Variety (Mar 1936)

9 M. Chaplin $11, Holdovers; Palace, on Loop onTleetY ve Stock Chloago, March 17, (Best Exploitation: Apollo) Seme decline in the general strength of the Loop this "Week, due primarily to the number of houses which are in their holdover -weeks—' Roosevelt with 'Lonesome Pine,' ■United Artists ^th 'Modern-. Times/ Garrlck with' 'Milky Way* •and Palace with 'Follow the fleet.' Both 'Pine' and 'Times' will- call it runs on Saturday <21), having gone three and tour weeks respec- tively. 'Chaplin picture will move over to the XSarrick for an addi-^ tlonal fortnight, In accordance with the Balaban A K-atz contract guar- antee f or the flicker. Chicago got away with prospects for just a fair .week, despite the' lineup of John Boles oh the stage •and 'Petrified Forest' on -the .screen, hut on Saturday ii4) the Chicago Tribune hit wltJhi a. rave notice for the flicker, which combined with other flattening, reviews grave the box office a healthy week-end im- petus. Much is beihgf mafle of the Bette Dttvis award for her work In •Dangerous;' and she is toeing billed above Leslie Howard. Two vaudeville 'houses are set- tling down currently, the Oriental looklngr $16,000 'while the State- Lake Is managing to keep on the right side of the TSrook on a steady gross. 1 t 'Pasteur* was a cinch for ex- pToltatioh honors at the Apollo with a terrific pre-eampaign by the Hearst papers, but James Savage added to the publicity wiltli, some additional twists. Estimate* for Ttfi Week. Apollo (B&K) (1.M0; 25-35-55)— 'Pa*tfcur' (WBi>. Opened Saturday (14) with chance for good coin, pos- . sitoly $11,000. Getting strong night play, but weak at matinees. Last week; 'Round' (Col) finished to good $5,500. . Chisago (B&K) (3,94.0; 35-55-75) —^Forest' (WB) and «tage show, John Boles headlining and account- ing for good part *>f the gross; Pic- ture building Steadily ana figures to finish above $38/800. Last week 'Milky' (Par) struggled, to $31,000, fair. ... -GarricK (B&K) (900; 25-35-56)-- 'Milky' (Par). Speond run and likely to, do ^/fiOO, jgood. Last week 'Desire.' (Par) caine through to oke $5,S00. Oriental <B&K) <3,200; 25-35-40) —•Ghosts' (Metro) and vaude. May get up to oke $16,000 currently. Tom Howard on sstage not helping. Last woek 'Nayy WJfe' (20th) and Jaire Withers' in person zoomed take to mighty $19,900. Palace" (RKO) (2/500; 35-55-65)— 'Fleet' <KKO) .<2d week).. Hit good $30,000 last week, "but that figure was a . disappointment. House now be- lieves it: could have> tione better if vaudeville had been retained. Around $21,000 currently, only fair. Roosevelt (B&K) (1,500; 25-35- «5)-^-'Pine' (Par) <2d week). Color film doing- well, taking pleasant $15,700 last week and will stick above $10,000 currently on excellent comments. Pressure of releases forcing it out Saturday (21) for 'Rose Marie' (MG). State-Lake (Jones) (2,7001 26-35- 40) —<Lone Wolf <Col) and vaude. Sticking to profitable $13,000 cur- rently. Last week 'Freshman Love" (WB) plus N.T.G. revue smacking $14,900. . * United Artists <B&K-UA) (1,700; 35-55-75)—'Times' (UA) (4th week). Will shift to Garrick Saturday (2i), making room for 'These Three' (UA). Chaplin will stick to $-11,000 currently, fine, after an excellent $16,100 third. week, ciiic Fleet' (Par) and 'Miss Pa- (WB), TOP HAT' TOPS B.0/S IN SYDNEY; BIZ GOOD Sydney, t*iz is okay here for the big ones, With 'Top' Hat' (RKO) Still tops. 'Broadway Melody" (MG) goes out this week after a good run. with 'Mutiny on'the Bounty'' (MG) coin- in? in, 'Vanessa' <MG) goes into its second week on good femme biz. and 'i Found Stella Parish' (WB) is likely to get a fair run. 'Peter Ih- betson" (Par) not so hot and out on •second stanza. *So Rod the Rose' (Par) will replace. 'Escapade' (MG) looks the goods and i a se t, with 'Shipmates For- ever' .(WE) n.g. Other releases include 'Way Down East' (Fox), 'Man of Iron' (WB). ™cir.an Wanted* (MO), 'Feather in .Her Haf <CoI). "Dirty Work' (GB)^ 'Metropolitan' (20th.) in fourth Melbourne, Feb. 18. Some nice pix screening here and trade is keeping up well. Current bills include* 'Cardinal Richelieu' (UA), 'Love Me Forever' (Col), 'Hands Across Table' (Par), •Wanderer, '.or Wasteland' <Par), 'Married Her Boss" (Col), 'Passing Third Floor' (GB), 'Live My Life' (MG), 'Vanessa' (MG), 'Bad Boy' (Fox), 'Keeper of Bees' (Mono) and "Come Out of Pantry' (BD). TAUNTS' S1S.400 a new high for this particular stand. Howard Burkhardt had the Loew^ boys working overtime to get big opening. Merchants co-operated with some swell windows, and cu- op ads. Town flooded with paper of all kind, ana radio used plenty to put over, campaign. Estimates for This Week Loew's State (3.200; 15-26-40)— •Wife vs. Sec' (MG). Biggest open- ing in months;' gross up to taiftv $17,000. Last . week 'Fauntleroy* (UA) got a holiday break and the kiddies, netting nice $12,500. Strand {2.200; 15-25-40)—'This Night' (Par) and .'Gamble' (Col). Opening pace arid weekend rush sure to -give this consistent spot at ■least $7,500, okay. Last week 'Annie' (Par) and. 'Master's Voice' (Par) eclipsed all else with a great $14,800 for nine days. FayV (1,600; 1-5-25-40)-^Personal' (U) and .'Band Box Revue;' Good show and, despite two-day opposish at Albee, this old-time vaude stand is hitting close to $7,000, excellent. Last week 'Harrington' (WB). and vaude good, too, at $6,40Q. RKO Albee (2,500; 15-25r40>— 'Leathernecks' (Rep) and 'Folies Oomique' oh stage, In for two days only. Monday (16) 'Fleet' (RKO) closed three and a half weeks; last four days chalked up $2,000, mild. ajestic (Fay) (2,200; 15-25-40)— 'Song and Dance' (20th) and 'Chan at 'Circus* (20th). •Opposish and other circumstances holding ^things •down to around $0,000. Last; week 'Doctor' (20tli) on solo bill very nice at $10,300. •Buffalo, March 18. (Best Exploitation; Strffjrfo) Taluugs seem to have steadied down considerably for the current period , and are spreading out to all box offices at fairly even levels. In fact, four out of five downtown houses are running neck and neck with variations under a thousand dollars. 'Fauntleroy' at the Buffalo is the sole exception, the gross here run-, •riing in to a nice peak /and business holding oh closely to preceding week's figures. Tie-up of 'Fauntleroy' with Gro- ver Cleveland's birthday (18) proved a. unique and suocossful exploitation medium*. Plug came from the fact that first Buffalo showing of 'Faun- tleroy' was 50 years ago this week when Cleveland, a Buffalonian, was president. Historic archives were unearthed tleing in pictures of Cleveland's home and offices and facsimile of program of 'Fauntle- roy's' first Buffalo theatre showing. Special play was made for teachers and schools with,a special screening and solicitation of &11 prlncipalsand teachers calling attention to the ed- ucational arid historic angles of the -picture. Estimates for This Week I Buffalo ( hea) : (3,000; 30-4O-50l)— 'Fauntleroy' (U A). Picked up strongly after mild opening day and looks to get up to $15,000. Last week 'Doctor*. <20th) went askew at just ove-r $14,000. Hipp (Shea) (2,400: 25-40)—'Hap- pen' (20th). Looks like a normal or sub-normal week here with pros- pects hot. indicating anything bet-, ter than $6,000. Last week, "Wife, vs. See' <MG). moved in here from the. Buffalo, did okay.$7.'I00. Great Lakes (Shea) (3,400: 25-40) —'Times' V (UA). Holding over for satisfactory showing and should do $7;000. Last wee'.:, nice though not sensational at $12,300. Century (Shea) (3,400: 25) — Hostess' (WB) and 'Human' (RKO). Running along at average $6,000. Last week 'O'Dav' (20th) and *Great Life' (Par) satisfactory at $6,300. Lafayette (Ind.) (3,400; 25)— 'Grand Exit' (Col) and 'Clairvoyant' (G-B). Things subsiding here after a month of neat grosses.. This one- looks aimed at about $6,500. Last week 'Invisible Ray' (U) and 'Night Out' (U). Strong opening helped for over $8,000. •NIGHT - GAMBLE' COMBO $7,500 IN PROVIDENCE Providence. Marcn" 17. (Best Exploitation: Loew's) Records are falling in Providence this weelc. 'Wife vs. Secretary,' at Loew's, moving at a fast pace, with house figuring on at least $17,000 after a peppy opening. 'Give Us This Night,' on same bill with 'Don't Gamble With Love,' at Strand, is the No. 2 attraction, while Fay's, with 'Don't Get Per- sonal' screen and variety show, will probablv cop third honors,. Albce's pretty well tangled up this week, three different shows to he seen there before the stanza is over. 'Follow the Fleet' was yanked vesterday (Monday) after three and a half weeks. Stage show. 'Folies Comiciue.' and 'LeJithcrnc<-ks I»:ive Landed' substituted for two days onlv.- Thursday (19) .starts new bill of pictures only. Trailing the field is 'Song an a nee Man' at Ma- jestic. Loew'.- had Die field pretty well to itself in plugging 'Wife vs, See.' Othoi- publicity departments quiet, except Albee, which worked hard to put over SFolies Cornique.' Jjnily wns mostly ennrcntrated in news- papers, advertising lineage hitting WITH BTAST Strike Over, Weather Better, B'way OK: Dionnes Nice $85,680 1st Week, Klondike Annie' 50G, Breakfast' 40€ St. Louis, :March 17. <>B«st £xiplDi<t«ti<Hi: -Sfiiibert-flialto.) Theatre managers are authority for statement that business, during the last three weeks has been the worst, for similar period, during past several years, despite .stellar attractions 3n almost every first run house in town. To Lent is attributed the 'calise, and wrinkled foreheads will probably not disappear until' after Easter. •Country Doctor! Is doing well at the- huge Pox, leading the town in b.o. take last week and doing satis- Xactory business on the holdover. 'Wife Vs.. Secretary' at Loew's also held over, although neither attrac- tion is doing the business antici- pated. Shubert Is getting a nice share with 'Lonesome Pine.' Orpheum with a xiualer, after three weeks of 'Fleet,' will do much better than last week ot holdover. Ambassador. , with Ed Lowry and amateurs, Will have a good week, while Missouri doesn't figure to hit the $5,000 mark for mediocre busi- ness. Grand Opera House, only theatre, presenting vaudeville, has switched from the Cushmau Circuit to. Billy Diamond of Chicago for its shows, and expects to pick up ^in business which, thus far, has been only a trifle above what the weekly nut calls for. B. F. 'Dinty" Moore and Homer Harmon, of Shubert-Rialto, staged a neat campaign for 'Pine.' Estimates for This Week Fox (F&M) (5.0SS; 25-35-55)— 2nd week 'Doctor' (20 th) and •Tango' -<Maj.). Quins are holding own and should have no trouble doing $11,600 for splendid -second week. First week finished with $15,400. Ambassador (F&M) <3,018: 25- 35-40X—'Breakfast' (U) and Ed Lowry on stage with amateurs. Pointing, to a good $13,500. Last wecli 'Devil's Island' (Col) and 'Intrigue' (Col) and Ed Lowry on stage. Wound up with $12,700. S'hubert-Rialto (WB) U.725; 5- 35-55)—'Pine' (Par). Nice . at $11,200. Last week 'Bet' (RICO) and 'Man Hunt' (WB) satisfactory at $7,200. Orpheum <XVB) (1,950; 25-S3- 55)—'This . Night' <Par) and 'Boulder Dam' (WB). Set for $8,800. good. Last week 'Fleet' (RKO) (3d). Populace grew a trifle tired of 'Fleet' and third week mustered only $5,200. Loew's (Loew) (3.1G2; 25-35- 55)-^- (2d week) 'Wife vs. Sec' (MG), Doing no better than others at present and $11,800 for second week will be fair. First week about $15,000, much less than ex- pected. Missouri (F&M) (3,514: 2.'-4-0) •Pro Soldier' (roth) and 'My Mar- riage' (20th), dual. Doesn't figure for better than $4,70.1. pmr. Las* week 'Pink' (UA) and 'Dangerous Waters' (U), helped house to good $5,^00.- Grand Opera House (Ind) (2.20'i: 15-25-35)— 'Lady In Searlet' (Ch"si Ahd vaudeville. Will be satisfied witn i2,5wiF luis \vi«t-n. .i<n'i ,,c... (FD) and vaudeville l^ist vseelc finished with poor $2,700. (Best Exploitation: u*ic Hall) Three new pictures are tearing down the stretch this- week closely bunched at the payoff wire. They are 'Country. Doctor,' 'Klondike Annie' Ahd 'Love Before Break- fast.' These three will finish nicely in the money, with the rest of. the field at their, heels and some of the contestants, pretty (far behind. With the building service stinke partially settled and weather getting a bit better, the conditions currently are rather favorable. There was a notable fall-off all over, town Mon- day night (16), due in the opinion of the managers to the probability that most folks had a big weekend. The Dionne quins are drawing mtrch better on matinees than at nights, with the flaps and their boy friends favoring the Mae West and 'Love Before: Breakfast; pictures in the evenings. However, 'Doctor' will /end its first week at $85,000, under advance anticipations but plenty good. It stays a second week. The Hall just finished three weeks of 'Follow the Fleet,' total 21-day take being $241,600, a lot of bucks. 'Doctor' started off good and has held its pace, with good afternoon weather helping It a lot. 'Klonr dike' played to a $4,300 Tuesday night {10) preview and on its first week looks $50,000 or thereabouts, with the Fred Waring orchestra ih the pit helping to boot this one home. An indication of what the Warihgs mean, in the face of bad reviews for 'Annie,' may be gath- ered froiri fast La West's last,. 'Goin' to Town/ without ^anything living in the theatre and. on better notices, grossed $35,000. On the other hand, the 'Klondike Annie' notoriety is deemed an asset. 'Annie' stays & second and possibly a third week. Right up there with the first two sprinters is Roxy's 'Love Before Breakfast,' favored to hit .^4.0,000, and holds. 1 Pinky Tom'lin, on stage, how! in his third week, remains also. Among the also-rans the best, in line with comparative grosses, is 'Tough Guy* at the Rialto, which will-nab $8,800 or so oh the week. "Tiobin-Hood of El Dorado,' on the course at the Capitol, is. running sluggishly and doesn't appear over $20,000. 'Son^r and Dance Man' will lose money for the Center at only around $7,000, which equals the hew low of $7,000 -set last week by 'Voice of Bugle Ann,' House may close short] v. 'Colleen* is on Its second (finalV we* 1 - the Strand. It got a pretty good $26,100 first week, but on hold- over, with stiff oopbsilion, won't he over $15,000. 'Brides Are Like That' opens Saturday (21). Final six days on sixth week for 'Modern Ti*rres' ending ia^t night <Tues.), S15.000. 'These Tlu'ee' opens at the Riv today (Wed.), Much advance work figured in the merchandising of 'Country Doctor,* the campaign on this picture ton- ning the job dore by Paramount in behalf of Mae West, who was shut out of local Hearst sheets. Estimates for This Week Astor (1.012; 25-85-55)— 'Rhodes' fQB) (2d run). Arrived here Fri- day (13) direct from two w**eks at Roxy and okay at $7,000. Will he kept here as Inner ps showing *>rofit. f-aist week 'Pov-xleWT"»ke Range' (RKO") got $5,000, mild. Caoitol (4^6''.0: 25-35-65-85-S1.25) —'Robin Hood' (MG). Warn«r B«x-. ter picture not pullfnff; a mild $20.- 000 will be top". Last week, second tor 'Wife vs. Secretary' (MG) just over $10,000. Center (X525; 25-35-£5-85-$i.10>— 'Song and Dance Man' (20th). Show- In? nothing at all, around S7.000. This would equal new low of $7,000 last we^k on 'Bugle Ann' <MG); Reported house may shutter soon if not improving. Goes legit in the Call, regardless. Palaci (1,700: 25-35^55)—'Petri- fied Forest' (WB) (2<1 run), and 'Every Saturday Night' (20th) (1st run), dual. Faces figure .of under SO.000. not so good. Last week's pair, 'Shark Iflland' <20th) and 'Farmer In Dell' (RKO), latter on first rUn, got across the $9,000 figure; Paramount (3.664: 25- , 35-55') — 'Klondike Annie' (Par) and Fred ■Waring band in pit. In. spite of poorlsh notices and comment on oicture, pull is mighty good; $50.- 000 or a bit over first week. Holds second f.nd possibly third week. Final (3rd) weak of * 'Lonesome Pine' (Par), in ahead. $24,000. Radio City Mirsic Hall (5.089: 40- 00-S5-ii0-Cl.l0-$1.65) — 'Country Doctor' (20th) and sttnre show. Dionne feature blc; on mats, fair on evening?, but will get up to good S83.000. Stays a second week. Last week. $60,000 on third week of 'Fol- low Fleet' (RKO). Second week was *7.''.<!00 'and first $103,500. ihe run adding-up to smash $241,600.' Rial'co (750; 25-40-65) — <3uy ? <MG). Louis-McAvoy fight pictures may be. helping a bit, here for a week indicating $S,«00, pretty good. Last week's tenant, *3 God- fathers' (MG), $8,000; flivoli (2,092; 40-75-99)—^Modern Times' (Chaplin-UA) (6th-final week). On six days of final <6th) week ending last night $15,000. Pic- ture now goes to Loew houses. Fifth week was $25,000. 'These Three' (UA) opens this, morning (Wed.). , . Roxy (5,836; 25-35-56)—<'Love Be- fore Brealtfast' <U) and stage, show which includes Pinky Tomlin on., third week. Getting tremendous play, chances being good for $40,000. Last week, second for 'Rhodes* (GB), •$23,600; okay. 'Breakfast' holds over, together with Tomlin who may be- come a fixture here. House believes he has drausht. •Strand <2,7t67; 35-55-65-85)—'Col- leen' (WB) (2nd week). Unlikely to hit over -$15,000 on holdover. First week, $26,100, pretty good. 'Brides Are Like That' (WB) slips in Saturday morning (21); State (3,450; 35-5.5-75) ■— 'Ghost Goes West* (UA) and vaude. Odd si against house going over $'20,000 this week. Arthur (Street Singer) Tracy and Herman Timberg are on •the vaude bill. Last week "-Anything Goes' (Par) and -the Jack Benny unit tapered off to ■$ 83,000 but big. Final two days probably hurt a bit by opening of .'Klondike ^.nnie' and Waring band at the Par. AND HOLDS INK.C. Kansas City, March 17. (Best Exploitations Newman) Steadiest play on the street is at the Newman with ''Lonesome P4ne f * which opened March 10 and con- tinued strong over the weekend for a holdover. Earl Carroll's 'Vanities' unit was played up. strong by tho Malnstreet, ih connection with 'Love on a Bet,' and getting nice busi- ness. 'Prisoner of Shark Island,' at the Midland, opened fair. 'Shew Them No Mercy' started nicely, at the Uptown, in fact the best since the house changed to a straight 25c admission, and 'Widow of MOnte Carlo' *and a stage show are close to normal at the Tower» For 'Pine' the Newman really stepped out. Publicity' was started several weeks in -advance with wpe» clal readers and art in the papera. A number of windows with stills and special displays attracted at- tention; attractive bulleUns were placed in the numerous schools, a teletype machine in the lobby with special messages to the patrons caused added interest, and plugs over two radio stations kept the picture before the ether fans. These and a ntmber of other stunts save the picture lots of advertising, and it counted. „ Estimates for Thia W«*k Mainfrlraet <RKO) (3,200; 25-35- 50)—'Bet' (RKO) and 'Vanities' unit. The girl show given plenty of publicity and opened nicely. Ex- pected to get $19,000, big. Last week 'Fleet' < 2d week), $7,000, nice. Midland (Loew) (4,000; 25r40)— 'Shark Island' (20th). Just fair at the start and over the weekend for around $10,000, not so good. Last week, 'Wife vs. Sec. r <MG) «ased off a little the last three days, after a sensational start, but finished with $19,000, big. Newman (Par) (1,900; 25-40)— ' ine' (Par). Looks close to $13;OO0, big, and holds over. Tower (ReWot) (2,200; 25-35)— 'Monte Carlo' (WB) and 'Rhythm' unit, on stage. Opened nicely <and getting $6,500, nice. Last week 'Lady of Secrets' /Col), failed to keep up opening pace and returned only $5,C0O, not so good. In an at- tempt to increase the regular pat- ronage, Manager Jo'fec is offering a free ticket to any poison who has not been in the house in six months. The offer was in a nifty display ad in the Sunday Star. Uptown (Fox) (2,040; 25)—'Mercy" (20th). Best opening business.since house went to a quarter at all times, and management expects to take close to $4,000, good. Last, week 'Breakfast' (UV Ijekl for eight days and turned in $3,100, nice Ktortihc March 21 house haf 'Country Doctor' (£0th) for a run 'Tough 1 and will return to a 40c top at night.