Boxoffice-December.24.1949

Exhibitor Hi
riis^ioy
(Continued from page 3)
did top business here on this picture. It
should be good on any day In any location.
Played Sat. (preview), Sun. Weather: Warm.
—L. Brazil jr., New Theatre, Bearden, Ark.
Small town patronage. • • •
Puddin'head (Rep)—Reissue. Judy Canova,
Francis Lederer. I waited over a year
to play a second Judy Canova and was disappointed
with results. "Sis Hopkins" was a
record-breaker, but this wasn't. It should have
been, though the same old com from start to
finish. It is swell for rural situations. Played
Wed., Thurs. Weather: Fair and cool.—Mrs.
Pat Murphy, Queen Theatre, Holllday, Tex.
Oil field patronage. • • »
Sheriff of Wichita (Rep)—Allan "Rocky"
Lane, Eddy Waller, Lyn Wilde. This Is my
second "Rocky" Lane and evidently he's got
something. "They came in droves and seemed
well pleased. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Pair.
—Lloyd Hutchlns, Pangbum Theatre, Pangburn,
Ark. Rural patronage. • • •
Train to Alcatraz (Rep)—Donald Barry,
Janet Martin, William Phipps. This is a
good action show that will do okay in a situation
that uses double bills. Played Tues.,
Wed. Weather: Okay.—D. W. Trisko, Rltz
Theatre, Jerome, Ariz. Mining town patronage.
• • *
CENTURY-FOX
20lh
Down to the Sea in Ships (20th-Pox)—
Richard Widmark, Lionel Barrymore, Desm
Stockwell. We went down to sea in chips
or, I should say, for lack of them. People
around here do not seem to know what water
is and are somewhat timid about paying good
money to find out. We lost our bathing
suits on this one. Played Tues., Wed. Weather:
Nice.—MarceUa Smith, Vinton Theatre, Mc-
Arthur, Ohio. Small town patronage. • • •
House of Strangers (20th-Pox)—Edward G.
Robinson, Richard Conte, Susan Hayward. I
had an early date on this drama and business
was fairly good. I bought it right and showed
a small profit on it. Played Wed., Thurs.
Weather: Good. — E. M. Freiburger, Paramount
Theatre, Dewey, Okla. Small town
patronage.
• * •
It Happens Every Spring (20th-Fox)—Ray
A Georgia Exhibitor
Commends 'Boundaries'
LOST BOUNDARIES (FC)—Mel Ferrer,
Beatrice Pearson, Richard Hylton.
I played this on Son., Mon., and it is a
good picture. In tills town there are two
theatres and you have to advertise. I sat
in the theatre and saw the people crying.
It did some good. I think every theatre
should play it.—E. H. Moon, Peoples Theatre,
Donalsonville, Ga. Small town
mixed house, balcony for Negro patronage.
*
Milland, Jean Peters, Paul Douglas. Now
here is one really darned good show. It Is
light, wholesome entertainment with comedy,
baseball, some excitement, and a romance
all blended together in a well knit story that
pleased 100 per cent. Not for a long time
have I had so many spontaneous compliments
on the picture. It has rather poor boxoffice
appeal, however, for some reason or
other. Played Wed., Thurs. Weather: Good.
Homicide for Three (Rep)—Audrey Long,
—Walt Rasmussen, Star Theatre, Anbhon,
Warren Douglas, Grant Withers. We received
a very poor print on this which almost
Iowa. Small town and rural patronage. • • •
ruined the picture. Otherwise it was one of It Happens Every Spring (20th-Fox)—Ray
the best mystery comedies we have had. Do Milland, Jean Peters, Paul Douglas. I didn't
I detect an Imitation of Jean Arthur in Audrey
Long's acting? If so, I certainly hope good and receipts were up, which makes
see this one but reports from the staff were
she attains the heights Jean A. did. Warren everything aU right. Played Tues., Wed.—
Douglas is all right, too.—Marcella Smith, Frank Sabln, Majestic Theatre, Eureka, Mont.
Vinton Theatre, McArthur, Ohio. Small town Small town and rural patronage. * • *
patronage. • • •
Letter to Three Wives, A (20th-Fox)—Linda
Main Street Kid (Rep)—Al Pearce, Janet Darnell, Jeanne Grain, Ann Sothem. This
Martin, Alan Mowbray. Doubled with a Roy is a masterpiece in clever dialog and it Is
Rogers and we beat the pre-Christmas slump. splendid adult entertainment. Our gross was
Played Pri., Sat.—Harland Rankin, Plaza only fair and our picture cost was high,
Theatre, Tilbury, Ont. General patronage. which adds up to a loss, even though we had
* * • a college to draw from. Played Tues., Wed.
Weather: Pair.—E. A. London, State Theatre,
Olivet, Mich. Small town, rural and college
patronage. * *
Purple Heart, The (20th-Pox) — Reissue.
Dana Andrews, Richard Conte, Donald Barry.
For some unexplainable reason, the public is
Took Salesman's Advice:
He Knew His Stuii
MA AND PA KETTLE (U-I)—Marjorie
Main, Percy Kilbride, Richard Long. I
was advised by the salesman to play this
picture for three days Instead of two.
Then if I did not make one of the highest
grosses I ever had, he would buy. Well,
he won't have to, so "nnff sed."—^Leo W.
Smith, Elk Theatre, Elkton, S. D. SmaU
•
town patronage.
Sand (20th-Fox) — Mark Stevens, Coleen
Gray, Rory Calhoun. This is top allocated
and a good action picture which we used Fri.,
Sat. with the weather okay.—R. V. Fletcher,
Lyric Theatre, Hartlngton, Neb. Small town
patronage.
• • •
ScuddaHoo! ScuddaHay! (20th-Fox)—June
Haver, Lon McCallister, Walter Brennan. We
picked this up for a Thanksgiving day special.
It's a small town natural and if you haven't
played it, then by all means write Fox for a
playdate. The color Is beautiful and it has a
perfect country setting! Play it Sunday.
This type of picture is a credit to 20th Century-Fox
and the movie industry. Played
Wed., Thurs. Weather: Fair.—Walt Sayler,
Dakota Theatre, Wishek, N. D. Rural and
small town patronage. • •
Sitting Pretty (20th-Fox)—Robert Young,
Maureen O'Hara, Clifton Webb. Here is a
picture that we were late in playing, but this
did not hurt at the boxoffice and the patrons
were all pleased with this comedy. The print
and sound were good. If you haven't played
this, then do so. They will come out for it,
rain or shine. Played Sat., Mon. Weather:
Pair.-Sam Holmberg, Regal Theatre, Sturgis,
Sask. Rural patronage. • • •
UNITED ARTISTS
Champion (UA) — Kirk Douglas, Marilyn
Maxwell, Paul Stewart. This is a good prizefight
picture but did not do big business here.
Comments were good from those that came.
Played Sat. (preview). Sun. Weather: Cool.
Boss Home Smiling
After This Played
YOUNGER BROTHERS, THE (WB)—
Wayne Morris, Janis Paige, Bruce Bennett.
Here is a swell action Technicolor
feature. We played it some time after
the Jesse James series and found that our
western fans ate this one up, hook, line
and sinker. We thought it was a well
made film and had some good acting for
a western. Warner sold it right and the
boss went home smiling! Played Fri., Sat
Weather: Fair.—Walt Sayler, Dakota
Theatre, Wishek, N. D. Rural and small
town patronage.
•
—L. Brazil jr., New Theatre, Bearden, Ark.
SmaU town patronage.
• • •
Great Dan Patch, The (UA)—Dermis
O'Keefe, Gall Russell, Ruth Warrick. This
is a pretty good picture and those few who
saw it seemed to hke it. But it sure fell
down at the boxoffice. One of the poorest
Sun., Mon. we have had so far. Weather:
Pine.—Orin J. Sears, Apache Theatre, Loving,
N. M. Small town patronage. • * •
UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL
Ma and Pa Kettle (U-D—Marjorie Main,
Percy Kilbride, Richard Long. This is a silly
picture but drew more than 100 per cent of
our usual Sunday business. It is family entertainment
which was well received and was
liked by all. Played Sim., Mon. Weather:
Excellent.—Howard C. Bayer, Iowa Theatre,
Schleswig, Iowa. Small town patronage. •
River Lady (U-D—Yvonne DeCarlo, Dan
Diuryea, Rod Cameron. This is one picture
that I personally liked but they stayed away
in droves. In fact, this one set a new house
record for an aUtlme low, so It goes down in
our books as a flop. It's not the stars or
Technicolor or story that make a good picture—it's
just the tinkle at the boxoffice, and
beginning to go for war pictures again. I took the tinkle of this one was in stars (the kind
a chance on this doubled with "Guadalcanal in the sky!). Played Tues., Wed. Weather:
Diary" and guessed right on these two reissues.
Played Tuesday. Weather: Fair.—Al atres, Albany, Ore. Rural and small town
Rain.—Bob Halliday, Willamette Valley The-
Hatoff, Rltz Theatre, Brooklyn, N. Y. Neighborhood
*
patronage.
•
patronage. •
WARNER BROS.
John Loves Mary (WB)—Ronald Reagan,
Jack Carson, Patricia Neal. This Is a comedy
that did pretty fair business. Our attendance
was none too good but that was on
account of the weather. Played Mon., Tues.
Weather: Snowing but mild. — C. E. Mc-
Miu-chy, Memorial Hall Theatre, Reston,
Man. Small town and rural patronage. •
OJohnny Belinda (WB) — Jane Wyman,
Lew Ayres, cmarles Bickford. This was our
first Sunday picture this year and it didn't
do too well, but it's a wonderful picture and
those who saw it really enjoyed it. Jane
Wyman was really entitled to the Academy
Award, for she did a wonderful job of acting.
Played Sunday. Weather: Fair and warm.
M. E. Glnn, Manon Theatre, Pickens, Miss.
Small town and oil field patronage. * •
South of St. Louis (WB)—Joel McCrea,
Alexis Smith, Zachary Scott. This is a good
picture virlth lots of action that we played
over the weekend to satisfaction. Played
Fri., Sat.—Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre,
Tilbury, Ont. General patronage. • • •
Younger Brothers, The (WB)—Wayne Morris,
Janls Paige, Bruce Bennett. This does
above average business, but it's a bloody,
shootln' story of violence and it had some
angles about it that people did not like. It's
not as good as many other super-westerns
of a historical nature.—Walt Rasmussen,
Star Theatre, Anthon, Iowa. Small town and
rural patronage. • • •
BOXOFTICE BookinGuide :: Dec. 24, 1949