Variety (Jan 1935)

8 VARIETY PI CT E CR OS S ES Tiiesday, January 1» 1935 :■,/;;■"■:■■;■ Iri 1938, fllindom took invehtbtr oi/lts b;o; Then,Jt M- fan to devise means to live within that Income. Today th^ prtiblem la to strive to enlarere th^ ,b,6. Picture buslnesiB Is a matter of giosB. When neceafllty demands relief the Industry, has discovered that even seemingly Inflexible Items such as rents can be reduced. But there are times when It Is more dlflBcult to sustain- the flow of such it flexible Item as Income. The flow flucr. tuates. • Detours are to be expected, but downward plunges are not to be desired, the depths to which a downward flow may speed are known to be destructive. ' It's axiomatic lit the! trade that gMd pictures wlU cure any Ills of the business. ; • :' The film .b.6. is automatic no longer. The screen of today does not posisesii the magic of Irtstantaneous allure- ment which films once had.. Cinematic drania or comedy ho longer ' hks that ■ magnetld urge that ,once made cus- tomers part friseiy with their bobs and shlUliigs and dol- lars clinked tlnklngly Into the cashiers' tills! Hayslan de- fenders of thb celluloid art no longer regalei with tales of stupendous custoiher, draw and mythical audiences of ■ 100,000,000 weekly. ■ ■ .'■ ^- ' ■ Toward thO; jBiimmer of 1932 business Is stilted to have - caught iip knd to have increased over the spring months. Those spring inbnths and later winter months ■ were Ijad periods. Those Were the days of bank closings. .v The uncertain interim of a piresldentlal . election already ' had but libt yet made effective. There were months In 1933 'when the ;aggr6ga.te grosses were estimated to be off as inuch ais one-third over corresponding months In .1932; ,. ,. Grosses In 1933 were under. 1932 by more than $100,000,- 000. That's, Washington, D. C., dope via the /U. S. cenisus "~of the arauisemeht Indiistry. No question-r-but that 1933: > was the JiU-rtlme talkier era ebb In grosses. But 1933 closed only 20% behind 1932 In film grosses, according to estimate. Banks bad reopened and millions ,/had-:heen-put.id.;woirk3y_tJ^^^ . shows partly a benefit from these act's 6f President Rb<)se'> 1 velt:in.Washington. . \ ■<: :■'''-''. ^■'■Vf. '; ■■'^-/..^.■^.V^-■^■8om•vOood Triide..Siianey ■ A: good sign always: Is when distributors foment talk about Increased-rentals from exhibitors. The dlstrlbs did , this In Auglust,' 1933, at the opening of-the new season. • By Sam Shain Equally as good a sign of a better b.p. Is circuit talk ! about the possibility of tilting admlssibn scales. This also happeried^ and in: the early fall <rf 1933; , .. "The b.o. wis hitting okay ln~ 1934 as conapared to 193^^ The eeasbnal start in August, 1933, saw glasses spurt with new fllms. Product. leeins to have continued aiMtce; and th^; year; 1^3i exits ; with; heartfelt haridshake - from ■tl\iad(na. '■■'■■^^ '^y^^ ^ That good pictures have played their role for Improve- ment of grosses In 1934 Is Ipso facto. -^-V On the. average It la estimated fhat grosses Iti; 1933. . declined approximately $2,000,000 weekly under 1932. The. 1934 rise may average., equally as much as this, weekly^ above 1933, It Is flgured. . : That'iB e' fascinating wobble for iany trade's Income. In such an objective ^ It Is! very e:pparent that ma,h- power and taleiit aind: advertising are salleiit requisites equally with pictures because they go hand in hand.v They !are Interwoven and they are baslc-r-all. : Mahpbwer and talent are synonymous ini the show wprid bebause thb amusement field lis a personality buslnesis; /V ■ Comb6s^;,'B. p.■AdvantaBe«-:\i'^'':;\ ■ • ;^ The figures from Washington show that 9,499 straight film spots operating In 1938 grbssed an aggregate $.^fi6, • 316,000. Only 642 cbmblhatlon (vaude and fllm) theatres In 1933 grossed an aggregate $49,606i06o. I'llmdom can perk at that kind of ofilcial flgurlrig. It Is. noticed from thoTO Washington flgn there are fewer, film theatriei% In the U. S. than had been thought to eklst beretoforei Roughly the number of houses playing films in one foriii or anotber wouia loiai aknsut 10,100r- . General trade estirnate has been that while the number .of theatres have declined In the.pi£st few years,^ that there were still around 12,000 operaitl>ig .regularly. jt could"be- assumed that the numbei^-of^t ■■ been, deduced by aitlflcIaLmeans^l^jiih^aj^^ decentrailzatlon«. these methods often result in theatres being shut down in some localities after pooling, uid so.' forth. The purppse, of: course, is to lessen ovbrseatlng. Perhaps overseatlng bM beeii remedied-^lnvbluntarlly--- In part during 1933- and 1934. - The .Washington figures certainly Inter as; much. In contrast to general trad* opihioh; : ' Undoubtedly sUch. reduction In number of theatres helps to better the b.o. In numerous localities. ., ., Since the depression bega:n In the fall of 1929, and film- ' dom reached Its b.o.. ebb In 1933, the trade maxlni that the thbatre b.o. is th6 laist to be, affected by panics seems to hbld true.) Fllni b.o.'s, howevier, while It may be-stab-: born to destructive tendencies is sensitive to constructive : efforts;' 'v--.'^':. ./W-:/ ' Intra-Trade':Evolulion|i Decentralization and;flnancIal reorganlz^^ of portlbiis, of the industry has brought back experienced manpower' to the helm of, many -theatre groups,; and the b.o. has . perked. It- Isn't pietureB alone. The manpower Is there., ■.also./ V , ' Final stages of reorganization haye been, reached in yarlous parts of the ihduiatify during tbe past ye$.r where, such reorganization has l>e.en going, on. There are some.. aspects of reorganization which niu'st . remain to be com- ■pletedlri'1935;.; However, In 1934, showmen .were, enabled to concentrate niore : of their time and effortpliable- problem of grosses rather than wholly on real: estate and finance. ThiXs much; energy and ability was. xeleiased this year ; .to be devoted to building incorhe constructively, . whereas In 1933 such manpower was concentrated on problems of fihancIalV reorganlzatibni;. V- Thetre are places in the Industry. which are sufferinj? from too much switching of ntanpo.w^r. iThe problem bf Its marty theatre switches Is [^tJU gn,aTylnjg from within. In; one major'affiliate, 'Time may, ren>^ - The grosses must be jBUstained and increased and must attain a safe place, it wbiild seism, that could reach beyond --tiwr^titack^^by-^politlclans or reformers w^ by Instinct or nature, are antagbnietic. Sustalnlnjs .the gi;6sBes Is the . one way to misikft-tt feasible for, th^'-jg^ .work In the Industry to continue In employment. Unless the grosses - .arc-sustalhed and enlariged, Investor^ in' the film business' can't hope to get tetiims on their Investments. .. . > However, sincere'conipialnts are- tb be considered, it's an angle to be .thought iabout. That's because while fihbw . business may hold that thO: film b.o.. Is the first to recb-vcr from panics, the b.o. has not yet reached Its fullest measure of' recovery,^ I- HUB Boston, Dec. 81. .Everything Is uppish this we^k klong. Hub's Cinema row. Deliuxe Met is cbrrallhg the .moiit impprtarit dough with 'Here la My Heart* and a surie-fire unit on the stage, starring Phil Harris and Leah Ray. With the post-Santa Claus stimulus and New. Tear hypo gate may reach $42,000. ■■ ■ ' 'Little Minister* at the Keith Memorial, la being watched closely_ • jDolng. very oke, but no record breaker. 'Bright Eyes,' fresh from hefty run at Met only last week, la bbbsting the ScollajN-towarda-hesl. week this season. 'Barnum' is mighty at the State, and with an- :ticipated bolster from split week with 'Forsaking AH Others' the up- town Loew spot may do. a season s high.-:' ■ . ^' ; : . Midnight shows all over town, and advance sale Indicates bulging biz. -N<ght fliiba ar e daring the depresh with heavy covers, and in opinion of film men this • might swerve ; a goodly jportion of the mob theatre- ward. ■ ■ - E st imates for Thjs Week •BandTPlsyr ^n^Ma>7^fir BtTFOnr and weak stage show. State (X«ew) (3,600; 80-40^66)— 'Mighty Barnum' (UA) for foiur days, splitting with 'Forsaking All Others'. (MG) for three days threatening season's recbrd,< $20,000. 'ForsaklnSr.' opening Dec. 81, Is mld-^ night and holiday screen lure. Last week a softie $12,000. 'Babes in Toylahd' (MQ) and 'Wicked Woman' (MG),. doubled,: garnered a weak $4,000 for first four days; Denver, Dec. 81. All first .ruiis headed; for fine week. With Orpheum and. Denver ha:vihs ;Mlghty Baraum/ bpenln^^ 24,1 ii^© ©dg^ VAU houses up from la^ helped^ a lot with Its $8,000 for lastUeeek. Swing to better biz started tnree.days. two days early and kept up when ^bllay (M&P) J2.700; 25-35-60) other houses chan ged: most of them XMASEVERYVHERiBUT Keith-Boston (RKO) (3,300; 25- 30-40-60)—'Marines Are .Coming,' and vaude will do a toppo $25,000, aided by midnight show. 'West" of Pecos' (Radib) arid vaude survived last week's shopping go-by nicely at $13,400. ^ ■ Keith Memorial, (RKO) (2,900; 25- 46-65)—'Little Minister* (Radio). Looks big, about $16,000, with mldr night show of 'Romance in Man- hatteri' (Radio) and vaude. Last week a good $13,000. 'Minister' opened Christmas after three- days of 'Wednesday's Child' (Radio), In- cluded i n. biz Of that wtiek. — Fenway (M&P) (1,600; 25-30-40- 50).^'Borderfown' (FN) arid 'Bache- lor of ArtH' (Fox), dualled, opening Jan. 1 expected to do a fair $3,000. •Sweet Adeline* (WB) iand 'I'll Fix It' (Col); doubled, a par $4,500 last week,, Including midnight show. ' Met (M&P) (4,400; 88-50-65)— >Here. Is Myjaeart'.JPar) and Phil Harris unit on stage are surjglne ahead tb a zammo $42,000, includ- ing -New Tea,r's Eve show. Last week a, dandy $28,400 for. 'Bright Eyes* (]Pox) and Bt?ige show. Paramount (M&P) (1,800; 25- .86-40)—-iBachelor, Of Arts' (Fox), and 'Bordertown* (FN), doubled, . looks like a medium $6,200. Last wbek, with midnight show, 'Adeline' (WB). and 'Fix It' (Col), doubled, giarnered a good $8,400. . . . Orpheum (Loew) (3,000; 26-40-55) .^•Evelyn PrenUce* (MG), (2rid run) iand Jack Sydney stage iinlt. Druni- : ming up about $16*000. Same show ■run New Tear's Eve, Included. VShopping spectre hit ..house last -week, sUtherlMtf to $10,600, with — Bright , Eyes' (Foi) and vaude I on Xmas. 'Paiumount's biz Jumped flirting with, record for seaisoh, I when 'Babes In Toyland' went In. aibotit $12,000, helped by Eve. show. | Orpheum and Denver sold out fbr Last week a ravenous ($9,000 for I the New Tear's shbws, and Aladdin 'Fllrtotlon-Walk' (WB) and vaude. |and Denham nearly so. - Estimatea.for Thia Week Aladdin (Huffman) (l.«00: 25-36- 60)—'Chu Chin Chow^ (GB). Doing fair at $3,000. .. Last week 'Bachelor -of-Arts*-(Foi)-8tiarted-p6or^a!nd flri- Ished with $1,600. . Dehham (Cobper) (1,500; 25-35- 60)—'Here Is My Heart' (Par). Okay at $4,500^ liast week "Wednes- day's Child* (BKO) and It's a Gift' (Par) one grand under average In getting $3,000.. Denver (Huffman) (2,500;: 26-35- 50)—'Forsaking . AH Others' (MG) Going big and sbbuld get $8,000. Last week 'Miislic in the Air* (Fox) was isatisfactory at $6,000; average for the house. Orpheum (Huffman) (2,600; 25-35- 60)—"Bright Eyes' (Fox). Shirley Tentpie-fans-brlnglhg-ln-a-firier7$10F- 000. Last week 'Hat, Coat and Glove* (RKO) and 'Bright lEyes' (Fox),, split, did $8,000, with 'Bright Eyes'.doing: the bulk and being held for-nlne-days iatrohg and finally close to $19,000.- Last week 'Gay Bride' (MQ) ,gpod on three days, $6,000.. Paramount-Newark (Adams-Par) (2,248; 20-99)—'Here Is My iSeart' (Pair) and vaude. Llppiiel Kutle Kids Showing mats. Nice at $16,000. Last week, tour days, ^Father Brown, De- tectve' (Pax), n.s.h at $4,500. Proctor'a (RKO) (2,300; 16-65)— 'Green Gables' (Radio) and 'Music: in Air* (Fox). 'Gables' the dra-jv ahd nice at $10,000. Last week 'Wednes- day's Child' (Radio) and "By Tour Leave' (Radio), weak at $3,800 oh fi-ve dayg. ■-"•;-■;....:■•■-?- ■■' .'J:' Terminal (Skoyras) (1,900i lb-25- 40)-:-'Old Santa Fe* (Mascot) and •Kentucky Kernels' (Radio), with 'Gay Divorcee* (Raldio) and 'Flirting With Danger* (FD), In for three about $4,000. days. First two In for a week and Seattle, Dec; 31. Cold weather during: week, with TStormy Christmas Day,, hiirt all the- a.trea, while public bVerspent Christ- thas. With resultant econoitiy wave hitting- bo? oflJces, Stores reported 30% greater sales than any- year since '29. . i Estimate* for This Week Blue Mbiii8e (HamrickV ' (1,000; 2K-40> — 'Kia M<lHrtng> (TTA) H ' from nice biz at Miislc Hall, but slow here at $2,200. Liast week 'Anne bf Green Gables' . (Radio), five days, $1,400, slow. Xoliseu m: (Evergreen ) (1.800; 16- "2K5^Judge Priest'. (Fox) and 'Ma- dame Du Barry' (WB). Dual off to big $6,800, with New Year's eve special show helping. Last week •Outcast Lady' (MG) and 'Servants' Eritriarice' (Fox), $2,900, okay. Fifth Avenue (Evergreen) 1(2,400.;.• 25-40)—'Bright Eyes' (Fox). Shir- ley Temple, getting good - $8,000. Last: -week •Flirtation Walk* (WB), $2,000, bad. : Liberty (J-vH) (1,900; 15-25-36) ^'Lady by Choice' (Col). Pulled after, four days; got flopper $1,500. •<;aptairi Hates the Sea' (Col) opehed- S aturday to bett e r takings.: Last Paramount (Huffman) (2,000; 25- 40)—'Babes In Toyland' (MG). Do- ing nice biz at $3,000. . Last week 'One Night of Love' (Col) did $1,600 Played almost four weeks at. first- ruii houses about a,month ago.' Newark OK irifli Un^^ Troiipe 5G'$ ill 2|^^^P^ week, final four days of 'Love Me T6riight' (Cpl), weak $1,200 - Ne-Wark. Dec. 81 Most houses start new bills tp- I night (MpndiELy) but Branford beat Music Box (Hamrick) (900; 25- . the gun by^opening rBroadway -Bm* 35)—'Chu Chin Chow' (G-B). Get ting fair $3,600, Last week Imita- tion of LlfeV (U), four days; $1,500, slow.'..■ Music Hall (Hamrick) (2.300; 26- 40)—'The Little Minister? (Radio). Hepburn not" burnlngf up "the-town with .fair $5,800, Last week •Kid Millions' (UA), four days, $1,800, slow, but nice 11-day run at $9,300. ' Orpheum (Hamrick) (2,700; 25r 3t)—'The Secret Bride? (WB) and vaude. Combo policy is pulling okay $8,500, Including - midnight shbw. Last week 'Silver Streak* ARadio) and; vaude got ;$7il00, fair. Par^mouht : (Evergreen) , (3,106; 25-35) —'Babes. In Toyland* (MG) arid Vaude, with local musical fan- tasy,. Barplay's 'Slnbad the Sallpr/ tb augment Xmas weiek. Okiy show Sunday and: the Capitol Is running regular opening Friday, : Estimates'for This Week Bpanfbrd (WB) (2,966; 16-65)— 'jealousy* (Par) and: Guy Loihbardo troupe pn stage. First stage show in. ages;' Lomba;rdb~brg aHd' on~two and: a half days will: draw $6,000. Last week •Babes In toyland' (MG) and 'White Lies* (Col), $6,000. Capitol. (WB) (1,200; 16-26-35-40) —•Merry WldbW^ :(M(5) and "Ma rines Are Coming* (Mono). Should click at $6,000. lAst week 'College Rhythm* (Par) end 'Evelyn Pren tlc*^ (MG), off to $4,000. Little (Franklin) (299; 80-40-46) —three Songa About Xicnln* (Am- Itlrio). IFallen off badly and would haive:'been ~ pulled if campaign on drawing okay $6,800. Last week succeeding "Lily of Killarney* could 'Llinehbuse Blues' (Par) and 'Bach-1 have been sprung. Disappointing ilor of Art*; (Fox); with vaude, I $600. _^ «. . /• ■oi,; ^« .irV nri- $5,300, slow. y Uew**.State (1,780; 18^76)—"Kid EYES' VERY BRIGHT IN LINCOLN. $3,300 Lincoln, Dec. 31; The heat Is really turned on here, but it has to be, ^he -wieather's down to :zerb. However, the plo fare Is uhuBually good and: the girosses coming along hicely., AH new open- ings were made: Christmas day, The sock of them all la Shirley Temple's "Bright Eyes,* which Is bowling, thiem over at the Lincoln, nd-wlll—disappoin t w it h a nyt h i ng, less than .^ $3,300 for the stristch, which is great. : The Orph has a stage show head lining Gene Austin with 'Gay Bride,' changed ' Sa turda y":toj a "ew show with" BaUy~Kbse Marie, and breaks that after three days with 'Georgia Minstrels' on the boards for four, The run should Insure over $5*000 good. Stuart and Varsity are the disa-ppolnters with 'Llttlie Mlrilster' and •Jack Ahoy.' _^ ■ : •. :'. . - ' ■ ~ Esifmates for This WeeX Colonial (LTC) (750; , 10-16)— 'Kentucky Kernels* (Radio) iand !Home on the , Range' (Par), apllt Good $1,100 in sight. I^ast week 'Howling Dbg' (WB) and 'Woman In the Dark' (Radio) split for .meagre $800. Lineain <T.Tn> , (1 , 600; 10.1K-2K>— 'Bright Eyes' (Fox)./ Running tlie town to a frazzle, sweet $8,300. Last week 'Babes in Toyland'- (MG) $2*900, okay. Orpheum (LTC) (1*200; 10-16-26) '-'Gay Bride' (MG), with Gene Aus tin on stage; 'Llmehbuse Blues' (Par), headlining Baby Rose Marie, and into four days with Georgle Minstrels and pic change. Take will soar, up : near '$6,600. LiiBt week 'Gambling* (Fox) . and 'Whirl of Mirth,' stage show, iield at $1,900, not had. Stuart (LTC) (1,900; 10-26-40)-^ •Little Minister* (Radio) and Xmas pageant. : Biz is bad, and. hot pick Ing up. Odd, too, In this town Doubtful it good for $2,600.. lAst week: 'Music In the Air? (Fox) blah for flve days-with $1,900 Varsity (Westland) (1,100; 10-26) Jack- Ahoy* (GB). Made way for 'Brbadway BHl' (Col) Sunday (80) after a bad ehowlilig.: Maybe $900 •Bill* should get $2,200 for the week. Last week 'Jealousy*; (Col) plenty bad,.$800t •we INCINCY Cincinnati, Dec. 81. Bright opening for N ew Tear'a week has. made exhlbs In moOd for high and mighty ekpectatlbns frbm 86. Currerit product la hotsy totsy arid right down the aJley for .the natives, who are In celebratingest feVer for years on heels of biggest Xmas spending spree, the town has had for a like period. TUeisdays holidays this week and . last caused shuffling of' regulaj^ . opening schedules. Albee Is head- ing b. b. procession with a wham 1119,000 on split time for 'Bright Byes' arid 'Mighty Barnum.* Palace in .place position with $17,600 on 'Little Minister' and 'Forsaking All Others' which overlap In week. 'Romance In Manhattan' ding- donging nrierrily with $8,000 at Lyrio arid 'Here Is My-Heart' is ringing a tuneful $6,000 In secorid week at the Capitol. Estimates for This Week Albee (RKO) (3,300; 86-42)-^ 'Bright,Eyes' (Fox),- Finished vreek J«onday--(^l)-wlth^-^lfiii^u3arnunv!- openlng' New Tear's Day. Should hit $19,000, large. Last week four days "of 'Ready for Love' (Par) arid three days of 'Bright Eyes* fetched an oke $ll. OO0. - : - —' :'•• • ■ ■ ■ Palace (RKO") r2,600; 86-42)— 'Little Minister* (Radio).. Ends ■week Monday (31) with 'Forsaking AH Others' beginning run at: special midnight New Tear's Eve show. Tagged for a big $17,500. Last-week four days of 'White Lies' (Col) and_ tfiree~days of "'Lltfle Mirilster*" "got $7,500, nice. Lyric (RKO) (1,400; 85-42)— Romance In Manhattan* (Radio). Slated for a swell $8,000. Last week 'Babes In Toyland* (MG), $7,000, very"'good; • Capitol (RKO) (2,000; 86^42)—: TTpfa Tri My TTpqrt' (Pftr) (2^ iglf). Maybe $6,000, lotsa pbwer follow Irig $7,500, for great first week. Keith's (Llbson) (1,600; 80-42)— 'Sweet Adeline' (WB). Winds iip week Monday (81) with 'Secret Bride' jCbUowirig. Looks like $6,000. all right. Last week four days, ox 'Murder in the Clouds* (WB) arid three days of 'Sweet Adeline,' $6,600.: Grand (BKO) (1.200; 26-40)-* 'Gay Bride' (MG). First run, $8,001), dandy. Last week 'Flirtation Walk* (FN),, ia dbwntown returner, after , week's absence, $2,800, fine* Pic got $16,000'^ during Initial fortnight at Keith's. Family (RKO) (1,000; 16-26)-i. •Silver Streak* (Riadio). Held ovet for first half and T Sell Anythlnjsr (WB) . rounding but week, $2,600, above average; Last week 'Secrets of Chateau* (U) and 'Silver Streak,' split. $2,200. , Strand (tod) (1,200; 10-80)— 'Martnos : Are Coming* : (Mbn). Stepping to $2,600, bver-the-top' music here. Last week 'In Old Santa Fe* (Mori), $1,600.