Touchstone Smiles About ‘Bob’

On the weekend before the opening of the big summer moviegoing season, business at the national box office remained on the slow side. Disney/Touchstone’s comedy “What About Bob?,” starring Richard Dreyfuss and Bill Murray, debuted in the top spot with solid ticket sales. After “Bob,” there was a sharp fall-off in movie grosses. However, Madonna’s concert film justified the publicity blitz by jumping into fourth place, after its initial engagements in Los Angeles and New York a week ago.

* The public apparently didn’t buy the 20th Century Fox’ sequel “Mannequin Two: On the Move” which opened to moribund numbers, or “Dice Rules,” the controversial concert film from iconoclast Andrew Dice Clay, which got off to a slow start in 40 theaters for a total of $285,000.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

Weekend Gross/ Screens/ Weeks in Movie (Studio) Total (millions) Average Release 1. “What About Bob?” $9.2 1,463 1 (Touchstone) $9.2 $6,300 2. “FX2” $3.9 1,502 2 (Orion) $11.2 $2,549 3. “Switch” $3 1,013 2 (Warner Bros.) $8.3 $3,010 4. “Madonna: Truth or Dare” $2.8 495 2 (Miramax) $3.3 $5,702 5. “Stone Cold” $2.8 1,729 1 (Columbia) $2.8 $1,626 * “Mannequin Two” $1.7 1,540 1 (Fox) $1.7 $1,099

SOURCE: Exhibitor Relations Co.