Boxoffice-Febuary.18.1956

5
lone Ranger and Forever Darling
Draw Holiday Crowds; Others Big
NEW YORK—A bright and pleasant
twoday
Lincoln's birthday holiday brought out
hordes of school kids who flocked to two new
pictures, "The Lone Ranger" and "Forever
Darling," both starring popular TV personalities.
The Mayfair, where "The Lone
Ranger" made a few personal appearances,
even had long waiting lines outside the house
Monday U3>. Big business was also
registered by "The Second Greatest Sex,"
Cinemascope musical at the RKO Palace
for a single week.
Several of the long run holdovers were
equal to or a bit above the preceding week,
including "The Rose Tattoo" in its ninth big
week at the Astor, and "The Man With the
Golden Arm" in its ninth strong week at
the Victoria, right next door on Broadway.
"I'll Cry Tomorrow" in its fifth and final
week at the Radio City Music Hall, "Helen
of Troy" in its third week at the Criterion
and "Guys and Dolls" in its 15th week at
the Capitol also benefited by the holiday
crowds, as did the two two-a-day pictures,
"Oklahoma!" in its 18th week at the Criterion
and "Cinerama Holiday," which started its
second year at the Warner. Both of these
gave extra performances February 12, 13.
"The Court Jester" also had a strong
second week at the Paramount. However,
"Bottom of the Bottle," with a Rock-'n-Roll
ice revue, was mild in its second week at the
Roxy.
A new art house film, "Lease of Life,"
garnered fine reviews and did excellent business
at the Little Carnegie. The revival of
"Fantasia" opened to smash business at the
Normandie and looks set for a long run.
"Carousel." the first Cinemascope 55
feature, had its invitation opening at the
Roxy Thursday (16) and "Picnic" opened at
the Radio City Music Hall the same day.
(Average Is 100)
Astor—The Rose Tattoo (Para), 9th wk 135
Baronet—Adorable Creatures (Cont'l.), 5th wk...l50
Capitol—Guys and Dolls (MGM), 1 5th wk 110
Criterion— Helen of Troy (WB), 3rd wk 150
Fine Arts— Diabolique (UMPO), 11th wk 145
55th St.—Foreign revivals
Globe—Three Bad Sisters (UA) 115
Guild—Golden Demon (Harrison), 2nd wk 125
Little Carnegie— Lease of Life (IFE) 125
Loew's State— Forever Darling (MGM) 140
Mayfair—The Lone Ranger ( WB) 140
Normandie— Fantasia (BV), reissue 150
Palace—The Second Greatest Sex (U-l), plus
vaudeville 130
Paramount—The Court Jester (Para), 2nd wk. ...150
Paris—Letters From My Windmill (Tohan), 8th
wk 120
Plaza—The Prisoner (Col), 10th wk 140
Radio City Music Hall— I'll Cry Tomorrow (MGM),
plus stage show, 5th wk 1 40
Rivoli—Oklahoma! (Magna), 18th wk. of two-aday
125
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Roxy— Bottom of the Bottlo (20th-Fox), plus ice
revue, 2nd wk 1 05
Sutton—The Night My Number Come Up (Cont'l.),
8th wk 120
Trans-Lux 52nd—The Littlest Outlaw (BV), 7th
wk. 1 1
Victoria—The Man With the Golden Arm (UA),
9th wk 1 30
Warner—Cinerama Holiday (SW), 53rd wk. of
two-a-doy 1 40
World— Inside a Girls' Dormitory (Ellis), 2nd wk.. .110
'Goodman' 175 Despite
Strike in Baltimore
BALTIMORE—Despite a street car strike,
tieing up all trolleys and buses and leaving
the public without any means of mass transportation,
"The Benny Goodman Story"
opened strong and attracted capacity audiences
over the weekend. "The Rose Tattoo"
was comfortably second, considering the
strike. "Helen of Troy" was satisfactory in
its second week.
Century—The Benny Goodman Story (U-l) 175
Hippodrome—Guys and Dolls (MGM), 8th wk 85
Little—Diabolique (UMPO), 8th wk. moving from
Film Centre 85
New—The Rose Tattoo (Para) 1 35
Mayfair—At Gunpoint (AA), 2nd wk 80
Playhouse—The Trouble With Harry (Para), 8th
wk 85
Stanley—Helen of Troy (WB), 2nd wk 90
Town—Ransom! (MGM) 85
The Cinema—The Bed (Getz-Kingsley), 5th wk... 80
"Littlest Outlaw' Turns
In 155 at Buffalo
BUFFALO — The Century, with "The
Littlest Outlaw" and a three-day Lincoln's
Birthday weekend, turned in a handsome 155.
"The Court Jester" ended up a second week
in the Paramount with a 130 and the third
week of "Helen of Troy" brought in a 140
at the Center.
Buffalo—The Man With the Golden Arm (UA),
4 days, 3rd wk 110
Center—Helen of Troy (WB), 3rd wk 140
Century—The Littlest Outlaw (BV) 155
Cinema—Guys and Dolls (MGM), 8th wk 125
Lafayette—There's Always Tomorrow (U-l) 110
Paramount—The Court Jester (Para), 2nd wk 130
ATONJ Continuing Study
Of Group Purchasing
NEW YORK—Allied Theatre Owners of
New Jersey at a board meeting Thursday (16)
continued discussing the possibility of group
purchasing of fuel and minor items as electric
light bulbs. President Sidney Stern noted
that large circuits save considerable money in
that way. A membership meeting will be held
February 28 to hear a report on the National
Allied board meeting in Cleveland which will
start Sunday (19). Wilbur Snaper, Irving
Dollinger and he will attend the board
meeting.
MGM Theatrical Talent
Puts on Stage Play
NEW YORK—The Ortem Players, a group
of MGM employes, presented "Picnic," the
Pulitzer Prize play, Thursday and Friday
(16, 17) at the McBurney YMCA auditorium.
Fred Nicholas handled ticket sales. It was the
second theatrical venture of the group, which
staged a Christmas musical entertainment
last December. It got its name by spelling
Metro backwards.
Lc-HITAC.O 11.7 s WABASH • NEW VOKI HI \ Russ Harlan will photograph MGM's "The
Teahouse of the August Moon."
PROMOTING 'ALEXANDER' Robert
Rossen, producer-director of "Alexander
the Great," and Claire Bloom, who
is co-staiTed in the United Artists release,
arrive at New York's Idlewild airport
from London to take part in the
Sl.000,000 promotion for the Cinema-
Scope picture which will open this
Easter. Miss Bloom also will play in
Shaw's "Caesar and Cleopatra" on TV
in March.
Two Rank Pictures Booked
For New York First Runs
NEW YORK—Two new J. Arthur Rank pictures,
"Doctor at Sea" and "Touch and Go,"
will open New York first runs in the next
month, according to Republic and Universal,
which are distributing them in the United
States.
"Doctor at Sea," in VistaVision and Technicolor,
will open at the Trans-Lux 52nd Street
Theatre February 29, one year after "Doctor
in the House," also released by Republic,
started a 24-week run at the same theatre.
Dirk Bogarde is starred in both "Doctor"
pictures and James Robertson Justice is featured
in both.
"Touch and Go," a Sir Michael Balcon production
in Technicolor, starring Jack Hawkins
with Margaret Johnston and Roland
Culver, will open at the Guild Theatre in
March, following the current run of "The
Golden Demon," Japanese film.
A Leap Year benefit premiere of "Doctor"
will be held on the 28th. All proceeds will go
to the heart fund. Seats will be reserved
and tickets will be $5 each. Sales started
February 16.
Columbia CS Short Opens
NEW YORK—"Wonders of Manhattan,"
Columbia musical featurette in Cinemascope
and Technicolor, opened at the Radio City
Music Hall Thursday U6), with the program
headed by Columbia's feature, "Picnic."
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48 BOXOFFICE :
: February
18, 1956