Variety (Aug 1927)

•dfiesday, AiiKUit 8. 1M7 PICTURES VARIETY 12 MILES out; capital $59,500- HOW GILBERT Wl WRONG Too Hot on B'way Last Wedc—^Too Many Jannings, Too—Vocafilm Still Shtit-4toxy Did $80,000— Paramount, $59,000 with a aeries of warm days to keep the bunch at the seashore, the Capitol gross Jumped ^15,800 last ■week to a total of $59,500, with John Gilbert in "Twelve Miles Out." Gilbert rebelled against this picture yobltcly in « atatement Issued tlvauKb th« AnocUted Press, In- ■tailiU that h* had been forced to pUjr in It agaimrt hla will, it is k«U over a second week, showing that It ia either a warm weather picture or that the fans like Gilbert In it. Two more houses showing pic- tures closed early in tho week, the Xionsacre and Colony, makins a total of Ova dark with tha Bmbaasy, Crltarton and Globe also on the sus- pended list. The Longacre closod in a shame- faced hurry after the first show fol- lowing a unanimously unmerciful reception of Vocafilm at the hands Of the critics. According to latest •dvlces, Vocafilm ofllclals will be («ady to reopen at the Liongacre by tko end of the week, bpt another yestponement will no^ be a surprise. "The First Auto" at the Colony didn't last the sixth week out, with the hou.se closing for remodeling. Turns Universal next month With Dr. Hugo lUesenfeld in charge. "Camille, " at the Rivoli, took a sudden dive from J17,500 to $13,000. despite the announcement the pic- ture would soon go out to give way to the Duncan Sisters in "Topsy and Bra." The general decline along the etroot. ezceptins three houses, seemed to bo due to woathar condl- Uon.s. Estimates for Last Week Astor—'Big Parade" (M-G-M) 0,120; $l-$2) (89th week). Urider $9,600 for the first time last week. May recover slightly with an- Itouncement of termination of the run Sept. 10. This brings the Broad- Way gross of the record run pic- ture to $1,621,522.95. Cameo — "Passion" (Ufa) (549; lO-TS). Did Just under $4,400. Title 51US Jannings In lights brought $400 icrease over previous week, with "Moon of Israel." "Passion" is an old Ufa production with Pola Negri starring. Locally picture strongly built up as Jannings' production. Held over account of fine showing for this house. Released by Tiffany in U. S. Capitol—"Twelve Miles Out" (M- G-M) <5.4,iO; BO-Jl.SSV Picture took Strong hold unexpectedly. Did $59,- 600, imposing sum considering weather and season. Held over sec- And KTCClC* Gaiety—"King of Kings" (P. D. C.) (808; $l-$2) <16th week) $10,- COO. not considered too bad on account of capacity of possible $14,000 on sell out. May take fresh hold by end of summer, though gradually declining flgure.<i do not seem to predict any new long run record. Harris—"7th Heaven" (Fox) (1,021; $l-$2) (11th week). Spurt from $7,200 to $8,500. Seems to have strong chance of continuing through to September. Paramount — "Manpower" (Par) (S,900; 40-75-90). Dropped approxi- mately $1,000 to $S9,t00. "Han- power" had Richard Dls with fol- lowing. Rialto—"Way of All Flesh" (Par) fl.SJO; 35-50-75-90) (5th week). Dropped to $26.3,')0 from $30,000 pre- vious week. IMoture strong enough to last through .September with Jan- nings gaining popularity dally. Rivoli—"Camlle" (Ist N.) (2.200; $5-50-75-90) (4th week). Not so strong registering for sudden slump to $13,000, about $4,500 less than the week before. Will last until Aug. 6 when Duncan Sisters ar>pc(>r in person with "Topsy and Eva," their United Artists special. Roxy—"Paid to Love" (Fox) ($,$60; E0-$1.8S). Another sickly Fox production. Gross dropped to tt less than $90,000. This Is Roxy's third lowest gross since opening. •trand—"Tartuffe" (TTa) (2000; tl-50-76). Old reha.shed picture made in Germany with Kmll Jan- nings. .strong draw in star broutiit —grn-js tn jL".i,3!io, but picture unable to st.Tnd up on merit, and wore out welcome before week ended. Warners—"Old San Francisco" and Vita (Warners) (1,860; $l-$2) (5th week). Sunk to $10,700. Not a $2 picture. ' NAMES" IN BUFFALO TO STAND OFF HEAT Bernie at Buffalo to $23,500 —Tannen and Rolfe at Great Lakes In July Buffalo, Aug. 2. Business took a firmer stand here last week. Outstanding featur?s and general all-round excellent bills played their parts in the rally. For July the cards looked heavy at the top. Ben Bernie, Julius Tan- nen, B. F. Rolfe to head midsummer shows bespeaks money and nerve. Weather or not, there are some names and attractions the theatre- going public simply cannot with- stand. The fact probably accounts for the business brace locally the past fortnight. Estimates for Last Week Buffalo (Publix) (3,600; 30-40-60) "Tender House" (F. N.). Ben Ber- nie, Mural Painting. Shows signs of pick-up. Show pronounced tip- top. Should have gone higher, but stood off by counter attractions. Lindbergh here Friday and Satur- dav bit all houses. $23,500. Hip (Puhllxl (2,400; 50)—"Ten Modern Comm.andmenta" (I*ar) and vaude. Climbed through generally excellent bill. House has been show- ing consistency, denoting established draw. $14,500. Great Lakes (Fox) (3,200; 35-50) —"Heart of Maryland" (Fox) and vaude. House Showing heaviest in- dications of bidding for business. Julius Tannen and B. A. Rolfe head- ing vaude. Tannen's salary report- ed $1,800. Business failed to respond proportionally. Number of out-of- town experts rep<»rtod in town checking up situation. Estimated over $10,000. Loew's State (Loew) (3,400; 35- 50)—"Spangles" (U) and vaude. Taklng.s still down, though not out. House needs pleiity of sora^thing and isn't getting it. $9,000. Lafayette (InrI) (3.400; 35-50) — "Notorious Lad.v" (F. B. O.), Vita and vaude. liuilt slightly. Picture and vaude about evMk 4(itl| ItM-up along summer lines,' ' B a t w saa $11,- 000 and $12,000. (Cn»yri«lit, 1927, by Varisty, Inc.) Sl^^ng Profidence Junk and Grosses Show It Providence, Aug. 2, (Drawing Pop. 800,000) Summer season exceedingly dull. Last week no exception. Perhaps the main reason for the lull is the lack of features, for a first rate at- traction will draw, even in these days. lAst week, of the five houses open not one oaused a rlpplo with its screen fare. EA Wynn tn "Kubber Heels" at the Strand failed to regis- ter as a comedy. The Majestlc's twin offering, "l.,nnesome Ladies" and "Tarzan and the Golden Lion" were nothing to draw attention in a dull week. However, Fay's continues to give them westerns, melodramas, flapper nima and comedies, which has k.-pt this h(.)Use on a fairly even level thr(mgh{)Ut the summer. It is prob- ably tile most consistent dr.iw of the f4Uintet, though not often top- notch. Estimates for Last Week Fay's (Fay) (2,000; 15-60) — "Drums of Desert" (Par.). Near top of heap cowboy attractions scoring here; $4,500. Strand (Ind.) (2,200; 15-40)—Ed Wynn didn't flpd place in heart of Providence, and "Rubber Heels'' (Par.) didn't click, as most com- edies do hero. "Romantic Age" (Col.) grasped but few"of younger gener.atlon; $.'..000. Majestic l Kay's) (2.500; 15-40) — "I.,onesnme Ladies" (F. N.) and ' Tarzan and tlolden I.ion" (K. II. N'ot mu'h of howl. Senat^ir I'ord on Vita supported $:(.20" Victory (lv-.\) (l.'j.'.O: ir.-40). "The Auetioneer" n-'ox). Weather at close of wer-k luirt. "The Love Tlirill ' (i;.) not oiilsliindin g: ».t 000. Rialto rFay'H) (1.44S; 10-25). For consl.stent presentations of flr.«<t rate films this house scores, but n« yet second run policy Is Just plug- ging alonir, with tough breaks from weather. Under $1,000. DRAW COMBINE AT SEATTIIOT $21^ Seattle, Aug. t. (Drawing Pop., 460,000) Fair business at local theatres last week, with the Fifth Avenue again talking the lead. "Twelve Miles Out," with John Gilbert, was .a re.al draw, while the Fanclion and .Mareo st;lgo .^tuff was excellent. However, the bij; idea Is still F.ddie Peabody, going handsomely for .■jlxth week. The Will King show U clo.sing this week at the -Moore, after a summer engagement that proved disastrous on the profit angle. While business grossed well each week, a big overhead is given as the reason for the show going to a loss. King opens at Music Box, Portland, Sept. 3. He ended the Seattle engagement witb "Tattle Tales." The Moore will be com- pletely made over as a coxy stock theatre by Henry Duffy. Carl Relter, manager of Orpheum, expects to resume with Orpheum circuit vaude about Aug. 28. At present I'antages is the only vaude In town and Manager Dearth is holding to good bus, but not what it might be, at that. Blue Mouse showed but little falling oft, but this is considered seasonable. Novelty of "Vita has worn off. and from now on its draw must be on merit. Columbia did fair with "Painting the Town." Coliseum and United Artists, ordinary biz. Kstimatas for Last Week Fifth Ave. (West Coaat) (2.700; 25-60-(0) "Twelve Miles Out" (M- G-M.). Real pull in this trirllo pic- ture. Jim Clemmer also had Pea- body, who worked under wraps on banjo. On stage 4t minutes Sat- urday night. First three days at this house around $11,000. "Hoops," clever Fanchon-Marco entertain- ment featuring Renoff and Henova, rlassic.al dancers. IlobV)y Watson, sailor tap dancer, big. $21,500. United Artists (U. A.-West Coast) (1,600; 25-50).—"Ten Mod- ern Commandments (FP). Just another picture. Just another week's business. $4,700. Columbia (!') (1.000; 26-50).— "Painting the Town" (U), Glenn Tryon, new star, hit. Patsy Ruth Miller good support. Buddy Brown and Duke Johnson, colored team, strutted some good song and dance stuff to complete bill. House get- ting ready for annual Atlantic City entrant contest to select Seattle beauty. 200 girls entered. Will be cut down to about TO, who will p.irade on stage, atarttnc next week. $4,000. Coliseum (West Coast) (2.100; 25-50).—"Too Many Crooks" (I'ar ). Dandy Picture. Good average bus. $6,000. Blue Mouse (Hamrick) (950; X- 50-75).—"The Black Diamond Ex- press" and Vita (Warners). Monte Blue and good Vita acta clicked for good first week's business of new bilL $7,400. Pantagsa (l.$00: 15-S0-$0).— "Easy Pickings" (FN). Advertised as one of great pictures of year Anna Q. Nllssen seen to advantage Dearth reports Pan having bought entire Fox output for coming year. Including super specials. Innova- tion In Seattle 'Star"-Panlages local news reel. Northwest Fox photographer h.avlng opened offices In St.ar building for this local stuff. $8,700. Moore (2.000; 25-50). — "Tattle Tales" (Will King Musical). Clos- ing week in Seattle. Seemed to get good crowds and show has real following. Farewell week. $9,000. (Copyright, 1927, by Variety, Inc.) F^ht FUm in Montreal Kept Crowds Cmning Montreal. Aug. 2. (Drawing Pop., 600,0(X)) Montreal sweltered under another heat wavo and the box offices lan- guished except for the Imperial, which grabbed the Dempsey-Shar- key fight pictures and took svery- thing the otHej- flrst-run houses were looking for. Capitol stood up well with an amusing Syd Chaplin film and the Palace gives away be.auty parlor secrets. Loew's tries the well-worn Colleiare boy plot, but the Imperial rings the bell every night with Jack Dempsey. The Orphinim continues to laugh •at tile weltlier with near-capacity horses for slock offerings. Vaude Is not so good. Estimate* for Last Week Capitol (2.700; 60-85)—"The Miss- ing Link" (Warners). Some good laughs In which box offles man I joins. $12,500. I Palace (2.700; S5-R3)—"fllavps of !neauty" (Ist K ). ITetly good hut weather stuff. Brought in the wom- en $i2,.';oo. Laew 's (3,2flO: 43-75), "Rolled StnTWrnr-!" (I'art. Ixrts of p?!p and 'BIG PARADE'HITS LA. WITH BANG UNKNOWN CASTIN "STARK LOVE' Loew's State Again Lead* Last Week With $30,000 —"Beau Geste" Starts at Pop Scale—'Tainting Town" Does Nicely MINN. HOUSES DO CONSISTENT BUSINESS state Has Edqe in Hot Weather —$17,000 Last Week— 'Lovers' 2d Run Less Minneapolis, A\ig. 2. Pro.sperlty continues to aniilo on local show houses. Even intense heat does not put this god of good fortune into any distemper. The^ Stats keeps on being his particular pet, an object of special favor. The reflection may be found In the high- ly respectable grosses, with the F. & R. ace house leading the fleld by a wide margin, as usual. With the temperature hovering close to 90 and Old Man Humidity very much on the job on several nlgiit.s la.-it week, the State actually pro\ided highly for<midable opposi- tion to the outdoors. These partlc- ul.'ir nights found the 2,S00-seat the- atre packed. Tho Ilennepln-Orpheum, Strand and I'antages .are other local liouses with cooling system.'^, but they do not provide the comfort which one (ind.s at the Slate and they probably suffer a bit when the mercury flirts with top figures. The Hennepin- Orpheum cooling plant is the largest and costliest of any In the city, but perhaps because the theatre is ex- posed to the sun rays, on four sides and Is larger than the State, it does not seem so cool as the latter. Estimstes for Last Week State (P. f- R.) (2.500: CO)- "Rough House Rosic" (Par), Vita and "Just Like a Butterfly," stage show. Clara Row liox-ttfllce bet here. I'ieture and su;ijtlenienf .iry program seored. Close to $17,ou0. Splendid. Strand CF". & U.) (1.500; 60) — "Whirlwind of Youth" (I'ar). Pic- ture well received, but probably not .strong enough at 50c. prioes to cre- ate any large box-oifice demand without aid of any stage attractions. Satisfactory at about $3,800, Lyric (F, & R.) (1,350: 35)—"Spe- cial Delivery" (Far). Bddlo Cantor liked but plcutre did not stir any great enthusiasm. Around $2,000. Qood enough. Grand <F. & R.) (1.100; 25)— "Lovers" (IC-Q-M), Second loop run. Best asset, Utls. $1,$00. Just fair. Hennepin - Orpiieum (Oritheum) (2.890; 50-75). "Too M.iny Crooks" (Par) and vaude. .Mf dioere plctun^ but show on whole good. Around $11,500. Good. Pantaget M'antages) 1.650; 50)— "I)"arje" (WartierH) and vaude. Pic- ture well Iik<'d but v.aude not up to recent standard. Nearly $6,000. Wry satisfactory. Seventh Street (Orpheum) (1,480; 40)—"Winners of the Wilderness" and vaude. Good show at prices. Over $.").000. (Copyright, 1927, by Variety, Inc.) Ipspyriaht, lie?, by Varisty, Inc.) (Copyright, 1927, by Variety, Inc.) good lookers. $lI,on». Imperial (I.SOO; .'!0-S5)—"Vanity fDe .Mille Pathe). Fair, but Demp- sey-Sharkey bout brings film in the kale. $7,500. Strand (800; $0-40)—"Tracked by Polica" (Warners): "Rubber HmU" Title's Value Too Low Since all the valuation they placed on their "lilrds of Prey" tltlo Is froo. Ju.stlco Craln has decided ttiat Tiiomas F. and Joe Noel and Tom Thatcher have no good cause for action against Columbia Pictures Corp., to restrain the use of that title. .Stilt a< cordingly was dismissed in Columbia's favor, they having released a flimlsation of Oeorge Bronson Howard's story written and copyrighted In 1918. Noel Is the author of a play of S.I me title w hich has been making some money In stock, released through Kane and Thatcher, and were agreeahlo to a $500 settlement. Justice Craln advised they re- course to the civil courts for recovery. Buster's Broken Nose Los Angeles, Aug. S. Buster Ktaton suffered a broken no.se while playing baseball on loca- tion ne.ir Sacramento. Prod ucti on of his next featu(« has bc-cn teuipurariiji luipvnuea. I.,os Angeles. Aug. $. (Drawing Pop., 1,350,000) "Tlie Hig i'araile " at pop. prioea opened at tho Criterion the middle of the week and grossed over $$,000 on its opening day. Despite op- pressingly hot afternoons, the Parade' swept on as the week ad- v.ancett and on its first four days did approximately $13,000. At this rate 'Parade' looks good for from eight to 10 weeks. Loew's State made a clean swasp of the weekly change houses and with the unbeatable combination of dene Morgan on the stage after an absence of six weelis and Norma Shearer on the screen hung up an- other hot weather record. Holdouts were in order at virtually every per- I'orm.inee and the per.sonal appear- ani-e of Norma Shearer Monday night lielped materiariy. The Metropolitan with its much larger capacity clicked off a dis- appointing week. What business there was was undoubtedly due to Itube Wolfs personal di-awing power as the screen feature, "Stain Ijove." didn't mean a thing to the buying customt rs. It is the lowest the Metropolitan has grossed in many months and the slump is di- rectly attributed to the fact that "Stark Love" was played by a cast of unknowns In the picture tndustty. "King of Kings" continue* tti* . mecca tor thouswida of tourists St Grauman's Chinese and lii Its lith week held up remarkably strong. One of the pleasant surprises of the week was the strength displayed by "Beau Geste" at tlie Million Dol- lar where it is being shown for the first time at pop prices. This did not click fio well on tour as a road show, although It lasted for 12 weeks at ro.'id show prices at the i''oruiM. .'^o the down town .pop an- gagenii lit UMS lookOS VpMi' Wttk' some apiirehension. "Seventh Heaven" runs on at f'arthay Circle with every Inilii atlon that the cngitgeinent will lie pro- longed until Sejitembcr. Business st.itionar>' at tills house for eight to 10 weeks and the recent opening of Wilshiro boulevard after ton wm for paving for a year helps* jtstrwrt any natural summer slum|l. Urauman's Egypt^ vsat West Coast Theatres, Inc., i .. ment last week and tor Its opensr .sliowed Richard DIx in "liaa Power," two weeks after its record week at ths Metropolitan, and » Fanchon and Marco stags "Idea" direct from Loew's State down town. The new policy h.-is evblently not yet become familiar to Moll - wood movie patrons although opee- Ing week's intake reported sutisfaL- tory. Estimates for Last Week CarthayXirols (Frea Mlttor), "Ttli Heaven " (Fox> <1,500: (0-$l.ft) 12, , w^eek^for Fox's version of stac* pltt>'. Grsuman's Chinas* (17. A.), "Klnc of Kings" (P.D.C.) (1,958; 60-$1.50). Extcnslye exploitation and turnout of picture stars gave little better than $26,000. Criterion (W. C), "nig Parade" (M-O-M) (l,(;oO; 25-75). Heavy lines at box otlKe during first four days of pop i,rlred run plainly in- dicate many tliou.s.mris in I.o.i An- geles failed to we ph^ture during Its Hollywooil stay. $13,000 for four days, Indlc.iKs big engagement. Grauman's Egyptian (W'.C ), "Man Power" (I'ar) (1,800; 40-66). First run weekly change policy for Holly- wood after more than three years ,aa two-a-day bouse, brought $(,$«* Initial week. Loew's Ststs (W.C.-Loew), "After •Midnight" (M-Q-M) (2,200? 26-$l). fJene Morgan returned after six wi.el<s In San Francisco and wowed them. Second consecutive week house led town with $30,000. Metropolitan (Publix), "Stark U>v»" (Par) (3,595; 26-65). Although general consensus of opinion screen feature exeeiitlonally Interesting, absence of any "names" In cast dropped revenue to $22,000, lowest till.-" house has hit in many ne.nths. Million Dollar 'i'ublii), ' Keau Geste" (I'ar) (2,200: 2j-S3). With $I'i.000 ttiioiiKh h<,x olllee on open- ing we< k «t pot» prlf'es outlook good for from four to six v^ef.ks at least. Uptown (\V, f\), 'i'.iinting Town" M ) (1,7.';0, 25-70). Mouse clicked .al '>iit .Ts usij.-il. at $5.1*10. Broadway Palace (Oriihpum), "Vain Hurt" jV.t I.MI,r. , A.f} R B r . (Par); "Ain't Love Funny" (F. B. O ). and "The Pralrio King" (LI). $3,000. (CopyrigM, 1M7, by Variety, Ine.) lln) (1.145; 15-40). For some un> known reason house held over drab Austrian spy picture and died an- other miserable death, to less tiiaa $2,000. (Copyright, 1*27, by VaristM. lM»