Variety (Jan 1949)

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Vcd«wd»y» JiWiMMy 26, 1949 PICTITRB GlU»SSE«« Despite Sbt, Cold Cbi HoMs Wefl; Urge-Duchin Rousing at $53,000, 'Regment' Fine 18G, '%oes' 14G, 5th Chicago, Jan. 25. - Despite sleet and near-zero weather- that hit Loop biz early this week, attendance isn't off as much as expected. Chicago with "That Wonderful Urge" with Eddy Duchin band is heading for prime S53 000. 'Rogues' Regiment" at the Grand is shaping toward fine $18 000. 'Three Godfathers" at United Artists is on mild side at ^^"Yenow Sky" at Oriental plus Janis 'Paige onstage in second week looks smart $51,000. "Mexi- can Hayride" at the Palace shapes trim $15,000 on second also. "Red Shoes" at Selwyn is build- ing and should take excellent $14,- 000 for fifth stanza. "Hamlet" in ninth week at Apollo holds well at $12,000. ■ Estimates for This Week Apollo (B&K) (1,400; $1.20-$2.40) —"Hamlet" (U) (9th wk). Nifty $12,000.; Last week, $12,500. Chicago (B&K) (3,900; 50-98)— "Wonderful Urge" (20th) with Eddy Duchin onstage. Potent $53,- 000 "or near. Last week, "Accused" (far) with Jack Carson, Robert Alda and Marion Hutton onstage (2d wkv, sock $50,000. Garrick (B&K) (900; 50-98)— "Jungle Patrol" (20th) and "Belle Starr's Daughter" (20th) (2d wk). Lukewarm $6,000: Last week, $8,500. Grand (RKO) (1,500; 50-98)— "Rogues' Regiment" (U). Sterling $18,000, , Last week, "Countess Monte Cristo" (U), $11,000. , Oriental (Essaness) (3,400; 90-98) —"Yellaw Sky" (20th) with Janis Paige topping vaude (2d . wk): Sharp $51,000. Last week, wow $62,000. Selwyn (Shubert) (1,000; $1.20- $2.40)—"Red Shoes" (EL) (5th wk). Gaining momentum to land very sock $14,000. Last week, 813,000. Palace (RKO) (2,500; 50-98)— "Mexican Hayride" (U) (2d wk). Meat $15,000. Last week, $20,000. Rialto (Indie) (1.700; 50-98)— "Blood on Moon" (RKO) (4th *1e). Light $7,500. Last week, okay $9,800. RooseveU (B&K) (1,500; 50-98)— "Whiplash" (WB) (2d wk). Mod- erate $10,000. Last week, modest $13,00(), State-Lake (B&K) (2,700; 50-98) ^"Dark Past!" (Col) and"Jungle Jim" (Col). Lean $14,000, Last week, "He Walked By Night" (EL) (2d wk), big $18,000. Surf (Indie) (650; 85)—"Day of Wrath" (Indie). Excellent $5,500. Last week, "This Is N. Y." (UA) (8th wk), $5,000. United Artists (B&K) (1,700; 50- 98) — "Three Godfathers" (M-G). Weakish $16,000. Last week, "Un- faithfully Yours" (2Dth). (2d wk), $12,000. Woods (Essaness) (1,073; 98)— "Red River" (UA) (5th wk). Solid $21,000. Last week, $26,000. World (Indie) (587; 80) — "Paisan" (Indie) (2d wk). BOff $8,000. Last week, broke house record with $10,000. Broadway Grosses Estimated Total Grotss This Week ., $654,000 (Based on 10 theatres) Last Year $655,300 (Based on 22 tlieatre«) 'Stay Happy Hep $iaOOOTopsProv. Providence, Jan. 25. Just average here this round with no outstanding grosser. Ma- jestic's "You Gotta Stay Happy" looks best with sizeable session. "Kiss Blood Off My Hands" in second week at RKO Albee is do- ing okay. Estimates for This Week Albee (RKO) (2,200; 44-6S)— "Kiss Blood Off Hands" (U) and "Sons of Adventure" (Rep) (2d wk). Six-day holdover expecting good- $9,500. First, week, nice $15,000. Carlton (Fay) (1,400; 44-65)— "Yellow Sky" (20th) and "Trouble Preferred" (20th) (3d downtown wk). Good $4,000. Last week, "Belle Starr's Daughter" (20th) vand "Inner Sanctum" (FC), nice $5,S00. Fay's (Fay) (1,400; 44-65)—"Far Frontier" (Hep) and vaude on stage. Healthy $7,000. Last week^ "Fuller^ Brush Man" (Col) and Bobby Jordan heading stageshow, same, ■ ' Maiestle (Fay) (2,200; 44-65)-^ "Gotta Stay Happy" (U) and "Po- lice Reporter" (SG). Healthy $18,- 000. Last week, "Yellow Sky" (20th) and"Trouble Preferred" (20th) (2d wk). Neat $14,000. Metropolitan (Snider) (3,100; 44- 65)—"Who Done It" (U) and "It Ain't Hay" (U) (reissues).. Fairish $7,500. Last week, "Girl From Manhattan": ; (UA), and , Horace Heidt and hiS' New Stars on stage, $8,500. State (Loew) (3,200; 44-65)— "Shockproof" (Col) and "Slightly French" (Col). Fairly active $19,- 000. Last week, "Three God- fathers" (M-G) and "Piccadilly In- cident" (M-G), big $22,000. ' Strand (Silverman) (2,200; 44- 65)—"The Accused" (Par). Opened Monday (24). Last week, "Dark Past" (Col) and "Jungle Jim" (Col), nice $12,000. Weather Dulls Omaha; ?itfair-W $10,000 Omaha, J$n. 25. Storms, sleet, snow and zero weather held weekend openings down noticeably. Neither "Pitfall" at Orpheum and "Fighter Squad- ron" at Paramount are doing as much as expected, with sub-zero cold wave cutting in sharply. Estimates for This Week Orpheum (Tristates) (3,000; 16- 65),— "Pitfall" (UA) and "Texas, Brooklyn" UA). Okay at $10,000, despite ,«.tor my weather, Last week, "Letter from Unknown Woman" (U) and Henry. Busse band plus Dinning Sisters onstage solid $20,000 at 20-80C scale. Paramount (Tristates) (2,800; 16- 65) — "Fighter Squadron" (WB). Good $9,500. Last week, "Red River" (UA), fine $14,500. Brandeis (RKO) (1,500; 16-65)— "Gallant Blade" (Col) and "Un- tamed Breed" (Col). Nice $7,000. Last week, "Blood on Moon" (RKO) and "Ladies of Chorus" (2d wk) split with "Who Done It" (U) and "In the Navy" (U) (reissues), okay $8,000. State (Goldberg) (865; 16-65) — ^'Christopher Blake" (WBI and "Main Street Kid" (Rep) . Good $3,000. Last week,"Rose Washing- ton Square" , (20th) (reissue) and "That's My Boy" (Indie), $4,000. Omaha (Tristates) (2,100; 16-65) —"Red River" (UA) (m.o. and "Money Madness" (FC). Okay $9,- 500. Last week, "Time , of Life" (UA), $8,500. B way Spotty; 'Decision' Great $63 j letter' OK 137G, thicken-Martin lOSa Xolorado'-Ink Spots Mild 60G Despite five new bills and favor-, able weather over the weekend, until rain arrived early: Sunday (23) night, Broadway firstrun busi- ness is extremely spotty this week. The uneven' tempo finds several theatires with sluggish to slim trade. Contrasted to this is the Way some extended-runs continue strongly. Outstanding, new picture is 'Command Decision" which Monica Lewis, Boyd Raeburn orch opens Feb. 2. Park Avenue (U) (583: $1.20- $2.40) — "Hamlet" (U) (18th wk). Seventeenth week ended , l a s t (Tues.) night held firm at $15,300, after fine. $15,600 for 16th round. Stays on. Radio City Music Hall (Rocke- fellers) (5.945; 80-$2.40). —"Letter looks I "^^ Three Wives" (20th) and stage- to reach smash $63,000 or better in | f^ow. First week ending today initial week at the State. Not a'^"'^"-' record but viewed as highly satis- factory. Biggest money total is be- ing garnered by "Letter to Three Wives" at Music Hall. Looks to hit very good $137,000 but not as-l)ig as recent Hall openings. Other new pictures are finding the going rough. "Chicken Every Sunday" with Tony Martin topping stageshow is giving the Roxy $105,-. 000, ■ ■ rated barely okay for eight '^"^J^^^ ,r^] days. "Man From Colorado" with I the Ink Spots heading stage bill is I far from big at $60,000 in first week at Cajpitol. "Act of Violence" l is not being helped by good re- hit very good $137,000; Holds. Last week, sixth for "Words and Music" (M^G) and stageshow was down to $105,000. Rialto (Mage) (594; 44-$1.20)— "Unknown Island" (FC) (3d-final wk). Third session ending tomor- row (Thurs.), is slipping to barely okay $8,000; second was fine $13,- 000. "Dead- of Night" (U) and "Beauty and Beast" Undie) open (2,092; 60- (20th) (12th ending today RivQli (.UAT!-Par) :$l,2S)--^r'Snake jPit" wk). Current frame (Wed.) is holding up in iihe^ashiba at better than $27,000, not fat from I views, with very mild $19,000 in' nth week's strong $29,000. Holds I prospect on first Criterion week, j indef. I Strongest second week bill is I Roxy (20th) (5,886; 80-$1.80) — !"The Accused," with the Mills Chicken Every Sunday" (20th) Bros; heading stageshow.^ at the I Paramount, with $62,000. Showing of inaugural via large-screen tele- I vision in the theatre helped con- I siderably but figured as adding to attendance on only a few shows. "Wake of Red Witch" still is un- ! usually big with $29,000 for third ' week at Mayfair. "Snake Pit," at Rivoli, and "Joan of Arc," at Vic- toria, continue remarkably strong on their long runs. Palace brings in "So Dear to My Heart," Walt Disney's latest, next Saturday (29) as second picture un- der new firstrun policy at this house. G'obe opens "Lucky Stiff" on same day. Estimates for This Week Inaugural No Bonanza i To Wash. Albeit W i Huge $37,000, W 18G Washington, Jan. 25. | j Anticipated Inaugural bonanza backfired here, with biz slumping badly during the height of the celebration. Most of town's exhibs are blaming it on video, which out drew even the array of class first- runs the main stem assembled for the visitors. Midnight shows skedded to take care, of the over- llow were outright-flops.—"Joan gt Arc" which opened at RKO Keith's on the eve of the Inaugu- ration, seems to have' weathered the storm best;. Estimates for This Week _ Capitol (Loew's) (2,434; 44-80)— Wonderful Urge" (20th) plus vaude. Nice $24,000 for an or- dmary week, but not for this one. Timi.^^f'^' "Unfaithfully Yours" .uoth) plus .vaude, fell short of hopes biit still at stout $35,000. thanks to Jane Powell on stage. Columbia (Loew's) (1,263; 44-74) ^.\",Navy" (U) plus "Who Done « (U) (reissues). Sturdy $7,500. ^m o.)."'||&o"'''"°^ ^'""^^ -li?4ftf"'"n (Lopert) (376; '$1.20- $2.40)-"Red Shoes" (EL) (3d wk>. beaten ttack arty house doing ((.'Ontmued on page 18) Det. Drags Despite New Films; 'Married' Robust 21G,'Whiplash'Only UG V Detroit, .Tan. 25. Pour new bills here this week but biz: is on sluggish side."Every Girl Sliould Be Married" at Michi- gan looks best new entry. "Gotta Stay Happy" is nice at the United Artists. Weekend trade is being hurt some by the Civic Light Opera. "Snake Pit" is pacing the hold- overs witli fairly good second week at the Fox. Estimates for This Week FOx (20th-Fox) (5,000; 70-95)— "Snake Pit" (20th) (2d wk). Steady $22,000. Last week, $23,000. Michigan (UDT) (4,000; 70-95)— "Every Girl Married" (RKO) and "Sons Of Adventure" (Rep.). Fine $21,000 or over. Last week, "Pale- face" (Par) '(4"th-wk),"s'oTid $15,0007 Palms (UDT) (2,900; 70-95)— "Night Has Thousand Eyes" (Par) good $15,000, Last week,, "Man From Colorado" (Col) and "'Blonde Ice" (FC), fair $12,000. United Artists (UDT) (2,000; 70- 95)—"You Gotta Stay Happy" (U). Nice $15,000. Last week, "Ac- cused" (Par), $14,000, Madison (UDT) (1,800; 70-95)— "Whiplash" (WB) and "Christo- pher Blake" (WB). Barely okay $11,000. Last week, "Unknown Is- land" (FC), $10,000. Adams (UDT) (1,700; 70-95)— "Words and Music" (M-G) (4th wk). Down to $7,000. Last week, oke $8,500. Downtown (UDT) (3,700; 70-95) —"Three Musketeers" (M-G) (4th Wk); Light $11,000. Last week, $14,000. Rain Pounds Pitt; my NSH $16,000 Pittsburgh, Jan. 25. Rainy weekend battered biz here generally,, but holdover of "Snake Pit" at Harris managed to stand up "under it, as did ''Wake of Red Witch" at Fulton. Among the new pix, "Boy With Green Hair" is doing' fair at Stanley, although below hopes heavy campaign. Estimates for this Week Fulton (Shea) (1,700; 44-76)— "Wake of Red Witch" (Rep) (2d wk)i Holding; up nicely, and prob- ably will rate a third stanza on strength of strong $9,500 this ses- sion. Last week, sizzling $14,000.: Harris (Harris) (2,200; 44-76.)— "Srtake Pit" (20th) (2d wk). Best thing this house has had in a long time. Nifty $15,000 on top of boffo $23,000 last week. " Penn (Loew's-UA) (3,300: 44-76) -^"Kissing Bandit^' (M-G) : and "Dear Secretary" (UA). This isn't ordinarily: a dfiuble-feature house, and customers apparently sniff somethine when one of them comes along. Mild S12.000. Last week, "The Accused" (Par), $13 ,500. Ritz (Loew's) (800; 44-76)—"The Accused" (Par) (m.o.). Isn't doing too Well at !53,000. Last week, "Words and Music" (M'G) (m.o.),| about same. Senator (Harris) (1.750; 4'i-76)—' "Johnny Apollo" (20th) and "Show, Them No Mercy" (20th) (reissues). Fair $3:500. Last week, "Yellow! Skv" (20fh) (m.o.), $3,000. I $1.85)—"Act of Violence" (M-G» Stanley (WB) (3,800; 44-76)—I First week ending next Friday "Boy With Green Hair" (RKO). I (28) likely will,be only very mild This one onened on heels of Ion.?- $19,000. Started out nicely on range and expert camoaign, butrSaturday but has not. done well crix tore nicture apart; disappoint- ] since Ing $16,000 or near. Last week, i week "P^lefnce" (Par) (2d wk). good I (EL) due in next. In ahead, "Mexi- $16,500. I can Hayride" (U) did only $22,000 .Warner (WB) (2,000; 44-76)—1 in 1-1 days, very thin. •Palefacc" (Pf-r) (m.o.V Sti]l hold-1 Globe (Brandt) (1,500; 90-$1.50) —''Belle Stafr's: Daughter". (20th) (Sd-fihal wk). Down to dim $10,- 000 or utider after only $14,000 for secohd, "Lucky Stiff s. (UA) Opens Saturday (29). ■ , : • .: , • ; : /: I Mayfair (Brandt) (1,736; 60- i $1.25) —- "Wake of Red Witcli" e 111 rtl'Il > AAA 'Rep) (3d wk). Still "very big at oeattle! liUlS JhO.OuO $29,000 or over in current session with Tony .Martin, Dean Murphy, Beatrice Kraft Dancers plus ice- show heading stage bill (2d wk). First week (8 days) ended yester- . day (Tues.) was barely okay $105,- 000 .and on disappointing side con- sidering the extra day. Got away slowly but did nicely over weekend. "Wonderful Urge" (20th) with Bar- bara Ann Scott topping stageshow was only $52,000 in fourth week (6 days). "Yellow Sky" (20th) and Danny Kaye on stage open Feb. 1; State (Loew's) (3,450; 80-$1.50)— "Command Decision" (M-G) (2d wk). First week ended yesterday (Tues.) soared to terrific $63,000, best here in many weeks. Looks in for a long run. In ahead, final Astor (City Inv.) (1,300; TO-S1.50) fourth W^^^^^ —"Enchantment" (RKO) (5th wk). *^vil (M-G) was only $10,000. Current stanza ending next Fri-, Strand (WB) (2,756; 76-$1.50 — day (28) still satisfactory with ' Don Juan" (WB) plus Tommy $22,000, after Sturdy $25,500 for I Dprsey orch heading stage bill (5th fourth round. Stays on. wk). Down to $40,000 this week; Bijou (City In'v.) (589; $1.20- ffUrth was okay $50,000. Holds a $2.40>—"Red Shoes" (EL) (14th ^i^^^.' .lohn Loves Mary" wk). Present week ending tomor-1 <WB) plus Jack Carson and Robert -■ j Alda heading stageshow opening IFeb,' 4. , yictoria (City Inv.j (1,060;' 95 row (Thurs.) still in chips at $16,000, with most matinees now down to less than three-fourths capacity excepting Saturday- and Sunday, but night shows virtual sellouts; 13th round was $17,500. Capitol (Loew's) (4,820; 80-$1.50) —^"Man From: Colorado" (Cal) plus. Ink Spots,- Alan Carney, Blue Bar- ron orch. First week ending to- day (Wed.) shapes only fairly okay ! at $60,000 or less. Last week,] fourth of "Every Girl Married" i (RKO) with Skitch Henderson I orch heading stagesliow, was slow \ $37,500. ! Criterion (Loew's) (1,700: 70- . .- (1,060;" $2.40)—"Joan of Arc" (RKO) (Uth wk). Present stanza ending today (Wed.) still is highly profitable at $24,000 or over; 10th round was ' fancy $26,000. Continues. Pit" and"Wake week. "He Walked by Night" | Witch", are running close race m st. loo skids on ic^ 'Oct; lush $20,000 St. Louis, .Tan. 25; Week end of bad weather includ- ing Ireezing rain that almost para- lyzed traflic is slashing gross totals at main stem houses already bur- dened with too many.holdovers and reissues. "Return of October" is landing the most coin at Loew's. of Red May not stay a full second | "Snake "UA XIT'Allrn.l V>ti Mi ctht" 1 Witch abbreviated second"sessions. ine UD ai $8,500. Last vtiek: "Shee" (RKO) and "Last D-iys Pomoeii" (RKO) (reissues), big $11,000. 'By Night' Brisk $9,000, wa.s ending $38,500. Stays on indef, being one | $20,000 of few real coin^getters currently on the Street. - Palace (RKO) (1,700; 70-$1.40)-^ "Boy With Green Hair" (RKO) ! (3d-final wk). Stays only three I days in third frame starting today t (Wed;). Second week was down jto moderate $17,000 after fairly good $24,500 opener. Harsh crix „ ,,, , „^ I e, Friday, (28); second Seattle. Jan.: 25. I , Big power users continue to co-; -operate in— saving— electricil;y— be- ] cause of freeze: reducing power; production, with oversupply of! holdover the big current headache, i "Walked by Night" ■ shapes ffiirly , nice at Coliseum. "Snake Pit" at Fifth Avenue still is sock on hold-! over. Estimates for This Week , - . - ^ Blue Mouse (H-E) (800; 50-84)—- I appraisal blamed for slim showing "Return of October" Col) and here. "So Dear to My Heart" "Homicide for Three" (Rep)~ (3d, (RKO) opens Saturday (29). wk.). Mild $2,500 in 6 days after | Paramount (Par) (3,664; 55- 3,000 last week. 1 $1.50)—"The Accused" (Par) with Coliseum (H-E) (1,877: 50-84)—I Mills Bros., Jean Carroll, Ray Mc- "Walked by Night" (EL) and ] Kinley orch heading stageshow "Strawberry Roan" (Col), Nice (3d-final wk). Third stanza opens Dear today (Wed,). Initial holdover bancT j week %a5 off considerably at $62,- 000, despite some help from tele- vising of Inaugui'ali first w«elf was big $83,000; over hopes. "My GWii (Continued on page 18) ■ True Love" (Par) with three Sunk; (EL) Roan" (Col), ,000 or near. Last week. Secretary" (UA) and "Inner turn" (FC), $7,700. Fifth Avenue (H-E) (2,349; ,50-84) —"Snake Pit" (20th) and "Man- Estimates for This Week Ambassador (F&M) (3,000; 50-75) —"Snake Pit" (20th) (2d wk). Dowh lo $8,000 in 4 days after terrific $20,000 first stanza. Fox (F&M) (5,000; 50-75)—"Wake of Red Witch" (Rep) and "Parole, Inc." (EL) (2d wk). Off to $8,000 in 3 days after big $21,900 initial ses- sion. ■, Loew's (Loew) (3,172; 50-75)— "Return of October" (Col) and 'Piccadilly Incident" (M-G). Big Last week,"Three God- lathers" (M-G) and "Saxon Charm" (U), .$1.'),000. Missouri (F&M) (3,500; 50-75)— "Man Fl-om Colorado" (Col) and "Gotta Stay Happy" (U) (m.o.) (2d wk). Off to $8,000 following $10,- 000 for first week. Orpheum (Loew) (2,000; 50-751 —"Frankenstein Meets Wolf Man" iSG) and "Dracula's Daughter'' (SG) (reissues). Fine $7,000. Last week, "Words and Music" (M-G) (m.o.). big $7,500. St. Louis (F&M) (4,000; 50-60)— "Canyon Passage" (U) and "Fron- tier Gal" (U) (reissues). Good $7,000. Last week, "Johnny Apol* 10" (WB) and "Show Them no Mer* cy" (WB) (reissues), $6,500. Shubert (Ind) (1,500; 40-60)— "Paleface" (Par) and "Dynamite" (Par) (m.o.) (2d wk). Solid $3,500 after $4,500 for initial Session.