Boxoffice-January.17.1953

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Business for Holiday Pictures Down,
But 'Sheba, 'Earnest' Still Big
NEW YORK— Allhough several bis holiday
pictures, including "Come Back, Little
Sheba," in its third strong week at the
Victoria, "The Importance of Being Earnest,"
in its third big week at the Baronet,
and "Forbidden Games," which received
a boost by being chosen best foreign
film of the year, held up exceptionally
well, many of the others had the expected
slump following the resumption of school.
Icy weekend weather also had its effect on
the boxoffice.
In addition to the three named, "Hans
Christian Andersen" remained strong in its
seventh weeks at both the Criterion and the
Paris and "My Cousin Rachel" and "Ruby
Gentry" were good in their third weeks at
the Rivoli and Mayfair. respectively. Million
Dollar Mermaid," in its sixth week at
the Radio City Music Hall, and "April in
Paris" and "Against All Flags," in their
third weeks at the Paramount and Capitol,
respectively, did well enough in the last
stanzas of their holiday programs. The
Music Hall took in a total of between $975,000
and $1,000,000 during the six- week run of
"Mermaid."
"This Is Cinerama" continued at capacity
in its 15th w'eek of reserved seats at the
Broadway and "The Piomoter," in its 11th
week at the Fine Arts, and "Leonardo da
Vinci," in its eighth week at the Guild, held
up well. The Palace closed its film and
vaudeville program Wednesday (14) in preparation
for Danny Kaye and his stage revue,
which will open Sunday (18). The
Capitol also went back to straight film
policy.
In addition to "The Bad and the Beautiful"
at the Music Hall, "Androcles and the Lion"
at the Capitol and "The Jazz Singer" at the
Paramount, "Girls in the Night" and "Face
to Face," as well as three foreign pictures
opened during the week.
(Average is 100)
Astor Limelight (UA). continuous, ]2th wk 110
Baronet The Itmportonce of Being Earnest (U-l),
3rd wk 130
Beekman Castle in the Air i 2nd wk. 100
Bi|Ou The Little World ot Don Camilla (IFE),
opened January 13.
BREAKING B.O. RECORDS p
ic All New! In Gorgeous Color! -^ g
LIU
StCYR i
Broadway This Is Cinerama (Cinerama), reserved
seats, 15th wk 145
Capitol Agoinst All Flogs (U-t), plus stage
show, 3rd wk 125
Cinema Verdi The Man With the Grey Glove
(IFE), 2nd wk 100
Criterion Hons Christian Andersen (RKO), 7th
wk 135
Fine Arts The Promoter lU-l). 11 th wk 115
55th St. Skipper Next to God (Doll), opened
January 1
Globe Eight Iron Men (Col), 2nd wk 110
Guild Leonardo do Vinci (Picturo), 8th wk 105
Little Carnegie Forbidden Gomes (Times), 5th
wk 135
Loews State Blockbeard, the Pirote (RKO), 3rd
wk 110
Maytair—Ruby Gentry (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 115
Nrmadie No Time For Flowers (RKO), 3rd wk...I05
Palace Redheod from Wyoming (U-l), plus vaudeville
110
Paramount April in Poris (WB), plus stage show,
3rd wk 115
Paris Hans Christian Andersen (RKO), 7th wk...l30
Radio City Music Hall Million Dollar Mermoid
(MGM), plus stage show, 6th wk 105
Rivoli My Cousin Rachel (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 115
Roxy Stars and Stripes Forever (20th-Fox), plus
ice stage show, 3rd wk 110
Sutton The Member of the Wedding (Col), 2nd
wk 110
Trans-Lux 52nd Street O. Henry's Full House
(20th-Fox), 13th wk 100
Trans-Lux 60th Street Limelight (UA), reserved
seats, 1 2th wk 95
Victoria Come Bock, Little Sheba (Para), 3rd wk.. 175
World Two Cents Worth of Hope (Times), 4th
wk 110
'Anna' Enjoys Top Gross
At Buffalo Center
BUFFALO — "Anna," the new Americandubbed
Italian film at the Center, was the
bright spot along the main stem this week,
rolling up the best gross in many moons. It
was held a second week. On the other hand
"Limelight" failed to attract business at the
Century and there were many protests received
over the showing of the Chaplin film.
"Stars and Stripes Forever" went over okay
at the Paramount, but "Happy Time" did
not hold up at tlie Lafayette. "Million Dollar
Mermaid" did a fair second week.
Buffalo Million Dollar Mermaid (MGM), 2nd wk.. 95
Center Anno (IFE) 140
Cinema The Promoter (U-l), 3rd wk 90
Century Limelight (UA) 85
Lafayette The Happy Time (Col) 85
Paramount Stars and Stripes Forever (20th-Fox) . 1 1
Teck The Clown (MGM), 3rd wk 90
Baltimore Weather Nullifies
New Year Gains
BALTIMORE—A week Of snow, rain, sleet
and freezing weather took its toll at the boxoffice.
After an auspicious New Year week
beginning, the weather-caused slump nullified
the gain.
Century The Prisoner of Zenda (MGM), 2nd wk..101
New My Cousin Rachel (20th-,'=ox) 105
Town Above ond Beyond (MGM), 2nd wk 105
Keith's Road to Boli (Para), 3rd wk 102
Mayfair Thunderbirds (Rep) 94
Stanley April in Paris (WB), 2nd wk 98
Ployhousc The Promoter (U-l), 2nd wk 100
Little The Four Poster (Col), 2nd wk 92
"April in Paris' Doubles Average
At Pittsburgh Warner
PITTSBURGH— "April in Paris" doubled
average at the Warner and continued on
view. The Stanley had a 190 average on the
bai-ometer with a stage show and pictui-e.
"The Clown" was a hit in Loew's Penn and
was moved over to the Ritz.
Fulton Lure of the Wilderness (20th-Fox) 90
Harris
Penn
The I Don't
The Clown
Core
(MGM)
80
120
Girl (20fh-Fox)
Stanley Hour of 13 (MGM), plus stage show.. 190
Worner April in Poris (WB) 200
HONOKS KOK .MOM — The Kev. Dr.
Daniel .\. INiling: Heft), editor of the
Christian Herald, presents Howard Dietz,
MGM vice-president and director of advertising,
publicity and exploitation, a
special bound volume of facsimiles of all
the awards given MOM in ISa'i, plus a
special citation for "Quo Vadis," selected
as the best picture of the year by the
readers of the publication.
Low Tariffs, Foreign Aid
Needed, Johnston States
HONOLULU—Tariffs cannot be raised and
foreign aid cut off by the United States without
causing an economic upheaval that would
crack the economic structure of the whole
free world, Eric Johnston, president of the
Motion Picture A.ss'n of America, told the
Chamber of Commerce here Thur.sday (8).
"We must buy more abroad and we must
invest more abroad," Johnston asserted.
"To encourage more trade we must reduce
our tariffs. We must make it possible for the
free nations to sell us more goods to earn the
dollars they need to buy from us.
"The size of the increased imports that we
would need to take from many countries
would be relatively small compared to the
vast all-around benefits that would ensue."
Einfeld Is Toastmaster
At Gehring Dinner
NEW YORK—Charles Einfeld, vice-president
in charge of publicity, advertising and
exploitation of 20th Century-Fox, was toastmaster
Thursday (15) at a testimonial dinner
given for William Gehring, executive assistant
general sales manager, at Toots Shor's.
He was pinch-hitting for Al Lichtman. director
of distribution, who was ill.
Tributes were paid to Gehring. Tlie party
was the climax of "Bill Gehring week." About
200 industry representatives attended.
Spyros P. Skouras, president, made the
principal address and Msgi-. Patrick J. Masterson
gave the invocation.
Two New Vice-Presidents
Elected by Westrex Corp.
NEW YORK— H. B. Allinsmith, former
managing director of Western Electric Co.,
Ltd., London, has been elected a dii-ector and
vice-president of Westrex Corp.. New York,
effective March 1. He will take over the duties
of D. C. Collins, vice-president, who will retire
February 28.
R. E. Warn, manager of Westrex Corp's
Hollywood division, also has been elected a
vice-president, effective March 1. Warn also
is president of Sound Services, Inc., Hollywood.
BOXOFnCE January 17, 1953