Variety (Aug 1928)

8 VARIETY PICTURE GROSSES Wednesday, August 29, 1928 ^'GoiDessGirr Does $12,000 in 11 Shows L A. s High With "Baggage," Anger Returns with Sound to Do $10,000—Met, $28,500^Egyptian, $10,000 for Garbo and Rubin Los AngolcK, Auk. 28. <Drawing Population, 1,450,000) . . . Usiioring in of Circater Movie .Sojison Kocniod lo moan, consider- able to'the pictiire box offices^ Ap- pearance of stars, stunts and ex- ploitation pags were used. Rube Wolf, back at Loew's State for three weeks, had "Excess Bag- gage" On the screen and got an easy $30,000 to lead the town. Metro- politan ran a close second with . '.'Forgotteri Faces,"', Phil Uampkin and a Publix unit. Clara; . BoSv boosted Monday night's receipts by letting the customers give her the once ov<r. • DCMille's "Godless Girl" . came into the Biltmore Monday night and did $12y000 on week, Sordid- ncss of story dwelt upon in local reviews, with belief. DeMille'.s name may qvercojtie it. United Artists got off nicely with "Man Who • Li;i,ughs." Wire transmission ex- plains points not. understood in si- . lent version. "Lights of New York" finished five .weeks a.t Warners' to around $20,000. Adding Movietone to "Street An- gel," shown silently several months ago, let the Criterion see its first profit in many a. moon. "White Shadows," at Grauman'^ Chinese, sold out nights and pretty nearly was cleaned out at mats, "liilac: Time" is running along smoothly at the Carthay Circle and looks good for another four or five weeks. .Benny Rubin is drawing them to the iEgyptian, heavily hit by the Warner opposition until he came in. On the screen was "The Mysterious Lady," with house cleaning better than $3,000 profit on the week. Dave Good seems to have made things niore cheerful at the Boulevard since hie took the rostrum. "Mag- nificent Flirt," on the .screen, didn't mean a thing here. : Estimates for Last Week Biitmore (Erlanger) — "Godless Girl" (Pathe) (1,550; 50-$1.50) (2d week: Off to good start; 11 per- forma.hces drew around $12,000. Boulevard. (W. C.)—"Magnificent Flirt" (Par) (2,164; 15-50). This Vidor meant nothing, with Good the IJfe saver; $5,500. Carthiy Circle (Miller-W, "Lilac Time" and sound (1,500; 50-$1.50) (7.th .week). Icen Moore very good ih sixth week; better than $12,500. Criterion (W. C.)—"Street Angel" and Movietone (Fox) (1,600; 2.3^75). Great on second run with sound; around $10,000. ■ Egyptian (W. C.-U. A.) "My.sle- ri.ous Lady" (M-G) (1,800; 25-75). Benny Rubin the magnet; drawing from all parts of town; close to $10,000; exceeds previous week. Griaruman's Chinese (U. A.-Grau- man)r-"White Shadows" and sound (1,958; 50-$r;50). Almost capacity; near $26,500. Lowe's State (Lowe-W. C.)—"Ex- cess Baggage" (M-G) (2,242; 24- $1). Stage and screen combination hard to beat; F. M. midget stage show helped; $30,000. Metropolitan (W. C.-Pub)—"For- gotten Faces" (Par) (3,505;: 25-70). (^Qod screen offering with better than average stage .show; $28,500. United Artists (U. A)—"Man Who Laughs" and sound (U) (2,100; 25- $1). Caught on; around $18,000. Warner.Bros. (W. B;)—"Lights of New York" and Vita (WB) (2,756; 25-75). Fifth and final w?ok 'has them standing out at night; about , $20,000. . "HEAD MAN" AND GARBO $1,000 DIFF, MONTREAL Capitol, $14,500 With "Mys- terious Lady"—Strand Very Good at $4,000 Dave C.)— (FN) Col Chi s 3rd House Record Pops in 4 Wks.; Chicago, $71,000 With W Kids Montreal, Aug. US. (Drawing Population, 600,000) Weather: Fair and Cool Following ' the previous woeU'.s nosedive, main stem ' houses picked up. Capitol jumped a . couple of thousand to $14,500, and Loew's was up about the same. Greta Garbo put it over at the former hou:5e in "The Mysterious I^Ody," and Charlie Murray handed the tans what they wanted in "The Head Man." A fair amount of rain at nights helped. Imperial . continues to pull them In with an all .viiude show. . Theatres are reopening, and by the beginning of September the Princess (legit) will start under the new management of "Abbie" Wright with "Rose-Marie." Although this musical has shown here at lease, eight times in two or three year^i, it never fails. About the sartie time the Palace will have been wired oy W. E, and Bernard Shaw will be shown, • Everybody is up in the air over the fight by the theatres against the Children's Act. . Injunctions have been raining on the. courts, and it is declared in some quarters that what with appeals, etc., the final clearing up of the mess will not.be had before a couple of years. Strand made a killing with "Walking Back" and boosted its gross a thousand. Estimates for Last. Week Capitol (FP) (2,700; 40-60), "Mys- terious Lady" (M-G). Greta Garbo certainly got them last week; Con- rad Nagel also has a good local following and house turned them away at start of week, but fell off. later; jumped two grand to $14,500. LocW's (FP) (3,200; .45-75), "The Head Man" (FN) and vaude'. Pic- ture made hit with fans, helped by Olympic shots showing Percy Wil- liams winning; gross also up a couple of thousand; $13,500. Strand (U.A.) (800; 30-40), "Mod- ern Mothers" (Col), "Buck Privates" (U), "Second to None" (Briti.sh), and "Walking Back" (Pathe). Lat- ter film brought crowds and boosted gross a thousand; excellent at $4,000; Imperial (Keith) (1.900; 3o-$l), all vaude. Not out of ordinary bill, but marked by first appearance here of Watson and Cohan, Hebe comics, who are certain to be seen here again; around $12,000. Neighborhoods doing much bet- ter and now over summer depres- .sion. *NEWPORTEQUETTE "To the manner born"—a famili^ir cxpro.'i.sion in Mid-Victorian days. .-Ill the Newport way" is more ipropbs nowaday.s. NEWPORTEQUETTE demands the best. ' . ileyipr Davis personally conducted his orchestra at the WILLIAM H. VANDERBILT Ball (Newport) last Saturday, and the Yacht Club Boys, too, scored their biggest hit; •In the Kevrport way. it Lights" So-So, Buffalo; "Four Walls," $29,700 Buffalo, Aug.'28, (Drawing! Population, 500,000) Weather: Hot Considering the weather and sea- sonal indifference, the picture houses turned . in extraordinarily good returns last week. All houses appeared to be off to an early start in advance of the official season. Estimated for Last Week Buffalo (Publlx) (3,600; 30-40-65) —"Four Walls" (M-G>-"West Point Days," Publlx unit. Sized up as a high-class program and built well throughout the week; $20,700. Hip (Publix) (2,400; 50)—"Out o£ the Ruins" (FN) and vaude. Slight- ' ly under normal, but inauguration =.pf'-=sound=at^thiSiJvauae.^foiu.eu£iieii.L week is .looked to shoot to higher levels; $12,000, Great Lakes (Fox) (J,400; 30-40- e."))—"Lights of New York" and Vita (WB). First week of all-sound marked the third for new policy; feature started strong but did not hold up as anticipated; flgui-e rep- resents six shows daily and is re- garded as good business; $17,000. Lafayette (Inde) (3,400; 3.5-50)— "The Cop" (PatheV an<l vaude. Bus- iness moved along evenly; $13,000. TOPEKA SPOTTY Stage Policies Get Over—"Cos- sacks" Off, $1,300 . _„ -Topeka;-Aug; 28. . (Drawing Population, 85,000) Weather: . Fair and Cool Business was spotty all week, but receipts were normal. Opening the Novelty with its he\v vaude-fllm policy had its effect all round, less at the Jayhawk than elsewhere be- cause a stage presentation In addi- tion to the screen was started there ia.«}t week. It is definite now that the Isis, closed for the past year, will re- Open Labor Day as a second run house with a, 15-cent price and that the Ovpheum will cut-rate to'25 cents. This leaves the Jayhawk and the Grand, latter wired, as the feature picture houses of the town and gives National Theatres Co. a string of second and third run sites to take care of its film buys. The Palace (colored) will assist In thi.s plan. New.system seemis to be in direct opposition with the Law- rence Amusement Co., owners of the Cozy, Gem, Crystal and Best, with which National has had a year, but which is now reported as being split. Estimates for Last Week Jayhawk (1,500; 40). Moving the pit <irclu'stra on the stage and add- ing local dancers and singers was given most of the credit for holding receipts up to better than normal; "Hot Now;;" (Par), first half, was hot. and "Frrcklos"' (KHO), last lifiic, got llip. (!(>ne .'-itratton IVirlei' nu)l'; brfjik Itotwecn the sob .si-slorrf SOUND SHOWS OFF IN K. C; DUMB FILMS UP Kansas City, Aug; 26. (Drawing/?Population, 700,000) Favorite , indoor sjjort of the pic- ture reviewers here is .the razzing of the talkers. No question that sound is Xar from hiaking the hit expected, many patrons being lOud in: their, denuxiciatlpri of the' new fad. As far as financial results were concerned, it was just another week. Louis. Charnisky, manager cf Pantagbs,. is foatuving his adver.- ti.-iing, with the line, "The only the- atre in town playing reul vaude- ville," and expects, to .fight it out on ■ that policy, although the house vviU probably be wired in the near future for Movietone, and some shorts may be tisod. The Newman, planning to close yesterday for a couple of weeks will continue another week, when, ic is stated positively, trie house will close tor three week.s' and re open with a new policy. 'Ihe house is wired for everything, it is also understood a stage show of some kind will be given. C. C. Perry will be in active charge of the. house, with Louis Lazjir district manager. Estimates for Last Week Loew's Midland—"Stat© Street Sadie" and Vita (WB) (4,000; 25 35-50). ,Second week of all picture policy and business several thou sand dollars off from opening week, which was lt>olstered by VOur Gang", contests; critics occupied 'much space in telling how bad the fea- ture, shorts and Movietone were; in addition to thriller bill consisted of Movietone news, three Vita shorts, the regular M-G news; lots of show, but customers missed the stage show, which broke the con- stant flicker of the film. Gross $20,- 000, off $5,500 from last week. Mainstreet—"Out of the Ruins' fFN) (3,200; 25-50). About $17,600 up $1,700. Pantages — "Danger Street' (2,200; 25-50). Another underworld nielier, but to the liking of the regu- lars; $8,600. .Newman.— f'The ■ Mating Call'' (Par) (1,890; 25-35-:50); Althouijh planned to close, the house last week, Publix did not hesitate about sending in a strong picture and re- turns were not disappointing; both Meighan and Adoree have ' strong following here; $5,500, same. Globe offered "Street Angel" with a complete sound, bill of news and shorts. and the flaps was about 50-50; nearly $2,900. Orpheum (1,200; 40)' (NationalV, "The Cossacks" (M-G). Didn't hit any too well, though Gilbert is a favorite here; some of the fans de- scribed it as a Siberian western; under $1,300. Novelty (1,100; 40) (Crawford). New vaude-film . policy hit better than expected; matinees particu- larly well attended; "Lady Be Good" (FN), first half, and "Lady Raffles." last half, both scored for just better than $2,500; about nor- ma-r^intw-"d7awr"""" " 7 ' Cozy (400; 25) (Lawrence). "The Silver Slave" not only didn't hit, but starved; not enougii attended to keep the doorman awake; last half, "No Other Woman," picked up, bu< b.o. showed barely over $700, Best (550; 20) (Lawrence), Bozo Davis and his Sunkist Steppers, with we.^jtern picture features and three changes for the week, ffll off from la.*>t wook; well in . velvet, huwev^x*, with $1,000. "Lilac Time" Up $500 on 2d Wk.--"Kings" Out to $22,500—Oriental, $43,000 with Contests (iEAT SOCKS TORONTO; HAINES' $10,300 TOPS Heavily Flayed by Press^Pan and Hipp Each $10,000— Dix Weak 'Poronto, Augi il8. (D ra w i n g Po p u I at i o n, 700,000) Weather: Very Warm "Mademoiselle from Armentieres," British made; put on with a well- planned but inexpensive ballyhoo at the T.Mv61i, was the only bright spot in: a drab \yeek. Everything was forced down by hot weather. "Mademoiselle" got about $5,i60O in this 1,400-seater and held over. This figure would not be worth a second week in the regular season. Jack Arthur and. his stage show at the Uptown had an all-Toronto cast, with a band the ace in the hole. With. "Warming Up" it didn't look so bad at $8;0u0, particularly as Richard Dix is cold here. . "Hot News' gave Puntages a rou- tine summer week at $10,100, which placed it within a putt of town lead- ership held by Loew's with "Tell- ing the World." Pantages had a snappy series of shflrts and news shots of the Olympic games. Unit show on stage tlmt was one oif best in weeks, but wOrd-of-mouth only biecame beneficial when the week ended, and with holdovers banned in this house, it was a tough break. 'Patent Leather Kid," shown as a road show here in the winter, came in strong Saturday, with American tourists, here for the Canadian Na- tional Exhibition, providing the bulk of .the house. ' Newspapers voted "Telling the World" the worst on record, but the public was satisfied, and so was Jules Bernstein with $10,300. There was a local tie-up with the "Eve- ning Telegram," but it didn't mean much. . Scenes were inserted of the pres.ses running in that building. Shea's Hipp had a smart bill, With "The Cop" on the screen. At $10,- 000, means regular support. Un- derworld pictures have been played a bit heavily here the past month, but no harm; has le.sulted. Estimated' 200,000 tourists.- here foi- the 15 days of the Canadian Na- tional Exhibition, llubin and Cherry shows supplant Johnny J. Jones in midway, with strict orders out for the troupers to take their Ontario booze when off the lot or not at all. Estirhates for Last Week Loew's (2,300; 30-60), "Telling the World" (M-G). 'With a local tie- up, the hoi polloi liked it; critics voted it bunk; $10,300 okay. Pantages (FP) (3,400; 30 - 60), "Hot News" (Par). Good show, but the town heard about it a little late; $J0,00d not bad; "Patent Leather Kid" (FN) opened strong Saturday Uptown (FP) (3,000; 30 - 60). "Warming Up" (Par). Sport pic ture meant little without crowd, Dix washed up here; colored shorts snappy; . about $8,000. Hipp (FP) (2,G00; 30-60), "The Cop ' (Pathe) and vaude. Looked on as good crook stuff; held to $10,000. Tivoll CFP) (1,400; 30r60V, Made moi.selle from Armentieres." Brit ish picture' got a good start, but faded; not. bad at $5,600, but below expectations; held over on strength of publicity. . Dix-Haines Run Up $32,000 in Seattle Seattle, Aug. 28. (Drawing Population, 500,000) Weather: Cool The Governor and local Mayor gave their boost to greater movie season by letters which weie duly displayed in front of the theatres. The event was off to a good start with cool weather. Both Hanirick houses continue to draw with Vita. .Sound pictures also great at the Fifth Avenue. Policy now brings some bigger but ^ltin.t..pi£limjaJ.jJL.Uifi.jCalise.um....^^ Seattle is non-sound as yet, but wired. Columbia getting some good bookings with "King of Kings" next. Pantages is ;ii.«o making more of ils pic ture programs, than ever. Estimates For Last Week Seattle (WC-Pub-L) (3,100; 1^5- 1)0; "Excess B;igRj(ge" (.\T-(i). iJaincK liked; .vinge .^how plso pleased; $18,000, Fifth Ave. (WC') fl!,700: 2,1-0.0^ '.Wdrming Up' an<l sound (I'ar;. Chicago, Aug. 28, : Weather: Varied Thi'ce hotise records have popped, here, within four weeks. Latest i.s the Chicago, whore the "Our Gang" . klQls in person beat the $68,000. established by Jackie .Coogan throe weeks ago. The "Gang" did $71,000. That's a whale of a figure for the house, with $42j00O. accepted as aveirage money. Five shows a d.'iy throiighput the week and good ex- ploitation. Nifty coin is also being divided by the special attractions and talk- ers. "Lilac Time," synchronised, drew extra attention by going up instea,d of down in its second week after knocking off a prize $31,000 on the Opener. Gross climbed $500 lalst week with just 1,700. seats to. play to. This house formerly con- sidered $18,000 good. "Lights, of New York" dropped several thou- sand in its third week at Mc- Vicker's, but did $33,500. "King of Kings" finished . thr^e profitable weeks, at United Artists by climbing a bit to $22,500. "Tempest" followed iFriday a'nd broke the opening day record for the house. "Kings" .missed, its chance for important money through poor night, business, ex- plainable only by the theory tho.t regular picture customers were steer-ing clear of Teliglori. "State Street Sadie," originally advertised for one week at the. little Orpheum, surprised by hanging around four weeks and registered Well throxigh- out. Closing was $9,300. Oriental took a drop frorri the record $53,000 set the previous week with Ruth Ettlng, but was better than normal at $43,000. American Venus beauty contest finals credited with the few extra berries. Estimates for Last Week Chicago (Publix), "The First Kiss" (Par.) (4,200; 50-75). New house record of $71,000 set by "Our Gang" kids on stage; five shows daily throughout week; picture given mild attention. McVicker's (Publix). "Lights of New York" and Vita. (WB) (2,200; 50-75). Talker still big in third week, although slipping several' grand to $33,500; all-wire program,, Oriental (Publix), "Jqst Married" (Par) (3,200; 35-75). Finals of American Venus beauty contest brought a little extra; $43,000. Orpheum (Warner), "State Street Sadie" and Vita. (WB) (760; 50). Talker beat expectations by stick- ing four weeks to good grosses; closed high at $9,300 with sound shorts, i Playhouse (Mindlin), "imperial Temptress" (Selwyn), "Lure of Germany" (Mindlin) (600; 50-75). Sure seater gave the works; Raqtiel Meller in feature, a foreign short, Al Smith acceptance broadcast, and Valentino memorial performance totaled $3,000, Roosevelt (Publix), "Lilac Time" and sound (FN) (1,700; 50-7.5). Second week better than first; up $500 to $31,500; all wire program. State-Lake (Keith), "Hit of the Show" (FBO) (2,500; 50-75). Film with vaude satisfactory at $22,000. United Artists (UA), "King of Kings" (Pathe) (1,7.02; 50-75). Third and last week showed $1,000 rise, -rounding out .-moderately profitable . engagement; $22,500; synchronized ver,sion oiiginally booked, but trouble on wiving pre- vented; "Tempest" (UA) in . now and big. First Pararhount sound picture here; Dix has a, following; $14,500. Coliseum (WC) Ct.bOO; 20) "Hawk's Nest" (FN). Good com- monf and biz big; $5,600. Columbia (U) (1,000; 25-50) "Giip of the Yukon" (U). Northern pic- tures still draw but not. as much as formerly; $3,800. . Blue Mouse (Hamrick) (O.')0: 50- 73) "State Street Sadie" and Vita (WB). In second week and big; good Vita shorts; $12,000, groat. Music Box (Hamrick) (1,000; 50- 75) "Glorious Betsy" and \itn (W.B) (4th week). New house still a nov- elty, and helps draw; $9,500. Winter Garden (U chain) (800: 15-25) "Wife's Relations" (Col). Did $2,700. Pa^tages_ (J..500: 25,-6.0)^ ' I'\'i. olgn I.pgIon" (Uy. Hilled Ing anil drew okay; good vaude; $10,500, Orpheum (2,700: 25-$l) "Tlie Hod Mark" (X'athe). Theatre's 20ih nn- niversfiry being celebrated by mari- agor Carl Reiter herr .«<in<c It opened; good .«how and fair gro.Ms; $10,300. President f Duffy) d.f-OO; 2.'^- $1.25) "Diiddy's (Jrmc :i ll uni iiij.'" (Duffy Pliiyer.'j.). M:irj(irii Kiini- bc'ui ;ii)(l cntii'p 0<i)n[iiUiy ilid '<iii»u' fijie work; $4,300.