Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Feb 6, 1954)

CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST The Barkers gave William A. Summerville, Jr., a special greeting on his first appearance as Chicf Barker at the initial general meeting of Toronto Tent No. 28 in the clubrooms Tuesday night, Jan. 26. Of Summerville it was said: “He personifies all the accomplishments that have made Tent No. 28 honored in the records of Variety Clubs everywhere.” Mr. and Mrs. Sam Hersenhoren of Toronto entertained at their home in honor of J. J. Chisholm, former Ontario branch manager of Associated Screen News Limited, and Mrs. Chisholm before their departure to live in Montreal. The party took place Saturday night, January 23. 2 The latest development in Quebec is a move on the part of Premier Maurice Duplessis to enforce legislation, adopted a year ago, for the censoring of television films on the ground that the CBC has been showing immoral pictures. The TY films are to be submitted to the Quebec Board of Cinema Censors which will also sunervise the live television presentations. Guests at a reception at the Canadian Women's Press Club, Toronto branch, 47 Wellesley Street East, in honor of the manager and cast of the Crest Theatre, were received by Club President Mrs. James R. Nairn and her husband, following a performance of “The Philadelphia Story.” Manager Jim McDonough of the Tivoli Theatre, Hamilton, was keeping up the race with three Toronto units of Famous Players in the matter of length of engagements. “The Robe” was in its fifth week at the Tivoli while “How to Marry a Millionaire” at the Toronto Imperial and “Little Boy Lost” at the University and Eglinton were all playing a fifth week. Jack Arthur gave a heart-tugging program on the CBC network on January 26 when his theme was Robbie Burns and Scotland in which he dramatized his own entry into show business as a boy in a company headed by Harry Lauder. Scotland is Jack Arthur's homeland. The Palace Theatre, Hamilton, had a special stage attraction, Lionel Hampton and Orchestra, with four vaudeville acts, for three days, Jan. 25-27, in conjunction with the engagement of “The Juggler.” The National Ballet Company of Can ada is appearing at the Hamilton Capitol for two days, Feb. 10-11. oe oe ose cs & eee owe oe oe eee eererererererrer —— Teronto and District Ry RILI PPFSe el Consolidated Theatres Limited, Montreal, headed by J. Arthur Hirsch, declared a dividend of 13c on the “A” Stock payable March 1 to shareholders of record February I. Consolidated is an associate of Famous Players. Haskell Masters, Warner Bros. Canadian General Manager, announced the resignation of Ralph Foster. Foster headed the Warner Bros. 16 mm-division since last July. Foster will enter the public relations arena with Art Wells, former newspaper reporter, operating under the name of Communications of Canada, with offices at 28 Wellesley St. East. Serving as Australian National Film Commissioner, he was also at one time an editor of the Windsor Daily Sfar and Toronto Daily Star, as well as DeputyCommissioner of the N.F.B. in Canada. Mr. Masters will announce shortly the new head of Warners 16 mm. division in Canada, Once again, the Pylon Theatre, College Street, featured an Italian feature, “Passione,” with considerable success. The engagement was announced as “A Prima Visione,” otherwise a first run. eS PRAIRIE NEWS By BRUCE PEACOCK CinemaScope equipment is being installed in one Canadian theatre a week, or as rapidly as the equipment becomes available, said E. A. Zorn, Winnipeg, Western district manager of Famous Players Canadian Corp., in Edmonton ° recently. Estimated cost to convert a theatre to CinemaScope is $30,000, he said. Opening of the new Odeon Theafre, now under construction on Jasper Avenue in Edmonton, is planned for the spring or early summer, H. A. Friedman, Toronto, said in Edmonton recently. Mr. Friedman is president and managing director of Odeon Mid-Western Theatres, Ltd. The theatre will seat eleven hundred, Mr. Friedman said. Frank Beatty, formerly of Saskatoon, has opened a new 800-seat theatre in Kerrobert, Sask., the Lux. House is 115 feet by 41 feet, the lobby 20 feet by 41 feet and the screen 300 square feet. Opening night’s proceeds went towards the children’s ward of Kerrobert’s new hospital. Among those attending the opening were Reg Plumb, of the Daylight Theatre, Saskatoon, who had worked with Mr. Beatty for 26 years, and Labor Minister C. C. Williams. Lyric Theatre, Swift Current, Sask., has installed a new wide screen, 13 by 28 feet. FEBRUARY 6, 1954 : THE CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST Entered os Second Class Matter RAY LEWIS Editor-in-Chiof ° Address oll mail to the Publisher CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST COMPANY, LIMITED 21 Dundas Square Toronto Telephone: EMpire 8-8696 Cable: Raydigest Established 1915. Publication weekly. Subscription: $5.00 yearly — Correspondents — BRUCE PEACOCK Regina, Sesk. JACK DROY bat enebinavene Vancouver, B.C. WILL McLAUGHLIN ... Ottawa, Ont. BILL PRESS ; Toronto, Ont. HELEN CROWLEY “Saint John, N.B. =~ j ) Maritime News HELEN CROWLEY Mr. Murray Ellman, B & L Theatres, spent a week-end in Halifax recently, representing the Y.M.H.A. in an intercity chess tournament. Mr. Ellman made the trip to Halifax and return by plane. Needless to say—Saint John won. Chess is Mr. Ellman’s main hobby—and, we guess, he is really pretty good at it. He has held the Saint John and New Brunswick championship titles—and, has been a runner-up in the Maritime championship. Mr. M. J. Isman, Empire-Universal’s General Manager, spent several days in Saint John conferring with the local manager, Mr. Jack Bellamy. The Eddie Cantor picture played eight days at the Strand Odeon theatre, Saint John, while across the street, at the Famous Players’ Paramount, “How to Marry a Millionaire”—Twentieth Century-Fox’s second CinemaScope production is drawing very large business. Mr. George Basha of Stephenville, Newfoundland, spent several days in Saint John this week on a booking trip recently. His many friends in the business will be glad to know that Mr. Jack Keily, proprietor of the Nickel and York theatres in St. Johns, Newfoundland, is making satisfactory recovery from a rather serious eye infection. Mr. Keily, who resides in Montreal, makes periodic trips to Saint John, New Brunswick and St. Johns, Newfoundland. The Odeon Strand Theatre, Saint John, was host on Wednesday morning of this week to the Ladies’ Morning Musical Club at a showing of special musical features. YORK, ST. JOHN’S NFLD. INTRODUCE 3-D Jack Keily’s house, The York, St. Johns, Newfoundland, introduced the Newfoundlanders to 3-D, playing Lippert’s, A Day In The Country, with The Gambler and The Lady, and Mask of The Dragon.