Variety (Jul 1928)

Wednesday, July 18, 1928 PICTURE GROSSES VARIETY 9 4 Sight and Sound Films on Street; This WkrEnd Squared Bad Last Wk. "Ist 100<;o Talker" Got $48,300 at Strand; Hi O., Stays 3d Wk.—"Kings" Only "Sound" Flop ^FTKooo'Balto Coing Wire With MwW Contract Expiring—Orchestras Cut San Francisco, July IT. (Drawing Pop., 756,000) I lii'Ml part , of lust week was the week-end intiodu'cing; this Week. After yoLi figure that out, it means that the fii'sL two daya of ".Street Anficl" at .the- Koxy got. $52,000; "Warnvihf; I'P" \vith just short of $31,000 at the Paramount, "TeUiiig the. World" hit $30,450 at the Cap-', itol, and the Strand about repealed the opening figures o£ '.'Lights of New . York" on . its holdoven A showery Saturday had a lot to do with these high week-end (.Sat.- Sun.) totals. Otherwise the Paramount and tlie Strand were the only two houses in the tJtreet doing real business last ■week. "Lights" lingers for a third week. The "fir.st 100 per cent talker" grabhert itself $4.4,700 arid,, count- ing the reserved seat midnight pre- mier (July C), gave the Stra:nd $48.-^ 300 on its first week. In the Par- amount "The Racket" was getting a lot of action, to push the total above $70,000. once more. This JUm started off by breaking the Satur- day night record, so the theatre Js In the final week of a highly satis- fying fortnight. "Thie Racket" goes to the Rialto this Saturday, and "Warming Up" Invades the Rivoli the same day, both on, ruh.s of. two Weeks, or more. For the current week Broadwav Is well dotted with sight and sound pictures. Four big grind houses are devoted to the innovation—Roxy, Strand. Paramount and Rlvoli.. Y^t. with the heavy talking draw, "King of Kings" only got,$14(700 at the Rlvoli on its first week. Extriemely low for an opening week on . that site. It indicates that even with sound they won't buy what they don't feel like buying. "Kings?' a,nd its religious ' theme undoubtedly handicapped Itself by coming in during the hot spell and also had faulty amplification to fight, due t6 RC4 trying to . adjust Phptophone to Movietone equipment; Norma Shearer brought $54,800 to the Capitol with "The Actress," fair In face of warmth, but the Roxy bumped into a lot more empty seats at $76,000 for "Hit of the Show." "Man Who Laughs" opened its two weeks at the Rialto to $26,500, fair, and 'way ahead of "Uncle Tom's" pop price inipi'^ssion. "Trail of '98" finished its New Tork run after 17 weeks and $7,200; Astor now dark, while wired for M- G-M's incoming south sea picture. A similar situation hovers over the Gaiety where "I.rf)st in the Arctic" was due July 15, but is still being sounded. Meanwhile, "Fazil'Ms do- ing as best It can and it's a light gate. jOlobe has settled down to a $9,000 pace with "The Red Dance." This picture will probably stick until "Four Devils' 'Is ready. War- ners continues to think $10,000 okay for "Lfon and the Mouse," and the small Cameo had a bad week with a Ufa and a Chaplin reissue Embassy held to Its previous week's total of bettering $0,000, and "Wings" went downtown to the $9,000 district. , , Estimates for Last Week Astor—"Trail of '98" (M-G) . (1. 129; $l-$2). Specacle picture, which lacked strong love story. and tear withdrawn Sunday after .17 weeks; finished to $7,200; house will stay dark about two weeks while wired for "White Shadows" (M-G) Cameo — "Loves of Jean Ney (Ufa); "The Vagabond" (Mutuial) (549; 50-75). Small house had tough week; neither picture able to stand ofTYii rhHJp TemS6¥snwra; $ Capitol—"The Actress" (M-G) (4, 620; 36-50-$75-$l). Gave house fair week; $54,000 not bad when consid- ering humidity followed by heavy rain; "Telling the World" (M-G) started off smartly, getting $30,450 on this weekend. Criterion — "Wings" (Par) : (836; $t-$2) (49th week). Down on one knee for first time; around $9,000; after this one reaches 62 weeks any thing niay happen; "Patriot" (Par) about due, but Paraihount also has 44th Street to .fill. Embassy—"Tempest" (U.A.) (596; $1-$1.50) (9th week). Held to pre- ceding figure, even bettering bit; $6,- 100, with nothing named to follow as yet. , Gaiety —"Kazil" and Movietone (Fox) (808; $l-$2) (7th week) StalHiiii' for time until "Lost In the Arctic" lias been .synchronized; this is pictiiic taken by young Snow who ucconipanied his father on "Shooting Big Game in Africa." Globe--"Kt:d Dance" and Moyie- tone-( I''-o»)-(.l ,4 16t $l^$2).=(4^thJ¥MkX. (Joing along comfortably; evidently settled in $9,000 ■ class; last week $9,200, drop of about $500; presum- ably remains until "l^our Devils' (Fox) is ready. . „ v Paramount—"The Racket" (Par) (3,606; 40-05-75-$!). Started off by breaking Saturday night record and .malntaiiied smart pace; nightsj espe LOEWS TORONTO IS FEATURING ORGAN Weather: Fair Screen personalities got Cull credit for last week's draw In the two weekly change houses, 'with 1 Barthehiiess close'to a summer rec- i ord at the Warfield, Bebo Daniels I wa? ;it th<; Granada.,. While the j Granada gro.ss was considerably , behind the Warfield. yet it demon- 1 strated there is still life for tht> | once '."aco" market; street picturi' palace.' "Foiir Soiis" wound up a disap- pointing engagement at the St. Francis;. "Street Angel" got uudor "3-Ring Marriage" Not So Hefty at Stanley at ' $16,000—Century Big for Summer, $20,000 TWO TALK FEATURES GO BIG IN DETROIT Which With '''Skirls "Bntishh^'^y •''"'y^^^^^^ and should be good for ;"jazz Singer s neturn to me • ' ■^■ ■ '■ ■L: ^. _ . three to four weeks. !' "I t«r. MirMibo" wiio thought "Itamona" would last I (2,672; 35-50-65-90). Will King, at ill summer. The Del Rio picture the head, of the Fanchon and Marco came through, its eighth week idea, but big credit goes to Barthel- strong and held again, beating the hiess for h^avy dt^vf. Rube. Wolf, eight-week record hung tip by "The m, c., naturally, drew heavily, as Sea Hawk." If "Ramona'' Ifists "^"'i^k i'-^Coptionally good. Into August it will cop the lorife $30,000 distance for this-towrt now held by ' ^"^^ Made, Got $8,700 in Bad Week Toroii y, July 17. (Drawing Population 700,000) Weather Fair, Warm. Everything oh the ■skids last week with nobody surpriised except those 'Knibassy closed its five-week run of "The. Lion and the Mouse," and to a healthy profit. Currently, '(JVorioua Betsy;" / "The Man Who Laughs" contiaues at the Coluni- This town one of coolest spots in 1 country during heat streak. Estimates for Last Week > Warfield (W. C.-Loew)—"VMioel of Charicie" (F.- N.) and Movietone Madison—"Lion and iVIouse at the States IJaltimoro, July 17. (Drawing Population 750,000) . V/eatWer Hot, Rainy As the date of exi'ii'ation of the existing manager-musician contract approaciios (July 28), a gaining among the mus^icians that- iw.o Of liie Loew-United- Artists houses hero a;ro to follow the pre- cedent of the Rivoli and dispense f tiroly with house orchestras, The chances are that the >,'ew when re- opening will dopehd on the, wired melodies, the result being that at least half the town's first run seat- ago will be minus rnUslcian.s. The .situation may create a crisis- in tlie musicians' localy Both tour- ing legit houses are dark; Audi- torium—resident dramatic stock- Only one burlesQU© Beat 'Mickey" at 14 week.*?. "Ramoha' bettered $4,500, ahead of the sum- mer avera.gc in "I'om Daley's 1,400- seater.." ■ The British picture "Skirts" drew $8,700 Into Loew's to lead the town. Figure is hot bad for this season but poorest since' the house re- opened, a month ago. . Organ con- certs have been, made' a feature and broadcasts are dragging them in. Same goes for Hippodrome. "His Tiger Lady" was arOund $8,- PpO at Pantages and the house con- tinues to pay dividehds, so who cares?: This tellow will get plenty Granada (W. C^Piib.) — "Hot News" (Par) (2,735; 35-50-05-90). All-round^ good .entertainment, on stage and' screen.. ] Most, of draw attribiited to Bebe Daniels,. Buslr ness sUirtlhg to get ^ healthy again at this house. • About $20,00P< • , Embassy (Wiignon) —: "Gloriou.i Betsy" and Vita (W. B.) (1,367; 60- 05-90). ,$15,000, usual first week'.s run, St. Francis (W. C.)—^"Four Sons'" and Movietone (Foix) (1,375; 35-6*- 90). $8,000, . ■ .. .: Columbia (Ei'lahger)—"The Man Who Laughs" (U) (1,700; ;50-$1.50). Second week of th© Universal road- show feature failed to attract much '. / Detroit, July 17. Weather: Warm Itnnning N\ith a wt-ak lilni' and siayii bill, Bi'.He Bakin-;, added at; tiaoiion-, enticed a fair- siunmor gi'oss to the big .Miihlgan last u-L'ck';'' State changed its ' program.I recently closed. to feature "Lion and • the Mouse"- house is open. The combo houses Vila (VV. B.) after the opening all- ^re "jattling the sunlmer with de- sound smash with "Glorious Betsy" pveted restH-ves. Business at th<^ l>ie .ind hiaintaihed its better than $20,- gt^nley has been far from good.;' 000 average for sound. Otherwise only the Century Is okay. ; lOthihg notable anywhere., ; ^ Rivoli will reopen this Saturday Mazia Singer," also with .Vita, h^g g, wired iio'usc .minUs orchestra, opened a rehash .engagement at the gj-j^j^^ qj. pit. The talkers ar© Madison, afteir "a previous, run of now being Ihstallod in all- thtees nine weeks, and grabbed. $17,000. Uoew houses. In the Century the 'Cossacks," at the Adams, was K.j^,j^pj.g^yiii be an extra added, the somewhat under expectations at j.^j^g^j^^^.g continuing, present full of opposition when FP gets its new interest Week-end draw helped 4,200-seater In operation a few blocks north. "Tehderlplh". opened good Saturday as a non-talker, "No Other Woman" dropped th© Uptown to iindef $8,600 with fair stage show. With Miss Del Rio pulling them strong in "Ramoha" down the street, this one was plugged as featuring. "The beauti- ful star of "Ramona." Saturday ac counted for almost half the biz of the week. Thanks for the Buggy Ride" was fair at the Hippodrome, grabbing off. $8,500 after a alow beginning and getting ho particular help from the stage. Radio hook-up with To- ronto "Star Weekly" helped, Neighborhoods fair. Estimates for Last Week Loew's—"Skirts" (British) (2,300; 30-60)- Not bad at $8,500 to $9,000 but lowest grosa since house re opened. Surrounding show good, particularly organ concerts by Kathleen Stokes on new pipes, Hippodrome —'■ Thanks • for the Buggy Ride" (U). Crltlca thought this one unkind to Laura La Plante but It built up from .slow opening to $8,500. Not bad at this time. J>antages (FP)"—His Tiger Lady" (Par). Men.1ou didn't mean very much and . $8,000 won't put stock gross to around $7,000. week. One more 'COSSACKS'AT SEAnLE GOOD DRAW, $17,300 . Seattle, July 17. (Orawing„Pop,, 500,000) Weather: Warm. Houses that had a cool inside got the biz past week. In this matter the Seattle seemed to profit the most. This house shows Its costly cooling and Ventilating system to patrons (upon request). Fifth Ave- nue and Qrpheum also have cOolIrig plants and all the houses In town are more or less so. No deyning that Gilbert in the splendid "Cossacks" was a real draw and the Seattle led the town, about $2,000 under Its July 4th week. Sally Rand headed a neat F and M stage show and laughs were packed in "Steamboat Bill,. Jr;" Blue Mouse going strong for third week and headed,.for fotir blB weeks witii "Lion and Mouse." . Seattle is all set for talking pic , -„ , i. . , tures, shorts and news. Her.schei exchange in flurry, but things have | gtuart. West Coast manager In northwest, reports Fifth avenue to been worse Uptown (FP)—"No Other Wo nian." Saturday good. So wan stage .show. That lets it out. Tivoli (FP)—"Ramona." Same as six or seven weeks ago. Good at $4,000 to $5,000, Held for ninth week. run as feature picture house, all sound and talking, after Aug. 2 when F and M stage show gOes to Seattle. Ilermle King will stay at Fifth,with band and song special- ties. ..:'; Estimate^ for Last Week Seattle (W. C.rPub. Loew) into Rialto this Saturday; "Warm- I (3,100; 25-00)—"The Cossacks" (M- Ing Up." current and first sound film G-M) picture big draw; Stage show here, broke weekend record at Just short of $31,000; baseball story, with Dix.;looks to have strong male ap- peal in comedy. Rialto—"Man Who liaughs" (U) (1,960; 35-50-75-$!) (2d week). Got away pretty well to $26,500; goes out end of this Week. Rivoli—"King of Kings" IPathe) 0. k. Very good; $17,300 Fifth Ave. (WC) (2,700; 25-60)— "Steamboat Bill, Jr." (UA). Good for folks who like a laugh. Dandy F. and M stage show, "Sally l^and in Hollywood" idea. $13,800 United Artists (WC-UA) (1,800; 25)—"Vanishing Pioneer" (I^ar). Not, as popular as "Raider Em- $15,000, but showed enough to h. o. arid niay. pick up. Tirfahy-Stahl's .i)remiero for "The Toilers" at the U. A. Friday almost. got a weather break. Aft-^rnoon , ^he Century still leads the proces- was cool, .but .the break was rained .^^^^ ^ ^ . ^j^^ margin, out at night, . Howeveivreaction .de-I ,.j^^j 3 the Mob" is the latest quota orche.stias both on the stage and in the pit. Last week saw practically; no change in the lineup of the b. o.s. notes it will do some business and rieason. "Thr^c Ring Marriage-' at comments on the tllm were fayor- i , o+nniov wac: fnr frnm a three able. Keatonts "Steamboat Bill" Stanley was far fiom a tmee fmished off a pair at the a low final figure.^ Capitol, Bcreenipg "Forbidden Hours" and staging the "Jazz But- terflies'V unit, was a bit under norr mal but okay. Oriental went, sec- ond run with "Speedy," an* saw a slight improvenient. If just an ex "ipV "V.V I ring at the b. o. "The Cossacks" ^* ' got a pretty good second week at the 'Valencia. The combo Garden sbr.iewhat Improved and; the uptown Parkway seasonably satisfactory with ''Garden of Eden." Metfoppll- teh Is temporarily out of the line- up, dark for renovations, This periment last week, the result.might house, until now the sole wired one have shown the Oriental that sec- town, will enter the approach- ond running of sure fires is safer InK season with plenty of compe-* than the present catch-as-catch-can titlon. . , . , .. . method; I Estimates-for Last Week A lot is expected this week from f Century (LOew) "Ladles of the the Knights Templar convention Mob" (3,200; 25-60;. Another big with about 200,000 in. town. summer week here. Not quite ais E^ttimates for Last Week . good as recent Bow vehicles btit Adams (Kiinsky) — "Cossacks" sorrel topped star sure fire locally, (M-G) (1st week) (1,700; 60-65). Picture started with rush Monday Opener's $15,000 enough to hold it afternoon and kept it up. Cutting in; more was expected; three weeks down of op, oaltion aiding this possible if Gilbert name catches on house, doing unprecedented summer this week. time bualnes.'". Just a half a.grand Capitol (Kunsky) — "Forbidden under Haines's big, summer tlme'^ Hours" (M-G) and "Jazz Butter- .I week that preceded It. About $20,- flies" unit (3,448; 60-75). Nothing OOO. ' exciting in show or gross;. $24,500 Stanley (Stanley-CrandaU) "Three near enough to normal. Ring Marriage" (3,000; 25-5()). An- Madison (Kunsky)—"Jazz Sing- other indifferent b. o. picture at er"-Vita (W. B.) (1st week) (1,976; time when big house needs potent 50-65). First week of Jolson film's customer getters. Better than "His getters. Tiger Lady" at b, o.. drawing about two grand better but still below profit, lever for big house at about $16,000; Valencia (Loew-UA) "The Cos- second try in town at same house; $17,000 not bad; repialning. Michigan (Kunsky- Publlx) — Half a Bride" (Par.) and "Flap- peretjes" unit (4,100; 60-^75).. Mostly, Belle Baker; $36,600'; excejjtlng ,racks''' (1,500; :C-CO). Satisfactory st.age name, frail show. . second week for mid-summer and °7*"/?';rA^^o^<f>^. (P^''>, and up to, expectations based on first vaudc (2,950; 25-75). Second run^g^^ returns. Not outstanding and "^f'^^"** ^*^""^*^^ *^l"r t'^^" Plnn* ho„j,p not In slop with great stride indle first runs at this house; $8,500. | ^^^^ downstairs Century. State the Mouse li^.^^li'/^ T^"^^-^"^ nn2 Goo<3 matlne.^s and business pretty 3e'-Vito,,s (W. B.) and|^o^3,g^gnj About $B,000. (2,200; 35-50-75-$l) (2d weel?). First aen,'' but considered good. Dandy week $14,700;,,low for this house, but fj-ont helps. $3,900. ^ "Kinp'' hardly hot-weather fare Columbia (U) (1,000; 25-50)—' and had trouble with amplification; "piylng Romeos" (FN). Barber departs this week to let "Warming K^yj^^j^^ ^Q^test aroused some: in- ^wr.,i" f^v>r^\ iR tere-st: Good comedy stuff. $4,300. Roxy—"Hit of &how_ (FBO) (6.-I 3,^^ ^^^^^ (Hamrlck) (950; 50- 75)—"Lion and Mouse" and Vita (3d week). . Also Movietone. Very good; $8,300. . Winter Garden (U, chain) (850; li-25j-r^"Czar Ivan . the Terrible (Amkino). Back for second show- ing. Snappy fronts at this house attract lots of notice. Good;. $3,000. . Pantages (1;500; 25-50)—"Fleet Wing" (Fox). Broadway Bits, young and talented company presents "Pep in Kvery Step" heading vaudo Movietone (Fox) rist week) (3,000 1 r « ,. j « - /^a«»,o«K«...o.«^u\ cn ec\ o/.,/^^..,/! nil cTMinri Villi vir,>.A New VI a r d e n (Schanbergers) 50-65). Second all sound bill here ,,t>„„,, T»..i,r.>*Ac." r,-^A rr^tn, ..n.,j/ ir»<<.r^:no ^.inn T.,ifv. flf-af. nnvaUv wucK Privatcs and Keith vaude. "^Zf $?2^ 00 ligge.?t"VousrinS [J'^OO; 25-50). Somewhat better policv have hit permanent .stride; h^^^^ PreyJous week; partly satis- three weeks in view for current ^'^^^^'-y about $12 ftOO. nrnprim Parkway (Loew-UA) "Garden of ^ fffit^ Artists (U. A.)-"Steam^. I^den'' (1.000^^5^5),.. ^^ boat Bill" (U. A.) .(2d week) (2,000; exceptional from . b. o., although 50-65). - Comedy out after pair of ^j;a^J"fr well at downtown Cehtury red markers; $12,500 in final; "The Mid-.summer felt at this uptown Tollers" (T^S) opened Fi'iday and "-use .md business seasonably oft. current in world premier©. Business at ft imiher time average a'-, about $3,500. -j5; 50-75-$l-$1.50). Bad Week at $76,000, but forgotten in . $52,00a weekend rush for "Street Angel" (Fox) this weekend; house and pro ducer-dlstrlbutor splitting cost of extra heavy newsi>apcr campaign announcing big Fox pictures; "An gel" in for two weeks, With "Four Sons," "River Pirates" and "Fazil" following. Strand—'Lights of New Tork" and Vita (W. B.) Ci.SOO; 35-50-65-75) (2d week). Big week .at $44,700, and eially beavy; $71*700; picture goes date set. second Saturday topped fir.st by Al.so m electric lights $5,o00. $300; counting midnight reserved .Orpheum (2,700; 2o-$l)—. Sally of 300; picture holding over again for tolling about how he used to^jlo it third week attracting sport fans. $10,200. Warners^"Lion and MousO" and President (Duffy)—"Green. God Vita (W. B.) . (1,360; $l-$2) (5th dess" (Duffy Players). ^ Very well week). Has not changed its shorts Ptit on, with augmented company, preceding feature and just doing all Final week of Berton Churchill, right; casting longing glances at guest star. May Robson next week. $10,000; "The Terror" next, with no 1 Then Marjorla Rambeau for five weeks. $3,100, Bostpn Goes tp Talkers Despite Torrid Weather | Boston, July. 17' Just a hot week. Picture houses took it on the chin somewhat. The State did one of the poorest weeks of the season, $11,500 At the Metropolitan things were Buffalo Hot Buffalo. July 17. (Drawing Pop., 600,000) Weather; Hot The first extended heat wave of the summer struck Buffalo last better, with the business for the . , , , ... , week about $35,000. Con.sidCred es- „ Estimates for Last Week pccially healthy in view of the , B"ffa'o (Publix) (3,600; 35-50)— weather "The Cossacks" (M-G-M); "Seeing • Despite the hot weather the talk- Things," unit. . Good all-round bill, ers opf-ning. at the Fenway and the Orr-to about $22,500. Olympla last week went Over very Hip (Puhllx) (2,-100; 50)—"Tnidy big. It was not figured Boston would Be Good" (F, N.) and, vaude. ■ This fall hard for ahy innovation in the hou.se alone showed slight upward present weather. trend. Vaudeville proniinent part. F(!nway with present price scale $13,500. did it. Olympia grosse.s about $15,- —"No. Other Woman" and vaudc. 000 when everything is disposed of, Business bra.ced slightly here. $10,- and that was tho business Of the first week there. Both Fenway and the Olympla had "The Lion and the Mouse," Warner Brothers. Estimates for Last Week • Metropolitan (1,000; 30-O-'i)--Clara 000. Bow in "Ladles of the Mob" (Par); $34,300, State r4,000; 35-50-65)—"The Ac- tress" (M-G-M); $ll,r)0(t.