The Canadian Independent (Nov 15, 1937)

Page 6 Thalberg Memorial Course Walter Wanger will conduct a course at Dartmouth College on screen script writing. This course has been established as a memorial to Irving Thalberg. Universal Gets Additional Financing Universal pictures has been eased from its precarious position out at the end of a financial limb. In spite of several hit pictures, it has been at a dead end for funds, and internally shaken by executive battles. Banking money has now come to the rescue, and it is said that there will be plenty of grist in the Universal mill to grind away on “‘A and B” pictures. Among the first productions to get under way will be the new Deanna Durbin picture and one. starring Danielle Darrieux. These two, together with the finished “MERRY-GOROUND OF 1938” and the Alice’ Faye picture will make it possible for Universal to satisfy exhibitors on contract commitments. THE CANADIAN Wa /SSUED FOR THE BENEFIT OF ‘WR /NDEPENDENT THEATRE OWNERS eae es eee eT Prudential Demands Better Booking For Korda In U.S. The Prudential Assurance Company, through their Mr. H. H. Lever, has indicated that they will make it part of their deal in backing the purchase of the FairbanksChaplin-Pickford buy by Goldwyn and Korda, that United Artists give Korda pictures a better booking deal in the U.S. than he has previously enjoyed. Hitherto, it is said, Korda pictures, good and bad, were booked at low percentages or passed up by United Artists’ buyers. The Prudential deal will provide for a Korda Sales representative to be kept at the New York United Artists sales office where he will have access to all contracts to assure Korda adequate sales attention. | Madison Theatre Goes To Hanson Theatres Ltd. The Madison Theatre, Toronto, owned and operated for many years by the Brady family, as an independent house, is being taken over by the Hanson Theatres chain. ee TORONTO THEATRES FIRST RUN IMPERIAL — ALI BABA GOES TO TOWN — 20TH CENTURY-FOX — Eddie Cantor. LOEW’S — DOUBLE WEDDING — REGAL — Myrna Loy and William Powell. SHEA’S — CONFESSION — WARNER BROS. — Kay Francis, lan Hunter and Basil Rathborne. FLY AWAY BABY — WARNER BROS. — Glenda Farrell and Barton Maclane. RADIO CITY — THE TENTH MAN — EMPIREUNIVERSAL—John Lodge and Antoinette Cellier MADISON — MICHAEL O’HALLORAN — EMPIREUNIVERSAL — Wynne Gibson and Warren Hull. BEHIND THE MIKE — EMPIRE UNIVERSAL — William Gargan and Judith Barrett. EGLINTON — LONDON BY NIGHT — M-G-M — George Murphy and Rita Johnson. ~~ MY DEAR MISS ALDRICH — REGAL — Edna May Oliver, Maureen O’Sullivan and Walter Pidgeon. The Fellow Who Wasn’t Belasco About 15 years ago Jack L. Warner, now a famous movie producer, went to New York to discuss with David Belasco the filming of a stage play just purchased from the famous Broadway manager. Belasco, unable to see Warner that day and not wishing to offend him, employed his usual trick of feigning illness. Declaring his facial neuralgia made a conference out of the question, he asked for a postponement. That evening Warner attended the Ziegfeld Follies and was surprised to see Belasco seated in the first row. Will Rogers duced Belasco to the audience and after the intermission the famous showman went on the stage and in sprightly fashion frolicked with some of the chorus girls. Warner could not resist the natural impulse to send Belasco a caustic wire of congratulation on his speedy recovery. He did not know that he had not seen Belasco but an actor impersonating him. Belasco sent a wire of protest to Florence Ziegfeld demanding that the impersonation be stopped and for weeks a good-natured controversy, which received wide-spread publicity, raged on the matter. And the actor worked many weeks longer than his contract had called for. intro| Nov. 15, 1937 PATRONIZE THE ADVERTISERS WHO MAINTAIN IT. a, New Soviet Wage Scale for Film Stars The All-Union Art Committee of Soviet Russia has fixed a new wage schedule by which it has graded. actors, artists and singers according to their talent. Monthly rates for actors, opera singers and musicians had been set, beginning at $80 per month and ranging up to $500 per month for stars. Prior to the inauguration of this new system many of the top players and singers have been earning $2,000 to $3,000 per month. Consumers Digest Rates Films The first attempt to rate films on a large scale for audience purposes has been begun in the November issue of Consumers Digest. It lists approximately 650 films covering American and foreign pictures released in the past year. Ratings are based on the concensus of opinion of the press generally and special organizations andrunfrom AA, Band C which means, “Strongly Recommended,”’ ‘“Recommended,”’ “TIntermediate’”’ and “Not Recommended.”’ “Mutiny on the Bounty’ received an unanimous AA rating. ‘Mr. Deeds’ and “Metropolitan’”’ followed, each with 28 AA’s, ‘Cap tains Courageous,” ‘‘Winterset”? and “Good Earth” ranking high. The lowest in rank were The actor was Brandon | “Strangers on a HoneyTynan, famous veteran of | moon” and “Ever Since the stage, . Eve’’, each getting 18 C’s, —_—oo SUBSCRIPTION BLANK The Canadian Independent Support the Cause of the Independent Exhibitor The Managing Editor, The Canadian Independent, 21 Dundas Square, Toronto, Canada, Please enroll me as a Subscriber to your Magazine. I enclose herewith the sum of $5.00—1 yr. NAME —_ $2.50—6 mos. $1.25—-8 mos. oe ee oe LE SE LTE EES cE HR SORE OY RS A SOS SY Se MENTS veeSTSES se