Variety (Jul 1937)

4i 10 VARIETY PICTURE GROSSES Wednesday, July 7, 1937 Holiday Weather Sours PliiDy B.O;s; lanne 16^20, 'Faces' Only Fair IIG Philadelphia, July 6. Perfect holiday weather spelled bad medicine for most of the down- town film houses; with most of Philly's amusement-seeking popula- tion out of the city. Fox looks to be about the biest cif the lot ■«^ith 'The Singing Marine' as its feature. The special bally- hooed opening oh Thursday plus an unexpectedly strong set of notices showing good effect.; Boyd has plenty of good marquee names , in 'Emperor's Candlesticks,', but the crix were lukewarm- and trade hasn't been goodv Stanley : surprised the street by bringing, in its new feature yester- ,day (Monday ),' and wasn't any too overjoyed with crix reception. Pic is 'New Faces' and one .week will be all, 'The Hoad Ba<ik' followihig next Monday .(12). Earle also has a headache. Current bill is N.T.G. Revue on stage and. 'Married: Before Breakfast' on, screen. Estimates for This Week Arcadia (600; 25-40-50)—Turn Off Moon' (Par) (2d run). Tepid $2,000. seen., Last week 'Miracles' (UA) (1st rim), $900 for three daiys. 'Pick a Star' (MG) (2d run), $1,100 In four days. Both low. Boyd (2,400; 4.0-55^65 )^'Emperor's Candlesticks' (MG). Notices n.s.g., but iniarquee ndmes helping; fair $12,000. Last week 'Another Dawn' (WB), rapped plenty and just beat $10,000, s6-so. Earle (2,000; 25-40-55)—'Married Biefore Breakfast' (MG) a'nd - vaude,. -N.T.G. 'Revue. Biz poor. House again closed Sundays;: $10,000 seen. Last week^ 'You Can't Beat Love' (RKO) and. vaudey Benny Davis .Revue.. Figured pix hielped, but couldn't quite hit fair $13,000 .in six-day V session. Erlaneer (2,000; - 25-40-55)—'Dam- aged Lives' (Weldon) (3d wk). Pace way off. Flooding town with half- price 'passes.' Mebbe $8;000. Sec- ond, week's $10,500 was quite a tum- ble from start. Fox (3.000; 40-55-65) — 'Singing Marine' (WB). Ballyhooed opening and swell notices. Ought to get good $16,500 and hold-over is almost sure. Last week. 'Day at Races' (MCS) (3d wk), $11,000, nice. Karlton (1,000; 25.35-40)-r-'Sing arid Be Happy* (20th). Looks like sad $2,200. Last week, 'Meet tHe Missus' (RKO) plus fight pic, $3,300, goodi . ./ . Keith's (2.000: 30-40-50)—!Atiotner Dawn' (WB) (2nd rim); OpeniEtd Saturday (3). Fair $2,800 indicated. Last week, 'Woman ChasSs Man' (UA) (2rtd run), neat $3,700 in eight davs. Stanley < (3.700: 40-55-65)—^New Tsces' (RKO). Opened yesterday (Monday ) and looks dubious.. One week is all; liicky ii it eets $11,000, fair. Last week, 'Slave Ship' (20th), robust $18,000 in U days. Stanton (1,700): .10-40-50)—'Great Gambini' (Par). Indicates fair $6,000 at best. Last week. TBebind the Headlines' (RKO and flight films, ice $7,200. B'KLYN HAPPY Weather Gave Pic Houses Break; 'Races' Good $16,500, rboklyri, July 6.' Weiather Saturday and yesterday (Mpndbiy) proved keen di int- ment to outdoor showmen .during In- det)endenc^ Day weekend. Result was that downtown deluxers mopped up with :some .'first-rate pics Oh' all screens. Par is offering 'Met Hini in Paris' and 'Make Way for .Tomorrow' for second week and doing cyclqnic bi , while Meti ith Marx Bros., in 'Day at the Races' as. solo attraction is holdi well. imates tor This Week ; 25-35-55)— 'There C3oes My Girl' (RKO) arid '.Meejt the Missus' (RKO), plus new Ma,rch of Timie, Holiday mi helped bbdst gross to tuni? 6f satisfactory $15,000, ,w:eek, Roads' (20 th) arid 'Behi Headli ' (RKO), $15,000, okajr. Fox (4;000; 25-35-55)—'Slim' (WB) and 'Night of Mystery' (Par). Ari- ticipate okay $17,000. Last, week, *Madrid^ (Par) and 'Backstage' (GB), $15,000, nice. Met (2,400; 25-35-55)—'Day at the Races', (MG). Solo and doing very' well. Good $16,500 expected. Last week 'Woman Chases Man' (UA) and ; *13th Chair' (MG), pleasant $14,000. Paramoant (4,000; 25-35-55)—'Met in Paris' .(Par) and 'Tomorrow* (Par) (2d week). Holiday midnite show, plus Chi strike .;pics, giving house hefty $17,000.. Last week, same twinners snared peacherino $23,000. Strand (2,000; 25-35-55)—'Fury and Woman' (Ind) and 'Dangerous Holi- day' (Rep). Satisfactory $6,000 ex- pected. Last week, 'Happened Out West' (20th) and 'Cappy Ricks' (Rep), $5,500, sOtso. tourists Hypo Buff. Bir, 'Candlesticks'G(H)d 12G —^'Captains Courageous' (MGM) (2nd wk). Dropped off, but fair enough at $7,000. Last week,' big $15,000, Hipp (Shea) (2,400: 25-40)—'Sing aind Be Happy' .(20th) and 'Once a Doctor' (WB). Fair $5,000. Last week, 'Make Way for Tomorrow* (Par) and 'Turn Off Moon' (Par)^ good.$5,40Q. Lafayette (Ind.) (3,400i 25-35)— 'Wings Over Honolulu* (U) and .'Oh, Doctor' (U). Nice $6,000. Last week, ■Parole Racket' (Col) and 'In Army Now' (GB), fisir, $5,200. Upped Scales in Port.; 'Races'Wow {10^00 Portland, Ote., July 6.. 'Day at the Races* is the big mop- up this weiek for Parker*s Broadway. Himi^ry for comedy, the burg went for it in a big way. .'Another DaWn' at the Orpheiim is doing fair biz. All of the major houses raised their scales, 15c., tops now set at 55c. Estimates for This Week Broadway (Parker) (2,000; 30-55). --^'Day at Races' (MG) and -'Mighty Treve' (U). 'Well exploited and de^ livering. terrific $10,000. Will hold. Last week, 'Parnell' (MG) aind 'Miracles' (GB)^ second week, nice $4,700. Firs* week ran up big $7,900; Mayfair (iParker-Evergreeri) (1,- 400; .30-55)—'Star Is Born' (UA) (6th week). Doing average $2^000. Fifth week was cOupled with Louis- Braddock fight pix, boosting the. b. o. ante to gobd $3,300. Orpheiim (Hamrick-rEvergreen) (2.000; 30-55) — 'Another Dawn* (WB) and 'The Great Gambini' (Par). Well received arid going for fair $5,000. Last week, 'Riding oh Air' (RKO) and 'Slim' (WB), aver- age $5,500. . . Paramoant.. (Hamrick-Evergreen) (3,000; 30-55)—'Mountain Music' (Par) and 'You Can't Buy Luck' (RKO). Registering good $8,000. Last week, ''Madrid* (Par), and -Go- Getter' (WB), weak $4,500. United Artists (Parker) (1,000; 30- 55)—'Captains Courageous' (MG) (3d week). Still going nicely, $4,- 200. Second week strong. $5,30*0. First week mopped tip for great $7,500, •Faces' Red 4G in Indols.: Marx Bros. Okay $9,000 Indianapolis, July 6." 'Day at the Races,' at Loew's, and Gab "Calloway on the stage at the vaudflim Lyric with 'Wings Over Honolulu,' are winners of the week here, in spite of the exodus of many natives to outdoor spots Over the three-day holiday. 'New Faces' at th6 Circle is below par, and the holdover session of 'Slave Ship' at the Apollo is not bright. Estimates for This Week Apollo (Fourth Ave.) (1,100; 25-40) —'Slave Ship' (20th) (2d Week). Forced because of lack of strong product; meagre $2,500. Same pic- ture in. its first week did $5,500, good. Circle (Monarch) (2,800; 25-40)— •New Faces' (RKO) dualled with ♦Behind the Headliries* (I^KO). Former giyen big campaign but is not pulling: $4,000, pobr. Last Week, ^Mountain Music' (Par), second week, $4,400; good. Loew's (Loew's) (2,600; 25-40)— 'Day at the Races' (MG) dualled with 'Devil Is Driving' (Col). Marx Bros, picture has had lots of pub- licity, having been announced at several previous dates and then .pulled each time. Some of the ciit- ics were severe, but: ptiU indicate? $9,000, svirell. /Last week, 'Captains CoUriageous' (MG), second' week, $4,- 800, Okay. Lyric (Olson) (2.000: 25r30-40)— ^Wings' Over Honolulu* (U) and Cab Galloway band on stage. Latter given build-Up4 heaaed for $11,000, very good. Last week, 'Anothe.' Dawn' (WB) and vaude, $9,000, good. Buffalo, With the town jam-packed with holiday tourists,, local b. o.'s are standing up well against the hedviest competish this year. ingling Circus showed to; full tents twic^ daily Suriday arid Mon- day; baseball offered night games; beaches underlined speci aittrac- tions and the weather was perfect for outdoor amusements. Still, the. pix are giving, a fairly good account of themselves, due largely to the heavy influx of tourists. Estimates for This Week Baffalo (Shea) (3,600; 30-40-55)— 'Emperor's Candlesticks' (MG). Drawing good $12,000. Last week, 'Another Dawn' (WB), fair $10,500. Century (Shea) (3,400; 25-35)— 'Manhattan Melodrama' (MG) and 'You Can't Buy Luck' (RKO ). Good enough $7,000. Last week, 'Riding on Air' (RKO) and 'Border Cafe' (RKO) $6,500, fair. Great Lakes (Shea) (3,400; 30-50) 'Danger' Comes Home Hollywood, July 6. i rector Otto Ludwig Preminger brought in :20th-Fox's 'Danger- Love at Work' last Saturday. (3) after , 33 days of shooting and three temporary tieups. Firist upset occurred When Ann Sothern was substituted for- Simone Simon. Next:John Carradine fell ill and for the topper Mary Boland suf- fered a broken rib. Inside Stuff-Pictures Fifth questionnaire issued by Sidney L. Bernstein, of Bernstein The- atres,'^td., London, showed Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, Charles Laughton' Robert Taylor, Ronald Colman and William Powell voted the most popul lar niale stars in the order named and Norman Shearer, Myrna Loy, Greta GarbOj Ginger Rogers, Claudette Colbert and Shirley Temple, most pop f^mme stars as named. Laughton was the prily English player listed in the fiist SIX male players and none landed in the feminine group. Ques- tionnjjire commented on fact thai Taylor hit fourth place the first time he appeared on the list. Miss Sherver was first for the third consecutive time Of the featured players, Arthur Treacher, Eric Blore, Una Merkel and Patsy Kelly were tops. Voters among men still prefer the thriller-adven- ture picture as compared with 1934, while the feminine preference has shifted in that time from rriusical coriiedy to society drama. Both sexes showed they liked cartoons best among shorts. Odd feature Was that most of those in the tabulation did not object to advertising films. Frank Capra Was voted the riiost popular dipector, with Alexiarider Kprda second. 'Mutiny on the. Bounty,' 'Lives of a Bengal Lancer' iand 'Mr. Deeds Goes to Town* were rated the outstanding pictures in opder listed. Bal- loters suggested, first, that cast lists bej given at end as well as start of films, and second, that more newsreels be shown. Bernstein sent out 325,000 questionnaires, with more than half returned. Possibility of court action, as reported contemplated on the Coast, by Screen Play Wrights agairist the Authors' League Of America, is discounted ariiohg League members in NeW. York. Legal move, understood to be plotted by the Screen Playwrights, would be aimed to combat A. of A.' p.ressure on League members among the Screen Playwrights. Pointed out by ALA merinbers that the League has no idea, of trying to control, its .members' votes when and if thei National Labor Relalioris Board holds an election to determine the bargaining agency for fil writers. All the League will seek to do will be to force writers belongi to both the ALA arid the SP to chpbse betWeen the two izations'" the matter of niembership. . If merilbers reniai in the SP, they will be.asketi to resign from the ALA. Such action. League members claim, is perfectly legal and legitimate and cpiild not be combated in court. How studios are subject to whims of outsiders was! shown last week when.Trem Carr leased a sailing vesspl.for $175 a day, along with the ship's captain arid ownctr, to film scenes for 'Windjariimer.' Carr also planned to employ 10 sailors and to feed the outfit with the customary box lunches. Maritime unions informed him he would have to hire a union coOki union waiters and dishwashers, .also full conriplemerit of 21 seamen at $10 a day each, besides ah Outside captain and other officers who would have to be paid at the rate they earn at sea. Owner-skipper was out as a player. Carr, Who had planned to shoot at sea aroUnd 10 days, slashed his schedule to two days, thus beating the rap, but he is wondering where small indi will get off trying to shoot sea stuff in the face of such tactics. Harry Lachman, having finished 'Once a Hero,* and 'It Happened in Hol- lywood,' starring Richard Dix, for Columbia, wants his release. When he switched from 20th Centiiry-Fox to Columbia, understanding was that he was to get . own choice of stories and general big-time cooperation, and right off the reel he found himself behind the eight ball when he did the directing on Grace Moore's 'When You're In Love' and found the front office too. willing to give Robert Riskin all the bows for both story direction. FAB SPEABS THBEE Hollywood, July 6. Paramount closed deals for three stories over the week-end. Yarns bought were 'Crime in a Skyscraper,' by Norman Springer; 'They Knew What Happened,* by Vera Caspary, and *A Straw Hat in the Summertime,' by George Brad- shaw. FABBEIL TO BEO Hollywood, July 6. Radio has borrowed Glenda; Far- rell from Warners for a featured role in 'A Loye Like That.' Cast toppers in the film will be Barbara Stanwyck and Herbert MarshalL Taces' Shiny $31,000 in DuD Frisco; ladrid' 146, 'Go-Getter' IIG, N. G. 'Nother Life Beginner Hollywood, July 6. Nat Pendleton goes to 20th-Fox for *Life Begins ait College' on loariput from Metro. He recently returned from Eng- land, where he appeared in a Gau- mont-British picture. San, Francisco, July 6. slugjgish on Market Street this week^ the Golden Gate having the only picture which ing near being a winner; Estimates for This Week Fox (F-WC) (5,000; 35-55)—'Sing- ing Marine' (WB). and 'King of Gam-^ biers' (Par) (2nd wk.). Dick Powell has thirigs pretty well in hand at the Fox, Where 'Marine' built , last week after : a poor statt,; Looks like fair $10,000 turreritly. Last week, $16,000, bettei: than expected. Golden Gate (RKO) (2,850, 35-55) —'New Faces' (RKO) and ude^ This is the first sock, attraction the Gate has had in some time; $20,000 will be great. Last week, 'Holly- wood Cowboy' (RKO), Louis-Brad-' dock fight pic and vaude, disappoint- ing $16,000. . .■ Orpheum (F&M) (2,440;'35-55)— 'Roariiiig Timber' (Col) arid 'Love in a Bungalow' (U). Slim $5.50O/ari- ticipatedi Last week, 'Armored Car' (U) iand 'Girls Can Play' (Col), poor $5,000, Paramount (F-WC) (2J40; 35-55) ^'Madrid' (Par) and 'Fly Away Baby' (WB). Taking won't be riiuch oyer $14,000, so-so. Last "week, 'Mountain Music' (Pat) and 'Outcast' (2nd wk.), slipped to fairish $9,000. St. Francis (F-WC) (1,470; 35-55) —'Day at Races' (MG) and 'Hospital Mystery' (20th) (4th wk.). After three colossal weeks at the Warfield, moved across the street to thie St. FranciS; Faring Well enough' on the switch to this smaller house,: with biz pointing to gpod $5,000. Last week 'Another DaWn' (WB) arid 'Holy Terror' (20th) (2nd wk.), good $5,000. V United' Artists (UA) (1,200; 35-55)— 'Star Is Born' (UA) (lOth Wk.). En- gag^ment forced to the point where 'Star' is played Out. Will fi.riish con- siderably below $5,000. Last week, ninth, $5,000, fair. Warfield (F-WG) (2,680; 35-55)— 'Go-Getter' (WB) and 'Thirteerith Chair' (MG). Far from pleasing at $11,000. Last week (3rd), 'Day at the Races' (MG) and 'Great 'Hos- pital Mystery (20th), winning $9,000. With a view to getting its money back quickly, United Artists is rushing 'Star. Is Born' through the contracts written on it as fast as prints can take care of bookings. There are a total of 324 prints, costly when i color; at work throughout the country and Canada. According to sales information in UA, 'Star' will go through its circulation quicker than any picture in the history of this and probably any other'company. High mortality jn Hollywood has never been, more grUesbmely indicated than in Metro's announcement that it will remake *He W'hp Gets Slapped.' Of the personalities in the original production not so many years back, only Norma Shearer alone, survives... Participating when the company first made the pic were Irving Thalberg, John Gilbert, Marc McDermott, Eddie donnolly and Paul Players, producers and directors are unitedly soUnding off at Republi in protest over the lack of'a studio publicity department. Republic's sole outlet for blurbs and puffs is in the form Of press books prepared in New York and tlje plaint is unanimous that failure to loosen up with a studio praisery is hurting all around; also,, whiat's the use of putting out good films at rock-bottom negative prices if they can't get a build-up. Warner Bros, testing Philip Truex for the juvenile lead in 'Tovarich,' ' part his younger brother, James, is playing in the original Broadway corinpany at the Plymouth, N. Y. Philip accompanied his father, rnest Truex, when the latter went to the Coast to appear in 'Marco. Polo' for Sam Goldwyn. With Warners' 'Life of Emile Zola' due soon, and figuring there may be. stage and film interest in 'L'Affaire Dreyfuss,' Joseph Schildkraut will attempt to obtain American stage rights'to the Hans. Rehfeich play while abroad. Schildkraut sailed for that purpose on two months' leave from 20th-Fox, to which he's under contract. Hairry Puck's dance-staging assignment at Paramount for the new 'Big Broadcast,' under Harlism Thqnipson's production supervision, is a reuriion of a former Broadway production association.. Both were associated in 'Merry-Merry' and other Variderbilt, N. Y., stage musicals, \vnen Thomp- son and Harry Archer wrote 'em and Puck was the jUve lead. Bobby B:'een's 'Make a Wish' has been boosted $50,0p6 in cost, making it probably the most expensive flicker Sol Lesser has made. Gertrude Berg, who screenplayed from is waiting added scehes.. Picture slated to wiiid up this week. Around 700 Orientals will be used in.mob scenlsis for Samuel .Gold\\-yn'«. 'The Adventures of Marco Polbi' Extras will go on two-weeks' iQcati with Tom Gubbins, L. A. Chinatown coritact with picture studi han- dling the mob. N. Y. Test on Banko Anent Ticket Purchase Utica, N. Y;;. July . Must a Bank Night patron who waits in a theatre lobby to hear her name called, have a ticket to go in and claim the award? A local justice of the peace will be askied today (7) to give a yes or no to this question. Both the claimant, Mrs. Margaret McCoy and the Orpheum theatre operators, the Kallett Theatres, Inc., who operated the Orpheum here, have retained cbiinsel to present their si ■caS0 at today's trial. - Mrs, McCoy alleges she was pr ent and heard .her name called on the ight of June 6, that she went from the lobby into the audnoiiu but was stopped iri.the aisle eri route to the stag^, and prevented from' claiming the award within the tiiree minutes prescribed! for a person, answer. The theatre management contends that she failed to cbmpiy with rej^u- lations 'tljereby rendering her.seff in- eligible to participate,' also that ^Bank Nite was without considera- tion of any kind whatever to the plaintiff.'