The Canadian Motion Picture Exhibitor (Aug 1, 1941)

ales) eat August lst, 194] Siudhins Ban Casual Visitors There will be no more tourists, with influencial letters from someone back home, clogging the sets and getting on the film makers nerves. The Producers Association has just locked the gates to casual visitors. The new rule means that thousands of gapers yearly will be locked out of the lots. During the month of June no less than 33,000 applications for visiting rights were received. The excessive number of persons on the sets interfered with production and cost Hollywood thousands of dollars yearly. Some years ago restrictions on visitors were applied after pressure from the insurance companies. Careless smokers caused trouble. This seems to have been relaxed and outsiders have steadily increased. The studios have approached these problems charily in the past. But there is a new firmness in their dealings with all non-studio people and it can be assumed that the rules will remain unaltered for a long time. British’ CEA No's WB-Maxwell Deal The CEA General Council of Britain has taken action to hinder the completion of the Warners— John Maxwell Estate deal. Pressure has been brought on members of Parliament to prevent control from passing to the American company. It is understocd that the Maxwell Estate representatives have committed themselves to the Warners offer. The government, however, has the right to set any arrangements aside. HEATING AND VENTILATING CONTRACTORS AND ENGINEERS AWN re -————-— OOOowmrr—a—n——————————————— eee ee’ C— eoe ese a Oaa ——— — ————— ———— — —— — — The Exhibitor On the Square By HYE BOSSIN | Famous Players’ Jim Nairn, whose job it is to get and put things into the papers, is far from being the fiutterbug pictured as his type. And by his own trade yet, the movies. None of your allee-time-holler rapscallion of the Lee Tracy technique. The space-chiseler presented by the movies as a press-agent wouldn’t go one-two in the average newspaper office—and especially in conservative Canada. This, business of the press having to keep its guard up against the members of Jim’s profesh is the worst thing that could happen. On many a big newspaper the boys who control the columns won’t even try to separate the brass from the gold in the matter of material offered. They give it all the go-by—except the signed syndicate stuff. So Jim moves in modest and mysterious ways his wonders to perform. But the movies are America’s No. 2 industry and there is much intelligence originating in it that belongs in the news columns rather than the movie pillars. There are also advertising and exploitation. Mr. Nairn serves these markets from his office on the eleventh floor of the Royal Bank Building. This job is no romp and turning a trick to steal undue space isn’t worth it. You lose more in the long run. Jim is a stoutish Scot who barnstormed in the mewspaper game for a too-long time before joining the Famous force over a decade ago. A number of the lads who slugged Mr. Remington’s cute contrivance alongside of him have moved closer to the sun —hbut they haven’t forgotten Jim. Many another guardian of the typemetal highways to the public mind has been softened up by the Nairn gentlemanliness. Jim Nairn has done much to break down prejudice against publicity material as news by honesty and care. In other words, he has helped establish freedom of the pressagents. * ok Co * * Film Belt flickers: Frank Garbarino and his striking Harlequin Dane strolling ialong and winning many am, ooh! and ah!... Andy Sinclair of the Royal Navy, former Empire-Universalist, is about to kick the matrimonial bucket. Andy, ex-pro pug and jitterbug extraordinary, squired Mr. and Mrs. Syd Taube around an east Canadian coastal city during a recent visit and they report that he looks better’n ever, folks, better’n ever ... Eary Notes: The famous cry of Morris of the Hermant Building newsstand— “Yessir, we got ’em!” Get ready for the baseball binge of the season. The) EmpireUniversal lads of the film loop have been matched with—hold your breath—the Paramount girls team of the Sunnyside league! What a tangle this ought to be. Abe Wilkes, if he gets the umping stint, says he’ll dress in girls clothes so as not to be accused of partiality towards his own sex. The details will be aired soon... Irving Goldsmith of EBA just had the male population of his family doubled. It’s a boy. * * * % * Charlie Lewis, ye olde maestro of the ballyards, who is in charge of sports for the Norwegian Air Force stationed here, was around dropping slides for display into the laps of exhibitors. They’re appeals for the Active Service Magazine Depot ... Roses of yesterday: The old Colonial theatre, empty and forlorn, looking sadly iat the lively crowds that pass it by as they hurry) through City Hall Square. And how much’ sadder it will look after Sam Ulster’s Photodrome, a few doors away, breaks out with its new dress for the fall. * * * * * Wilf Freeman, man-about-Toronto, is one of the legion of the unknown in Hollywood, the extras. But Wilf manages to turn up like the top card in a shuffle. In “Father Takes a Wife” he shares a scene with Swanson and Menjou. . . . Phil Silvers, exCasino comic who counts his Queen City pals by the dozen, is quite a scene-stealer in “Tom, Dick & Harry” .. . Toronto is becoming a cinema sartorial centre. The Tip Toppers tailored the uniforms for “Captain of the Clouds” as well as “Forty-Ninth Parallel.” aes $$$ —$ Die Page 3 United Artists To Build Chain United Artists have decided to enter into the chain theatre field, it has become known. Negotiations are on right now for the acquisition of twelve first-run houses in the United States. Theatres, mainly for initial showings, will be built or bought. One of the purposes of the new venture is to provide longer runs for United Artists films. At present the studios’ product competes for top-spot showing with the best pictures. The intention is to provide outlets in such situations and thus allow better presentation. Arthur W. Kelley, vice-president, believes that the move will enable U.A. to make the best use of its exploitation organization. An effort will be made to avoid over-size houses. Those seating between 1,000 and 1,100 will be preferred. From 4 to 5 million dollars will be spent. It is unlikely that the company’s move will have any effect in Canada, Sam Glazer said. Government regulations forbid building. The scuffle is on right now between the two major Canadian chains for houses and there is no evidence that United Artists will join the fray. Snapper-Whipper Snags Morrie Morrie Rittenberg of the Orpheum, that popular and hefty. fellow whose offices in the Film Exchange are the Salon de Shmoos, was gabbing outside the building the other day. The well-upholstered Morrie was leaning on an auto and had one foot on the runningboard. “Say, Morrie,” snapped a certain editor as he passed by and remembered his Joe Miller, “where’s your. other roller skate?” Performance Alone Determines the value of your equipment purchases. The QUALITY of our instal-: lation gives lasting satisfaction and results. PERIGINS COMPANY LIMITED 277 VICTORIA STREET 2027 BLEURY STREET TORONTO ” ONTREAL ‘ a =| ste