Variety (Apr 1936)

Wednesday, April 15, 1936 P I € ¥ E S VARIETY 25 'Small Town Girf on Dual, Excellent at $9,800, Indianapolis Indianapolis,' April 14; (Best Exploitation: ' , Indiana) 'Small Town Girl/ on a dual with •Moonlight Murder' at Loew's, is. traveling at a surprisingly swift pace and will probably wind up with an excellent $T),s6b. Gaynor ploturej aided materially by a serial- ization which has been running in the : town's largest daily, is out- running everything else easily and is up in the money class near 'Rose ■ Marie- apd'Mutiny' on results at ■ Loew's. 'Singing Kid' at the In- diana, Is only lukewarm with its prospective $5,800, while the Lyric is faring a little tetter than average it |8,<H)0 with 'Everybody's id Man 1 * and a vaudebill neadllning York and ..King. Nothing else is causing any stir. Exploitation honors are shared by Loew's with its careful campaign emphasizing the GaynOr . picture's story basis through a newspaper serial, bookmarks in circulating libraries, 19-book window displays In prominent locations, etc., and by the Indiana with its successful cam- • paign on the Jblson Sim that in- eluded several notable display ad tieups on Jolson shirts^ Sybil Ja- son's shoes, Lyle Talbot riding a bicycle for a sporting goods store . ad,' hair dress and ladies' hats ads • on the feminine players in the cast as well as a radio buildup on the . Galloway angle, etc. Estimates for This. Week Apollo. (Fourth Ave) (1,100; 25- 40>—-'Message to Garcia' <20th) ■ Seery, Stanwyck arid Boles played up.big above film's title in ads. Re- sults are very . mild , at $3,100. Last week revival of 'Connecticut Yankee' <20ih) very good at $6,500. . Circle (Monarch) (2.600; 25 -40)— Tarmer |n Dell* (RKO). and 'Boul- der Bam' (WB), dual. Former pic- ture favored in campaign with title stressed, . but there's nothing but gloom "with , a poor $2,500 in sight. Last week dual' of "Walking Dead* (WB) and 'Muss 'Em Up' (RKO) also meagre at $2,750. Indiana (Monarch) (3,100; 25-40) --'Singing Kid* (WB). Going is just okay and no more with probable , take of $5,900. Last week dual of '13 Hours' (Par) and 'Too Many Barents' (Par) wealc at $4,800. Loew's (Loew's) (2,800; 25-40)— •Small Town Girl' <MG) on twin bill with 'Moonlight Murder' (Col). Lat- ter picture almost ignored com- pletely In ads. Gaynor and Taylor strongly billed in other half of pro- gram with Ben Ames Williams authorship coming in for heavy Play. Gross is swell at $9,800. Last week ^Garden Murder Case' (MG) on dual with 'Don't Gamble With Love' (Col), $S,5Q0i lightweight Lyne (Olson) (2,000 ; 25-30-40)— Everybody's Old-Man' (20th) and vaude. Stage bill headlining York and King.^iven more space than the picture in ads, although Irvin Cobb's starring debut was given consider- able attention. Biz all right at $8.- 000. Last week 'Bugle Ann' (MG) S"?.^* 18 ° n -Parade' stage unit finished at $8,000, also, 'Colleen' With Fashion Show $6,500 in B'ham Birmingham, April 14. (Best Exploitation: Alabama) What is needed more than any- thing else is some sunny weather. After, several weeks of pre-spring, tne clouds came along wearing mourning and business has been off since. However, the weatherman nas promised some fair weather this • Sat* , busin «S3 should reflect honej? Easter Su nday was a h a C < 0ll ^v n ' and 'Shark Island' will EL. ^ he mdn °y this week. Ala- bama has a fashion show in con- JouSf, V} h and it is aSK '^vantages to offset the dis- advantages in pulling customers in. ai? \ V ^ r ** ter y^ 1 " these shows ness a little! ^ h6lp bUSl " week (Amkino), NEWARK (Continued from page 10) agers. Maybe $4,000. Last Week S?ft k E' a £ d ' (20th) and 'Whipsaw (JU.G), $3,425. .mf- itt,0 „ r (Franklin ) (299; 35-50)— sT £u? Won ?*' <Amklno). Good at $1,400 on 10 days, Last 'Builders of Socialism $678. Lee's State. (2,780;. 25-30-55-65-75) — ^"coat' (MG) and Unguarded fl2*L { «™ P1)n . r<Jntly the town's leader at $18,000. Last week 'Tough Guy' (MG) and /Secrets' (Col) a ioser at $7,000. Proctor's (RKO) (2,$00; 20-65) and Lyceum <ro6f) . (770;. same stele)—Doctor' (20th) and 'Two in Park* (RKO). Disappointing Over baturday but showed better Sunday a o£ ma ? ? 0 „°vel- $1.3,000. Last week ■$!2S& <GB) and ' Son ff and Dance' (20th) good enough for $10,000. ,oo«* fn ^ ,n „*; Newark (Adams-par) (2,248; 25-75)-"Desire' (Pari and Parents' (Par), Also picked up Sunday for probably $12,000. Last week 'Candles* ; (Rep) and 'Feet' (Rep) bad at $6,500. or T T n 7"'?^ (Skouras). (1,600: 35-20- ?™^^~. Cnan ' (20th > and 'O'Malley' (^Oth). Now using amateurs Thurs- day nights, previews on Fridays and theatre rhymes' on Wednesdays. Using, much ballyhoo this week w^ch counts. Probably $7,000. Last week 'Dead' (WB) and 'Girl $6,700. (GB), Estimates for This Week shot 12 Colleen (WB). and style sionM ° f n , Staee wlth som e profes- sed talent. Write it down' for W.dOo, but not more. Country Doctor' good. Last week (20th), $7,800, tha^f lk lsl ^d'. (20th). .Better this i?« era ? e ' alth ough business at few ,,2 , Se ^ bGen 011 the up last U'av- fo tS \ * 3 ' 000 - week 'Milky Str a ^ ar) ,x a , r( ' und $ 2 - 800 ' moderate. -•YouS < wlll >y-Kincey) (800; 25) Life' o W t , Dust ' (RKO) and 'This Is fair y * On spat week $1,800. $?.?oo Week ' PrevJew Murdpl " lte*5& f /i° me > (1 - 10 <>: 25)-'Coil- teftafn (PN) ' ° ne of most en-' in?*, ff ,, actlon Pictures in town. * ed Lnd cr' <PN) $-2,000, fair. LA. TRYING TO RESTORE CAMERAMEN'S 10% CUTS Efforts will be made by the Inter- national Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes to restore the 10% pay cut made on various; classifications of cameramen in 1932 at the basic studio agreement: sessions this week in. New York. At almost same time International Cameramen's Union is preparing to seek company approval of neWsreel cameramen's contract, which is virtually the same as in voked under the NRA. Both ses sions, tabbed for Monday and Tues day, were delayed until later in the ■week. When the pay slash was original- ly requested by producers, argu- ment was advanced that the cut would be only temporary,, with IATSE leaders agreeing. The: present minimum scales for second, assistant and still camera- men ranged from $90 to $112.50, $49.50 to $54 and $76.50 to $90, re- spectively. It also is likely that restoration of the 10% cut for op- erative first cameramen Under IA jurisdiction will be sought at parley. New 1936-37 contract for news- reel grinders asked by union is for 40-hour week over an eight-week period and $112.50 minimum salary, with scale to remain the same when currently exceeding that amount. Pathe Newsreel already has ac- cepted such a contract, union spokesmen claim. Postponement, of confab on news- reel contract caused by absence of two members of producers' com- mittee. Now tentatively set for April 20, with George' E. Browne, head of IA, expected to figure in conversations. He also will attend the basic studio wage parley. Hollywood, April 14. Fred Pelton of Metro, Keith Glen- non of Paramount and H. K. Batch-, elder of 20th-Fox trained out Satur- day night (11) for New York, to sit in oh' the basic studio agreement discussions starting there next Thursday. Victor Clarke, producer labor con- tact, and aide to Pat Casey, pulled out Sunday (12). 'Boots and Saddle' to Be Spared Sound Track Ride Hollywood, April 14. On. theory that song. 'Boots and Saddle' has been ovef-warbled, one- time best seller has been dropped by Sol Lesser as title of Principal's George O'Brien starrer, as well as number eliminated with no substi- tute song set. Lesser has sold song and title, to another studio and retitled the O'Brien picture 'Border Patrol.* With change of handle and tunes eliminated, script has been re- vamped by Dan Jarrett and Ben Cohen. A Different 'Gen.' Again llollyw ,()(). April .11 Paramount has s\ itched leads again on 'The General Died, at Dawn,' replacing J-Yod McMurray. Gary Cooper was originally set for the part McMurray' in turn succeeds Cooper as topper in 'Texas Iinnger. Freddie Outdraws Shirley in Wash., $27,000 to $19,000 Washington, April i4. (Beit Exploitation: Fox) Capital up and down this week, "but hordes, of Easter-week sight- seers will push total gross well above average. With a little rain at the right moments, it may set record for over-all take, Loew's got bad break bv being forced to. play 'Captain January' at Palace, making Shirley Temple arid Freddie Bartholomew each other's opposition. Seems to be enough to go around, however, although 'Fauntleroy' is tops, both actually and .proportionately. Best bally honors go to Fox with particular emphasis 6n contests to bring out angle that 'Fauntleroy* is no longer a sissy. Estimates for This Week EarJe (WB) (2,424- 25-35-40-60- 70)—.'Singing Kid' (WB) and vaude, Notices only so-so-, but Jolson and Ina Ray Hutton on stage making snappy contrast for arty bill at Fox. Will get the; hotcha crowd for nice $19,500. Last week 'Showed Under' (FN) and no-name vaude suffered with light $12,000. .Keith's (RKO) (1.830; 25-35-60)— 'Sutter's Gold' (U). Good reviews helping toward . $9,000, oke b'ut be- low expectations. Last week 'Break- fast' (U) slipped but wound up with satisfactory $8,500. Palace CLoew) (2,363; 25-35-60)-^ 'Capt. January* (20th). Getting good $19,000. despite 'Fauntleroy' oppo- sition. Last week 'Bohemian Girl' <MG) and locally-produced flicker took light $10,500. Fox (Loew) (3,424; 25-35-60)— 'Fauntleroy! (UA). and vaude. Patricia Bowman, Everett Marshall and Yascha Bunchuk topping classy stage bill making house mecca of Easter Week visitors and pic is building heavily. Should get swell $27,000. Last . week *E1 Dorado' (MG) and Ben Bernie laughed at Holy Week to tune of smash $27,500. Met (WB). (1.S53; 25-40)—'Silly Billies' (RKO). Wheeler and Wool- sey getting by with satisfactory $4,- 000. Last week 'Desire' (Par) (2d run) took big $6,500. Columbia-(Loew) (1,583; 25-40)— 'Modern Times! (UA). Third week oh mainstem after so-so fortnight at Palace holding up to good $5,000 as holiday attraction. Belasco (Radin) (1,100; 25-35-50- 60)—^'Sous les Toits ' de Paris' (Tappenau)- and revival of 'Alice in Wonderland' (Par). First dabble in double bills on mainstem won't get over disappointing $2,500. House played up 'Alice; to get kids and op- position was too tough. Rene Clair film, which -was hot in view of hew interest in French director* was only a line at bottom of ads. PROV. CHEERFUL 'Small Town' dual $15.000—'Pino' $12,000—Jolson $10,000 Providence, April 14. (Best Exploitati Albee) The boys are smiling again. Plenty of drawing power at the box office in the current bills. Good Friday, opening for most of the first run stands,, saw surprising 'business, especially at Loew's. Albee staff started to work on 'Sutter's Gold' weeks in advance. Plenty of paper around, and a tie-up was affected with every newsstand in town. Liberty magazine tie-up as- sured distribution of 7,000 special heralds. House had downtown pa- rade of newsboys; secured 40 spe- cial window displays; used radio plenty, too. Estimates for This Week Loew's State (3,200; 15-25-40)^- 'Small Town' (MG) and 'Garden' (MG). With splendid start, house is aiming for $15,000, although show rather long. Last week 'Bohemian' (MG) and 'Devil's Island' (Col), rather. lean at $7,000. Majestic (Fay.) (2,200; 15-25-40) —'Singing Kid' (FN). One of the two spots in town -with solo bill; out to get $10,000, and it looks good. Last week 'Dead' (WB) and 'Tango' (liivjnc) plenty dead at $3,800. Strand (Indie) (2,200: lS-Z.T-IO) ■'Pine' (Par). House is ready to hold this one indefinitely. Short show gives stand opportunity to pack them In. For full week at least $12,000. Last week 'Soak the Rich' (Par) and 'Too Tough' (Col'» skidded to a low $1,500 for three days. On four day run. 'Condemned' (GB ) and Call of Prairie' (Par) got Just be- low S''.5r)0: off. Fay's C2.M00: 15-25-40)— 'fiwnvcd j Under* <FNj and vaudeville. Ku'M j that house is the onlv vaude spot in , town always helps in a. pinch, and j this is a pinch: $7,000. oke. Last! week 'O'Mnllcy' CflOth) and vand". : only spot in town that, really made an*" moncv. swell at $6,700. RKO Albee (L'.iinO: i:,-^n-40i — Sutter's' (D and 'Mimi* ( Alliance.', j Plenty of show as far as time is i concerned, but the 'nailyes are nnt j going for it. In for ei^iil days, for i nrohaM'"- 'S7.000. tenid. Last , week ! He*.' niartlfn arid Tanit'-r' (Radio.). , not had at S'lMfio. Going Places Uy Ceeelia A«»er Those 'Follies Girls' 'The Great Ziegfeld*.is long and lavish, and yet there's another great picture left, out of it—the business of Glorifying the American Girl; the study of who she was, What happened to her, how she looked in heir natural state, and what "was the magic that made her unsurpassed before or since. Lots of revue producers would like' to know, to say nothing of the flaps now ready for lire to whom the legend of the 'Follies Girls* is far more inspiring and more worthy of emulation than the skimpy stuff about that small-time. Helen of Troy. 'The.Great Ziegfeld" has time for only a few 'Follies Girls,' those who found its hero interesting simultaneously with his .finding them momen- tarily unique. 'Hut of what was done to make them, famed 'Follies. Girls,' there is nothing. Some mink coats, some diamond bracelets, some baskets of artificial orchids—trinkets anybody can buy—awarded them after they'd made the grade. But . the process itself-^-not a hint, not a clue* ' , * reat fciegfeld' flashes them all lacquered, all groomed, the finished product,,'decorating revolving stages moored in their own loveliness. The fascinating sscrets, the inside stuff on make-up and grooming, the preliminaries; shall be, it is hoped, another story. Because the cur- rent American girl heeds to know. Respecting the 'Follies Girls' tradition, even as it reveres its hero, Great Ziegfeld' dares not to tamper with their style. Their skirts are wider, their fringes longer, their feathers thicker, their diamonds brighter, their headdresses higher, their marcel waves deeper; their blonde hair shinier, than in any ifllm musical ever seen before. Of dash; daring or originality In costumes, there is. little; of -prettiness,.. superlative, size, lushiiess over well established patterns, there's plenty. , It is a school that blooms most stunningly in the 'A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody* number, in which—as a huge revolving, stage upon which is built a spiral staircase, turns, while slowly its completely round silk curtain lifts to disclose mounting groupings—graceful clusters of girls come into view costumed to suit the mood of the orchestration's Interpo- lations. First, distributed decoratively around the outer rim, pretty Louis, Quinze girls in bouffant skirts and extravagant powdered wigs. Then pretty Minuet girls in butterfly panniers. Next, , pretty 'Lleberstraum' girls in romantic hoopskirts. Then pretty waltzing girls in wide skirts of net* glistening with dlamants and their hair in Eugenie curls. And pretty girlB matching somehow the aria from "Pagliacci. 1 . And now the stage has made one complete turn, and its white silk curtain, which "has been such, a glorious background for its ail-white clad pretty girls, is ready to lift and guide the camera up the spiral staircase, where still more pretty girls are dancing hot. That's because the staircase marks the beginning of the jazz age. For a moment the coming of the jazz age upsets the Ziegfeld 'Follies Girls' tradition, it seems, for some of the jazz age girls are dressed like, bats with cock-eyed wings, half of them swirling out from, their shoulder and the other half zooming put from the opposite leg, while their bodies are encased In sequined tights. Higher on the staircase are massed more pretty girls in black tightB peek-a-boolng through long black fringe hung from the shoulders, who quiver and strike vigorous poses In unani- mously felt rhythm, ultimately frightening the bats away. It isn't the blackness of the Jazz age girls' costumes, nor .the energy of their movements that Is so contrary to 'Follies; Girls' tradition as it is the fact that, because they are jazz age .persons, it's been deemed suit- able to put 'mOdemC helmets on their heads, which have 'moderne* visors, and 'moderne' masks that hide a good part of their pretty faces. Real Ziegfeld 'Follies Girls' would never be allowed to hide their pretty faces, not even for the Paleolithic age. However, the number ends honest and true, with -the spiral turning and the camera following it until it reaches, at last, the summit upon which is perched Virginia Bruce in a long and wide skirt, full enough to satisfy Ben Ali Haggin. All in all. a certainly big and lovely and yet strangely soothing number. . The 'Circus Ballet,* led by Harriet Hoctor, had a swell idea. Miss Hoctor's ring-mastering of a circus' animal acts. But after Miss Hoctor has cued a fine line of greyhounds and put the ponies through, their paces, courage is lacking to see. it through. Miss Hoctor's dancing is effortless and airy as ever, though ner costume its very much more bur- dened with trimming and detail than the simple and dramatic story- telling things she wears on the stage. There's a white, peacock-train over sequin-decorated leotards and a sequined military cap with an aigrette bush, and military cord orders and white high boots and so on. Her ballet girls wear, with their military leotards, white ai .*ettfe busby's —suitable note of priceless extravagance. Most amusing number, a -delicate burlesque of burlesque girls intro- duced by m.c. Fannie Brice wings comedy out of their flat, mechanical voices, their naughty Hawaiian grass skirts worn wickedly over Wrinkled flesh cotton tights, and establishes the. lady who sings, 'My name is Vi-lit,'. as a femme who's gotten, some place. Luise Ralner's Anna Held is a characterization of charm and gaiety and creates a wholly bewitching and' living person whose mercurial changes of mind and temperamental didoes are always captivating, Miss Rainer's costumes consider appreciatively her fragile femininity. She is nestled behind ermine tippets and little muffs and wears violets oh her toque, though, when it's necessary for her to be spectacular and glam- orous, as in her 'Jolly' number, she can be that, too. Then she weal's a black jet princesse gown and a huge black picture hat, under -which her. eyes beckon and her white fox stole sets off her brunette allure, stilt further accentuated by the show girls in the number, who are blondes and dressed in white duplicates of Miss Rainer's nostalgic garb. Virginia B'ruc's sad, «ullen beauty and the melancholy droop of her eyes suit perfectly her role of 'Follies' girl destined for no good end. Miss Bruce is bo convincig and so decorative as a menace she suggests that perhaps she a been so lacking in animation in her former sweet- fine-girl assignments because she knew all along that she deserved better things. She wears at one and the same time iah ostrich feather affair that has appended to it several long ostrich feather trains swirling into such curly clusters at the end that each of them 1h magnificent enough to Encompass another 'Follies Girl' apiece. Myrna Loy's Bill Jo Burke is pretty, dressed in robe.i dc style, and stilted, like her rigidly -waved and wet blond wig. Tasker Moves to U As Director of Sound Hollywood, April 14. Homer G. Tasker, president of International Society of Motion Pic- ture Engineers for past two year.s. has moved into Universal as direc- tor of sound. He was ticketed by William Koenig. studio manager. Tasker was for several years chief engineer In charge of Warner Bros.' United Research Corp. on Long Island. When eastern labora- tory was moved to Burbank, Tasker was put in charge here. During past year he has been working on eli ina'tion of sound flutter as a •ajor research problem. B'way 1st Runs (Continued from page 7) shop around more in the Indie mar- ket to fill out schedules. Fight for survival may also threaten price slashing on the big street' in an at- tempt to lure the.lans-Times Square provides, not forgetting that double bills are flourishing at the Mayfair, Warner, Palace,' Cohan and other houses in the area which are hardly In the shotgun clas.-.. The fact that protection is only 14 days in New York also gives the first runs more of a struggle to fate. This protec- tion may eventually be lengthened after years of pi otest from various operators.