Variety (October 1925)

Wednesday October 7. 1925 PICTURES VARIETY 37 CAPITOL REACHED $58,000 BUT ^— DID NOT HOLD OVER FILM ♦'Freshman's" Big Showing First 2 Weeks at Colony, $88,000—"Don Q" Second Week, $34,000— Cameo's First Run—Syd Chaplin Breaks Record Broadway's picture business last week sh<>\ve<l throe separate anil dlBtlnct phases. The lirst was tlic hlKh of $5S,ir>8.25 that the Capitol did with "The Tower of Lies." which ta not an extraordinary picture in any sense of the word; the second the drop "The Iron Horse" suCfored In Its second we«lt nt the Uivoli where it Kot only $13,Kti*>, and third the consistent draw which the Har- old Lloyd picture, "The Freshman," If provlnpr to be at the Colony, where on the two weeks that It has been running it rolled up a total of J88.953.97. Otherwise along the street the business maintained its usual aver- age. The nialto with "A Son of His Father" managed to top the F. P. houses, getting $16,735, while the Strand, with the second week of "Don Q," played to |34,300, about $10,000 under what it got the first week. The \Varner Bros, look to have a box olllctf winner to a certain extent In "The Man on the Box," with Syd Chaplin starred, at their own the- atre, where it broke the house rec- ord with $1»,323 last week and is being held over for the current week. An unu.sual fact was noted last week in that the little Cameo had an actual -e-release first run In "What Fools Men," a picture un- doubtedly forced out of the Strand and Riven to tne little house, which got $»t500 with it on the week. At t.ie house \.here the features are in for a run "The I'hantom of the Opera" at the Astor and "The Merry Widow" at the Kmbas.sy are holding their own and getting a fair share of the business. The for- mer got around $11,500 last week while at the little house the •Widow" regist<-red with $10,258. "The Wanderer" at the Criterion has been sllppincr weekly lately and is due to go out to make room for the incoming "The Vanishing Amer- ican." Last week was $8,081 for that attraction. "The Freshman's" figures for the first week were $45,126.35, while those for the second showed $43,827.62. giving the hou.«<e an aver- age per seat business on -the two weeks of $23.70, a reco-rd when it Is considered that there is only a Beating capacity of 1.876. ATptro-rjoWwyn is due within the next couple of months to bring three additional specials to Broad- way, They are "Ben-H'ir." "The Big Parade" and "Mare Nostrum." The former two are certain to be placed Into legitimate houses while the latter may follow "The Merry Widow" at the Embassy. Bu-slncKS for the current week opened strong all along the line, the rain Sunday and the continued cold Weather on Monday and Tuesday driving the audiences In. Estimates for Last Week Astor—"Phantom of the Opera" (V.) (1.140; $1.50). Drop?)ed to un- der $11,500 last week. Still doing fair business considering all angles. Week-end business naturally big. holding up receipts. ..Cameo—"What Fools Men" (F. N) (5)9; 50-85). First first run this little house has had in some time. Picture was forced out of the Strand due to that house running big si>e(ials for two weeks each, ^ok $l.r.O0. just a f.iir week. Capitol—'The Tower of T-ies' (M.-C.) (.fi.iso: 50-$l.fi5). Surpris- 9A*^ ''"*''n<'«s last weekf getting $.''>'<.- 200. a lit^ure thaj about year aso ■Would h.-ive almost been . reason enough fyj- .hoiiifinsr■ i»kinrtlPfl•»ovpi-. Appe.Trs now Capitol is on way to •natter nil existing iv ise records for average ucekly huMiness since it was built. Colony—"The Freslnnau ' (Pathe) •l.STfi: .'iO-SS). .«!e-ond week Harold Lloyd feature almost cfpialed fig- ure of first week when :ictu.il take ?'**'" ^-^Sl '6 35. Second week showed ♦ 43,Si;7.t;L', total of $88.953,97 for two week.9. tremend()\is two weeks' busi- ness when considered house ha.« spatini,' eap.TPitv of Imt l.S-fi. -,^'"'*e'"'on "The Wanderer" (F.P.) '*'><; $I,.'-|(l). Xpxt week will prob- ^nly be n„;il one nt Criterion, the rani'.us executives bavin;,' dcci.bd ^n^-y have world beater in "Tb< ^■inisliing American." puftinc lUch- "'" l»ix starring vehlrle into house lor run. "The W.uideter' slipi)ing *iiKitly week after week. Last *<^'l< »s,nsi,.-,o. -.f"''''a«y-"Tlie Meirv Wi.low" j'«' ■<■■> <t;00: $2,'_'0). I)roppe<l Off "s than $I,")0 under previous week, pjiilt doing snilkient business to "•■!> it at house for « imsiiler.ible '"''!' <r fit weeks. $lO,:i(iO. Rialto '.is-on of His F.ilh.r' i F, ' ' '1,960; .50-85-99). KlaUo busi- WHITEMAN'S HIP RECORD $28,500 Four Shows Daily in Buf- falo Last Week Buffalo, Oct. 6. Paul Whiteman and his orchestra furnished the seven-day wonder of the BulTalo picture houses last week. All previous records at the Hip were sma.shed and the gross. $28,500, bet- tered by $1,500 over anything the house has ever done in the past. All tlie other houses were dwarfed into inslgnlfl.:ance. The Gilda Gray figure which pre- viously marked the record was slightly under $27,000 despite claims that it was in excess of this amount. "The BVeshman," the week prevlouti, got $27,000 which is about the rec- ord at the house for a straight pic- ture offering. Whiteman did anly four shows a day, the act running close to 60 minutes. Had he been able to cut the offering and present it for an additional show as has been done with picture features the gross could etisily have been a couple of tliousand dollars higher. Last Week's Estimates: Hip (2400; 35-50)—P.iul White- man and "Slave of Fashion." Blew all previous records to smithereens. Continuous capacity for four shows daily. Closing Saturday biggest day and perhaps biggest day Hip ever had. $28,500. v Loew's (3400; 35-50)—"Son of His Father" and Ben Welch. This house suffering from quality of vaudeville past few weeks. Last week's Wll with Welch headlining opened strong but found little favor with fans. Bills must offer noticeable improve- ment to keep this one in running. $15,500. Lafayette (3400; 35-50)— "Hell's Highroad" and vaudeville". Noth- ing outstanding with result only middling business. $15,000. Sloppy and 'Floppy New Orleans, Oct. 6. A sloppy, floppy week in the pic- ture places. Kain and dismal im- prints caused the natives to forget all about "The Street of Forgotten Men" at the Liberty, while few- chanced in upon the "Winds of Chance" during its Strand tcnacvy. "Seven Days." in its seven days at the Tudor, seemed like an eternity to the management. A great week for the cashiers to catch up on their chocheting. The figures: Strand—2,200; 83—"W i n d s of ChancP." One of the year's "Brodie.s." $4,300, and gloom. Liberty—"The Street of Forgotten .Men." Kan along quietly to $."!,300. Tudor—SOO; 40—"Seven Days." Comedies not relished at Tudor. This one no exception. $1,800. West Directing "Bat" Los Angeles. Oct. 6. Koland West will direct "The Bat," to be released through United ArtitUa. 4s yet no east selections hftye' been rnad^. "' *i»-,*A-^» > ness last week best of two Kamcjus houses on Broanway. Not th.at Kl- alto was good, but PJvoli did so l.adly. Pi /lure H.irold Bell Wright stoiy and retui'n $ltl.7."iO. ma,)<ir por- tion un<loiil)tedIy due to Men fjernt" draw. Rivoli —"The Iron Horse' (Kox) (.'.lOO; .^0-^5-99). Sei-ond ueek of I''(ix special shoued tliat puldieity picture got at "Lyric ni.aile it st.ind up as it did at the box olllce. With that publicity piin'li l.i. I<ing second week of first showing on Proadw.'ixat pop i>rii ■ s went all to pieces vpfth $1.1.9(10 in i<'x office {)nc of Worst weeks Kmili has had in some time. Strand Don Q" (l'. A ) (2.900; .'1 ."i - ."i 0 - S .-J). !^ec(jnd weel< of I'aii- hanks feature .it Slr.iiiil Idiiiid Imsl- nesH off .ihout $10.0UO under initial we<k, with take reporteil as $.11,300. Vv'ar ncrs—"The Man on the Itox" ( \'.-..rnei:4) (tnnO; ■in.sr,-99). S> d I'haplin broke liie hoii^- record the III si week with $r',:f.':i. so the pte- tuie held over. PICKFORD'S "ROONEY" $3,000 OVER SWANSON'S Two New Pop Vaudeville Houses in Boston—Fen- way Holds Up Boston, Oct. 6. W'ith Mary PicMord in ' Little Annie Uooney." the htate, Loew's Liig uptown house, did a whale of a business last week with the grojs running lietter than $19,000. It ua.i tlie lirst time this se.ison that thii? hou.w had reached this figure, but it is a figure that the house <an and has touched, and beltert'd. when the picture y'ilts the fancy of the pa- trons. The business of the Pickford pic- ture was better by $3,000 th.in the business that tlie house recorded the previous week with the Gloria Swanson release, "The Coast of Folly." At the Fenway business w.as up last week with the double bill of Thomas Melgban In "The Man Who Found Himself" and "The Bad Lands" giving the house, which isn't very large, $10,000, better by about $1,500 than the business of the week before. Perfect weather conditions for the picture houses and as far as could be learned no 111 effects from (he Brockton Fair all week. With the opening of the new Keith-Albee house, the new Boston this week and the Metropolitan scheduled for next week, both houses to use a pop vaudeville and picture policy, things are looking uj) in pictures here. For the opening week the Keith-Albee house has "California StralgTit Ahead" as fea- ture. The Fox people are splurging here with their latest release, "The Iron Horse," now on the second week at Tremont Temple. The Washington street Olympia this week annoimced a change of policy to take care of the competition of the new Boston theatre and Is now on a four shows a day run. The downtown Olympia, located In Scollay Square, sticks to the former policy. Last Week's Estimates State (4,000; 50-75)., $19,000 with Mary Pickford in "Littie Annie Hooney." Fenway (1,000; 50-75). $10,000 with MeifThan in '"The Man Who Found Himself" and "The Bad Lands." Fenway probably will be- come second run house when Met opens. Modern (500; 35-50). With "The Man Who Found Himself" and "The Bad Lands." $5,500. Beacon <bill» capacity, scale and business same as twin house. Mod- ern). Tremont Temple (?d week). "The Iron Horse" went over big opening week. "INTRODUCE ME" TOPS 'TRESHMAN" IN TOPEKA Lloyd Film's Edge Through Better Exploitation— ''Lim- ited Mail" in Shuffle Topeka, Kan.. Oct. 6. (Drawing Population, 75,000) Though many who .saw them both declared MacLean's '-'Introduce Me,' at the Isis, much better laughing material than LIoyd'.s "The Fresh- man" at the Grand, ihe superior ad- vertising campaign conducted foi the Lloyd picture brought in fhe- business and the Grand, with ;■ .seating capacity of lictter than 1,400, es.ablishecl a new hou.«e record for a picture shown at p<>i>u:ar jiriee,-:. Other pictures shown at the (Jraiid have taken in more money but "The Freshman ' played to .ilniost pa<'kei| house business all week, with stand- ing room Friday and S.iturilaj. Ma(Leans "Introduce Me" did a niie business but linked ;he adver- tising. • *■■ ,.„.-,: , "^J«is*ft'*l>ek'» billings inrhjde "Th. Iron Horse" for the Cr.ind. ani Swaiisi'n's "Coast of l-'olly" for thf Isi.s. Heavy adverli.sjng on tile "Horse" and a "lay-off ' on .Swanson are expected to almost duplicate tli;- week's condil joins nex; w<"k. Estimates for Last Week Grand (1,400 50-35> —New recor.l foi- liist -run showing of Lloyd iitm-l edy, "Freshman." Heavy a(l\<-ilis- ing and exploitation r'jirnij.ilf,;!). Slightly over $3,6(iO. Isis (700; 40-25)— •Iiitro.liiie .Me' (MacLean), declared by m.iny to be belter eom«<ly than f-lo.\d's lates , I^'iek of .idvei tisjng put hnint of bringing in biisinesH on ta.king ((a- trons. Apiiroxiinately $2,100. Cory (100; 25-15^— "'Liiiuied Mail. ' dcHpite melo-dr.-.matic fi le, well liki d but had too iniieh i ompetition from comedjeu. Top» it.4 1 kes to laii^'h Over $1 400. Orpheom (90(1; 30-2'ii — "Lady \\ ho Li«d " got off to K"')d start fir>l li.'tlf hei'ause of swift .n-ion and South .Sen atmoHph're. Last hall. P.iin<y Oldfield ;iiid I> rt l,.v..ii li. "Tlie I'.ire That Tin i,is," a^ela^rl buf:lntbB. $1,700. MEIGHAN STRONGER THAN HLM; ^STANLEY'S $27,000 LAST WEEK "Iron Horse," Third Week, Exceptional Showing with $21,000—"Gold Rush," Riot, 2d Week, $15,000—"Wanderer" Out After 4th Week WARHELD SHOW DRAWS $23,150 Granada Totals $18,100 -—St. Francis, $5,100 San Francisco, Oct. 6. They clicked again at the Wai- fleld last week—Just one of thosi> well knit programs with plenty ol action, thrill comedy and hokum The show scored with every critic in town busting his typewriter to say something good about it. At the Grenada young Gene Buck .seems to have gone over like a house on tiro. The town likes the peppy little director and his Jazzy way of handlini; his band. Nat Holt, manager of the California, is back at his desk after a two weeki' vacation at Lake Louise. Estimates For Last Week Loew's Warfield—Hamon Novarro in "The Midsliipman" tM. G.). One of .he best things that Novarro has ever done. $23,150. Granada—They didn't care for the ice and snow in "The White Des- ert" <M. G ) $18,100. California —High hatted fun maker Raymc nd Griffith in "He's a Prince." gave good week. $17,700. Imperial—Final week of "Th'. Pony Kxpress" didn't hold up as expected. "l-Yeshman" opened tt- usualj*apacity business Friday. $7,- 800. St. Francis—Second and last week of "The Fool" (Fox). Picture never got started. $5,100. COLUMBIA, $16,000, IN WASH., SMALL FOR "Q" Turnaways Helped Other Houses—"Graustark"' Did $15,000 Washington, O.t. 6. (Estimated Population, 500,000; 120,500 Colored) Doing as expected, Douglas Fair- banks had a great week at the Co- lumbia. Only the small capacity of the house and the length of the pic- ture held it from topi)ing everytbinj; y«t to ha^e played the house. Held over. All of the 'other houses were heljied by the Columbia overflow, the two-hour lockouts pnniiig more than the wailing groujis could .stand. At the I'alae, a comedy feature, Itaynicmd Giiflilh in -Uii's a Prince," diil exceedingly well. '"Llghtnin" did but fairly well at the Kialto. Tills was rather unex- pected anri that the usual gross of the pl.ice w.is about doubled cannot alone be credited to the picture, as tiie new manager, .1. V. Carn«^, is siiending much money in extra ad- T.i(%itsinff, bfith driiTy'a-nd .Sonday." Tiie.strong opp<isition naturally fig- ured. Estimates for the Past Week Columbia (1,2.'?2; 35-50). 4 Fair- lanl<s ill 'Don CJ" (II. A,). All that .■oiild be done. About $1*;,000. Metropolitan ( 1,542; 35-50). Norma Talm.-ulge in "« Iraust.'irk" (1st N.) li.in right behin<l with $15,000. Palace ('-',432; 35-,10). Itayinond <^;iillith in "'He s .1 Prince" (F. P.) House tn.-inagernent bnilt u|) excep- tional program given entirely to comedy. Second.-uy features se- lected with care and wide contrasts fioib fe.itnre,-. Alioijt $10,500, Rialto (1,9?H; :fi-50). "LiKhlnlii'" (Fox). Held its <iwn In fie of ter- rlrtc opposition and location'of the- atre, with its usual fan-to had I iisiness. lOxtra advertising .'ani- (i.Mgn nniNt be creilile.l \miIi anlini to g( $S,(iOO iegiKl<r'il. This Week Colunibl.-i, "lion C^ ' (;:d «eek»; .\1( tropolitan, "(!r.iii>'iaik ■ (.il U'..|;); I'al.ire, '"Tl.e l\Iid--ril|.l,ian ; Itialto, '"Trai ked in tlie Snow Cum, , tiy." Philadelphia. Oct. 6. There was only one newcomer that joined the bifc-busiiie.-s group las: w«>ek. but two ol tiit> hold-overs maintained their hiijh rei'ords or at least showetl ((lily moderate or quite natural drops. The weatlier. whicu was hot and sultry at the first of the week, did not help any. Ctuisidering this latt<'r feature, the .ittendance at the Stanley was very big. but that isn't surprising, as the iiicture was Tho.^j. Meiirhan'fl "Man Who Found Himself," anj that star is .1 sure-fire draw here, no master the picture. The week's gross was almost $27,000. Added at- tractions, though good, had no great box office value. The Fox. third week of 'The Iron Horse," added after that big special overcame the first week's «lisap- pointlng start, pulled around $21,000, which means about $64,000 for the three weeks. It could imdoubteiliy have -Stayed longer and done busi- ness, although the p«>ftk had been p.issed. Again, these three houses shared the town's (downtown group) only real business. The Aldlne. for the third week, lagged badly with "The Wanderer," and it w.is wisely de» cid<d not to force the run of that si)ecial beyond its originally an- nounced four weeks. If it hit $9,500 it was lucky, despite a better Mon- day than the preceding week. This week, for the first time In a couple of months, it is not so much the films as the side features. At the Stanley is "Sally of the Saw- dust," and for this Griffith picture the Stanley people hiive arranged an elaborate "circus" prolog, with clowns, acrobats, and trained ani- mals. \ In addition to this dally added progi.am 1). W. Griflith and Carol Demiisler were brought over for per- sonal appearances Monday afternooB and evening. The Fox also has an added feature more prominent than the picture— Vincent Lopez and his orchestra, his first personal appearance In a i>lc- fuie house. The photoplay Is "Eant Lynne. ' Estimates of Last Week Stanley (4,000; 35-50-75). — "The Alan Who Found Himself" fi-'. P.). Tliomas Melsrhan drags them in hero, .Miout $27,000, splendid figure. Stanton (1.700; 35-50-75) — "The (b.ld Kush " (IT. A.) (2d week). Held up big, almost $15 000. Chaplin com- edy riot at house which had pre- viously been latrglng badly. Five weeks, maybe six. Fox (3.000; 99)—"The Iron Horse" (Fox) (3d week). Little off. but )us- tifleil last -minute decision to hold It in. $20,000 quoted. "Kast Lynne"? this week, with Vincent Lojiez as Mg added attraction. Aldine (1,500; $l.«5)--"The Wan- derer" (F. P) (3d week). .Still bad- ly off, and decision ma<le to cut its run after four weeks. "Phantom of the (Jiier.i ' coming in. Lucky If it bit $9,500. Arcadia iROO; 50) "Winds of Chance" (1st Nat.) (1st xveek). Fair business, around $2,500. This prob- ahlv hM^ Karltdh (1.100; 50) 'Hell's Hi.c'h- road" (F. P.). Title hurt In thi«« house and business only fair, around $2,000. Players Go \ks{ Los Angeles, Oct. 6. A great many Famous Playern r.asky contract players working at the Kong Island studios are begin- ning to arrive here this \v*'ek. They Irfilude Adolph ,Menjon, V'avinond Hattbn, «^6ta"'*Tl5ii<rtf,(:;e.(rge Higas- find Monta Hell. When these people r.rrixe it l!i exr»eted that tliey will shortly begin work. .Miss Nlsyen is to i>lay in "The f .'olden Sin," which, H.ioiil Walsh will make, ll.itton Is to ap- pear o|iposite Mildred Davis In ""Heliind HelnL' From." .Menjoii is *- to jirepare for a new piitnre and Pitas i-i to join the ranks of Ihe waiting contract pl.n>er« who are ,'iKsigiied to different comiianies. Ki ne.Ht Torrence and Doi.Klan I'aiil'.inkv, .7r,, hfne also r.-linned from' the east and jwiH ■• 'wnplefe their work in. "Tlie Nm. ' - \'eriiiu " !• I i<an young Creatore Booking .'-;.iiri U»>ss ii now in 1 bnri,"' of Aithiii S|pi>i/.i'~ new Chi. ,'t.;.-) otllce ill Ml" P'ltler lliiiiding. Voting Cre- at' (, the 'i.n o.C the b,<iidn).'ipter, hit" hern rC'albd to the Sfiiz,/.! Nevr V.rU ofTice to h.indli piiture he-ise biohinfs out t'f the «ast.