Variety (May 1923)

18 PICTURES Thursday, May 24, 1923 SAFETY LAST,' $28,000 IN PHOLY; GARRICK'S PICTURE SEASON GEO. SPOOR'S RETURN WITH SECRET PROCESS Legit House Will Have Four Week** Supplementary Season— Drug Film in for Two Weeks— "Bella Donna" Drops Off Philadelphia, May 23. The advent of the Garrick, a legit house, into the film situation here, beginning next Monday, is the out- standing topic of interest in Philly. The Garrick will have a supple- mentary season of four weeks of pictures following the closing of its regular theatrical year. The ven- ture Is one of the Stanley com- pany's and will start with the drug feature, "The Greatest Menace," in for two weeks. The Garrick has al- ways been a popular house for pic- tures of this nature as well as for animal pictures and the like. The successor to "The Greatest Menace" has not been announced. It has been rumored that It will be the Martin Johnson Jungle pictures which several weeks ago were re- ported as going into the Garrick, but no confirmation has been ob- tained. It Is known that Metro is seeking a house for special exploita- tion of this feature before the sum- mer dullness arrives. The outstanding feature of last week's business was the record of "Safety Last" at the Stanley. Thin comedy beat the gross of "Dr. Jack" and proved one of the sensations of the spring season here. The critics helped it along, and no feature at the Stanley has shown more defi- nite gain from word of mouth ad- vertising than this one, which by Thursday was jamming them in at all performances. As proof of Its pulling power here the Stanley company is announcing it for the Karlton next week and will also show It at the Victoria, making three downtown houses—an unusual record. It could undoubt- edly have run for three or four weeks at the Stanley to tremendous business, and is expected to follow the example of "Dr. Jack,** which cleaned up big In its second show- ing at the Karlton (generally a first run house). There was a number of musical )features used In connection with the showing of "Safety Last," and in celebration of Music Week. Among these were a trio singing selections from "Faust," and con- sisting of prominent local singers, and a piano recital by -Israel Vich- nin, a promising young musician of this city. Altogether it was one of the most successful weeks the Stanley ban had in a long time, and that is saying a lot, as this house has seldom fallen below Its usual high standard. "Bella Donna" did not do par- ticularly well in its final week at the Stanton. Some attribute this to the picture and others to the arrival of hot weather, but the fact remains that the Pola Negri picture failed to show much after its first week and should never have been kept after the second. • As it was, "The Ne'er Do Well" was booked in be- ginning Saturday, and shows prom- ise of pretty good money in a week or two. There is little chance that it will be kept longer than that. In all probability the house will close following the run of "The Ne'er Do Well," to reopen In Sep- tember. No official announcement to this effect has come from the Stanley company's offices, but it is generally believed that, following a splendid season and not wishing to drop money heavily, as they did last spring, it will be decided to close the house for a couple of months. It is also probable that the Stanley people believe that having one house closed for the summer each year lends a certain amount of distinction to that house as cater- ing to a society clientele. In this connection it would perhaps be bet- ter to close the Aldlne, which is the most remote of the big downtown houses, but it Is likely that the com- pany prefers to follow the prece- dent set last year. The other "Big Four" houses had only fair grosses last week, the Ai- ding with "Mighty Lak' a Rose," and the Karlton, with "Can a Woman Love Twice?" The latter had the assistance of the Einstein Theory film, but failed to attract much business. The title of the feature Is figured to have been a hindrance at this Chestnut street house. "Mighty Lak' a Rose" won some pleasant notices and showed a tendency to pick up in business as the week went by, but this was mostly offset by some very warm weather. On the other hand, the two prom- SUMMER SUBSCRIPTION for VARIETY [ $1.75 (three months) $2 Foreign DRAWING WOMEN Bushman and Bayne Did It in Buf- falo Lsst Week Buffalo, May 23. Business slumped slightly in all quarters during the past week, due to a solid week of continued Inclem- ent weather. The week end showed strong, and with the weather turn- ing clear and cold all downtown houses finished the week to capac- ity. Heavy feature attractions con- tinued to be the chief item of note, with competition running neck and neck. Last week's estimates: Hipp—"Modern Marriage," with Bushman and Bayne in person. (Ca- pacity, 2,400; scale, nights, 35-50.) This attraction proved especially heavy for matinee business. A strong feminine draw was in evi- dence all week. Nights went some- what short of capacity, and feature proved substantial though not sen- sational drawing card. Slightly un- der $15,600. Loew's State— "Souls for Sale" and vaudeville. (Capacity, 3,400; scale, nights, 30-50.) Good attrac- tion for house, drawing excellent comment all around. Did $15,000/ Lafayette Square—"Can a Woman Love Twice?" and vaudeville, headed by Hyams and Mclntyre. (Capacity, 3,400; scale, nights, 35-55.) Rushing up heaviest guns available in way of attractions. Business continued steady last week. Between $14,000 and $15,000. Olympic—"What Wives Want." (Capacity, 1.600; scale, nights, 20- 40.) Slipped under $2,500. This house Is sliding and probably due for change of policy shortly from first to second run features. One of Films' Pioneers—Has Stereopticon Effect — Will Back With Own Capital Hsl Rosch Leave* Studio Los Angeles, May 23. Hal Roach has retired from the active management of his studios to devote his efforts to aiding exhib- itors and searching for new stars. H. M. Walker, T. J. Critzer and Warren Deane have been selected as the active heads. inent Bast Market street houses, the Palace and the Victoria, had good weeks. The former showed "Grumpy," which had won such glowing notices at the Stanley and had proved so popular* while there, and the latter showed "The Face on the Barroom Floor," an ideal choice for this drop-in house. This week's attractions Include "Rustle of Silk," which had the poorest Monday opening the Stan- ley has had in some time; "The Ne'er Do Well," at the Stanton; "The Tiger's Claw," with Jack Holt, and "Susanna," with Mabel Nor- mandy at the Aldine. If the last named does any kind of business it will probably be held over for an- other week. The last Normand pic- ture, "Molly O," did good business at this same house last vear. The Stanley, In addition to "The Rustle of Silk," has an unusually big bill, headed by Thaddeus Rich, concert master of the Philadelphia Orchestra and a violinist of note. Thero are several other musical features on the program. "The Fa- mous Mrs. Fair" and "The Bright Shawl" are succeeding pictures at the Stanley. Estimates of last week: Stanley — "Safety Last" (Pathc). Biggest business house has had in a long time, gross almost touching the $28,000 mark. Notices laudatory and word of mouth resulted in mobs towards the end of the week. "Rus- tle of Silk" this week started poorly. (Capacity, 4.000; scale, 35 and 60 cents matinees; 50 and 75 cents evenings.) Stanton —"Bella Donna" (Para- mount). Not so good in third week. gross dwindling to about $8,500 for five days. "The Ne'er Do Well" be- gan a limited run Saturday. (Ca- pacity, 1,700; scale, 35 and 60 cents matinees; 50 and 75 cents evenings.) Karlton — "Can a Woman Love Twice?" sever got started very strongly and proved a big disap- pointment after sensational busi- ness of "Down to the Sea In Ships." At that it did better than some of late winter attractions at house, and popularly figured to have been a big bet in another theatre; $6,000. (Capacity, 1.100; 50-eent scale.) Aldine —"Mighty Lak' a Rose." Nicely treated in dailies aud showed some pieking-up power as week Went along, but warm weather kept gross down to $«,500. "Suzanna" now figured to be the picture to rouse house from slump whieh has endured for several months. <<Ca- pacity, I.tiOO; 30-oenl seale.) Chicago, May 23. George K. Spoor, one of the pioneers of the motion picture pro-' duction field, who was head of the old Essanay Company, In which G. M. Anderson was interested with him, and one of the vital and im- portant factors in the now defunct General Film Co., which controlled the entire industry in its day, Is to return to active participation in the industry. Spoor, who makes his headquarters in Chicago, has for some time past been working se- cretly on a process of production that may revolutionize the entire exhibiting as well as the producing fields. Spoor in his retirement from pic- tures just prior to the general slump which hit the industry a few years ago is said to have taken more than $20,000,000 with him, all of which he acquired during the time that he was identified with the Es- sanay and the General. He is plac- ing his own capital behind the project and Is financing it in this territory with some largo banking interests. The project, as far as information regarding it has leaked, is that it is somewhat in the nature of a stereopticon effect, with the pro- jection taking in the entire width and depth of the stage and the characters In the picture appearing as though they were actually walk- ing on the stage. The seats are said to have shown in the experiments thus far conducted as though they were in actuality built on the stages. % The latter phase of the invention is somewhat along the lines of the experiments that Hugh Thomas, a stage electrical engineer in New York, conducted several years ago with the medium of still slides. During the experiments Thomas' health failed, and he was compelled to forego further following of his research work. It Is possible that the Spoor In- novation may be an outgrowth of the investigations originally made by Thomas. Whether or not the utilisation of the new Spoor picture would neces- sitate any changes in the present projection systems of the theatres cannot be ascertained at this time. COAST FILM NEWS By EDWARD G. KRIEO Los Angeles, May 23. Mae Murray is in New York where it is expected she will stay for a month and then return to Hollywood for an indefinite period. » When Barbara La Marr goes to Europe to film her next picture, her newly acquired husband, Jack Dougherty, also a film actor, will accompany her. Sylvia Nadina, who halls from the same -place as the famous Pola Negri, is the latest arrival in Holly- wood. It is said that she will play her first role under the personal supervision of William P. S. Earle. Filming of "Barbara Worth," Harold Bell Wright story, will not be screened as scheduled. Research work makes it impossible to start work on the feature till late In September. Venice clergymen have petitioned the Board of Trustees to stop the showing the Chas. Chaplin film "The Pilgrim," which Is now showing at a local theata«k on the grounds that the picture •* a direct slap at the ministry and prohibition. Finis Fox, after a record trip to New York where he made arrange- ments for the release of his latest Independent offerings through Asso- elated Exhibitors, has already started work on another film. Fred Waring, leader of the pop- ular "Warlng's Pennsylvanians," was wed the other day to Miss Dorothy McAteer, who came from Pittsburgh for the ceremony. Hope Hampton is expected to ar- rive in Hollywood May 25. She is signed to play the leading role in David Belasco's 'The Gold Diggers," which Warner Bros, will produce. Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Torrence are expected to leave for New York within the next two weeks for the purpose of studying stage plays now showing In the bright light district. William P. S. Earle has completed work on his latest production, "Tut- Ankh-Amen." E. H. Goldstein, treasurer of Uni- versal, arrived at the producing center from New York. Mr. Gold- stein is here on an executive call. Fred Kley, West Coast Fox man* sger, is in New York to confer with William Fox and other heads on the building of new studios here. Tyrprie Power is expected to re- turn to Hollywood shortly. "WAG0N*IN BOSTON Psrsmount Special's Opening Event in Besntown $24,500 FOR 'GO GETTER' AT GRAUMAN'S MET DETROIT NOT BIG "Bells Donna" Fell Awsy in Second Week—Cspitol Did 120,000 Detroit, May 23. Nothing big In the way of pic- ture attractions last week, wltb the result everybody reported buemess slumped for the week. There were two hold-overs, "Bella Donna" at the Adams and the Snow Hunt Pic- tures at the Broadway-Strand. The Madison had a very weak picture. "A Woman's Woman," while "The Ne'er Do Well" at the Capitol easily proved the best of the feature at- tractions. The Capitol has completed Its sea- son of Sunday noon symphony con- certs and will start them again next September on a more elaborate scale. The average attendance at these concerts has been 3,500 weekly. The concerts start at 12:30 and last an hour. One admission is charged for the concert and the regular show, which immediately follows: Estimates for last week: Capitol— "The Ne'er Do Well." Thomas Melghan. Good business; around $20,000. Adams —"Bella Donna." Held over, but failed to prove attractive. Receipts fell off considerably; around 37,000. Madison—"A Woman's Woman." Poor picture for this house; less than $9,000. Broadway-Strand — Second week of Snow's "African Hunt." Closo to $7,000; total of $17,000 for two weeks. Held third week. Boston, May 23. The first real thrill in pictures here since the first of the season, when "Knighthood" came into the Park followed closely by "Robin Hood," was Monday night, when "The Covered Wagon" opened at the Majestic, playing at $1.60 top. With this picture the Shubert house that for the past two seasons has been the home of the Shubert vaudeville, and where the Russian Players just finished up a couple of weeks, swings over, for the summer, it is hoped, to the ranks of the picture houses. The film is being shown twice a day, with the mat. top at $1. Nothing was spared in the way of advertising and publicity to put this picture over. A sign which rivaled that used in "Knighthood" was put up outside the house, and everything done to point out that the picture was an event of the season. In all the reviews the picture got a good break, even the "Transcript," Bos- ton's conservative paper, and one of the few which dares to say anything definite about theatrical attractions, giving it a boost. There is only one thing that may mitigate against the picture, and that is the speedy re- leases of other feature pictures in the popular-priced houses around here following a showing at heavy top prices. The ads for the "Cov- ered Wagon" are carrying a line that it will not be seen In any other the- atre in New England this season, and that is going to help consider- ably if it is believed. Business around town last week was a bit light in the middle of the week, due to a weather break. A couple of warm nights hit into the grosses at the picture houses, but,at the end of the week cooler weather came back again and the houses closed to big business. It has been a good season so far for the picture houses, as Boston and vicinity has had one of the cool springs that the city is noted for, and the summer parks and beaches hare not got any break at all. The beaches are plug- ging the dance hall thing hard here in the ads and are doing everything to draw the crowds there, but while the present weather continues the picture houses will get them. "The Soul of the Beast," playing at the State last week, turned in a gross«of about $13,000, with the "Af- fairs of Lady Hamilton." on the third week at the Park, grossing about $3,500. The Modern and the Beacon, both downtown sister houses, did $6,000, with "The Strangers' Banquet" and "West- bound Limited" at Tremont Temple did $3,000 for the week. e City Officials Boost Gross in L A.—Last Week's New Pro- ductions Only Ordinary Los Angeles, May 23. Nothing of a sensational nature bobbed up to mar or enhance the serenity of the box office situation at the film theatres. Last week will go down In local cinema history under the simple and staid classifi- cation of "ordinary.** The only thing that could be called unusual was the splurge Grauman's Metro- politan made, with the aid of the local Hearst papers, to put over "The Go-Getter." In addition to columns of publicity, the Hearst crowd, augmented by the theatre staff, got the mayor and city officials to proclaim the week "Go-Getter Week," with a parade, two bands and all the fixin's. The receipts were helped. Estimates for last week: California—"The Last Moment" (J. Parker Read). Seats, 2,000; 25c- 66c. Doris Kenyon, Henry Hull and Louis Calhern. Comedy, "The Dippy Doo-Dad"; $11,000. Kinema — "Within the Law* (Schenck). Seats, 1.800; 25c.-55c. Norma Talmadge. Usual musical features, though no special acts: $15,600. Grauman's—"Trifling With Honor" (Universal). Seats, 2,200; 25c.J5c. Considered only mediocre program feature. Buddy Messenger, member of cast, appeared in person and FTitxa Ridgway, also in cast, starred in atmospheric prolog; $14,500. Metropolitan — "The Go-Getter*? (Cosmopolitan). Seats, 3,700; 35c- 65c. "Follies* Girls" held over. Big draw. Heller's orchestra in big type; $24,600. " Grauman's Rtilto — "Enemies of Women" (Cosmopilitan). Seats, 800; 35c.-55c Fifth week with prospects of running two or three more. Symphony selections only added attraction; $9,000. Grauman's Hollywood — "The Covered Wagon" (Paramount). Seats, 1,800; 50c-$l. Probably will run way Into summer; $17,000. Mission—"Main Street" (Warner Bros.). Seats. 900; 35c-80c Fourth week holding up. Got $13,300. Loew's State— "Thelma" (F. B. O.). Seats, 2.400; 35c.-65c. Chester Ben- nett production. .Jane Novak fea- tured. Mosconi Family, dancers, equal draw with picture. Usual added musical features; $15,900 DWAH DIRECTING "ZAZA" Alan Dwan Is to direct "Zaxa" for Paramount, the production to be made at the Long Island City stu- dio*. Gloria Swanson will be the star, her first picture made in the East in some time. 30 Paramount Delegates at L. A. Los Angeles. May 23. Th. Paramount distribution dele- gates opened their semi-annual session at the Ambassador hotel Monday with 30 in attendance. POX BUYS 450- ACRE TRACT Los Angeles, May 23. The William Fox concern Is re- ported purchasing a tract of 450 acres in the Westwood-Beverly sec- tion for enlargement of Its studio facilities. It is reported the purchase will represent an investment of $3,300,000. Royal, Frisco, to McNeil Group San Francisco, May 23. An important theatrical deal was consummated here last week when Robert A. McNeil, the T. and D„ Jr., Circuit and Nasser Bros, bought out the interests of H. W. Jacobs. A. C. Karski, Frank* Levy and Mrs. Ksther Oppenlieimer in the Royal, a large neighborhood picture house. FIRST OF THE DOPES Los Angeles, May 23. 'The Great Menace," the first of the dope pictures, produced by An- gela C. Kaufman, a civic worker and philanthropist, opened this week at the Alhambra. No riots occurred at any of t'-e early performances, leaving the im- pression dope films will not r a;isC a sensation here at least. Wealthy Husband Didn't Provide Los Angeles. May 23. Judge Summerfleld granted a divorce to Mrs. Henrietta Newmark, sister-in-law to the film producer. Hal Roach. Herbert Newmark was charged by his wife wifh failure to provide in spite of the fact that he is a wealthy coffee importer.