Variety (April 1924)

Wednesday. April 23, 1924 PICTURES VARIETY 19 CHI. THEA. DID $45,000 HOLY WEEK, OIN OF $5,000 OVER WEEK BEFORE Sophie Brant Credited for Healthy Draw—Two Her- alded Presentation Break Down and Cut Into Figures— Monroe and Randolph Do Well for Season With Repeats Chicago, April 22. Picture theatre receipts were all tout ot line in the Chicago "loop" ilast week. The period of Holy Week '^aa expected to bring on a line of '|ow figures, but the box ofTlce totals !were even lower even than the most MBtanlBtlc fli,'ures. . On? of the things that contributed ,to this situation was the fact that what had been planned for impor- tant and strengthening presenta- tions broke <Iown In two cC the prin- «lpal hou.oes. The effect on figures of this detail was severe. Sophie IJrnnt. opera singer, heavily billed to »ui>i)ort the Itichard Bar- thelmess pl''ture, "The Kncluinted Cottage," at the Chicago showed a- good deal of promise early in the •week, but when Miss Hrant was token ill at the middle of the week And withdrew, takings began to ease off. At that the Barthelmoss pic- ture did nicely, rolling up $41,000, an Increase of $5,000 from the pre- vious week. If MlKS Brant had con- tinued for the full week, picture men With their lin^rer on the box office pulse say, tlio total would have been 145.000 to $-18,000. Something like the same situa- tion happened at McVlckers. A Rus- Blan version of "Punch and Judy" was designed to exert a special draw for Holy Week, hut It failed to come through anil the management de- cided promiitly the cost of people and scenic charges was not juatilied for a presei.t ilion of Inferior Qual- ity. It was ch'sed after the second I>erformani e and a dancing act sub- stituted. CeiiiH'e Melford'3 produc- tion, "The D.iwn of a Tomorrow," proved almost a.s good a pull as the Barthelmoss, and the week came through at f.iir figures, wliere a Beliacle tni;;ht have been expected. Did $23,000 better than last week |)y $1,00. Juhnny Meighan next week. The two reanpcars that suffered ■omcthing of .i mild relapse, but Still did half well, despite the season, Were "Daugiitcr-i of Today," in Us third week, at the Randolph, and "The Birtli of a Nation." in Its second week at the New Orpheum at popular prices. The former repeated Its'spicy advertising campaign and got just below $7,000, compared to the normal week between $5,500 and $6,000, whicii justified the experi- ment. It is proposed to hold this picture further, an audacious move for a house that ordinarily changes weekly, although it has had long runs, such as 10 weeks for Chap- lin's "The KW and 12 weeks for "Hunting Big Game in Africa." ^ In the case of the Orpheum, It Is expected Jones, Llnck & Schaefer will go out after a record run for the Griffith picture, incidentally un- Slertaktng a heavy advertising cam- paign. Still a third repeat was "Powder" River in its third week at the Mon- ro*. The newspapers have done much for this picture by expanding on its educational character, since It Is a government war record and that feature had been reflected In the returns. It is proposed to con- tmue it indennitcly. Kven for Holy week is marked up $9,000 for a house which is around normal around $6,000. A remarkal)le showing was that of ,"Ten Comamndnients" at the Woods. It was supposed this picture, be- cause of its biblical subject, would show the least of Holy Week falling and that proved the fact. It chalked up $13,5000, a drop of $500, but still representing a handsome profit for the engagement. Figures for the week: Chicago—Barthelmess' Enchanted Cottage" (4,400; 55-75). Achieved $45,000, a gain of $5,000 gain in Holy Week over week previous. Much strength attributed to feature of Sophie Brant. She retired 111 Wednesday. If this feature could have played the whole week, the gross would have climbed to $48,000. McVickers—"The Dawn of a To- morrow," with Thomas Meighan. (Paramount; 2.500; 55-75.) Hurt by an early revision of presentation, Russian spectacle being closed Mon- day. Nevertheless, Heighan proved a draw and accumulated on the week. Roosevelt—"Under the Red Robe" (Cosmopolitan). With John Charles Thomas (1,266; 65-75). Picture never caught on, although received best of notices from the 111m review- ers of the dally papers. Started slowly and has not improved Its pace. Started last week. Its first first, but, on its second cased to be- tween $12,000 and $13,000. Monroe—"Powder River," govern- ment war record. Got .strong news- paper exploitation as educational and patriotic subject. On its third week dropped anotlier $1,000 to $9,000. but that total still good for the hou.sc, which has a norm.al figure of around $6,000. Same attraction announced to continue. Woods — "Ten Commandment.'," world beater biblical production. After establishing house record for style of attraction and Cicago high mark for picture playing at $1.C5 scale, has been slipping. Its best three weeks ago stood at better than $15,000. Week later it broke through that mark and and again last week slipped under the previous total to $13,500. Revival of amusements after Easier season will tell the tale. Orpheum—Griffiths "Birth of a Nation," first time in "loop" at pop- uar prices, aimed for long run .and Increase of advertising exploitation expected. Showed around $10,000 In second week, a drop of $2,000 on grind policy. Another factor that probably con- tributed to last week's decline of grosses generally was the balmy weather that kept the people away from downtown theatres and prob- .ably outlying theatres as well. METROPOLITAN $35,000 SURPRISED LOS ANGELES California's $21,000 Also Un- expected Last Week on the Coast OS T'UIVIES OR HI New York's Newest and Foremost Costume Rental Organization ROOK.8I 1437 B'way. Tel. 5580 Per »n. * LOCAL NAMES IN K. C. DONT MEAN ANYTHING Bad All Around Last Week, Especially Barthelmess at Mainstreet, $11,000 Kansas City. April 22. A perfect spring day, one of the first of the season and Ideal for the gasoline bugs, just about ruined the theatre openings last week, and busi- ness never recovered from the bad start. Holy week had something to di> with the slim returns, but that alibi cannot be blamed for everytliing. The managers, however, were not greatly disappointed, as they had not figured on much. The offerings at the four big one.<i were greatly varied. "The Extra Girl" brought Mabel Normand to the local screen for the first time in some months, but she failed to create much of a stir. The Liberty, with "The Dancing Cheat." expected a break on account of the story being by Calvin John- •*•#■ ^npmluclion FLORENCE VIDOR "^BARBARA FRlETCHir HODKINSON Season I9?4 :I925 ^"RBLEAgE Thttty First-RtwiPK^iircs I.os Angele.1. April 21. With most of the iiouwes getting away to a big start oii their open- ing days, especially those that change on S.iturdays, the figures for the week ran close to average dur- ing Holy Week. 'The Metropolitan showed re- markable box office power when the receipts for the first two days went over $15,000 with "Society Scandal," and business approached close to the record on the weelc. Creatore, back for a return en- gagement, helped. The Mission ushered in "Thy Name Is Woman." and the way the premiere was run oft reflects much credit on the manrtgement. An outstanding feature was the appearance of the members of the cast in the costumes of the characters they portray In the pic- ture. They included Ramon No- varro, Kdith Roberts, Wm. V. Mong, Wallace MacDonald, and others. 'The opening scale at $3 lop brought out a full .attendance. Elinor Glyn's "Three Weeks." at the Califomha, shared the limelight, with the house also getting top money on the week. An extra sin was necessary to accottimo- d.ate the crowds .Sunday night, with the first two reels being run at the final show for the late arrival.s. "Dorothy Vernon of Haddnn Hall" completed Its fifth and final week at a low figure considering the big average piled up On the four pro- ceeding weeks. . Loew's State, with Mae Murray in Mademoiselle Mn'night,' did only fairly. STANLEY, PHILLY, HOLY WEEK, HITS LOWEST GROSS IN MONTHS $21,000 With "Next Corner"—Business Held Steady Otherwise for Lent, but No Notable Takings Last Week Kstimates f>r last week: California—"Three Weeks" (Gold- wyn). Seats 2.000; scale. 25-85.) The (itie p.acked the house on the big days, tiien settled down to nor- mal. $L'1.500. Million Dollar—"Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall" (United Artiste). (Seats 2,L'00; scale, 25-65.) Pell down as was expected for this week. (Final fifth week ) $12,000. Metropolitan—"Society Scandal" (Paramount). (Seats 3.700; scale. 35-65.) Gloria Swanson's box office v.aluo overcame .any possible Holy Week slump, when the gross soared first two davH (Saturday and Sun- day). $35,000. RialtO—"Poi.soned Paradise"(Shul- berg). Seats SOO; scale, 35-85.) Third week off. $7,200. Egyptian—"The Ten Command- ments" (I'ar.imounl). (Seats 1.800; scale, 50-$1.6.-..) (20th week.) $20,700 Mission—"Tliy Name Ifl Woman" (Metro). (Seats 000; .scale. 50-$1.10). Personal appearances of featured players packed house at special $3 scale. $9,100. State — "Mademoiselle Midniht" (First National). (Seals 2,400; scale, S3-65.) Got good start, but felt the Holy Week .slump. $16,200. Criterion—"Secre's" (I'Mrst Na- tional). (Seats 1,750; scale, 60- $1.65.) Fifth week. $7,150. Miller's.—"Let Not Man Put Asun- der" ((Joldwyn). (Seats 900; scale, 2S-75.) $4,500. riuladoliihla, April 22. Probably because the.\'d reached about the lowest ebb the week pre- vious, the film houses, taken collec- tively held up encouragmgly last week. At the Stanton and the .\rcadia definite gains were recorded but the Stanley suffered r.ither heavily, the Fox dropped a bit, and the Karlton pulled up slightly. The Stanley had a picture with- out big n.ames, "The Next Corner.'' It received a se\'ere lacing from the critics, and would undoubtedly have had a much sadder week had it not been for added attractiuns. The week's gross was less than $21,000. the lowest the house has h.ad in some time. A splendid record was made by "The Great White Way" in its sec- ond week at the Arcadia, and it is now planned to keep this Cosmo- politan picture four weeks in all. The Fox. with "Gentle Jidia" and a mu.slcal program that received high praise again, would probably have registered a gain over the busi- ness done by "Hoodin.an Riind" in any week but Holy Week. As it was it limped a bit with $13,000, about as much imder normal as most houses fell during Lenten slump. "The Marriage Circle" wa.s .1 fair dr.TW only at the Palace, being a little too subtle for these drop-in audiences, and '•White Tiger" was a moderate dniw at the \'ictoria. This week imludes the usu.il run of program lilnis, "The Had Man" at the Fox, and "The Confiedence Man" with Tliomas .Meighan at the Stanley looking the sweetest. "Shadows of I'aris," -Tho Great White Way" and "The Ten Com- mandments' are the continuing shows, and the Kailton has "A Lady of Quality," Estimates for Last Week Stanley — "The Next Cornrr" (Paramount). P.inned by critics and not builder, but siuroimding bill, including Mask and Wig pic- tures and Fokliia Ballet helped some. Gross d. opped to li-s:< th m $21,000. (4,000, 50-75. evenings.. Stanton — "Shadows of I'aiis" (Paramount. 1st week). Looks like best bet house has had in some time. Started run at $11,000 in poor we.-k and hopes to last four weeks. (1,700. 50-75). Aldine — "The Tea Comm.and- mcnts" (Paramount, , 0th week). Dropped another peg reported at about $10,750. Expected '\o jump this week, Figured, aUo. to ride out season at house. ,(1.500, $1.65). Fox—"Gentle .T'ulia'' CI''ox». Al- though critics liked it, breaks of week and weather ng.ilnst big btisi- ness. house getting $13,000. Iielprd a great deal by popularity of musical bill. 3.000, 99). Arcadia—"The Great White Way" (Cosmopolitan, 2nd \voek). Rather unexpected winner, and flgrtred i.> stay month. $4,500 last week, sItKht gain, estimated as equal to $5,000 in normal weeks. (600, 75). Karlton—'Roy of Mine" (I'ir.^t National). Juvenile stories of tlii< kind, no matter how good, do not dr.aw very well here, Coogan luc- lures exception. "Roy of Mtrn.-" figure<l at $3,000, slight gain ovr preceding week, but nothing to br iij ubout. EXPECTS FINAL DECREE Los Angeles, April 2.'. A finaf dcirce of divorce i.s ck- pecled this week by Madcliiu' lliii- lock from Capt. John Sioilingf McGovern. Miss Hurlock, former leadlnij woman for Ben Turi>in, received ati Interlocutory decree April 6, 1923, when she told the court It was im- possible to live with McGovern oa accoimt of his eccentric actions. Tho couple were married August 6. 1917, and separated June &, 19lit. Mrs, McGovorn alleged that without the formality of a divorc* on tin* day of separation he married "Bud- die" Wrli.;ht, a former Ziegfeld 'Follies" girl, in New York. Lehr's Independent Production Los Angeles. April 22. As soon .as ho leaves the Goldwyn organization, Abraham Lehr an- nounces he will start independent production. It is probable that Lehr will use the Charles Ray studios for his personal enterprise. sfon. a local writer. One critic said: "The film is such a travesty of the original slory no doubt the author would prefer to have the public re- member It as a good story than as a poor movie." Universal made it, and evidently turned it over to Its poor- est scenario writers, with orders to go slow on he fin.inccs. The Mainstreet. with Richard Rarthelmes.s in "Tlie Knchanted Cot- tage," was also in the slump. Another Missourian was repre- sented on the local screen during the week, as Adam Hull Shirk of Ver- sailles, -Mo . author of the story, "The Way -Men Love," from which the film, "l!y Divine Ri«lit." feitur»d at the Apollo, was made Last week's estimates: — Newman— The F.xtra CJlrl ' (.Mack Sennetti. (1,9S0; 55-75.) Kxtra act.i. Feature failed to draw much atten- tion. Gross not much over $10,000. Mainstreet—"The Knchanted Cot- tage" (First National), (3,400; SO- SO). .Six acts. Richard Rnrthelmess in pictiue. Feature lacked enter- tainment. Gros? for week by far lowest sine-? First Nationals featured. Guess, $11,000. Liberty—'Tlie Dancing Cheat" (Universal), (1.000; 40-50). Will Itngers' "Two Wagons Uncovered" added. Business off. as with the other houses. Clicked around $4,000. Royal— Icebound" (Paramount), (^90; 40-50). Richard DIx and Lola WiNon ThW Iittl<> houa«' h is fol- ..tiiumfi i.uJ,(.o.8,:.«->'<, ^^•■'.>y\. , IV.vmi'- juai und«'r $6 00(i.. ; . i , , , ... ' HAROLD LOYD IN ".' 'GIRL SHY' CROWDS! CROWDS! CROWDS! Overwhelming Testimony As To The Greatness Of Lloyd And The Pulling Power Of His Latest Pictwre Long before the opening at 1.30 p. m. on Sunday, April 20, there was a con- stantly increasing line before New York's Strand. , . . At 10.45 p. m. there was still a line, extending around the corner. Throughout the showing people were standing ten deep inside. Thousands were turned away. As we go to press, there are still crowds and crowds. Lloyd is a capacity star, and "Girl $hy'* is a capacity picture^ >X^atch records go glimmering! A PAIHE PICI I .111 •. 11 / /