Variety (Dec 1929)

10 VARIETY PICTURE GROSSES Wednesday, December 25, 192$ 1 Xmas or Stores' BaDyhoong Failed to Hurt L. A., Downtown; ParJaOI)(«tate,$2I,500-Big Los Angeles, Dec. 24. (Draw^ Pop., 1,500,000) Weather—Good Show business' standing argu- ment that the week before Christ- mas,Is just something to be endured was met locally by a strong rebut- tal, when "Sweetie" got $35,000 at the Paramount^' and "Tliis . Thing Called Love'' tilled $27,600 at Lpew'a State. These houses ai*e to Los Angeles what the Param,ount and Catiltol are. to New York. They, may be re- garded as barometers of this town's film spending. , Loca^ merchants gave the thea-. treis aggressive Christmad competi- tion employing circu9 methods of: . balIyhooiner> street parades, illumi- nated Chrlsthias trees outdoors, trucks with bands circulating tl^rough streets, choriil singing and other attentlbn-rcommanding stunts to drum up trade; . Whethier the. de- partment store sales were improved by ; the exploitation would perhaps make an interesting stoiT- No par- ticular damage was done to the pic- ture parlors, '. Estiiriates .for. Last Week .BoMleyiard — {Fox) "Christina" (Fpx) <2,164; 25-50). Around $7,000 BO-so. ■ ■ ■ ■' ;^ Carthay Circle—(Fox) "Rio Rita" (Radio) Cl.BOb; 50-$1.50) (5th week. . For longevity; $11,600 good. Chinese(Fox) "Condemned" (ttA) (2.028; 60-$i.5O) (3rd week). Christmas Day. advancfe sale heavy and saved this one from taking slap^ No densatidh at $12,600. House waiting for signal to announce "Rogue's Song.'.'. Crlterjori -(Fox) "Hallelujah" (M^G) (li600; 25r76) (2nd, final tireek). Stayed l2.days in al]; .final niiie days figured to $12,50ll>, >0lcay after previous $1.60 einjgagement.'' Egyptian — (UA--- Fox) ^'Seven Faces": <Foi) (t»800; 25-^5). At $8,200/shade linde'r normal. Fox l*«l«eeT-(fox) ■'Sunny Side tJp" (Fo*) (1,150; 50-$1.66) <lat Week)« No Ibetter downtown - thkn^ In . Hollywood; ■ only • $6,500; snair's pa'c^.' -Not under8tandd.ble here; picture reported big gross-getter all «ver coufttcS';; .. • . Loev/s St«te^(Loerw-Fox)"Thi3 Thing Called Love'^ (Pathe) (2,024; 25-$l)i First tlmd Pathe has gotten ■booking in this house; picture liked end total, $27,600 very good tor pr^- Chrlstmas Week. > Meglin Kiddles Bhow responsible for strong mat$.; ^Paramount — (j>ubHx) "Sweetie" (Par) (3>696: 25-76). House- jran trailer on this one for seven weeks* prior to arWvsil; a,t this house $3S,- ;000'tremendous, ^ore' so at this period. ■■; . ,;. , , RkO—"Pi?oa;dway Scandals!' (<?ol,) .(^960; $0t66); T^ith exceptionally Btrbn^ vaude and. fair, independent feature, $16,600;,> not bad but :lots of area, for improvement. ' • Uriited - Arti»t«--(Pab-UA^) "Live Ghosts" (UA;) (2,100; 25-$!) <2nd, final week). Failed to get started and yulnked short of two weeks; final grossaround $10;000.. "That translates, as fioppo. V^"Tamlng of Shrew*/'opens'Christmas Day. , Wjirner* J>oM!ntown-T-"Little John fty; Jones" (iPN) <1,800; BO-76). Off at::$10,300 and one week only. W«rnera KoTrywooVI. •— "General Crack" (wa).:(2;7B6;: 25-75) <l8t week). "Genei-ial" at gallop, $26, ■ OOp: expected' to hold that pace on 2hd'- week. ..' 'DARKENED ROOMS'DIES IN K. C, $2,400-OUT Kansas City, Dec. 24. 'Twas'the week before Chrlst,ma» and the flrat real cold wave of the season. New. pictures with names and plenty oie stage entertaliiiment but the grosses, remained low. Malnstreet and Midland splurged with reviies and girls and legs and m. c.'s in addition to their screen fea:tures; both fairly rewarded at the box ofhce. Newman had "Half Way to Heaven.';, This home towner, Buddy Rogers, had rather cool re- views which did not help the grosses. Royal started the week with "Darkened Rooms," but pulled It after five days and set in "Hearts in Exile" for nine days unless an- otlier «hange is made. Estimates For Last Week Mainstreet—'Taris" (FN) (3,200- 25-35-60-60). COuple of weeks ago Irene Bordoni at the Shubert in this same play at $3 top and a short cast Picture witli over 600 in some Of the scenes shows, the trans- formation the screen can do. Stage Show. $115,600;: ■ ■ Loew's Midland—"Locked Door" (UA) (4,000-25-35-60-60). Only weather arid Cliristmas prevented picture from being among the. best money getters of the year. Stage show, f15.000. Newman—"Half Way to Heaven" (par) (1,890-25-35-50-60). Pub- licity for Buddy Roger but in spite of local angl^ critics were not. overly kind. $12,000. Pantagea—"Why Leave Home?" (2,200-25-35^50). Vaude. $8,700. • Royal—"Darkened ROomS" (Par) C84a-25-35-50). David Newell, an- other local boyj in cast' and drew part of advance publicity. Critics kind but public laid off and the pic- ture pulled after five days. "Hearts in Hxile"^ substituted. $2,400; five days. LOUISVILLE DEPRESSED "Viroinia^'" *nd "4 Devils" Hold Up, $0^ «nd .:$5,p00r^State $14,000 ■ 'liOUlsviUc. Dec. 24. (Drawihil Penulatien;:60e,000)', WeAther, Rain -and Cold . rRotten weather plus the pre-hqll-. day period kept grossedi heibw nor- mal, last Week.' Exception Vras the RlaitTtt, which bettered average with: «rh0 ■Virginian." tleport that thef Brown, stock and legit, would play, talkers two months and then go RKO vaude is wet; Next attractibni there a: road shO'V^j /'Con- neqtlcut "Yankee." Brown has'never played sound, and >ifanager: Martin says that, vaudeville is not contem- plated. ... ' , - Estimates for Last Webk State (Loew) (^*400; 36-60)— "Locked Door." Some disappoint nient when : Williani i Boyd,. for- merly legit, didh't-^roVe to. be the^ blond film Boyd; off $3,500 to ^14,- OOO.r poor. Rialto (RKO) (2,940; 30-50)-^"The Virginian" (Par).'Better than usual; possibly $19,500. ' Strand (Fourth Ave.)-r-"Hearts in E?tte" . (WB)*; Dolores CJostello failed to : make . an impression; off to afaOXit j|4^000. ^ . : Alwne'(Fourth Ave.) (900; 40).-77 ^'Four toevils" (Fox). Held up largely beqause .of popiilairlty here Of Janet Giiynor;. good at $5,000, Anderson (RKO) (1,387; 30-50)-^ "Darkened' Itooms." Quiet at $3,260 JOE BROWNrNG Presenting "A Timely Sermon" Assisted by Joe Browning, Jr. This week, Dec. 20» Indiana Thea- tre, Indianapolis, in Charles Nlgge- Meyer's "Marathon Frolics." Direction Abe LaStfooe't Harry Lenetska, William Morris Agency. R.-K.-6. direction, Morris & Foil. 2D WK. FILM, $12,900, LEDSEAITLElMm 23. its Seattle, Dec, (Draw pop.r 525»0b0) Weather Rainy Week before Chrlstnias tells usual story. . . ' \ " "Sunny Side Up" went for good second. week. Not .^p to usual draw at Seattle with "Hftlf .Way to Heaven." Orpheuni Vaiide again; bin well balanced. EstimaUs for Last Week Seattle ' (pub) (3,106; 25-60), "Half Way to Heavon" (Par). Prfi-Cbrlstma£; $10,600. 6th Ave. (Fox) (2,500; 25-60) "South Sea Rose (Fox). Stoge unit. $10,800» Fox (2.500; 25-60), "Sunny . Side Up'- (Fox). 2d week and good^ all considered; $12,900. Blue Mousa (Hamrick) (900; 26- 60). Misslsiilppi Gambler" . (U); fair: $7,B00. .. ■ Music Box (Hamrick) (1,000; 25- 50). "Mr. Antonio (TS). Leo Ca- riUo here as -guest sta^ with Duffy Players BO has personal local fol- lowing. Fialr; $7,000.. . CoWssum (Fox) (1,800; ' 26-60), Romance Rio Grande" (Fox). Hot Teleas6 and liked; .$.3,000. ' _ Ocpheum (ItKO) . ,(2;700; 45-«0), "Jazz Heaven" (RKO). Vande. $11,000. ^ • Metropolitan (Pub) (l.^DO; 26- 60), "Three Live Ghosts" • (UA). Wareham; back, as manager., $6,200; good* ' President (Duffy) Cl.SOO- 25-1.26> "Wooden Klmona" (stooK). Duffy Players with Leona Powers again leading lady. Howard lillUer leading man. 'Good at'$8,2<J0. 'Hearen,' Frisco, $14,000; 'Paris' 0. K. at $16,600 San Francisco, Pec. 24. Nearness to the Christmas holi- days and a week of steiady rain didn't spell prosperity for the picture the- atres last week. Nothing better than average, and a few below. Fox with "The 13 th Chair," kept out of the red and that's all. War- fleld and "Hollywood Revue" did better than expected considering feature was here but few months ago as a road show. Granada, with "Half Way to Heaven," was way off. California and "Paris" got a break, and the St. Francis with "Love Parade," 3d week, showed a niOe profit. Estimates for Last Week Fox (Fox) (6.000: .50^65-76-$l)-- "13th Chair" (M-Q). Drew well from opening and kept steady pace; $S6,000. Warfield (Fox) (2,672; 60-6C.90)— "Hollywood Revue" (M-G). Here few months ago as road show; held up satisfactorily; $20,000. Granada (Publlx) (2,698; 35-50.- 66-$i)—"Half Way to Heaven" (Par). Didn't catch public; opened light and never really started. Fin- ished poorly; $14,000. California (Publlx) (2,200; 35-50- 65- 90)—"Paris" (FN). Irene Bor7 donl's name means something here; nice start and built; $16,600. St. Francis (Publlx) (1,376; 36-50- 66- 90)—"Love Parade" (Par) (3d week). Femme trade.-predominant;. $14,400. , Orpheum (RKG) (2,270; 36-60^66) —"Flight" (Col) .(2d week). Satis- factory, hut slumped from .opening. $1;4.000. Embassy (Wagnon) (1,365; 60- 65- 80)—"Hearts in Exile" (WB), No Particular puU; Just average stride; $8,600. Daviins (Wagnon) (1,160; 35-50- 66- 90)—"Painted Faces" (Tiff). Too similar in story to many others re- cently on Market street; light at $7,000. Casino (A. & H.) (2,400; 40-^0)— •Abquitted" (Col). Not np to usual intailce, but profitable; $9,000. ^ Pure Spanish Demanded; No Mixhire of Ac(^ents t. D«%liifid Ritgue'Tops Denver's Bad Wk., $9,000 Denver, Dec. 24. (Drawing Population,'400,000) Weather: Snow. Too. close to Chrlstnias and the weather are two .reasons the grosses . are down. Denham reported the :p6orest week of the season. ' Estimates for Last Week Denham (Indle stock) (1,800; 26>- «6-S0-»6-$l)—"The . Night Duel." 'Way down; $3,200. Denver (Publlx) (2,300; 25-40-65) —"The Kiss" (M-G). Turned in -poor-week; .$8,600.---= ^ -—T— Aladdin (Indie) (1,600; 36-60-76) —."Married In Hollywood" (Fox). Zx>west'In months; $6,000, . America (Indie) (1.600; 20-36'50) —"Girl- from Havana" (Fox). Over li.OOO.below normal; $3,600. Walto (Publiic) (1»040; 25-40-50) ^"Marianne'! (M-G). Not so good ♦Ither; $3,400. Tabor (Indie) (2,200* 26-40-60-75) —"JDellghtful Rofeue" (Radio). Best In town; $9,000. "Now," News, Weekly , Los Angeles, Dec. 24. • ''Now," twice-a-month house or- gan of Fox West Coast Theatres, goes weekly with the Issue of Jan 6. It also goes news, causing the dls continuance of letters and bulletins previously issued by various de partments. Chas. Wynard, 82^ in Need Charles Wynard, 82, veteran cameraman who started 30 years ago with the old Pathcscope com pany, is ill and: w^ithout funds in BeXle yue Ho spital,^ NifeW: Yo rk., A son* Edward • Wynard, now dead, was • also a pioneer camera man well known in his day. . Femme Lead Change Hollywood, Dec. 24. Margai'et Churchill, scheduled for the femme lead In "Temple Tower,' Fox, replaced by Marcellne Day. Fox studio says Miss Churchill may appear In "Common CHay." Color Tiemiese Nights" One of the flrst Warneif; ^rothers featuries which wlli go Ijito producr tlon when the toast aludld is re- opened Jan. 16 will be "Vlehhese' Nights,*; the title Of the original Sl$niuhd Romberg and Oscar Ham mer3tein| 2d, have written.' Thew HatViey. ii obtopletihg the ada;pta tibnT ■ Alan CrOsland will direct, yiv lenne Segal ;an'd - Alexander <3rey hkve the'featured roles. ' Both iRombetg and Hammersteih win .b* ' bn the lot throughout the prbdiiietion as supefvisiofs. The flilm operetta WHl be made entirely ih technicolor. , Col's 3 New Year's Hollywood, Dec. 24. Columbia plans to start the new year With an unprecedent burst of studio activity by placing three pictures into production at one time. It has 15 to make to complete its 29-30 program of 26 features. New Leading Woman Hollywood, liec, 24. Selection of Buster Collier, Jr for male lead ih Tiffany's "Resur rectl on" eliminates Marlon Schilling as the femme lead. . . Ann Harding may replace her. Berlin's First Hollywood, Dec. 24 Irving Berlin will start production on "Upstairs and Down" around Feb. 15 for United Artists. This will be his first picture as film producer. Hollywood, Dec. 24. Correct Spanish without the many accents and In particular the Cas- tiUIan must be used, in all Spanish versions, of talking: pictures if the producers want to ineet the ap- proval of more than 80 per cent, of the Latin AmerHcan .film' audiences. This was the general- opinion of more than 40 Spanish and Latin- American experts Who gathered' at meeting OalliBd by the ' Spanish iLAtin-Aineribah Film Bureau to de- termine and adopt a unlvelrsai mode df Spanish 'expression for talkers. It was; pojtoted out that ' oyer 80% of the people In the Latln- Amerlcas resent the use of Cas- tilUah and miany Other accents in their 8(ireeh ' entertainment^ the saiM ,as the Americans- would re- sent the general use of Oxford Eng- lish on the American screen. The reason for so many failures In .past {Spanish talkers is, attributed to the many Spanish actors now in Holly- wood who can speak nothing, but the CastlUlan accent and Insist that this is the proper expression. WiEisps Elect Hollywood, • Dec. 24. The Wasps;' Sister organl2;atlon to the Wampas^ elected the following officers for the yeai': Eleanor Pack- er, president; -Virginia Kellogg, V.-p., and Grace- Adair, sec. The organization has been In op eratlbn less than three years. . it has a surplus of $800 In the treas- ury. Does not select baby stars. F N'S ALL'MALE CAST Hollywood, Dec. 24. Cycle for pictures without love Interest (womenless casts) Is gain Ing momentum. First National Is the latest to undertake such a film "The Flight Commander". (Bar- thelmess) Is so tabbed. Jeanette LofTs U Contract Hollywood, Dec. 24. Jeanette Loff, borrowed ' by tJnl Versal from Pathe for "The King of Jazz," and dropped by Pathe in lts^recent.:^.8hake=.up,=^^--ha3—been given a term contract by U. Studio ultimately plans to star her. Minn s New Low^ 20 Below 'n Snow In Pre-Xmas WL Minneapolis, Dec. 24.-: 'Combination of the w.§.eic before Christmas, 20 belOw zero, near- bllzzards, and generally adverse business conditions spilled the box-', office beans. Grosses dwindled to . next to nothing and hew lows were established. Even- such attractions as -'Taming of the Shrew" and "Hollywood Re- vue" died In their second and final weeks. ; Trade • collapse capped the climax of ^ . succession of sickly grosses throughout the loop. •■' . Although "They Had to SeV Payls," at the Orpheum, and "Glori-! fying the American .jGlrl," at .the/ Minnesota, had the first-run fll^i. field almost' to themselves, because of holdovei" pictures, only the Rog-. ers film drew anything. Tuesday night, when a blizzard raged and It was 15 below, aggregate crowds at all loop houses would not' have filled the Minnesota. Saturday the Seventh Street reopened with' vaudfllm. . "Rbniance of the Rio . Grande"' (Fox) is the initial- screeii , offering. . Estimates for Last Week Minnesota (Publlx) (4,300; 76)~ "Glorifying the American Qlrl" (Par). AH around pleasing show, but $17,000 a new low and terrible; Century /Publlx) (1,500; 76)^ '-'Hollywood^Revue" (M-G). A fter a big first week brodled like every^.^ thing else; dropped to about $7,000 second and find! week. State (PUbllx) (2,200; 60)—"Tam- ing of Shrew" (UA). After a good, first week followed .the processipn . and tobogganed; everybody liked 1^ but:COuldn't hold up in face of ad- veriBi^ oonditions; around $8,000, and bowed out Friday. Orpheum (RKO) (2,890; 50)t- 1'hey Had to See Paris" (Fox). Praised and did exceptionally well in view Of conditions J $10,000, at that, much less than would have gotten normally< Lyrio (Publlx) (1,300; 40)—"Isl^ of Lost Ships" (FN). Good enough picture, but no exception to last week's rule; $2,000. Pantages. (Pantages) (1,600; 26^ 50)—"Light Fingers" (Col) and; vaude. Satisfactory ehtertiEiinment»: but nothing to draw; $4,000. Aster (Publlx) (900; 36)—'.'the River" (Fpx). (Jpod film for houses but what was.the use? about $800. Grand (Publlx) (1,100; 35)—"The Tirglnlan" (Par). Second loop ruri and nearly $2,000 fine;- an exception. Shubert (Bainbridge . .^ramatia' stock) (1,400; 35-$l)r-"Skldding.\' 5^oved highly pleasing, but business , 'wky off; around $3,600. PROVIDENCE GOOD; lOCKED DOOR' $19,600 Providence, Dec.. 24. \, ■ (brawing Populatton, 316,000) a . Weather: Rain and Cold A Sonie nice 'grossed in town de^ spite pre-Chrlstmas trading and. unusually bad weather. "Locked? Door" at Loew's StafiB brought in: neat gross of $19,600^ while double-, featured bill at Strand and Majestlo;, gave houses brisk-week. - v. "Rio Rita? in its sixth and final week went into a skid. Estimates for Last Week i Loew's state (3,600; 16-60>-f: XiOCked Door!* (UA) ' and Chase ■ coihedy. Brisk week. Feature^ liked; $19,600, good. * Strand (Ind): (2;i00; 15-50)t-"Pi'|-.; vate Affair" (Pathe) and "Ha:n "W^t-y. to Heaven" (Par)., Double .featured^ bills always good bait in this burg* Well over average biz; $12,000. Majestic (Fay) (2,200; 16-60)-?- "So Long Letty" (WB), "Sacredo Flame" (WB). Bill got praise;,, $12i6b0. Over average. Victory (R-K-O) (1,600; l6-50)Hrt "Rio Rita" (Radio), 6th, final weeltj Here longest of any popular priced* pictures; $7,000; beloW average: ; Fay's (Fay) (1,600; 16-50)—"Nix on Dames" . (Fox), vaude. Quiet at $9,000; Albee (R-K-O) (2,600; 15-50)-- "Oh Yeah" (Radio). Vaude. Not bad at $11,500. Miss Patterson's 4 Elizabeth Patterson, reported' from the Coast as nQt havingj^ worked in a picture during her el*,, months' contract yi^lth Fox, really,? appeared-in-f our.-==--^:- Miss Pattersoh Is currently In "The Big Party," although her con- tract expired Dec. 16. [ E. .T. Lowe Out ' Hollywood, Dec. 24. Edward T. Lowe, who has been writing exclusively for Paul Fejos produotlons, Is off the Universal payroll. Novarro's "Singer" Hollywood, Dec. 24. ^; Ramon Novarro's next for M-Gj goes Into reproduction Jan. 2 under title, of "Singer of Seville." Charles Brabln Is to direct.