Boxoffice-May.03.1952

LYNN
f*lem L. McCann, Lynn's younst'st theatre
manager, isn't letting the seven-week-old
bus strike hurt business at the Olympia. After
giving the theatre a top to bottom house
cleaning, he began exploiting all the pictures
his theatre played. When "Snow White and
the Seven Dwarfs" was shown, he prevailed
upon merchants to contribute prizes for a
coloring contest, along with giving theatre
tickets to those who purchased albums at a
music store as advertised on the front pages
of the papers. The department of conservation
gave him the use of a fire truck, manned
by boy fire fighters, while "Red Skies of
Montana" w^as showing the havoc wrought by
forest fires during dry seasons. A comedy
cop, leading a prisoner by a chain, ballyhooed
"Strait Jacket." For "David and Bathsheba"
he had a mystic, wearing a turban,
looking into a crystal ball and predicting enjoyment
to all who saw the picture. Other
pictures were brought to the public's attention
in a similar manner, and a loudspeaker at
the entrance is to enliven the business district
with selected musical hits.
David Fields is new on the Capitol staff
and Tex Cecil is the new chief usher.
Harvard Lampoon Picks
Annual Film 'Worsts'
BOSTON—The Harvard Lampoon, undergraduate
weekly comic, came out with its
annual "worsts" or "Oscars in Reverse" in
its appraisal of the 1951 motion picture
scene. It singled out as the year's worst performers
Robert Taylor for his work in "Quo
Vadis" and Corrine Calvet for "On the
Riviera."
The winner of the worst title was "Tales
of Hoffmann." Franchot Tone scored twice,
once as the most miscast, in "Here Comes
the Groom" in which he played a Boston
blueblood; and as "one of the two most noteworthy
examples of physical fitness" (kicking
Miss Plorabel Muir).
In this latter category, Humphrey Bogart
was also cited for felling an unidentified girl
In El Morocco.
"Should have stayed home" was the terse
comment on Ezio Pinza's work in "Mr. Imperium"
and "Strictly Dishonorable." Peter
Lawford in "Royal Wedding" and Ava Gardner
in "Show Boat" were tops in the "worst
supporting performances," while Martin and
Lewis were described as the "worst comic
duo."
Noteworthy by her absence was Elizabeth
Taylor who received a hatful of "worsts"
last year. The Lampoon even lauded "A
Place in the Sun," in which she had a starring
role.
Uses Industry Quotes
HARTFORD—Allen M. Widem, motion picture
editor, Hartford Times, who has been
using one quote a week from a prominent
industry executive in his column, has stepped
up the number to two and three a week. He
gets the comments from tradepaper reporting
of key executives' talks, and puts the
comments in his daily column under the
subhead of "Movietime, U.S.A." People quoted
recently include Eric Johnston, MPA: Gael
Sullivan, TOA; Clarence Brown. MGM:
Charles Brackett. 20th-Fox.
Richmond and Stern
Split Partnership
BOSTON- Louis Stern has resigned as an
executive for Richmond-Stern Enterprises
LOUIS RICHMOND
^^
and is devoting his time to the operation of
Fernand's gift shop in Brookline.
Louis Richmond now- is operating the theatres
formerly under the Richmond-Stern Enterprises
banner, including the Kenmore in
Boston, the Orpheum in Somerville. the Uptown
in West Lynn and Nutting's-on-the-
Charles. Richmond maintains an interest in
the Mount Vernon Drive-In. Washington; the
Governor Ritcliie Drive-In. Baltimore; the
Hartford Drive-In. Newington. Conn., and the
Milford at Milford, Conn., all in partnership
with E. M. Loew.
Richmond has left the Colony. Dorchester,
which is closed, and the Colony. Lynn. The
concern has been renamed the Louis Richmond
Enterprises with headquarters in the
Bradford building. Cleo Jacove continues on
as office manager and secretary.
Hy Fine Mokes Appeal
For Palsy Postcards
BOSTON—Hy Fine, chairman of the
United Cerebral Palsy Ass'n's drive for theatres
in New England, is urging all exhibitors
in this area to fill out and return the postcards
sent to them regarding playdates for
the John Wayne trailer. As soon as the cards
are received by Fine, he will send along the
trailer and kit containing the coin boxes, containers
and posters from National Screen
Service.
Fine urges all exhibitors and managers to
place the coin boxes in a prominent spot
in the theatre lobbies and if possible to have
them manned by members of the house staff
or volunteer collectors from local women's
organizations. All money collected should be
.sent by check or money order (payable to
UCPA^ to the office of Hy Fine, Paramount
Theatre, Boston, Mass,
United States film productions continue to
dominate the market in the metropolitan
areas in Venezuela.
SPRINGFIELD
Trouble features arc the greatest evil of thientire
motion picture Industry," according
to Max Weinberg. Eastern shorts representative
for MGM, In an address before the Motion
Picture Council thl.s week. "Prom the standpoint
of economics," he said, "two feature
films represent an investment of well over a
million dollars and .sometimes several million,
which Is rather lavish when you consider that
neighborhood theatres that change their programs
frequently book more than 300 pictures
a year." Touching on audience reaction,
Weinberg said that from a viewpoint of enjoyment,
"most people would con.sider It exhausting
and meaningless to .see two fulllength
plays, two operas, or listen to two
concerts at a time." He urged that the public
be re-educated to a return to programs
of one feature film and shorts.
Holdovers are not too common in this area,
and to have two in the same week is very
unusual, but "With a Song in My Heart"
held over for a second Week at the Loew's
Poll, at the same time "The Marrying Kind"
was repeated at the Bijou . . . George E. Freeman,
Loew's Poll manager, .screened "Singin'
in the Rain" for press repre.sentatives and
local
disk jockeys.
The lifting of the federal freeze on TV stations,
which will give this immediate area
two broadcasting stations, will not have any
marked effect on movie patrons, according to
Samuel Goldstein, We.stern Massachusetts
Circuit president. Stressing his point concerning
the audience potential of good movies,
Goldstein pointed to "The Greatest Show on
Earth," which broke all attendance records at
the Paramount here.
Holdover Musicals
Lead Boston Field
BOSTON—The two musicals, "With a Song
in My Heart" and "Singin' in the Rain," held
up big in their second weeks. Of the newproduct,
"The Man in the White Suit" easily
led the field. "My Son John" was a disappointment
and will not hold over.
(Average Is 100)
Astor With o Song in My Heart (20th-Fox).
2nd wk 150
Beacon Hill—The River (UA), 3rd wl< 100
Boston Mo and Po Kettle ot the Foir (U-l); The
-Time ot Their Lives iRealart), reissue 105
Exeter Street —The Mon in the White Suit (U-l). .150
Majestic Never Take No for an Answer
(Souvoine), 2nd wk 85
Memorial Roncho Notorious (RKO); The Pace
Thot Thrills (RKO) 90
Metropoliton My Son John (Poro), The Fabuloui
Senorila (Rep) 85
Paramount and Fenway Hoodlum Empire (Rep);
Gobs and Gals (Rep), reissue . 95
State and Orpheum Singin' in the Roin (MGM),
2nd wk 1 35
'Singin' in Rain' Big
At Hartford Poli
HARTFORD—The biggest news In the
downtown area was "Singin' in the Rain."
Allyn—Steel Town lU-l), Oklahoma Annie
(Rep) 90
Art—Mr. Peek-A-Boo (UA). Royal Journey (UA)..100
E. M. Locw—Sound OH (Col); Thief of Oomoscus
(Col) 120
Poll— Singin' in the Rain (MGM) 160
Palace Rose of Cimarron (20th-Fox); Corporal
Dolan Goes AWOL Rep) 85
Regal—The African Queen (UA), Shorts, 2nd wk..1l5
Strand— At Swords Point (RKO); A Girl in
Every Port (RKO) . . 100
BOXOFFICE May 3, 1952 NE 97