Boxoffice (Jun 23, 1951)

». 4 VANCOUVER he British Columbia projectionists union has elected Bill Tenney president to succeed Bert Pollock, who retired because of ill health. A. E. McManus of New Westminster was named president, succeeding Bob Holm, resigned, and Les Walker of the Dunbar, Vancouver, took over as member at large, a spot formerly filled by McManus... Going on and returning from vactions are Frank Gilbert and Len Brewer of the Paradise; Nora Miller, Plaza; Sheila Kempster, Warner Bros.; Bob Murphy, Paramount and Joe Millman, Kitsilano manager. Jack Randall, former Strand manager here who now is living in Santa Maria, Calif., is here on vacation ... Vancouver visitors included J. J. Fitzgibbons, president of Famous Players, and David Griesdorf, Canadian general manager of Odeon Theatres. Both circuit heads said there were no new theatres planned in British Columbia ... L. T. Kemple, who was with the Steel circuit in northern British Columbia, has taken over the Rainbow Theatre at McBride on the Prince George-Jasper line. The theatre will continue two shows weekly on 16mm. Jimmy Patterson, 20th-Fox manager, returned from the national sales meeting held at Los Angeles . . . Tom Boudreau, former doorman at the Vogue, has been promoted to assistant manager, replacing Viki Lobb, who resigned to live in eastern Canada .. . George Peters, former vice-president of Odeon Theatres who now is in the oil business at Calgary, was here visiting friends in the show business . . . Ann Miller resigned as head usheret at the downtown Orpheum. Sovereign Films 16mm exchange will move to larger quarters on South Granville street in July, Fred Stone, British Columbia manager reports. Harry Phillet has opened his new Studio Theatre at Moose Jaw, Sask. It formerly was the old Savoy and had been closed for the last 15 years. It will seat 665 ... William Zaparaniuk will build a theatre at Waskesiu, Sask., the first in the farming community, but it may be delayed if the plans are rejected by the wartime building board ... The Audien Theatre in Wetaskiwin, Alta., 40 miles from Edmonton in the new oil field section, has been sold by the Roxy circuit to John Danyluk, former Winnipeg theatreman. It seats 370. Though reissues in general have been proven duds recently, Samuel Goldwyn’s revival combination of “Up in Arms” and “They Got Me Covered” are running against the trend, giving Norman Duncan’s Strand an above-average week's business . . . The membership committee of the Canadian Picture Pioneers companies Art Crute, Plaza, chairman; Harry Woolfe, United Artists, and Arthur Graburn. The council of Kamsack, Sask., proponent of a 10 per cent amusement tax, has agreed to study the legality of a protesting petition signed by residents of the town. The petition asked that the matter be settled by vote, but the council insists that is is under no legal compulsion to respect the petition. Exhibitors of the town’s three theatres at first refused to collect the tax but have now decided it is advisable to do so, in view of the council's willingness to consider the petition. BOXOFFICE :: June 23, 1951 Should the council insist on the tax, the voters will run a complete new slate against the present members at the next election. The tax was to be used for an administrative building in the town. Theatres involved are the Elite, Capitol and Wright theatres. From a Vancouver newspaper “Hollywood is doing it again . . They're making a movie about Canada and the RCMP and it doesn’t look as if any of it will be filmed in British Columbia or Alberta, as scheduled.” Stephen Ames, producer of MGM’s “The North Country,” said that transportation problems, weather conditions, etc., make shooting in western Canada impossible. The picture will now be shot in Wyoming, where the territory is similar “to the Peace river area.” New Century Theatre Opened at Lindsay LINDSAY, ONT.—Premier Leslie M. Frost of Ontario officiated at the opening June 15 of the Century, a new 750-seat unit of 20th Century Theatres, despite the fact his arm was in a cast because of a fracture. Nat Taylor, of Toronto, president of the circuit, autographed the plaster cast as part of the ceremonies. Taylor’s chain also owns the Academy, 708 seats, and the Ken, 296 seats, in Lindsay, but the Ken is to be closed for the time being for alterations. Nat and Mrs. Taylor had just returned from a nine-week vacation tour in Europe during which they visited only one studio, the British-Pathe in England. Mrs. Taylor is the proprietor of the International Cinema and Towne Cinema in Toronto. Quebec Theatres to Court Over Added Taxation QUEBEC—Film theatres in Quebec City have won the first round in a battle with city hall to annul the municipal bylaw which imposes a five-cent surtax on admission tickets. Justice Alfred Savard of the superior court deposited a judgment in the records office of the superior court rejecting an action by the city in which the city wanted to reject certain paragraphs contained in the declaration of the theatre owners. As a result of the decision, the case was inscribed for hearing June 13 but was delayed. Because of the importance of the case, it is thought that an agreement will be reached between the parties concerned to have the case brought before the court as soon as possible. The case of the Quebec theatres against the city came about as a result of the municipal budget for 1951-52 by which an additional amusement tax of five cents was imposed. Toronto TV in 1952 OTTAWA—Under the plans of the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., three outlets for television are to be established at Toronto after the government radio agency has launched its national TV programs, perhaps in 1952. One of the Toronto TV transmitters will be operated by the CBC network's CBL station, which leave two channels for privately owned enterprises, of which four have made applications. One of the applicants is Famous Players Canadian Corp. MARITIMES Duin their winter stay at thelr Miami Beach home, the Joe Franklins sat for oil portraits. When they returned to their apartment in the Mayfair Theatre, St. John, they brought the paintings with them, Last year, they gave a collection of paintings to the new state university in Israel. Before flying to Geneva, Switzerland, to attend a session of the International Labor Organization, James A. Whitebone, projectionist at the Paramount, St. John, was given a farewell party by Local 440 of IATSE. In behalf of the local, Charlie Chase, another projectionist, gave Whitebone a piece of airplane luggage. Whitebone, a labor representative in the city council, has been business agent of the local about 25 years. When 2 fire extinguisher fell from a wall hook to the floor in a Newfoundland theatre while a show was in progress, many of the patrons thought it was an explosion and headed for the exits in a panic. After they got outside, they were convinced it was not an explosion and there was no cause for alarm. Practically all returned to their seats. ... Outdoor film shows at parks and beaches, as an extra attraction, have not been as numerous this summer as in previous seasons. Some dance hall operators at summer resorts have been screening films, with and without sound, on nights when there Is no dancing. With daylight prevailing until about 9:30 p. m., shows are not started until that time at a drive-in operated by Sandy Saunders, at Marshfield, P. E. I. This is titled Sandy’s Theatre Under the Stars. As twilight advances, the starting time will be pushed up until, by mid-August, the start can be at about 8 p. m.... In promoting patronage for “For Heaven's Sake,” Manager John W. Farr of the Odeon, North Sydney, N. S., featured paragraph advertising under the heading of “For Heaven's Sake.” A drive-in operated in the north end of Halifax by Bert Cooper is an extension of Cooper's original operations, which involved an open-air concrete swimming pool, tennis courts, concessions, overnight cabins and a service station ... Indications are that baseball and softball will offer less boxoffice opposition for St. John theatres than for many years. The junior, juvenile and intermediate leagues have folded through financial difficulties and there is only one team instead of two in senior ball. Members of St. John exchange staffs turned to softball for exercise. They include Leu Simon, Mickey Komar, Cy Miller, Maurie Elman, Sid Tobin, Bill Campbell, Bill Steen, Jack Bellamy, Vince Winchester, Maurie Griffin and Gordie Stults. About 20 years ago, the film men had one of the best softball teams of the province . . . Sam Babb, manager, Mayfair, underwent surgical treatment in a hospital at St. John. He was incapacitated for about ten days. —— ry Acquire Film Rights Film rights have been acquired to “Interrupted Melody,” the life story of Marjorie Lawrence for Metro release. 43