab on. stage. Head- ing for a fair $.14,000. Last -week 'Dr. Bull' (Fox), $15,000. oke. Grand Central (Skburais) (2,000; 25-35-50), 'Below the Sea' (Col) and 'Blind Ajiventure' (RKO). Fairish $4,000. :-Last Week 'She Done Ilim Wrong' (Par) ('3rd St. Louis week), and 'Secret of Blue Room' (U), good 'for?$5^000r^^—"^^-""--" ^— Loew's State rLoew'.s) rs.OOO; 25- 35-55), 'Beauty for Salu' (NTCl). $9,- 000 is good money. La.st week 'Penthouse' (MG) big $11,800. issouri (.Skouras) (3,.'')D0} 25r35- 50), 'Torch Singei^' (Par). Better than last week, up to a pood $9,000. Last weok.'Onptiired' (WR) and 'No .M.Trri.age Tlos' (IKKOy. $6,500, fair, Sti Louis (Ind) (4',OO0; :25-35-.55), 'Big Kxfpiitlve' fPar) iamd Lillian Mile.s on .<'iage. Fair at $14,000. L.T.'it wook' 'i^ady for a Day' (Col), the. .sa inf.