Variety (Dec 1926)

VARIETY PICTURES Wednesday, December !, 1926 ORIENTAL'S RECORD, $53,003—ASH; TIN HATS,' $52,003, HIGH AT CHI Temptress* Drew $35,C00 on Grind to Roosevelt— 'Slums of Paris/ Imp., $9,700 at Randolph— State-Lake $22,000 on Holiday Week Chicago, Nov. 28. Houso records toppled right and left lust week. It rained and it snowed, but the extra holidays and the Army-Navy foot! all crowd made the weather insignificant, giving a couple of houses new records to shoot at In the future. The Oriental, hovering around $48,000 ever since its opening with Paul Ash. set a high mark of $53,000 with a few extra performances. The best this theatre had done pre- viously was $1!),000. The big boost was given mainly during the earner shows, where business has usually been a trifle off. A jump of $10,000 above average was made at the Chicago with "Tin Hats." The house got $52,000. No sensational box oflice attraction here; just a break. Previous week Van and Scheltek got only $41,000 at the same theatre, and they were figuratively a greater draw than anything on this program. A sensational opening week was recorded at the Roosevelt, with -The Temptress." It grossed $35,000 with extra shows on the holiday. As comparison for the size of this gross, "The Black Pirate" had what was considered a big opening here with $25,000. At the Orpheum, Warner's' loop theatre, "The Flaming Passion" registered very good with $9,700. When it is considered that this film is a re-issue, about three years old. the take is even better than it sounds. MeYiekers, showing "Don Juan" w ith Vita phone, grossed $28,000, with a strong play from the out- of-towners. Neighborhood theatres also got a nice slice of extra business, good Thanksgiving week grosses being reported all around. Estimates for Last Week Chicago—"Tin Hats" (M-G-M) (4,100; 50-75). Doughboy comedy and good stage show collected $52,- 000; Paul Whiteman this week. McVicke r'l-'Don Juan"-Vlta- phone (Warner) (2,400; 50c-$2). Ex- tra customers gave this one nice break in 10th week; $28,000; an- nounced to leave Dec. 27, with house going into grind picture policy. Monroe—"Return of Peter Grimm" (Fox) (973; 50). Picture showed nice draw at $5,300. Had Chicago premiere showing at Granada, large neighborhood house. Oriental—"Popular Sin" (F. P.) (2,900; 3R-60-75). Record estab- lished here, $53,000; title of picture nice drawing influence, but It was Paul Ash who brought 'em in by the carload. O r p h e u m—"Flaming Passion" (Warner) (776; 50). One of sexy titles in loop last week. Three- year-old re-issue, but chalked up high gross of $9,700. Randolph—"Slums of Berlin" (im- ported) (650; 50). German film, while not liked so well when seen, still has strong draw among Father- land element; $7,200, third week. Roosevelt—"The Temptress" (M- G-M (1,400; 50-75). Sensational li m of week, drawing $35,000 into this small theatre on grind policy; looks good for stay, although maybe booked in for definite number of Weeks. Critics gave it big send-off. State-Lake—' Pals in Paradise" (P. D. C.) (2.800; 50-75). One of few pictures playing here to get nice notices; with extra holiday busi- ihvsh this Orpheum house got around $1?2,000. While not so good, belter than usual. (Copyright, 1926, by Variety, Inc.) U AIDING SPANISH CO. Los Angeles, Nov. 28. Universal is helping a picture pro- duction organization in Kobe, JSpnn, Americanize its product. It has furnished the company with Ameri- can cameras and lighting devices and also sent four men over to Kobe to supervise. The men are Jay Mar- chant, director; Harold Smith, cam- era man; Alf Gosdin and Al Boeek- nian, laboratory men. Shea's Buffalo Beats AH It's Records With $38,000 Buffalo. Nov. 28. Buffalo picture theatres preserved a high average of attendance last week with excellent business. Thanksgiving bolstered the grosses materially. Several of the theatres doubled up on the shows, the Buf- falo doing five on the holiday and also the opening Sunday. Estimates for Last Week Buffalo (3.600; 30-40-60)—"We're in the Navy Now" (F. P.-L.), "Moonlight and Gene Austin. $38,- 000, topping house record by $1,000. Hip (2,400; 50)—"So's Your Old Man" (F. P.-L.), and vaud. $15,000. Loew's (3,400; 35-50)—"Marriage License" (Fox), and vaud. $14,500. Lafayette (3.400; 35-50)—"Almost a Lady" and vaud. $14,000. (Copyright, 1926, by Variety, Inc.) Christie's "Preferred Blondes" Los Angeles, Nov. 28. Christie has added five new blondes to its stock company. On the lot these girls are known as "Christie Preferred Blondes." The girls are between 16 and 18. They are Ann Carter, niece of the late Lincoln J. Carter, Gail Lloyd. Evelyn Egan, Florence Allen and Jean Woodbury. ZUKOR'S 0. K. By William Lc Baron (Supervisor, Eastern Studies, Fa- mous Players) Many people have wondered how Adolph Zukor has come to be the acknowledged head and leader of the motion picture industry. "Why—what is the reason—what particular abilities or talents has he?" they ask. And I have always answered them by reciting a little anecdote con- cerning my first meeting with Mr. Zukor—an anecdote which I doubt If he himself remembers. Seven or eight years ago I was with Cosmopolitan Productions, which, at that time, were released by Famous Players, and all of our stories had to be approved by Para- mount before they went Into pro- duction. Several of us had I lected a story which we wanted to produce, but some of the Famous oeople, as well as some of pur own, were against it. In some way Mr. Zukor heard of the controversy and, knowing the story, took the trouble to come up to our office one night entirely un- expectedly. We couldn't imagine wh;u rand brought him. "I've heard about the controversy over this story." he said, "and I've come up to tell you to go ahead with it. If you produce it sincerely, it can't fail, because it's a real story about real people—It's human, It will touch people's hearts—and If you are real and honest and human, you miut succeed." Mr. Zukor spoke as if that was his creed—I tliir.k H is, and I think It's . ^rhaps the biggest reason why he has attainv 1 and held the leader- ship of our industry. He is real and honest and human. And, by the way. the name ~)t the picture he argued for was "Humor- esque." FIFTEEN YEARS AGO By B. P. SCHULBERG Scene: Small office In the Times Bui'ding, New York City. Time: April, 1912. An energetic man tclth determined eyes seated at a desk talking to a press agent. Adolph Zukor: "I don't want to be exploited personally; I want all our publicity to be devoted to Sarah Bernhardt and "Queen Elizabeth," and the policy of the Famous flay- ers' Film Company to bring the greatest stars of the stage, and the foremost dramatic and literary suc- cesses, to every city, hamlet and town, via the screen." Press Agent: "Do you mean you do not care for the personal ex- ploitation considered so important?" Zukor: "I mean that I never want to be as big as the organization that I head, for in 20 to 30 years I may be gone, but this organization must go on forever." Christie and F. P. Los Angeles, Nov. 28. According to reports reaching the coast, Charles Christie, now in New | York, is negotiating with Famous Players-Lasky for the release of Christie Comedies and short reel subjects. Famous had negotlntlons on re- cently with Mack Sennott to turn out. products, for them, but the deal was called off. So, with these instructions," I be- came Famous Players' first press agent. So Adolph Zukor there and then laid the cornerstone of his faith that he would rear an or- ganization so great that no single man, not even its founder, could eclipse it. With this single goal, he has made and built Paramount. In spite of his aloofness from the limelight, enunciated 15 years ago, he has be- come known throughout the world as one of the greatest organizers of his generation. Zukor's Qualities Three short incidents may mark thv qualities that singled out AdMph Zukor to guide the destinies of the screen to its more mature sro\vi.h. One of these qualities Is ><newess. A year after Famous Players was organize J, its studio on 2Gth street was in flames. Adolph Zukor and a small group of his co-workers were standing on the corner of 26th street and 7th avenue, gazing upon the demolished building and the tireless work of his hands going up in smoke. No one knew just what to say to console this man whom we all supposed was, or mould have been, crushed. A niomeiu later we all realized tKert was no need for any of us to attempt to nssuaire Adolph Zukor's fe 'lings; lie was doing thai for him- self. No greater was the studio conflagration than the burning dc- * ire of Adolph Zukor to leave It behind him and start a new chapter of his lUCCM* "1 -nnnot wait until morning." he said, "to improvise a studio somewhere and start all over again." Zukor's Vision Another of the trinity of qualities that have made Adolph Zukor make history is vision. He knew that for the picture industry to advance, the old time Nickelodeon had to go; a new type of theatre had to be built. By steady progression he had made it possible for theatres to replace shooting galleries, temples to re- place theatres, and with the build- ing of the Paramount theatre on Broadway, cathedrals to replace the temples. In order to encourage the build- ing of fine substantial theatres in place of the old store shows, he realized he would have to provide enough quality pictures upon which these new theatres could subsist The first Paramount program of 104 features a year became an actuality through the driving force of Adolph Zukor's realization that good pic- tures needed fine theatres, and fine theatres needed consistently good pictures. Everyone else in the Industry knew only half of this truth. Zukor knew both sides. Humility Is perhaps the third and most outstanding quality of the three contributing forces that have brought Adolph Zukor to the stew- ardship of a great industry. His grave humility in the face of over- whelming success puts to rout all the clever phrasings of the Broad- way sophl8<lcates, and upholds the dignity and unquenchable truth of the homely philosophy of our child- hood copybooks.- Scene: Paramount Convention, French Lick. Time: October, 1920. An energetic man with determined eyes is talking. Ue is Adolph Zukor: "Look at the man-power we have in this organization today. Any one of us could pass out of the earthly picture, and the Paramount ideal would go steadily on. We have built an Institution—a cor- porate republic—not a monarchv or oligarchy!" And so Adolph Zukor's first press agent can say, what Adolph Zukor told him 15 years ago he told him again 15 years later. Adolph Zukor Is probably the only man in the industry that has stuck to the same story that long. WISCONSIN, $18,300; ALHAMBRA OFF, $13,800 'Ben Hur' Opened to $16,000 Last Week in Milwaukee— 'Block Signal/ $8,150 Milwaukee, Nov. 28. Thanksgiving and balmy weather kept Milwaukee hitting along on all six this week. There was little to choose in the picture line with the exception of the Davidson, which went from legit to "Ben-Hur" for three weeks at $i.oo top. "La Bo- heme" had a fair second week at the Merrill, while the four combi- nation houses, Palace, Majestic, Miller and Alhambra, continued their battle for business. For the straight picture houses the Wiscon- sin easily ran ahead of the field. Estimates for Last Week Alhambra—"Her Big Night" (U.) (3,000; 25-50-75). Little advance in price for loge seats did not help or harm, but evident the Alhambra must get out of habit of running "neighborhood" pictures with its Pan time acts to get the business garnered for the past month and u half. $13,800. Davidson—"Ben-Hur" (M.-G.-M.) (1,300; $1.50-$l-75) (1st of 3 weeks). Augmented orchestra and leading theatre In town gave this break, with regular legit audiences making their way here. Picture not doing the business enjoyed by "The Big Parade. $16,100. Garden—"Sweet Rosie O'Oradv" (Columbia) (1,000; 25-50). Public seems to murmur, "Still they come," for another Irish-Jewish topic film. While Shirley Mason picture was well liked, but handful of Milwau- keeans saw it. $3,200. Majestic—"Block Signal" (Lu- mas) (1.600; 15-25-40). Ralph Lewis again, this time as engineer, said critics. Public evidently had hun- gering for Lewis, for Majestic did very well, with vaudeville thrown in. $8,150. Merrill—"La Boheme" (M.-G.-M.) (1,200; 25-50). Second week not as good as hoped and 'way below open- ing week. Last attraction. Still did well. $.1,700. Miller—"Unknown Cavalier" (F. N.) $1,400; 15-25-40). Ken May- nard has slipped notch going from straight picture houses to this com- bination theatre, but did not act as powerful magnet even here, and with Loew acta. $7,100. Strand—"Ranson's Folly" (F. N.) (1,200; 15-25-50). Dick Barthel- mess always certain of draw here and this theatre has made him a fa- vorite. Co-eds made a beeline for the Strand. $7,400. Palace—"Young April" (P. D. C.) 2,400; 25-50-75) Still leading field of combination houses by good margin. With vaudeville acts rang up big gross. $21,250. Wisconsin —"The Quarterback" (F. P.) (3,500; 25-50-60). Richard Dix and college picture in collego town, sure fire. Packed them. Fans liked Dix and picture. $18,300. (Copyright, 1926, by Variety, Inc.) "Black Bottom" in Fums Dorothy Appleby will support Richard Dix in his next film pro- duction. "Paradise for Two." In the cast also will be Betty Bron- son, Andre Beranger and Edmund Breese. For the first time in a feature production the "Black Bottom" is to be shown and Miss Appleby is to be the exponent. This picture will mark the return of the star and director combination of Dix and Gregory LaCava, who as a team turned out some of the most successful of the Dix produc- tions. 'STELLA DALLAS' MINN $8,000; HELD OVER In Good Week Hennepin-Or- pheum Made Poor Show- ing at $14,1 in "Miss Geo. Washington" Colleen Moore's Next Los Angeles, Nov. 28. "Miss Georgo Washington" will be Colleen Moore's next. It Is from the stage play by Lewis Allen Browne, and will be "shot" in Washington, D. C, and at the F. N. Burbank studios. Minneapolis, Nov. 28. Although plainly evident that the generally adverse economic condi- tions hereabouts are continuing to> exercise their bad effects on local theatrical business, houses with strong attractions made moderate- ly respectable box office showing* the past week. Saturday openings at all the photoplay theatres and at Pan- tages attracted turnaway patronage, due to the enormous outpouring of football enthusiasts. Thanksgiving day trade also was of good propor- tions. "Stella Dallas," at the Strand, and "The Quarterback," State, were the big noises. This was of the former hit a sensational level, con- sidering times and weather. It has been held over for a second week and a run of three weeks or a fort- night is not considered unlikely. The weak sister was the Henne- pln-Orpheum with a picture and vaudeville bill that rated mediocre. Kven at this house, however, things were not as bad as they might have been, as the show included Mllle Gade Corson, who naturally proved something of 'a box office attrac- tion in this Scandinavian commun- ity, and Trixie Frlganea, local favorite. Estimates for Last Week Metropolitan (1,800; 60-$1.6K). "Big Parade" (M. G.) Return for eight days, 16 performances, around $12,000, making nearly $50,000 pic- ture has taken out of Minneapolis. State (2.040; 60). "The Quarter- back" (F. P.) and Rumanian Trou- badours on stage. Picture exceed- ingly well liked. Timely. Around $15,000. Strand (1,200; 50). "Stella Dallas" (U. A.) Press devoted unusual at- tention to this picture. Critics and public united in singing its praises. Business biggest this house has had In months. Saturday opening set new box office record. Around $8,000, gigantic jump over recent weeks. Held over. Garrick (1,800; 50). "Eagle of Sea" (1st N.) and Melody Makers. Good picture, but just seems they don't come to this theatre In satis- factory numbers. About $5,000. Lyric (1,300; 85). "The Boy Friend." Pleasing, but rather light- weight. So-so at $1,400. Aster (896; 25). "Runaway Ex- press." Fair picture and business. Around $1,000. Grand (900; 25). "Black Pirate" (U. A.). Second run In loop. Splen- did at $1,600. Hennepin-Orpheum (2,825; 50-99). "The False Alarm" and acts. Millie Gade Corson and Trixie Frlganza life-savers to certain extent, but takings sagged. About $17,000. Pantages (1.600; 50). "Woman Power" (Fox) and acts. Good pic- ture for house and vaudeville liked. Fair at $6,000. Seventh Street (1,480; 50). "Kick- Off" and vaudeville. Satisfactory at $6,000. (Copyright, 1926, by Variety, Inc.) SaHy OMs Sliding Wage Los Angeles, Nov. 28. Sally O'Neil has been given * five-year contract by Mctro-Gold- wyn-Mayer providing for an initial salary of $700 a week. It runs up to $3,000. RAGLAN IN CONFERENCES John C. Raglan reached New York last week as representative of Ray- mond Hatton to confer with Famous Players-Lasky over Hatton's con- tract. Mr. Hatton had been re- ported on his way east but did not leave Los Angeles. Raglan is said to have had sev- eral interviews In the F. P. offices with nothing definite reported. "VAR1EIY" FOR XMAS Nothing nicer in the way of a Christmas gift than a subscription to "Variety." A Xmas Present 52 Times a Year Present friends and relatives with a subscription to "Variety." e IN U. 5., $7; FOREIGN, $8 ENCLOSE FULL NAME AND ADDRESS