Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Feb 20, 1954)

FEBRUARY 20, 1954 CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST PAGE SEVEN Ray Presents (Continued from Page 3) pany thousands of dollars in the cancellation of an entire circuit. Justice, although blindfolded, is believed to see with an Unseen Eye, so here is a story for the U.S. Department of Justice to see into. fg I produced a play, in New York, and did not wish to play it anywhere else in the U.S., would that be a restraint of Interstate Commerce, despite the fact, that to take the play out of New York would damage the New York run of the play. Has the producer of a stage-play, the right to refuse its exhibition on the screen or on TV? Have we the right to organize closed theatre 7V circuit presentations without running into Anti-trust legislation? F 16mm exhibition and TV exhibition of pictures depreciate the 35mm exhibition value of them, and prevents a producer from making profits, is the producer compelled, by the Anti-trust laws, to depreciate his possible profits, and to Operate a business at a loss? What producing company of Motion Pictures, or a group of them, control all the stars, the players, the authors, the directors, the studios, cameramen, technicians, negative and positive film, etc., which prevents anyone, who wishes to make a 16mm film, for exhibition, or for telecasting, unable to make such a film? I have observed, that the most fantastic things may happen, in countries, and to people where you would least expect it. If something is only half-crazy, you have a better chance of beating its impact, than if it is completely outside the Realm of Reason. HERE is a Crazy Germ in the air, which appears to attack in most unexpected places. There is nothing to fear in a reasonable or logical idea or action, but beware of the bite of a Mad Idea, the invasion of a mad-germ, if it is running loose. Do not believe, that it may not reach you, or that you are immune. Prepare calmly, judiciously, without hysteria, to defend yourself. You may think, that the 16mm Anti-trust action is far-fetched, that it is an impossible interoretation of the Anti-trust laws, but the Anti-trust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, must have some ideas on the subject, or else there would be no Defendants, and despite the fact, that I think the Anti-trust action is fantastic, and thousands of members of our Industry, may think as I do, the Anti-trust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice thinks differently, and will spend a lot of money, and time to prove, that it is right and that we are wrong. EST we forget, some of the named Defendants have sold or distributed their pictures for 16mm distribution and for TV. Who has a list of the number of companies distributing 16mm, and making their pictures available for Television? Who has a list of all these pictures, there must be thousands of them! Who has a list of the number of companies producing pictures for Television, and how many have been produced, how many are now in production, and how many are planned? To whom are the Defendants to sell 16mm pictures, or are we again to have a situation of open bidding? I sometimes think, that the mother, of our Infant Industry, marked The Infant, before birth, to spend its days in Legal Battles, because she looked at a cross-eyed Judge. Such are my Observations and Lamentations. LABOW ANNOUNCES NEW APPOINTMENTS Jack Labow, Canadian General Manager for RKO, announced the promotion to the most important Canadian Branch, Toronto, of Myer Nackimson as Branch Manager. MYER NACKIMSON Nackimson joined RKO in 1934 as a booker in Toronto, later becoming salesman in the Toronto office. In 1946, he was appointed Winnipeg Branch Manager where he has remained until his appointment as RKO Toronto Branch Manager, Nackimyon has been the win ner in several sales drives during his sojourn as Winnipeg Branch Manager. Labow, at the same time confirmed the appointment of Barry Myers, to fill the post of Winnipeg Branch Manager. Myers joined RKO in 1945 as a shipper and became booker, office-manager and salesman in the Winnipeg office before his new appointment. VANCOUVER NEWS By JACK DROY Ivan Ackery, Orpheum manager and Dave Borland, Dominion are stepping out with some choice publicity stunts on their current pictures “Mogambo” and “Here Come the Girls.” Borland tied in with the Saturday Eyening Post Bob Hope Story. Charlie Doctor, President of the Famous Player Managers Association of B.C. handed over $770 to the Vancouver Boys Club Association, being the profits from the Film ball held by the FPMA last fall. The VBCA operates a summer camp for boys upcoast from here, giving vacations for needy youngsters. Theatre Boys re-elected their entire slate of officers for 1954. President, Charlie Doctor; Vice-pres., Dick Letts and secretary-treasurer, Wally Hopp of the Cinema. The Williams Bros. are building a 400seat theatre at Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, at a cost of $46,000. It will be opposition to the old 250-seat ROXY there. Herb Stevenson, Prince George theatre owner and his wife, have left for a trip around the world and will be away about four months. George Beeston, head of the Paul Nathanson interests was a local visitor checking on their new ASN busness. Sammy Karby has started construction of a 300-car drive-in theatre at Fort Qu’Appelle, Sask. where he owns the small Fort Theatre. Acquittal on charges of a breach of the Amusement (Sabbath) Act regulations was won by Bob Barron, son of the owner of the Grand in Calgary, Alberta. He was charged with presenting a stage play, “Gigi.” Barron won his case by arguing that a flesh show was a “performance” and NOT an “Exhibition” as described in the Lords Day Act. “The Sinner” and “99 River Street” were placed in the “Adult Entertainment” class by the British Columbia censors, A surprise grosser here this week was a Russian import “The Fall of Berlin” at the Hastings. Critics cracked down on the film but it was held over for a week, Flora Cooks, a former Paradise theatre employee, who resigned, to enter the night club circuit in the U-S as a headline attraction, was killed in an automobile accident in Florida,