Variety (May 1928)

VARIETY PICT U R E S Wednesday, May 2, 1928 "TENDERLOiriN 760.SEATER is GHI'SIEE HMOt 3D m Negri Lets Oriental Down, $35,000—"Enemy," Chi- tago> $42,0004-Mindlin's Revivals a Bust, $2,400 Chiciigo, May' l. Four of the Loop's nine libtu^i hou.ses arc at present devoted run picturts, oach dropping a polit«. and unslartling amount last wccU. The only one 'to go by.(i-bye; \\a; "Legion oj; tho Condemned," whic... left after three wt-elcs of better tlia:. noriual. nroncy. it was replaced by '.'Laugh, Clo\yn, Laugh;"' "•Jipeedy outlived the. throe week avfrag.b at .the Hoosevwit and is doing fairly on Its fourth week. . The big money baby among loc;i. runs is cramped into, a 7o0-soat6r, and grosses aie all out of keepin.i; with 'its b. o. possibilities. This it "^Tenderloiu'-' at the Orpheum, wliici. brought .$9,900 in its tiiird wet;% after a highly prosperous start al $l3i4p.O, It goes Into the neighbor- hoods at the close of. this week, "Sorrell and Son,". United Artists took. $24,DOO in its second week, which rates it above normal. "Tlii. Enemy" was a (di.sappointment ai the big Chicago, doing no bette. than the most ordinary of films. (Joi $4L',0.00, which Isn t up to . what the house has been doing lately. An- other witliout local gross potentiali- ties was "Three Sinners," which ap- parently gave Paul Ash no support at the Oriental. The $35,000 take Is liot good for this house. Mindlln's Playhouse, Chi home of the sure-seat patrons, experienced dilUculty with a double bill of rc- .Vivals, "Anna Christie" and "Merry Widow," with coffee free,, could round up no more than $ J,400. "The Imported art lilms do better than that. Estimates for Last Week Chicago (Publix) "The Enemy" (M-G) (4,500; 50-75). This one ^Without^drawins fiowxr herp, .Jionsd. getting $42,000; i-egular unfluctu- ating.trade is almost that much. McVicker's (Publix) "Legion of the Condemned" (Par) (2,400; SO- TS). .Steep drop film took in second week was compensated In decline of only $1,000 in third and last wcel, at $21,000; run brought $71,000. Monroe (Fox) "The Escape" (Fox) (975; 50-75). Major portion of this theatre's customers are drop-in gents; they h'ked this one for above average, $3,900. Oriental (Publix) "Three Sinners" (Par) (3,300; i35-75). , Negri dldn'l bring extra biz, And house went do\yn to $35,000. .Orpheum (Warner) "Tenderloin" (W. B.) (760; 50): Still unusually high In third week at $0,900;. ex- cellent showing. Playhouse (MIndlln) "Merry Widow^' (M-G) "Anna Chri.stle" (F. N.) (600; 50-76). Double bill of re-. ▼Ivals was .surprl.slng flop; $:.\400. Roosevelt (Publix) "Speedy" (Par) (1,400; . SO-nO). Lloyd film dolnir well, staying past three weeks; thirii week took' normal drop to $.17.00il. State-Lake (Orpheum) "Chinn- town Charlie" (F. N.). ('.'.500: 50-7.')). Normal with Orpheum vaude at $17,000; Hlnos comedy got fair notices. United Artists (U. A.) "Sorrell and Son" (U. A.) (1,702; 35-75). Second week pood enough ot $2-1,500; excellent comment and notioes. 5 H. O.'s IN DETROIT; $41,000 FOR "HELEN" Showdown" $24,300—"Chi- cago" Blows After $10,000 —"Legion" vs. "Wings" "SPEEDF DEFIES PHILLY WEATHER FOR $15,000 Relay Crowds Help Offset the Rain—"Angel/' $11,600— Stanley, $26,000 Tacoma Still Tacoma Tacoma, May 1. (Drawing. Pop., 125,000) Weather: Stormy The three day a week Fanchon & Marco shows at the Broadway do not seem; to have. made much difference In the net. However,- it . msiy yet prove the ticket. Some, little excitement greeted "The Jazz Singer" at the Blue Mou.se,- and it look.s like good for another week, Pan's doin.i? - nicely but vaudo below .stand.-ird and pic- ture just so-so Iriat wo'eK-. Uiallo was okay with "The Ciren.*?." Estimates for Last Week .. Broadway (WC) (T,6r»0; -^ri-SO)-- "Coh.nns and Kelly.sjn I'inis" (V). With Fahe.hon &' Tii;Vrr;o ."^Iidw for throe days aii.d pieun-e aloiie four <l;iy.s iliil .'ji-T.Siii); (wi. \\'.''\'-. ;.!:■. $ri '■•OO intifcjul of. $?. :ii<l ,|,,,,t,.-,i, . . P.antages (1,500; Zii-Tid) —"Coiiie t-i . My irouKO" (Fox). Pig. weeks flVf riil'.> h'Ti' <iV l.i(>' '.>■:■, -I ':■■]■' i ;: .'I'i'; Blue Mouse (n.-unriek)■ (fi.")(); 2ri- -BO.).^"trhc ■- J ^l2Z- .^in;rx::l^-■-riiia_.A:iU!, (W. .•j?.). At regnhir i)rii'e.s JoKson pj,.ii>'i> j-( (.iK't; fi'i'i ■ I.' .'v; ■ " Rialto (WC) (1,2.-0;. 2.'.-nnv~."Th<' Circus" (IT. A.). KeKls((-r(Ml nic" Wi ' ' : S-.V'iii. Colonial (W. C.)-"Wih.l Wi hI i eiKiW" (D. Cil f'. im. Detroit, May . 1. Weather: Favorable The fact that five of the nine at- tractions downtown were holdovers probably held laSjC week's total scoop under normal. . 6f the h. oi's "Speedy."' In second week at the Adams, had the best time of it, but without -snapping into the stride attained by Lloyd in other towns. "Chicago," at the Madison, struggled In vain In stanza number two, and waltzed out with a so-so tecord for two weeks, sup- planted by "Legion of the Con- demned." Matinees continued off for "Wings," at the New JDetroit a$ the town's lone spec ($1.6o top), but evenings are nolding up well enough to show around $13,000. "The Dove" tumbled in .Its second week at the U. A. after , a $20,000 opener, and blew with a final total of $5,000 less. "Dressed to Kill" (Fox) in this week, probably for two, being the first outsider to crash the star-owned house. "Mother Ma- chree" declined further at the Wash- ington, but remains. State's stage could not totally overcome "The Big Noise" and flh- lslTe''d"wlttn$lr3;5.00;- slightly- under-tbe- hoped-for average with the theatre's new presentation policy. Oriental flashed a fair sum with "Their Hour," hot bad against Miles' usual picture fare, and the Pan vaude laiy- out. Estimates for Last Week . Adams (Kunsky)—"Speedy" (Par) (2d week) (1,700; 50-75). Staying for a third after drooping to $14,000 following $18,000 start; Lloyd not quite up.to expectation at any time so . far; List gross profitable, how- ever, and pickup shown toward end of last week; "Old. Ironsides" next. Capitol Kun.sky)—"The Show- down" (Par) (2,448; 50-'To). Film drew, providing another neat week; ?24,300 and more expected current- ly with "Laugh, Clown, Laugh"; opening day (Saturday), biz good; Chancy rates with Richard Dix as draw here. Madison (Kunsky)—"Chicago" (Do Millo) (2d week) (1,976; 50-75). Sec ond week's $10,000 no cause to re- main; opened to $14,000, rating "Chi" Just above a flop here; "Legion" re- I)laced and running with "Wings," though latter Is playing two-a-day; slight reaction against latter looked for. M i c h i g £| n (Kunsky-Publlx) - "Helen of Troy" (F. N.) (4,100; 50 75). Goodly response to picture that might have stood up as.straight film offering for possibly two weeks else where; stage stuff and unwavering patronage natural at $41,000; New Detroit (Whitney)-^"Wings" .(■par)--(-,id -week) -(2rl40^ - 50-$t.6.';)^ Mats had. but enough on evenin.g.'! for .$13,000; still looks good for seven or eight weeks; "Legion" might depress currently. Oriental (Miles) — "Their Hour' (Tiffany-Stahl) (2,950; 25-90). B.et- tor than usual film and regular Pan .«!how about average with $11,000^ : State (Kufisky)—"Big Noise" (F N.) (3,000; 25-75), Film frail, and Fred Stritt and stage kept gross up to re.spectahle mark; $3;500. United Artists (U. A.) — "The Dove" (IT. A.) (2d week) (2,000; 50 fif)). Tiilmndsco low in second we.ck at fLn-OOO; opened big, but slipped .'ifter first three days; 'Dressed to Kill" (Fox) now In. Washington (Fox) —"Mother Ma- chre.->"-Mrivietonc (Fox) (1,77S; 35 r)0-fi.''O. Theatre's ability to econo- mize holding mammy film In at $6,- Weather: Heavy , Philadelphia, May'l. With rain Monday, Tuesday and again JbS-lday and Saturday, and tor- rential rain that was accompanied by real blizzardly features, business In all' the local picture houses slumped accordingly. All of which resulted in the definite decision to curtail two extra week runs and cut down the gross of several of the weekly change houses by from ■ $3,000 to ;;5,000. 11 was a worse , week finan- cially than most of those registered during the Lenten period. . Stanley did better than some o! its predecessors,-although hard hit along with the others. Feature here was "Red Hair" and on the bill was the second Stanley presentation re- vue, "in Granada," The combination coaxed about $2C,006, being aided, as were several of the houses, by the crowds In town for the relay games at Frianklln Field unable to attend because of the heavy rain. "The Last Command," at the Karlton, after two excellent weeks, drosped sharply to $7,500, and was taken out Saturday night-Just as the strieet had begun to think that the Jannlngs picture might make a month of It. Two Fox houses suf- fered with the rest. "Street Angel," at the Fox-Locust, received splendid notices and showed definite strength at the start, but any chance for out- standing money was spoiled by the rain FYiday and Saturday. At that the gross was around $11,600, which Indicates a decided chance for this special. Janet Gaynor has developed into a strong draw here. The Fox, with "The Play Girl," weak film fea- ture, and Joseph Santley- and Ivy Sawyer on the surrounding bill, which also Included Joe Termini and .Joseph Regan, got around $23,000. Lowest In a couple of months, but -not—dlHgraeeful—in - vie-w—«f condi- tions. "Les Mlseratoles" was booked Into the Arcadia', and although It got only $3,000 the film was held for a second week, the company Insisting. The Aldine's feature, "When a Man Loves,"* flopped badly, and It was decided on Wednesday, to close it Saturday after a. fortnight's stay. One exception to the bad business was "Speedy," at the Stanton. Com- edy.got $15,000 In its first week. Great any way you look at It. Run should be for at least four, and per- haps five or six weeks. This week's layout of filrns In- cludes four new pictures—"Helen of Troy" at the Stanley, "Legion of the Condemned" at the 'Aldine, "The Big City" at the Karlton, and "The Escape" at the Fox. The Stanton, Arcadia and Pox-Locust hold over. An unusual booking; Is that of "The Crowd." highly touted artistically, at the Globe. "Last. Command," last week at the Karlton, was.i)ooked at once Into the Victoria. Estimates for Last Week Stanley (4,000; 35-50-75) — "Red Hair" (Par). Clara Bow picture well liked and so was revue presen- tation, but weather hit hard here, as elsewhere; 126,000, perhaps a little under. Fox (S.OOO; 99)—"The Play Girl" (Fox). Picture not so well liked, but stage bill helped; under normal, but all right. Arcadia (800; $0)—"Les Mlsera- bles" (U) (1st week). Held for sec- ond week ,by cpmpany. although ^u'slness' weak; afouhd'$3,000. Karlton (1,000 ; 50-75)—"L^st Command" (Par) (3d week). Dropped so. sharply taken out Sat- urday, although first fortnight was splendid; around $7,500; "The Big City" succeeded. ' Fox Locust (1,800; $1.65)—"Street Ahgel" (Fox) (1st week). Opened to fine notices and nice advance, but weather, hurt; $11,600 Indicates chances for a run. . Stanton (1,700; 60•^75)—"Speedy" (Par) (1st week). Lloyd comedy defied weather kt around $15,000 first week; should achieve run. Aldine (1,500; 50-75) —"When a Man Loves" (W. B.) (2d week). Slid badly with around: $8,500 claimed; "Legion of Cohdonined" (Par) this week. 'lOO; If following precedent, will slay six \'feeks; 'Tone lack.-q power (tf T>pr.virnis one with Mn.'?sollni, b-ut i-fffiuod with much of the attend •ITICC, CHANEY IN LEWIS' NOVEL L'lS Angeles, May 1. ]M-(1-M ii;is luirehri.sed tlie screen viixhiy. til "Wiil.nv W.alk." .Sinclair Fif'wis' l;it('.>-:t novel. Lun (.'h.-iiicv will he starred. Chaney's "Zanzibar" Los Angclc'^, M;.y 1. Lon (."lianey's .next fur M-f!, following. "While the rlty .Sl.'.eps," wiil bo "West of Zanzibar." Tod Browning Is scheduled to dl- Tect, Change Directors "Albany Xl.uht Boat" will be di ri cIimI hv Al lI.Mboeh instead .of Torn T.Triss for Tiffany-.Stahl, Terri.s.s will dir'ecL "Thi Naughty Duclio-s.-i" for the same company. New Screeh Hero Chicago, May 1. . The Randolph, daily change Loop house/ recently heralded the arrival of a new picture actor on Its marquee thusly: "Victor Hugo In 'Les Mlserables','* Great Lakes Did to AllWk.in Buffalo, May 1. (Drawing Population; 590,000) Weather; Fair . Box offices here last w^^k regis- tered . wide variations with dlfifer- cnbea of ., nearly $25,000 between high and low. Week was. quiet for the most part. Even "The Gaticho," at the Buffalo, got no more than a modest share. Estimates for Last Week Buffalo (Publix) (3,600; 30-40-65) —"The Gaucho" (U. A.), "Galloping On." Business here was good but not of the character usually devel- oped by Fairbanks; feature went to five-shpwings dally but week sagged in the middle; Straub and orchestra continued to tun high in favor; $30,000. Hipp (Publix) (2,400; 50)^"Conoy Island" (FBO) iand vaude. . Neither, end of this bill showed particulai". strength; vaiide was soggy and the picture yes and no; over $13,500. Great Lakes (Fox). (3,400; 35-50) —"My Daddy" (U) and vaude. Business did a nosedive; not pne day in the week grossing $1,000. Tak- ings varied on weekdays from $600 to $800 for a gross of about $6,500. Loew's (Loew) (3,400; 35-60)- ^ ""Ac russ lo Singa-pgr(6"^~CM^G) and vaude. Picture found ready favor and takings jumped.materlally; un- der $14,000. Lafayette (Indep) (3,400; 35-50)-— "Ham and Eggs at the Front" (W. B.) and vaude. Another flop last week; opening to about $2,000 on Sunday; dropped the rest of the week, varying between $700 and $900 daily for a total of $7,000. "Palsy/'$16,000, But Menjou Weak, $11,000 Trying to Stir Up Minn. By Rough Ads ^.^.^^i=^=^._Mlnnjc^pQlis,.JIay.JL.^^_ In a desperate effort to stir up a little business, local theatres arc u,sing rawer and rawer newspaper copy. None of the sheet.s here, how- ever, are turning any of It down. In Its newspaper ads for "The Play Girl" Pnntnges theatre perpe- trated the following: "IVing a 'gimme girl' wasn't as easy as she thought. The m.an demanded hcivy payment. Oh, boy! What did she do?" . It evidently takes dynamite to get a ruffle out of them hero. Portland, Ore., May 1. (Drawing Population, 400^000) Two holdovers and one return en- gagement marked the week's film programs. "Speedy" is held at the Rivoli and"Beau Sabreur" at the Columbia. Blue Mouse has return date of "The Jazz Singer." Henry Duffy Players have concluded their last week at the. Music Box, and the theatre will be torn down. . Warner Bros, lease on the building conclud- ed today. Duffy had. it leased from Warner Bros. The Duffy Players are now at the Heilig. Likelihood that Orpheum vaude- ville will not reopen' here next sea- son Ms expres.<>ed. Orpheum did bad business here last season. It may be that. shows will jump from Seattle to San I'Yancisco next fall unless a new stand can be arranged here. Orpheum has been playing at the. Heiii.g for several sea.sons. " After-the close'-of ""Bca;tr Sabreur'^ at the Columbia another return date will be played. Universal bringing back"Hunchback of Notre Dame," Estimates for Last Week Portland (Publix-W. G.) (3,500; .35-60) — "The Patsy" ■ (M-G). and Publix "Blue Plate" unit. Big pro gi'am, which scored well; $16,000. Broadvvay (W. C.) (200; 35-60)— "Night of Mystery" (Par). One of the Worst films this star has been seen in for some time; exploitation failed to help business; Fanchon and Marco's "Jazzical Trial" on stage with farewell week of Hermle King; tame show got $11,000. Pantages (Pan) (2,000; 35-50)-^ "The Play Girl" (Fox). Arnusln& picture, w-ith Memphis Collegians, college band, also popular; $10,500. Oriental (Tebetts) (2,000; 25-50)— "The Blue Danube" (Pathe). Film feature voted okay; $13,000. Columbia (U) (1,200; 35-50)—Sec- ond week of "Beau Sabreur" (Piir) a success; picture well exploited; $7,500. ._R.iyoli. .(Parker-W..C,X--(1.20Q;^.M". SO). "Seconcl week or"Speed"y" (Par) okay; $8,000. ' Blue Misuse (ITamrick) (950; 25 50). Return engagement of ".Tazz Singer" (W. B,); did three weeks here earlier in season; Xiln. acts and M<^vietone news. Music Box—Henrv Duffy Players (2.')-75), "Craig's Wife." Good busi ncss; $6,000. Vita's Sales Manual Jack Keegan, publicity director for Vitai)hone Is prep.ii-lng the first Vita sales manual, for use at the forthcoming sales convention. RAIN SWAMPS BALTO AS 2 HOUSES CLOSE j^ivoli and Palace Go Dark—i Garbo's $20,000 Okay and "Gaucho's" ^4,500 Good ..■ .s:. _j Baltimore, May I. (Drawing Pojiulation, 750>00{>) (V/eather: Rain) For the first time In the history of picture exhibition here, two houses—-and downtown houses, at that—^stepped out of the parade. Closing of the Palace wag antici-. pated. This former . Columbia bur- lesque stand has bieen running on a policy comprising tab, stock bur- lesque arid a first-run feature. After getting off to a greftt start, business steadily eased off. Closing of the Rl.voli Saturday night took the town more by surprise, although it Is anybody's s.ecret that business at this erstwhile leading first-runner has been anything but gOi)d, cer- tainly not enough to justify the Ir'^ orchestra that was a feature of the program. The closing is indefinite. Denials are made that the theatre Is for sale* aithough: rumors, are persistent that Warner Brothers is after the theatre. Heaviest and most prolonged rains of tho^ year .washed out most' Of the business last week. Even the Century, with "Divine Woman," suf- feried. sjlsewhere the effects -Of the. weather were little short of tragic. Down a.t the Rivoli, where they were oiling up the. hinges on the shut- ters, business Just wastft. "The New, In the b.o. doldrums for some weeks, dropped lower last week. The combination Hipp was way off^ lt-3 rival, the New Garden, getting a better break with the vaude end of the bill given the credit. The big Stanley acutely felt the effects of the weather, !'Partners in Crime" not. belng the pictiire to btick the elements. "Speedy," for its first we6k . at the Valencia, turned in a good but not remarkable week. "(3aucho'' surprised by its excellent draw at the-'seeond-rtm-Pa*4cwayr - Estimates For Lasi Week - ■ Century (Loew)—"The/ Divine. Woman" (M-G) (3,200; 25-60), Garbo, hitherto screened in the smaller upstairs Valencia; weather adverse on opening day Monday, then big until Friday when heavy rain nicked receipts; stage show with Ted Glaire. m.c, clicked; good week in spite of unusual rain; over $20,000. ■ , Stanley (Stanley - Crandall)— "Partners In Crime" (Pa,r) (3,400; 25-60); No doubt that male comedy team stuff is palling here; no great turnout, for this one, particularly at matinees; slump in business largely due to weather, however, and not fair test of picture's possibilities; not over $i4,000. Valencia (Loew-U.A.)—'^Speedy** (Par) (1,500; 25-60). Excellent ad- vance publicity. and heavy newspa- per advertising; result good but hardly up to expectations; comedies are not matinee selloi^ts as a rule, and this one followed the rule; house record is around $1S.000;. this One got about $12,500. New (Whitehursts) — **Square Crooks" (1,800; 25-50). Town ap- parently fed up on crook stuff; hardly over . $5,000. Rivoli (Wilson Amusement Co.)—' "Vamping Venus" (2,500; 25-60). Swan song picture was liked but riot one to counter the bad weather; theatre once a surefire b.o. with a nifrhtly sellout, hit the toboggan with a"TTaTr of' baU pijr years back; rejuvenation of tho Century iand the advent of the Stan- ley set up a hew standard of pic- ture house elegance, and moderate size of this one too.big a handicap; closed Saturday and no ■a'nnounce- ment yet of reopening and future policy; . New Garden . (Schanbergers)-— "Satin Woman" and K^A vaude (3,200; 25-50). Business ha.sn't beeri nornaal here for some weeks, but was up last wee'c. Hippodrome (Pearce & Scheck)— "Woman's Way" and K-A vaude (3,200; 25-50). Business off la.st week with weather;, only fair, If that. . Parkway (Loew-U.A.) — "The Gaucho" (U.A.) (1,000; 15-35). Surprlsi2d by excellent showing after a downtown run that was nothing to brag about; house gets a select dinner jacket iaudienc.e and doesn't have to depend on mass patronage; house h.is depidcd atmosphere with Hend rick.Es sgrs an d o rchestra fur- riTTsIiing a "ivTeir^fng'TiiTisTc^^ for screen; about $4,500; good. 3 U. A. Frisco Record San IVancisco, May 1. Charlie Chaplin's "The Circii.-," playing 10 siiows a day at the Ht. Franci.'s, took the hou.se record for Sunday night, previously held by "Rnmon.-i," which tpok it from an- other Ignited Artists picture,' "The Gaucho."