The Canadian Motion Picture Exhibitor (Nov 1, 1941)

November lst, 1941 Kildare Greets Can dn Druggists Regal’s exploitation end, under Dewey Bloom, came through with a smart tieup for Pharmacy Week in Canada. The Canadian Pharmaceutical Association got a wire from Dr. Kildare reading: “It is indeed a pleasure to congratulate Canadian Druggists on the occasion of “Pharmacy Week’. I am keenly aware of the important part being played by druggists in maintaining the health of the community. Best wishes from Lionel Barrymore, Laraine Day and yours sincerely— Lew Ayres (Dr. Kildare).”’ The Canadian Pharmaceutical Journal ran the wire full-page size and invited the pill-rollers to paste it on their windows. Drug stores were also given two Dr. Kildare tieups and stills made available for their use during the week of October 19. British Coin Released Under the new monetary agreement negotiated by the State Department of the United States Government’ with the British Treasury, $40,000,000 of frozen funds will be released to American film distributors. The initial payment of $7,850,000 has been divided between seven majors. During 1940-41 the Americans were permitted to withdraw $12,900,000. Power Cut This coming winter will see considerable reduction in marquee and sign lighting, according to the Ontario-Hydro Electric Commission. Billboard advertisers may be given time limits. Cities and towns have been asked to go easy on street lighting. War plants need the power. Now AS FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS For Satisfaction In Theatre Equipment PERIGINS ~ COMPANY LIMITED 277 VICTORIA STREET 2027 BLEURY STREET TORONTO MONTREAL The Exhibitor On the Square By HYE BOSSIN Joe Myers, who used to manage the Calgary office of Regal until he got sick a while ago, dropped in for a session of yarning. Joe made the same smart impression around this part of the land that he enjoyed in the West for so many years. He just got back from Ottawa and he’s playing his cards pretty close to the vest. Ain’t saying much and open for ideas but it’s expected that he’ll be busy on the exhibitor end of the game any day now. Joe was talking about his old friends in the West, such as Matt Park, S. G. and Mrs. Stevenson, Stan Bailey, Bert Headley and Sam Tyler. He told about the time Sam Tyler wearied of the public whims and retired from the business. “You'll be back,” said Joe, knowing his love for the business and for beautiful houses. ‘And probably have a house so nice that you’ll entertain royalty in it some day.” That was some years ago. A couple of weeks ago the trade press carried pictures and stories of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor watching a screening of “Sergeant York’’—in Sam Tyler’s house in High River. And there stood Sam. And they say it’s as pretty a place as ever housed a screen. oo * % * Co Leonard Bernstien, assistant booker at Columbia, has joined the air force ... Frank Kavanaugh, the artist, stopped us the other day with: “I’ve heard of shows giving away money, books, silverware and even gas ranges but this is going too far.” He pointed at an ad in a Detroit paper for a Drive-In movie. Part of it read “Free Cars and Children” ... Harland Rankin, whose Chatham house was looted, can now harmonize “We Wuz Robbed!” with Jack Alexander of the Brock, Toronto. Thieves bagged $15 out of the cash box. The receipts had been transferred. This isn’t the first time. Same thing happened a couple of years ago. At that time Jack had chanced to move the receipts to another part of the office and the burglars bungled the search. * * * % * The other day this scribitzer, who has graduated from leaning against lampposts to inclining on _ boxoffices, was gabbing with the purt and purty miss who whacks the ticket winder for a big Yonge street theatre. The gal wagers the odd buck on the bangtails. An admirer, she said, had given her a winner every day for weeks. A nag named Mr. Maginnis was his nomination that day. Just then Barney Fox passed. Mr. Fox has equine inclinations. We called him over. “Mr. Maginnis!” he jeered. ‘‘Why, I could spot that pig six furlongs and beat him to the wire!” The last we saw of Mr. Fox was the sneer. The next day Raoul Auerbach, a sometimes partner in Mr. Fox’s horsey holdings, greeted us contemptuously. “Mr. Maginnis!” he said sarcastically. It seems that Mr. Fox got to thinking it over and inveigled Auerbach into a joint wager. Mr. Maginnis finished so far back that a man with a lantern ran on the track as he passed and hollered, “They went thataway!”’ The next day we chided the lovely tipster. shrugged, ‘You can’t win all the time.” “Well,” she Nor can you, boys. But if you’re still of a mind to risk a little and make a lot, why, I just got a wire... * * * * * Ray Allen’s resignation from Premier Operating came as a surprise to the trade. Ray has been with them so long that such news seems hard to accept. He was popular on the street and with the personnel and it’s being hoped that his new plans won’t take him away from the familiar’ places in which he is so highly regarded ... Lloyd Gurr, of the Century, Hamilton, got a sudden blitz of appendix and is filling a hospital cot right now. Stew Gillespie came up from Ottawa to take charge of things and has had his hands full with “A Yank in the R.A.F.” . .. Toughest luck guy at the recent 20th Century Theatre convention was Dick Freeman, Community, Toronto. The pictures of the banquet are out—and so is Dick. Somebody shouldered him and he ended up offside. if Page 3 Gaumont-British _ Changes Hands General Cinema Finance Company, an English company which operates through General Film Distributors, has acquired control of Gaumont-British, in which 20th Century-Fox has considerable interest. The change resulted from the purchase of 51 per cent of the Metropolis and Bradford Trust from the Ostrer group. Charles M. Woolf, Arthur Rank and Lord Portal are the persons concerned. Directorial setup is still to be arranged. The price is said to be somewhere near $4,000,000. Nazi Pix Dive The report of the Maryland Board of Censors on the showings of foreign films in the past year is a refiection of American sympathies during the present crisis. German films have dropped from first place to last and British films are still climbing. Six Russian pictures played to good business during the year. e e Curtiz-Cagney Again Michael Curtiz has been assigned to direct “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” film version of. the life of George M. Cohan, in which Warner Bros. will star James Cagney. Curtiz has just finished directing Cagney in “Captains of _ the Clouds,” the $2,000,000 Technicolor special about the Royal Canadian Air Force. “Yankee Doodle Dandy” is tentatively set to go before the cameras on November 24, when Cagney will have returned from his current vacation trip to the East. Irving Rapper, who _ directed “One Foot In Heaven,” has had his option lifted for another term by Warner Bros., and then was assigned to direct ‘Humoresque.” LL == HEATING AND VENTILATING CONTRACTORS AND ENGINEERS WAM be 8 A ee, ee