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EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY
ABOUT
PICTURES
Just as the Barometer page shows first run reports on current pictures, this
department is devoted for the most part to reports on subsequent runs, made by
exhibitors themselves. A one-star contributor is new, two stars mean the exhibitor
has been writing in for six months or longer, and a three-star contributor
is a regular of one year or more, who receives a token of our appreciation. All
exhibitors weicome.
COLUMBIA
Blondie Knows Best (Col)—Penny Singleton,
Arthur Lake, Larry Simms. This series sure
takes well here, especially with the children
Keep on coming with more like it and there
won't be any trouble booking 'em. Played
Wednesday. 'Weather: Good, cool.—W. H.
Swan, Auditorium Theatre, Roscoe, S. D. Rural
patronage.
• » *
Corpse Came C.O.D., The (Col)—George
Brent, Joan Blondell, Adele Jexgens. A good
little comedy that didn't make it at the boxoffice.
Thfe title was poor. The show proved
interesting to those that came. Played Mon.
Tues. Weather: Okay.—D. W. Trisko, Ritz
Theatre, Jerome, Ariz. Mining patronage. * *
Last of the Hedmen, The (Col)—Jon Hall,
Michael O'Shea, Evelyn Ankers. This is all
right. Don't pass it up. You'll enjoy your
patronage. Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather:
Cool and fair.—Harland Fiankin, Rankin Enterprises,
Chatham, Ont. General patronage.
« • •
Last of the Redmen. The (Col)—Jon Hall,
Michael O'Shea, Evelyn Ankers. This was a
welcome break from the usual run of Saturday
westerns. The color was not bad and it
drew a good crowd and generally pleased
folks. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Cold rain.
— R. G. Risch, Reno Theatre, Appleton, Minn.
Village and rural patronage. *
Pacific Adventure (Col)—Ron Randell, Muriel
Steinbeck, John Tate. This is a good little
picture. The star value in it is nil but the
story value is good and the production value
fair. It needs quite a bit of support and is
best suited for double featuring. Played Wed.,
Thurs. Weather: Fair.—Walt Rasmussen, Star
Theatre, Anthon, Iowa. Rural and small town
patronage.
•
EAGLE LION
Lavy of the Lash (EL)-Al "Lash" LaRue,
Al "Fuzzy" St. John, Mary Scott. It pleased
but we had a small attendance. Played Fri.,
Sat. Weather: Good.—Ralph Raspa, State
Theatre, Rivesville, W. Va. Small town patronage.
» • »
Linda Be Good (EL)—Marie Wilson, Elyse
Knox, John Hubbard. A good picture with
lots of comedy and music. It had better than
average draw. Played Mon., Tues. Weather:
Warm.— L. Brazil jr.. New Theatre, Bearden,
Ark. Small town patronage. • • *
Linda Be Good (EL)—Marie Wilson, Elyse
Knox, John Hubbard. This is a very light
comedy that should be on a double bill.
Played Sunday—James C. Balkcom jr., Gray
Thegtre, Gray, Ga. Small town patronage.
* » .
Out of the Blue (EL)—Virginia Mayo, George
Brent, Turhan Bey. This is a pleasant surprise
that did pretty good business. With it we
aoubled the gross on some so-called big pictures
that we recently ran and our patrons
were pleased and entertained. Bought it
right and so shov/ed a profit—and that is
something rare now. Played Sun., Mon.
Weather: Fine.—Mayme P. Musselman, Roach
Theatre, Lincoln, Kas. Small town patronage.
» * *
Railroaded (EL)—John Ireland, Sheila Ryan,
Hugh Beaumont. This show is very good but
very poorly received. Eagle Lion has a very
good lineup of product. Now if business
would only get back to normall This feature
IS very good for a double bill. Played Fri
:
Sat. Weather: Rain.—Ralph Raspa, State Theatre,
Rivesville, W. 'Va. I^ural patronage.
* * *
Repeat Performance (EL)—Louis Hayward,
Joan Leslie, Richard Basehart. I had my fingers
crossed and was really scared of it, but
although it starts out a bit slow, it builds up
and holds the interest. It's a very good dramatic
picture and will even do in a small
town. Weather: Mild.—Jim Mote, Gem Theatre,
Sterling, Okla. Small (own and rural patronage.
* *
METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER
Gone With the Wind (MGM) — Reissue.
Clark Gable, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland.
This is as good as before at the boxoffice
but got a bad break on the weather due
to fog. Prints on this were good and very
few splices. Played Mon., Tues. Weather:
Foggy.—D. W. Trisko, Ritz- Theatre, Jerome,
Ariz. Mining patronage. * *
Gone With the Wind (MGM) — Reissue.
Clark Gable, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland.
We did pretty well with this on a return
showing but not enough to satisfy the
rental Metro charged us for the privilege of
:he return. It is still a good picture and worth
running though, the print was swell, and
everyone was praising the picture. Get it on
a sliding scale—then you can't get hurt.
Played Tues. through Thurs. Weather: Fine.
—Mayme P. Musselman, Roach Theatre, Lincoln,
Kas. Small town patronage.
* • *
Good Newrs (MGM)—June Allyson, Peter
Lawford, Patricia Marshall. This is a very
good musical that appealed to the younger
set. Played Mon., Tues.—James C. Balkcom
jr.. Gray Theatre, Gray, Ga. Small town patronage.
* * *
High Barbaree (MGM)—Van Johnson, June
Says Public Skeptical;
Been Oversold Before
T LOYD LAFOND, manager of the Rimrock
Theatre at Winnett, Mont., and
a regular contributor to these columns,
gets several things off his chest in this
communication
"I certainly agree with Marcella Smith
of IVIcArthur, Ohio, in the April 3 issue
of BOXOFFICE that boxoffice receipts
do not show the merits of a picture.
When pictures like BEST YEARS OF
OUR LIVES, BOOMERANG, CHEY-
EN>rE, LOVE AND LEARN, IT'S A WON-
DERFUL LIFE and THE HOME-
STRETCH don't bring people in, business
is bad.
"I hope the TOA opens the throttle on
their public relations program soon. However,
I have observed that my patrons'
reaction to a barrage of publicity is a
very deep-rooted skepticism—they have
been oversold before!
"The long range program will be the
real McCoy. It won't produce a shot-inthe-arm
effect, but should certainly create
a more lasting and favorable attitude
toward the industry. We need it,
from our little towns all the way to the
top."
He Wants More Comedy:
Plenty of Sad Stuff
LITTLE MR. JIM (MGM) —Butch. Jenkins,
James Craig, Frances Gifford. Most
of my audience went to sleep and most of
them that I overheard said, "My, I had a
good nap on this one." If business doesn't
pick up soon, I'm going to convert my
theatre into a dozen apartments. 'Why
doesn't Hollywood give ns more comedy
features? This sad stuff, most of our
audience have plenty of, without coming
here to pay for more.—Ben Brinck, West
Point Theatre, West Point, Iowa. Small
town patronage.
* * •
Allyson, Thomas Mitchell. To date this is one
of Van's best in my location. It isn't new
any more but if your folks haven't seen it,
what difference does that make? They'll like
it. It's great—and you'll like the boxoffice
results. Played Tues., Wed. Weather: Good.
—Jim Mote, Gem Theatre, Sterling, Okla.
Small tov/n and rural patronage. * *
Harvey Girls, The (MGM)—Judy Garland,
John Hodiak, Ray Bolger. Say what you may.
many pictures are not made any better. One
customer said, "I never laughed so much in all
my life." Many remained to see it twice, so
that's what you call "satisfied customers.'
The lion roared once again for MGMl Played
Sat., Sun. Weather: Cool.—W. H. Swan, Auditorium
Theatre, Roscoe, S. D. Rural patron-
~„ * * *
age.
King Size Canary (MGM)—Short. This is
another funny cartoon from MGM, the company
that we think makes the best cartoons in
the industry, and we play 'em for every company.
Played Tues., Wed.—Abe H. Kaufman,
Fountain Theatre, Terre Haute, Ind. Action,
family patronage.
• • •
Living in a Big Way (MGM)—Gene Kelly,
Marie McDonald, Charles Winninger. There
were sufficient mood changes to satisfy everyone.
The dancing, comedy and drama were
nicely balanced and it pleased average attendance.
Played Wednesday. Weather:
Cold.—J. E. Rougeau, Club Theatre, Seven
Sisters Falls, Man. Small town and rural patronage.
* •
SiYearling, The (MGM) — Gregory Peck,
Jane Wyman, Claude Jarman jr. All I can say
IS, truly a great feature. Words cannot acclaim
the greatness in acting and Technicolor
effects. Played Sat., Mon. Weather:
Fair.— S. N. Holmberg, Regal Theatre, Sturges,
*
Sask. Rural patronage.
MONOGRAM
King of the Bandits (Mono)—Gilbert Roland,
Chris-Pin Martin, Angela Greene. The
Cisco Kid will still bring them in here and
this one is very good. After Monogram lets
this series go, we might as well quit their
product. Played Sunday. Weather: Okay.
D. W. Trisko, Ritz Theatre, Jerome, Ariz. Mining
patronage. * *
PARAMOUNT
Adventure Island (Para) — Rory Calhoun,
Rhonda Fleming, Paul Kelly. This show was
disappointing in the lack of action. The color
isn't too good— in fact we have had lots better
Cinecolor than this. The story was lacking
some place.—D. W. Trisko, Ritz Theatre,
Jerome, Ariz. Mining patronage. * *
Dear Ruth (Para)-Joan Caulfield, William
Holden, Mona Freeriian. One of the finest
pieces of entertainment I have ever seen. II
you can't enjoy this show, you had better see
a doctor. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather:
Fair.—Bill Leonard, Leonard Theatre, Cedarvale,
Kas. Small town patronage. * • •
Golden Earrings (Para)—Ray Milland, Marlene
Dietrich, Marvyn Vye. This pleased average
attendance. Marlene Dietrich got the .'
most of the part she had and gave the audience
quite a kick. The fight between Zoltan
BOXOFFICE BookinGuide May 15, 1948
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