Variety (Apr 1935)

Wednefiday* April 3', 1935 VARIETY 'Ni«^t at the Ritz' Plu» At Pearci at $10,000 Seattle, April S. (BMi Exploitation: Orpheum, Mtisie / Hall);; T^^ plenty of class to this first iiitui this week, with three stase ahoWBJtrylnp for public support. Al Pearce and his radio gang, en rbtite to Ni T;, a^^ Hall fori iweek, with this house stiepplns olit of the return engagrement class Into a first run. , Pearce has been here twlc« before and has foUpwiner^ but this : time there Is no rkdlo broadcast, tieup, so It may affect — takings. : ^Rtiggleai of ■ Red; Gap' 'Is: going great guns at 5th Avenue, being held bter.' for: sit days of second yreeki Blue; MpQse Is making something of . 'FoIIes JBergere': Coliseum has aA atmcBpheric front fdr 'Siequola/' and is ;way above average, with the other half its dual show being eLlso on the tip, 'Behold My 'Wife.' This combo Is getting-along. Orphieum Is ho slouch with 'Grand Old Girl* and Beverly Hill Billies on stage, whller Paramount had a sweet duo in •Car 99' and 'The Irbn Duke/ Music Box Is holding 'Robert' for fourth week, and. Liberty hais bke dual, Exploltatioil honors are divided between two Haihrick houses. Or- pheum, where tieup with iDally Times for selection ; of old-time schoolma'am tis:'the grand old liady,? arouse, great interest, the winner being given a big dinner, a loving .Clip In sliver and flowers, taking on nature of a civic affair, ^t Music , Hall exploitation was for Al Pearce . and His Gang, reception it ia,lr field, with • broadcast from; there, over KOMO^ parade dowhtbwn with 12 'Studebaker cars donated, all prop- erly bannered and sound ti-uck blar- ing out 'Hail,-Hall'. Official -reception by mayor, also arranged for the weir come to the gang. : Estimates for TKIr WiBelr - JBIue Mouse (Hamrick) : (1,000; 25 •<0)—'FoHes Bergere' (UA). Good gross of $4,500 brings holdover. Last week,/TVeddIng Nlghf (UA) five days of second week, $2,100, fair Coliseum (Evergreen) (1,800; 16^ 25)—'Sequoia* (MG) and 'Behold . My Wife' (Par)'dual. Figure $5,000 _^ery^gQOd^^Last_week,—^Bright Byes* (Pox) and 'Bachelor of Arts? (Pox) dual, so-so $3,200. . Fifth Avenue (Evergreen) (2,400; 25-40)—•Rugglea of Red Gap* (Par). Holding for six days of second week with draw steady. Should see $6,000, , good. Last week, same film, $11,200, great, ' ^ Uiberty (j-vH) (1,900: 10-25)— • •Crimson Trail' (U) and ^Behind the Evidence' (Col) dual. May see $4,000, okay. Last week, 'Best Man Wins' .-(Col). i_and- 'Monte - Carlo : Nights^ (Mono), good $4,200. .. ^Imsjc Box. (Hamrick) (900; 25- 40)—'Roberta' (Radio) (4th week) Holding fby Indicated $4,000 and will sUy another fortnight to span Holy Week. . ^^Music Hall (Hamrick) (2,300; 25 40)—'A Night at the Ritz' (WB), Al Pearce and His Gaiig on stage the big reason for anticipated $10,000. Qrpheum (Hamrick) (2,700; 26- »5).-^'Grand Old Girl' (Radio) and vaude, headlined by 'Beverly Hill • Billies'. Big $8,000; Last week, 'It Happened in New York'^ (U) and Taude. ordinary $5,100. ^Paramount (Evergreen) : (3,i06; . 25-35).—'Car.99' (Par) atid 'The IrOn Duke' (GB) dual with vaude. Prob Steam Line . , Hollywood, April 2. Reginald; Owen and Frediie . March'worked for two: days la steam hatha In idetirb'a 'AnnaV Karenlna.' , Bach .lost vBlz libunds. ' *bly around $6,000. TLf^h ■•Mystery Woman' (Fox) and McFadden's Flats' (Par). $5V400 ■low.-. Sam JVfbiti^ Is ^obilee^ In Chi American Shift Chicago, April 2. . Shift in the amusement setup of the Hearst evening American sends in Sain MoItIs as the picture re- viewer, -Rob Reel.' Jess Kruger, *he former 'Roi> Reel,' ducks the re- , yle^ving • a.3slgnment but continues :to .supervise. the. eiitlre picture sec- tion. Additionai duties as^ Hearst fttlUetlc explciltiation'chief necessi-, tatea the move. Morris, formerly on the night copy desk, . win also make up the picture.nage tflklng fht.g ngglcnmopf ; Newarki April 2. (Best Exploitation! Proetor'a) It is all 'Roberta'. thlir week at Proctor's. Film holds over and after a great opeining of $16,000 or better it Is expected to do $26,00,0 on. the 16 days' engagement. That b cer- tainly money at thesis prices. Noth- ing else hero will get ieinywhere in partloular. ; Grosses are. steadily slipping lowei- for normal attrac- tions. The departure of Lent Is ex- pected to .change this,' but— Civlo Operia company has closed its Sunday performances at the Mosque, while the Shubert continues Sundays with Italian plays. .Proctoi'a using abbiit everything on 'Roberta'. Among the stunts^are the distribution of 9,000 photos of the stars, to women patrons, show- ing of 'Roberta' gowns In Bamberg- er's, windows, six-column Btreameirs in the 'Star-Eagle', and lobby dls- plays.-m the four-leading hotels, '* most unusual stiint for this town. ; Estimates for This Week - Branford (WTBV :X2;96«; IB-lsSJ^ •Woman In Red' (WB) and 'Times Square Lady' (MG). May go $10,000. Last week' Gold Diggers' (WB) grand a,t $16,001. Capitol (WB) (1,200; 16-25-35-40) —'Sweet Music' .(WB) and 'Best Man Wins' (Col). Should have no trouble climbing above $4,000; L^st we^k, 'Cllve of India* (UA) and 'Ruttnji'nCPafj-TidbK ,$4,1^0. _ Little (Frankliit) (299; 30-40)—, Unflhlshed Symphony* (GB) (3rd weiek). Won't hold full third week, but tfeis more to get 'Evensong' started ahead of 'Naughty Marietta' at Loew's. : Howevier, ' 'Symphony' has probably done' Its- bit Maybe $500 on five days, which Is okay. Last week, second, okay but. less than ianticipated at $980. ; Loew's State (2,780;: .i5-75)-T-'F61- les Bergere' (UA) and: vaudis. This ought-to- be,a hit-but will -probably have to be; satisfied with, a good $13,000. Last week 'Biography of a ijachelbr Girt' (MG)' okay •ivlth^over $12,500. Paramount-Newark (Adams-Par) (2,248; 15-99)—'Let's Live Tonight' (Col) and vaude. Pretty bad. and will be good to reach a measly $0,000. Lippel Kiltie Kids on stage Sat. mat. still a draw after 20 weeks. I:^3t week 'Macfadden's Flats' (Par) with Will Osborne on the stage good enough at $12,500. : : Proctor's (RKO) (2,300; 20-55)— 'Roberta? (Radio). About all the house can take on iseveh shows and the,.minimum' tilted a nickel; Will b6at. a . great .$16,006'and holds 16 days. Last week 'Night Life of the Gods' (U) iand ;?Tra;nsIerit Lady' (U) Four Ii»ew'vJP*«P«rty Op- tioiu C«uM of Break-Up —Otber ExhiU Stickiii| Id'Caiapaigii^ BUlipiNG QtJESTIplf Terminal (Skouras) (1,900; 15-25- 4b)--'Secret of the Chateau' (U) and 'Men of the Night' (Col) with 'Scar-' face' (UA) and 'Hell's Angels' (UA) split.. L lttlo can be' told of gross this wecTt, "as "the novelty of tfie two old thrillers on'' second half ■ cannot bo Judgedi First half openlrig better than recently and the week shovild easily, top $4,000; • Last weelf 'Behind th^ Evidence. (Col) and 'Silver Streak' ; (Radio) .with ^Enchanted April' ' (Radio) and 'Murder ' .On a Honeymoon' (Radio) bid- a-t le.ss than $3,000. " - . " ^ fpm Chariie^ Barthel, who moves over. Into, strictly picture advertise- wont soliciting. ; Ixhibs Would Enlist M.tT. In Anti-Duals Campaign Holiy<vbod,. April 2.-. Request.of Independent Theatre Owners for .'the Los ;Angeles musl- Gblcago, AprU t. Solid front which the indie exhlbs -h^j^Pl^ sftntgd^-aiP ftlnat ,■ J letra::^.; change lia: tha~isenenil Tefa8ai~t<>'1>ii:y M-O plcturea on tli* i>ercehta#e And plajrlng date demanded wsia broken last 'week when two theatres, capit- ulated and algnktured cbntraQta. for Metro product In 1934^86. Hoiuiea are the- Adelphl 'and this Howard,: both on the far. horth elde. Owner of. the Aaelphl. Ludwlg Su^sinan. ia on the board of iUUed organization which h^s been a leader In the geherttl campaign on the part of ezhlba agalhist; Metro percentage and preferred playing tinie demands. Howard, theatre la s meinbei: of the Jack Miller group of Exhlbitor8'_ Association, .afflU- "ated ,with the MUleir aUo has been a 'leader: in the anfl-Metro affair..:;. Capitulaltlon of these tWo hbusea came as a shock and auirprise to the film Industry In thla territory since it seemed the ezhlba were bound to stick-together in thla battle. Esper claliy 'waa it ao In the case of the Adelphl, which ha« been a money' maker under ita Independent inan/ agemeitt by .Su8sman. V, ! Option Talk ' Break down of these two exhlba came- lifter reports tiiat- Metro: Had secured optiona on property In the direct neighborhood,: Metro la un- deratood to haive optioned eitea .in four localltlea. One an empty bank building near the Adelphi and How ard, another empty bank at 26th street and Crawtori, a lot In Oak Park near the Lamar theatre and renco which la near the Davls^ one of the string of Essailess houses which hay# refused to buy, Metro filnis this year. Exchanges are sitting back and. without an exception state that If the exhlbs in, Chicago; biiy Metro, qjn percentage and ~ iSaturdaky-iSuHd£y dates that they, too, will make their next year's deals on the same basis, Distrlbs Tight dbwn the line bluntly annbuhce vthat' If TSTelro can:" get those deals so can they. Checkers' Paradise V : On this basis. If the Metro cam- paign at present is lost by the Chi- cago, exhibs, it will mean Indubita- biy that next year will see an orgy of percentage pictures! and preferred playing tinie. Exchanges, from the .smallest to the . biggest, aver that tliey •will ask a minimum of lO piC/ tures on percentages with soiiib fig. ures running as high as 18.' Which •wlU mean that : between 40-60% of the picutres sold next year , will be on. a/ percentage basis. And that every Sunday and hpliday will find a .percentage picture In every, the es Popcbrh Rmite Iioa Angeles, April: S. Popcorn 'Vendor has formed a •bank xilght circuit' in Orange icdonty. Coin glveaw^ la em- ployed In iSvfr kdjolning' tbwiis on consecutive ^nights. Bo veii- ; dor moves hia', portable oittflt nlgl^tljr iand cashes in with the overflow mobs attracted at '-each'^rawing. \ Independent oxhibltbra in the Gireater New York area, represented by tiie Independent Theatre Own- ers Association, are trying to effect an agreiement with atBUated .cir- cuits of majors, notably RKO and Loew, to end duals and protect ad- mission prices in certain sections of the met zone where no one is doing any business the ivay things stand now. There have been several pre- liminary meetings attended by Major Leslie E. Thompson (RKO), Charlie Moskowltz (Loew's) and Hairry Bi^ndt, president ITOA, with view to starting the ball rolling;; RICQ and Lpew are in opposition to each'other in miariy sections of the - New Tork area as well as. In competition with indtes, all of which are doubleteaturlnjg. Sltua'^lonJias reached the point In some neljgh- borhoods where it is iielleved that if duals are ended by agreement and price-cutting stopped, all houses may have a better chahce. V There la eca,nt possibility that double features can be banned over the entire mietropolitan /district. fispecially-:in-the-Tiinea-8quareTZone,- but a meeting has .been called by Brandt for next Tiiesday (9) to discuss elimination of: duaia and Increase of admission prices. It is virtually certain there will be con- sidera.ble opposition tb making such policy uniform to coVer every Hbiise. In Greater New 'Tork. Another headache confronts the New Tork film exchangea with the final date for the Initial payment of the city's 2 % sales tax littl'ng'due last Saturday, and the city tax cblefa ruling timt fUm' accessbrles'uaed oa. every new picture engagement are taxable under Article 64, which falls tinder the general olaasiflcatlon : of Printing', Photograph/ and Adver« tlalng. Present attitude of the cltf Is to hold tiie exchanges responsible for the collection of this: tax, ahd the exchanges in ' tut^ to 'Collect from the exhibitors.' j;ghile ;-the-^ lbatog—Mmit-f^^^ flrtrt 'payment," March 80,. covers only the' period flcbni JJec, 10,: 1934, to Feb: 28, this year, it is estimated that esich exchange will be called on for. approximately::|97r:in taxes; to cover sales ot poat^ta, ohe-sheetsi ad matSf lobby Uthps and. stlVls. Biggest task cbntrohting the ex- changes located in New York Cltj: will be th«t of differentiating be^ tween theatres sitiiated . Inside tiie cbrporate city; llinlts ahd those they sell outside of N. Y. ' Plenty of map thumbing and chec/ktng: la expected to be necesqary In b^der to fulfill the exact riBquirementa of ,the city's tiuc depairtment,, 'This is expected to be particu- larly true of houses located in the boroughs of . Queens, Brobklyh and the Bronx to determine where New York City leaves off and where liong Island. Pelham, Bronxvllle and Westchester begins. : Figuring the. weekly expenditure, for accessories at 17 per theatre bn an, average and about 670 "houses inside the city limits. It Is estimated that exhibitors will be called on to. pay niearly $4,000 in taxes on acces- sories alone before the close of 1935. ; .There Js-jittle likelihood that .the - city will be> successful in collecting a tax on film rentals. .Court de- clslons probably . ultimately will dew clde in favor of the industry. Main : basis for the ruling against a;film rental tax Is that the picture prbp- erty Is not sold but jnereiy leased or rented to an exhibitor. 31hfijqueatlQn-of-taxJng--premluma,^-^ Wj)IGGERr$12,000, 'RUGGIES' lOG MONTI atre In the territory; Exchanges in Chi are burning now that they sbld oh straight deals since Metro ap- pears to be winning Its point, but they state they win hiakeiiup for-lt- next year. No question that Loew will not biilld in Chicago If the other - ex- hlbs follow the lead of these two theatres.: For;the most part .the: ex- hibs dbii't care If Loew's builds/ or not; since the exhibs can't see how' Lpew/s four' or five spots, . even if they do go through with their build- ,ing threats, can affect • a :sItuW whlqh takes' In 360 theatres/ rlhns' l o cnl t o a i d-the-^flght-on-d^ral--iymake of 'Barjc-Angel.' bills, ivaa 'forwarded to' Joseph n! AVcber,. president of the American Federation, of Musicians. ■ MAESHALI WIl'H OBERONf Sani Gbldwyn is eyeing Hcrber't Marshall a.s Merle Oberon's lead Ih Goldwyn returned to N. T. yester- day: (Tuesday). from a quick Lon- don trip. .' ■ Moritrcal, April 2. (Best Exploitation: Capitol) Nine first-run plx in five main stems may level off the grosses some currently with a couple of standoiits to take down the big end of the purse, and these two: running neck and iieck for first position^ Palace will just about , top town with 'Gold Diggers/ an ace that can't fail getting $12,000, judging by week-end crowds. Capitol, however, win run. close with. 'Rugglcs of Red Gap' and 'Rumba'; $10,000 la prob- able Loew's has Devil Dogs of Alt' and 'Babbitt', liable to gro.ss $7,000. Jim Oastler, exploitation man, and Harry Dahri,. manager, arranged wires from five stars of 'Rugglcs of -Red- Gapi-addressed^o Capitol- the- atre. These multlgraphed: on ticker machine; In lobby and copies handed out to customers as If coming :dlrect to them. • ;■■■■: '■.;. 0 ■:.:'■.■■•'■'.■ : Estimates for Thie Week . .Palace - (tP) (2,700:; '' 50)—'Gold Diggers* (WK). This Is going to hit High and will ' probably; I;o trt^ best in town at $12,000. Last weck^s rc- opening' -ivent .very, big at flrst but faded - some later; . 'After- Office Hpursi^,groifjsed $15,600/ ; ■ Capitol: (FP) (2,700; 66)—'Rug- glcs' (Par) and 'Rumba' (Par). Should also do well, with chance of grossing $10,000. Last week, repeat of; ^Pimpernel' continued:, well ' at $8,000. , .^,,„:. : ■ •:■. Loew's (FP) (3,206;^ 50)—'Devil Dogs' (WB) : and 'J3abbltt' (WB). Good average bill and looks like be- ln« $7,QQ0; Laat weeji'a 'Life Begins' -given—away--as:-an^hdmsejneh'r~f^ Increase the box office take, Is etili undecided. So lar there has been ho Interpretatlbn of the premium section .of the new tax law provi- sions that would make.it:appliciibla to those given out by exhibitors. New Indie jFormed Holiywobd, April 2. : Organized to pi-oduce 'w^cstcrns and liovolty shorts, Security Plc- lurcs starts production next month. Prescott Chaplin, former ;scr<!cn: writer. Is president Other officers are George itfooser, Donald E?.r:'y, Richard: L, Bare and Lorrlri Ah« drewe. ■ ■ Masters in U Short Hollywood, April 2*; Brought here by/Universal f •Great Ziegfcld,^ Franklc Masters und—iprchestra—ap©T^clBg—uned-^by-^ the studlb In :a: musical; short.; When Metro toot oyer 'Zlegfeld^ from : Universal It ^also^' took over most :of: the cOmmltmentB U had made_fo.rjjiejplcture, but-the-Gulver^ City plaiji, niade a settlement with ■ Masters. ., . rFox) and 'Clian in Paris' (B'ox) grossed $7,500, good. : : Princesa; (CT) (2,200;: 60)-^'Lct's .LiveTonight' (Col), and 'Beat Mart Wins (Cpl). Ought to gross $7,000. .\yhHe. last week^ 'Power' • Regal and- 'Thirlgs Are , Looking Up" (Regal) got $fi,50p. .. : . ■ ;-;. - . ,•/ . ' / Imperial (FP) (1,600; ' 40)— '.Stormy Watci-s' (MG). May gross * $3,500, better than average.- Last week 'Young and Beautiful* (Fox) $^,800r^6t:, so-good;- ;-v------ v Cinema de Paris ' (Praniie-Flim) (600; 50)—'Rapt' (French), May reach as high •aB $3,60O. Last week, repeat of 'Zouzou* (French) did very well .'at $2,500. ■: . ■ '