Boxoffice-October.27.1951

|
The
EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY
(Continued from preceding page)
—D. W. Trisko, Ritz Theatre, Jerome, Ariz.
Mining patrons. * * *
My Forbidden Past (RKO)—Ava Gardner,
Melvyn Dougla.s, Janis Carter. Waste! A
waste of Ava Gardner, a waste of my money,
and worst of all, a waste of my patrons' time
—which they made no bones about telling me.
Business was poor. Played Tues., Wed.,
Thurs. Weather: Clear.—Don Donohue, Novato
Theatre, Novate, Calif. Small town,
rural patrons.
Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (RKO)—
Reissue. Johnny WeissmuUer, Brenda Joyce,
Johnny Sheffield. Tarzan is Tarzan. If your
crowd likes this kind of picture, folks wiU
come to see it. At a reissue price, you won't
lose anything. This is one of the better
Tarzans. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Clear
and dry. — Kenneth Clem, Earle Theatre,
Taneytown, Md. Small town patrons. * *
20th CENTURY-FOX
•
Call Me Mister (20th-Pox)—Betty Grable,
Dan Dailey, Dale Robertson. This wasn't up
to the usual Grable standard—or anyway, we
didn't do business on it. Played Mon., Tues.
Weather: Fair.—Harland Rankin, Rankin
Enterprises, Chatham, Ont. General Patronage.
Fourteen Hours (20th-rox)—Paul Douglas,
Richard Basehart, Barbara Bel Geddes. This
is not exactly for small towns. Action fans
were disappointed but the rest seemed satisfied.
It drags in spots. Played Fri., Sat.
Weather: Clear.—Don Donohue, Novate Theatre,
Novato, Calif. Small town, rural patrons.
OFrogmen, The (20th-Fox)—Richard Wid-
We sure
mark, Dana Andrews, Gary Merrill.
didn't do any business on this picture and it
is very good, but war stories scare them and
they stay home. We tried to run the picture
four days, when two days would have been
one too many—but after so long a time, you
do get slipped up on occasionally. Played
Wed. through Sat. Weather: Fine.—Mayme
P. Musselman, Roach Theatre, Lincoln, Kas.
Small town patrons.
t^JFrogmen, The (20th-Fox)—Richard Widmark,
Dana Andrews, Gary Merrill. This is
another good picture from Fox. but it did
very poorly at the boxoffice. Tlie weather
was good and I didn't have anything for
competition, but it will please all who see it.
The trailer is not too good to get women in
to see it. Played Tues., Wed. Weather: Clear
and dry. — Kenneth Clem, Earle Theatre,
Taneytown, Md. Small town patrons. • • *
Rawhide (20th-Fox)—Tyrone Power, Susan
Hayward, Hugh Marlowe. A first class western
which is plenty rough and tough in spots.
Business was above average. Play it. I
used it Sun., Mon. Weather: Good.—E. M.
Freiburger, Dewey Theatre, Dewey, Okla.
Small town patrons. ' * *
Rawhide (20th-Pox)—Tyrone Power, Susan
Hayward, Hugh Marlowe. Normal boxoffice
and this was well liked—it had my audience
tense from start to finish. I wonder if other
exhibs have kids who tear out of the front
seats and hover around the exits when the
bad ones get going. This one had 'em doing
it. Played Wed., Thurs. — Josef Nehring,
Floodwood Theatre, Ploodwood, Minn. Small
town, rural patrons. * *
Smoky (20th-Fox) — Reissue. Fred Mac-
Murry, Anne Baxter, Bruce Cabot. Here is a
good picture about a horse. The print is in
good shape and you can get it at a decent
price. I let in free all children under 12
years of age, when accompanied by adults. I
had a nice crowd. Played Monday. Weather:
Clear and dry.—Kenneth Clem, Earle Theatre,
Taneytown, Md. Small town patrons.
* * fli
Jeanne Crain, Dale Robertson, Mitzi Gajmor.
A very good picture that drew a little better
than average for us, and we had many nice
compliments. It was bought on percentage
and just about paid out on our old flat
rentals. Don't look for anything too big. but
get ready for extra business. It will do it.
Played Sun. through Tues. Weather: Fine.
Mayme P. Musselman, Roach Theatre, Lincoln,
Kas. Small town patrons. * * *
UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL
Air Cadet (U-I) — Stephen McNally, Alex
Nicol, Gail Russell. I showed the Robinson-
Turpin fight pictures along with this, three
weeks after the fight. My business was above
normal but the rental I paid for the fight
pictures made me lose ten bucks on the deal,
the Robinson-Turpin championship fight.
I swear I won't go for any of their stuff
again. The people who came to see the
fight pictures are not those who -regularly
attend, anyway. Played Wed., Thurs.—Josef
Nehring, Floodwood Theatre, Ploodwood,
Minn. Small town, rural patrons. * •
Cattle Drive (U-I) — Joel McCrea, Dean
Stockwell, Leon Ames. A very good western
that didn't get the business merited, but we
Winter Setting in Now
As Show Builds Up
^>NE of our new contributors is Don
Haig of the Paramount Theatre at
Whitemouth, Manitoba. He writes this
news about himself and situation:
"We reopened in this town eight weeks
ago, after the theatre's former owner
had it closed for nearly a year. Slowly
the crowds are building up, but due to the
winter weather setting in soon, I'm afraid
we may find it difficult to keep going.
However, we'll keep going as long as possible.
I have been a steady reader of
your column for some time now, and find
It as interesting as every other article in
BOXOFFICE."
We extend our best wishes for Don's
success, and hope- for an open winter and
increased interest in his show.
sure surprised those that did come. This
western doesn't have guns or fights and is
one of the best stories you've seen in a long
time. It is worth the rental and in very
pretty color. Played Tues. through Thurs.
Weather: Pine. — Mayme P. Musselman,
Roach Theatre, Lincoln, Kas. Small town
patrons. * ' '
Double Crossbones (U-D—Donald O'Connor,
Helena Carter, Will Geer. I can't say if
this is good or bad. On the same bill I had
the Robinson-Turpin championship fight.
All who came to see the fight pictures said it
was no good, but all the Donald O'Connor
fans thought it was okay. However. I had a
poor crowd. I didn't take in enough to pay
the cost of my film, so I am going to lay off
fights from now on. Around here all the
sports are on TV and are free. Played Thurs.,
Fri. Weather: Clear and dry. — Kermeth
Clem, Earle Theatre, Taneytown, Md. Small
town patrons. * * *
Groom Wore Spurs (U-D—Ginger Rogers,
Jack Carson, Joan Davis. This, coupled with
a free coupon night, gave me 40 per cent
over normal for the mid-week show and was
much enjoyed. Personally, I think Ginger
Rogers is showing wear—and aren't we all I
Played Wed., Thurs.—Josef Nehring, Floodwood
Theatre, Floodwood, Minn. Small town,
rural patrons.
* *
Take Care of My Little Girl (20th-Pox)— Katie Did It (U-D— Ann Blyth, Mark
Repeat Patronage Liked
These Two Pictures
BROKEN ARROW (20th -Fox) —James
Stewart, Jeff Chandler, Debra Paget,
This is the second time I've played this
one and I'm certainly not sorry. Doubled
with "Sitting Pretty" to do average business.
In fact, the two played to almost
all repeat patronage. Played Sun., Mon.
Weather: Clear.—Don Donohue, Novato
Theatre, Novato, Calif. Small town, rural
patrons. • • •
Stevens, Cecil Kellaway. This is a boxoffic i
cutie, excellent for midweek. If you need
bright, sparkling little comedy, and want ti
see that look on your patrons's faces tha
says, "I enjoyed your picture," play it. Playei
Wed., Thurs. Weather: Excellent. — Walte
Austin, Plains Theatre, Plainview, Neb. Smal
town, rural patrons.
• •
Katie Did It (U-I) — Ann Blyth, Marl
Stevens, Cecil Kellaway. We made a mistake
on this one and double billed it Fri.
Sat., but it is a very good picture, wit!
laughs, and should stand up on your bes'
time. The rental was very fair and it shoulc
be a sleeper, because we had the best Saturday
in a long time. Weather: Rainy.—Mayme
P. Musselman, Roach Theatre, Lincoln, Kas
Small town patrons. • • *
Up Front (U-D—David Wayne, Tom Ewell
Marina Berti. We are below normal on this—
about 10 per cent. There was nothing toe
outstanding about the picture, although it
wasn't any worse than most. Played Sat.
Sun. — Josef Nehring, Floodwood Theatre
Floodwood, Minn. Small town, rural patrons.
WARNER BROS.
Dallas (WB)—Gary Cooper, Ruth Roman,!
Steve Cochran. This is a very good western
with a star that still draws here. Our rental
was in line with the business, so no squawks.!
The patrons liked the picture but are very
tired of westerns. Played Sun., Mon. Weather:
Fine.—Mayme P. Musselman, Roach Theatre,
Lincoln, Kas. Small town patrons. * * •
Goodbye, My Fancy (WB)—Joan Crawford,
Robert Young. Frank Lovejoy. This is a fine
picture. It did not draw very well, but that
is the fault of the community, not the picture.
Also, it is a woman's picture, although
I know one man who liked it. Played Sun.,
Mon. Weather: Nice.—Marcella Smith, Vinton
Theatre, McArthur, Ohio. Small town,
rural patrons. * * *
I Was a Communist for the FBI (WB) —
Frank Lovejoy, Dorothy Hart, Philip Carey.
A timely show that only went over average
at the boxoffice. The story was well written,
with a good cast. A show of this type should
pack them in, but it didn't for us. Played
Fri., Sat. Weather: Okay, wet.—D. W. Trisko.
Ritz Theatre, Jerome, Ariz. Mining patrons.
Lady Takes a Sailor (WB)—Jane Wyman,
Dennis Morgan, Eve Arden. I kicked and
bruited this oldie around for a year or so-
Just didn't like the title, as it sounded too
high class for my farmers. Finally the WB
salesman talked me into setting it in—said
it was funny and okay for my patrons. For
once, and only once, he was right. Tliis is a
roit of fun that is light and easy to take and
even easier to understand. I personally
counted 54 belly-laughs the second nightrcompare
this with nary a giggle in most
shows and you'll see what I mean. You won't
regret playing it. Played Wed., Thurs. Weather:
Squally.—I. Roche. Vcrmon Theatre. Vernon,
Pla. Smal Itown, rural patrons. * * '
BOXOFFICE BookinGuido : : October 27, 1951