The Canadian Motion Picture Exhibitor (Jul 2, 1941)

A Semi-Monthly SUMMARY of World-Wide Motion Picture NEWS Vol. 7, No. ele. ee eee Tit Toronto, July 2nd, 1941. 02=«tti(i«~C~*W July 2nd, 1941 CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE | ATIBITOR Official Organ of the INDEPENDENT THEATRES ASSOCIATION $5.00 Per Annum Ban Bouts in Toronto’s Parks MARITIMES EXHIBITORS TO ORGANIZE GROUP July 10th Set as Date On Which Indies Will Talk Tax and Booking Two very important questions are occupying exhibitors of the Maritimes at the moment. One is the expected formation of an Independent Buying and Booking Association. The news of N. H. Taylor’s plan with Famous Players was well received and has spurred interest in organization. The Maritimes has been hard hit by the depression and the war boom has had little or no effect so far. The first meeting of the proyected body will be held on July i0. The majority of theatres in the’ Maritimes are in small villages and there is practically no industrial activity. There are about 70 theatres, a number of which are closed for part of the year. About 30 theatres are in towns and villages where the population varies between 500 and 2,000; there are 17 in towns from 2,000 to 5,000; there are 5 theatres operating in cities from 20,000 to 65,000. This (Continued on Page 2) Maybe We Should Have Told Him The taxi that was carrying Bob Hope downtown after his Pier appearance at Sunnyside was thumbed by a ten-year-old who squeaked, “Give us a lift, mister ?”’ The car was crammed, there being a couple of other fellows in it besides Hope, his press agent, Mack Millar, and Bruce Keith of the Star. '“Sure, hop in,” said Bob. The youngster crowded in and joined the conversation. After a four-mile ride he got out with a thanks and a goodbye. Hope had just fought his way through hundreds of kids who would have given anything to be in that same spot. But the hitch-hiker didn’t And A know it. Nobody told him. he didn’t recognize Bob. The Legality of Foto-Nite Following inquiries received from Exhibitors in the West as to what effect Foto-Nite has on the theatre business and as to whether or not it is legal, we did in our issue of May 15th, 1941, publish an article under the heading “The Legality of Foto-Nite.” Objection to this article has been taken by Foto-Nite Amateur Shows Ltd. The article contains the statement—‘Moreover, even those theatres which employ it have always felt that the initial success does not last long and that the affair soon peters out.” Upon investigation we cannot find sufficient information to substantiate this statement and we hereby unhesitatingly withdraw the same. We are advised that a large number of theatres, including some operated by Famous Players Corporation and the Hanson Theatres Corporation, have used Foto-Nite for almost two years with extra _ ordinary success and we are further advised that Foto-Nite is as beneficial to these theatres today as when it first started. As to the legality of Foto-Nite we have been informed: (a) That ia theatre owner, who was running a Foto-Nite contest in Winnipeg, was charged with conducting a lottery. This charge came on for hearing in October, 1940, before Judge Donovan of the Superior Court of Manitoba, sitting with a jury, and after a four-day trial the theatre owner was acquitted. It appears that Foto-Nite has been operating freely in the Province of Manitoba since that date; (b) That in the Province of Ontario an indictment was returned by a grand jury against a Toronto theatre owner for using FotoNite, charging him with conducting a lottery. At the opening of the trial the indictment was quashed on the ground that it disclosed no offence. Subsequently a second indictment was presented with the same result. The Crown appealed the second ruling and the appeal was dismissed. From the above and from the fact that it appears that FotoNite has been operating in Ontario since that time, it is quite clear that we should not have passed any opinion on the legality of FotoNite We wish to take this opportunity to apologize to Foto-Nite Amateur Shows Limited for the inconvenience caused them by the publication of the said article. This paper hopes that this public retraction will at least in some small measure compensate Foto-Nite for any damage it may have suffered as a result. THE CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR No Change in Midtown Status Newspaper reports that a change town, Esquire, Mayfair and Astor had taken place in the operation and control of Toronto’s Midtown Theatre are apparently incorrect. The Toronto Evening Telegram recently said: “A merger of Canadian theatres was announced today with Sam Firestone, who controls the Mid theatres in Toronto, and the Esquire Theatre in Brantford linking up with the Odeon Theatre chain throughout Canada.’ Since the Midtown Theatre was recently opened as a 20th Century theatre, a statement was sought from Mr. Taylor as to the switch ‘(Continued on Page 2) Commissioner Chambers Turns Down Try as Church Offers Support Toronto exhibitors, hit hard by heat, tax and blackout, just missed getting another consistent clout on the cash register. The Dentonia Senior Softball League arranged boxing bouts on their diamond for one of the war efforts. C. E. Chambers, Parks Commissioner, made them call off the proceedings. At the same time the Toronto East Presbytery went on record as supporting the Commissioner’s stand and protesting any further plans. of the kind. Mr. Chambers explained that he didn’t consider boxing proper entertainment for women and children. Though the park is city property, no permit was sought or given. J. Jefferies, president of the League, stated that he thought permission from the Ontario Athletic Commission was enough. There are 103 recreation parks and playground areas in Toronto, well distributed in every community. More than 800 teams, members of almost 100 leagues, attract crowds to these parks nightly. The business has learned to allow for sports competition. If the idea of extra entertainment for nickels and dimes spreads, it will result in a serious situation. Against the idea is Charlie Lewis, one of Toronto’s deans of sports. He is president of the Toronto Softball League, which has (Continued on Page 2) Harry Kohn Becomes Calgary Branch Mor. Toronto.—Harry Kohn has been promoted to the post of branch manager of Vitagraph, Ltd. in Calgary, according to an announcement today by Wolfe Cohen, Canadian district manager for the film company. Kohn was previously senior salesman in the branch. Sam Pearlmian, his predecessor, has been transferred to another position with the Company,