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EXHIBITOR HA& HI& bAT<br />
PICTURES<br />
Just as the Barometer page shows first run reports on current pictures, this<br />
department is devoted for the most part to reports on subsequent runs, made by<br />
exhibitors themselves. A one-star contributor is new, two stars mean the exhibitor<br />
has been writing in for six months or longer, and a three-star contributor<br />
is a regular of one year or more, who receives a token of our appreciation. All<br />
exhibitors welcome.<br />
COLUMBIA<br />
Blonde From Brooklyn (Col)—Robert Stanton,<br />
Lynn Merrick. A good little ieature that<br />
failed to do business. The theatres in a nearby<br />
city are giving me plenty of competition<br />
a big double feature every day, and to get<br />
there all you need to do is get on a bus and<br />
pay seven cents. Played Fri., Sat. Weather:<br />
Fair.— Ralph Raspa, State Theatre, Rivesville,<br />
• W. Va. Rural patronage. • »<br />
Down to Earth (Col)—Rita Hayworth, Lorry<br />
Parks, Marc Piatt. Some people expected<br />
to see a picture of "The Jolson Story" caliber<br />
—and were disappointed. But they did see<br />
a pleasing Technicolor musical that was good<br />
start to finish. entertainment from Some people<br />
didn't like the fantastic story, most were<br />
satisfied, and others said it was the best<br />
Technicolor they had ever seen." Played Sun.,<br />
Mon., Tues. Weather: Cold.—Carl E. Pehlman,<br />
Rio Theatre, Edinburg, 111. Rural and<br />
small town patronage. * * *<br />
South of the Chisholm Trail (Col)—Charles<br />
Starrett, Smiley Bumette, Nancy Saunders.<br />
A fair western with the Durango Kid. This<br />
had a little bit better story. Smiley gave a<br />
few goo(l laughs. Played Fri., Sat. Weather:<br />
Cold and rainy.—James E. Davis, Riglto Theatre.<br />
Bennington, Okla. Rural and small town<br />
patronage. * *<br />
EAGLE LION<br />
Green for Danger (EL)—Sally Gray, Trevor<br />
Howard, Rosamund John. Too English<br />
enough said. Played Wednesday. Weather:<br />
Cold.—D. W. Trisko, Ritz Theatre, Jerome, Ariz.<br />
Mining town patronage. * *<br />
Railroaded (EL)—John Ireland, Sheila Ryan,<br />
Hugh Beaumont. This is very good—better<br />
than some of the so-called A murder pictures.<br />
Don't be afraid to advertise this picture.<br />
did<br />
Snow and below freezing here.<br />
better than average business.—L.<br />
This<br />
Brazil<br />
jr.. New Theatre, Bearden, Ark. Rural patronage.<br />
* * *<br />
Red Stallion, The (EL)—Ted Donaldson,<br />
Robert Paige, Noreen Nash. This picture really<br />
drew them in. Not since I played "The Outlaw"<br />
have I had such crowds. Everyone<br />
thought it was grand. Give us more like it.<br />
Played Sat., Sun. Weather: Fair.—T. M.<br />
Patton, Scenic Theatre, Lexington, 111. Small<br />
town patronage.<br />
*<br />
FILM CLASSICS<br />
Heart of Arizona (FC)—Reissue. William<br />
Boyd, Natalie Moorhead. Good western but<br />
it doesn't matter what I play, business is off.<br />
Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Fair.-Ralph<br />
Raspa, State Theatre, Rivesville, W. Va.<br />
Rural patronage. * *<br />
Patient Vanishes, The (FC)—James Mason,<br />
Mary Clare, Margaret Vyner. Another English<br />
picture that did not do anything in this<br />
west suburban Chicago community. Comment<br />
in general was poor, with a demand for better<br />
grade pictures. Played in combination<br />
with "Thief of Bagdad"—a reissue. Played<br />
Thurs. through Sat. Weather: Very cold.—<br />
L. C. Utecht, Lake Theatre, Oak Park,<br />
Suburban patronage.<br />
METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER<br />
Fiesta (MGM) — Esther William, Akim<br />
Tamiroff, Ricardo Montalban. A very pleasing<br />
south-of-the-border Technicolor romance,<br />
comedy and thrills of the bull ring. From my<br />
personal viewpoint, think the dance sequences<br />
with Ricardb Montalban I<br />
and Cyd<br />
Charisse stole the show. A suitable holiday<br />
show which did average business. Played<br />
Thurs., Fri- Weather: Cold and clear.—Carl<br />
E. Pehlman, Rio Theatre, Edinburg, 111. Rural<br />
and small town patronage.<br />
Green Dolphin Street (MGM)—Lana Turner,<br />
Van Heflin, Donna Reed. Not a roadshow, by<br />
any means, although we did not buy it that<br />
way. It gave general satisfaction. The mechanics<br />
very good. Played Sun. through Wed.<br />
Weather: Cold.—M. W. Mattecheck, Mack<br />
and Lark Theatres, McMinnville, Ore. Local<br />
patronage.<br />
Guniighlers (Col)—Randolph Scott, Barbara<br />
Britton, Dorothy Hart. Good action<br />
Living in a 6ig Way (MGM)—Gene Kelly,<br />
picture.<br />
We didn't do too badly, in spite of adverse<br />
Marie McDonald, Charles Winninger. This<br />
and<br />
Snow,<br />
weather.<br />
wind,<br />
Played Sat.,<br />
cold.—Horland<br />
Sun. Weather;<br />
Rankin, Plaza<br />
picture should please everyone it is clean<br />
and wholesome, so you need not be afraid to<br />
take the whole family. is one of the best<br />
It<br />
Theatre, Tilbury, Ont. Small town patronage.<br />
* * * I've played in a long time and 1 have had<br />
some good ones. The scene where Gene<br />
Kelly dances and plays with the children is<br />
well worth the price of admission. The attendance<br />
was not too good, perhaps due to<br />
the fact that the picture is not highly advertised<br />
and due also to the severely cold<br />
weather. Played Sat.. Sun.—T. M. Patton,<br />
He's Agitating Again<br />
About Theatre Fires<br />
BYE COVERSTON of the Cherokee<br />
I Theatre at Southwest City, Mo., has<br />
thrown his hat in the ring for exhibitorcontributors<br />
with the followuig:<br />
"Up until now I have been able to stay<br />
away from your EXfflBITOR HAS HIS<br />
SAY department. Being a small town exhibitor<br />
with not much to say, I have refrained<br />
from dusting off the keys. Now<br />
I have decided to write a few, and if you<br />
want them, more will be forthcoming.<br />
(Send them along, Bye.)<br />
"Some years ago you printed an article<br />
for me on fire prevention and inflammable<br />
film. From that article (occasioned by<br />
a girl burning to death in a local theatre)<br />
I received praise from all over the<br />
world and was made an honorary member<br />
of an operators' union in Pennsylvania.<br />
Some little progress has been made<br />
since then—more can be made.<br />
"Now that the State Theatre at Columbus,<br />
Kas., has burned to the grourrS"<br />
twice in one year (something that<br />
shouldn't happen to my worst competitor<br />
and certainly not to a swell guy like Art<br />
Pugh, the owner) I feel like taking up the<br />
crusade again and lending my small voice<br />
to start a flood of opinion (hat may lead<br />
to means of stopping a lot of this unnecessary<br />
loss to our industry. But I will<br />
need help, lots of help, and I don't mean<br />
money. What about it? What are you<br />
willing to do to help, having as much to<br />
lost as anyone else in the industry? Because<br />
we each and everyone connected do<br />
lose by every remote fire in some secluded<br />
building, even if no lives are lost."<br />
Disney Reissue Plays<br />
16 Days in Oak Park<br />
FANTASIA (RKO)—Reissue of Disney<br />
feature. We played this to overflowing<br />
crowds for over two weeks. Comment in<br />
general was very good. The greatest draw<br />
was due to the big exploitation campaign<br />
two weeks in advance of exclusive suburban<br />
showing. The theatre broke all<br />
records and played to holdouts daily.<br />
Music and art was the greatest pulling<br />
power. Played 16 days in all. Single feature.<br />
Weather: Cold and rain most of<br />
the run.—L. C. Utecht, Lake Theatre,<br />
Oak Park, 111. West suburban Chicago<br />
patronage. *<br />
Scenic Theatre, Lexington, 111. Small town<br />
patronage.<br />
Mighty McGurk, The (MGM) — Wallace<br />
Beery, Dean Stockwell, Edward Arnold. This<br />
story has a lot of appeal. Wallace Beery is<br />
as good as ever. The boy and dog make it<br />
what it is and it went over okay here. Played<br />
Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: Fair.—R. W. Burgess,<br />
Roxy Theatre, McClusky, N. D. Rural<br />
and small town patronage.<br />
*<br />
i^YeorUng, The (MGM)—Gregory Peck, Jane<br />
Wyman, Claude Jarman jr. My top in a poll<br />
for the year's best ten, with Gregory Peck<br />
an Academy Award winner. This story is<br />
perfect. These good pictures are all too few,<br />
so if you haven't got it, get it. Played Sun.,<br />
Mon. Weather: Cold and stormy.—E. J. Petersen,<br />
Cozy Theatre, Jeffers, Minn. Rural and<br />
small town patronage. * *<br />
MONOGRAM<br />
Eilroy Was Here (Mono)—Jackie Cooper,<br />
Jackie Coogan, Wanda McKay. This is a fair<br />
little comedy but as all had come out to see<br />
Cisco, there weren't many remarks about the<br />
Kilroy story. Played Sunday. Weather: Cold.<br />
—D. W. Trisko, Ritz Theatre, Jerome, Ariz.<br />
*<br />
Mining town patronage.<br />
PARAMOUNT<br />
Blaze of Noon (Para)—Anne Baxter, William<br />
Holden, Sonny Tufts. This was a good<br />
picture that failed to draw. Played Tues.,<br />
Wed. Weather: Cold.—Otto W. Chapek, Annex<br />
Theatre, Anamoose, N. D. Rural and small<br />
town patronage. * * *<br />
UBlue Skies (Para)—Bing Crosby, Fred<br />
is<br />
Astaire, Joan Caulfield. Although this<br />
it is rather old among the best of Technicolor<br />
musicals and did above average business.<br />
It proved to be a well received holiday attraction.<br />
Played Thursday., Fri. Weather:<br />
Clear and cold.—Carl 'E. Pehlman, Rio Theatre,<br />
Edinburg, 111 Rural and small town<br />
patronage.<br />
Ladies' Man (Para)—Eddie Bracken, Cass<br />
Daley, Virginia Welles. This is a swell picture.<br />
If you haven't played it, do so. Eddie<br />
Bracken should be seen in more pictures.<br />
Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Rainy and cold.<br />
—James E. Davis, Rialto Theatre, Bennington,<br />
Okla. Rural and small town patronage. * *<br />
Perfect Marriage, The (Para)—Loretta Young,<br />
David Niven, Eddie Albert. The first night was<br />
no good but the second night it really went<br />
over big. Played Wednesday. Weather: Icy.<br />
—Harland Rankin. Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, On'.<br />
Small town patronage.<br />
Wild Harvest (Para)—Alan Ladd, Dorothy<br />
Lamour, Robert Preston. We did a very good<br />
business on this picture, just right for this<br />
territory, and our farmers went for it in a big<br />
way.. Lots of action they could understand<br />
and enjoy. Plenty fast, with something doing<br />
all the time and a very good cast. Get it and<br />
tie up with the Massey Harris man. Played<br />
Sun,. Mon., Tues. Weather: Fine.—Mayme P.<br />
BOXOFFICE BookinGuide Mar. 6, 1948
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