Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Aug 21, 1954)

PAGE TWO “pieret Ou “She Geam (Continued from Page 1) to sue the committee for misrepresentation. He claims he heard Jack Fine calling “Who’s for Gin or Rum”, he held up his hand, and before he knew it he was involved in a card game. RKO is back in high gear after a short lull. A new employment high for the year was reached at the Gower St. plant last week with 1,260 persons at work, with five pictures in production. The five consist of four RKO films, “The Conqueror”, “Americano”, “Cattle Queen of Montana” and “Passion”, and the independent production, “Carmen Jones”, for which studio space has been rented. In the meantime, RKO’s latest release, “Susan Slept Here” is piling up sensational grosses in early engagements, with RKO sales force talking about another ‘Moon Is Blue” gross for the Harriet Parsons’ production. Old Money-Bags Crosby, who has more eggs in more baskets than anyone else in the entertainment world, is now one of the principal shareholders of Universal Pictures, through his holdings in Decca Records, which controls Universal. Latest report from the SEC lists Decca as owning 715,585 shares of Universal stock, and Der Bingle owns a very sizeable slice of Decca. Incidentally, Decca shares hit a new high of 121% last week. The Heart Club of Montreal, which everyone is hoping is just the forerunner of a Variety Club tent for Montreal, held a special variety show at the Amherst Theatre on August Sth, in aid of little Andre Schrijvershof, a Dutch immigrant boy who lost both his legs in a tragic traffic accident. The show was a terrific success, with close to $10,000 raised through ticket sales, donations and the souvenir program. Trustees for the Montreal Heart Fund, which is dedicated to assisting children in need, are Raymond Allen, Frank Selke Sr. and Jules Dupre, with Raymond Allen and Jack Chisholm heading the Fund Raising Committee. Further information on the Show and the Montreal Heart Club appears elsewhere in this issue of The Digest. Further to our comment in last week's column on the COMPO ads pointing up the difference between the Motion Picture Industry and Television, is a report from the U.S., which states that a preliminary study of a survey of newspaper advertising rates, conducted by the Theatre Owners of America has disclosed that 89% of American > newspapers with a circulation of over a quarter of a million, charge higher rates for theatre advertising, than they do for local merchants’ advertising. The same situation exists in Canada, according to Clare Appel of the CMPDA. Old argument of the newspapers that the higher rate was justified by having an exclusive Amusement Page, has been nullified by the newspapers themselves, who now accept any ads for the so-called Amusement Page. Columbia Pictures are definitely “On The Beam” at the Venice International Film Festival with two out of the five U.S. entries. Columbia’s two are “Caine Mutiny” and “On the Waterfront”. Other Hollywood entries are “Executive Suite” (MGM), “Three Coins in the Fountain” (20th-Fox) and “Rear Window” (Para.). No More Hip-Swinging By Usherettes “Feminine” usherettes, the type that floats down the aisle like a model showing a dress, constitutes a new look at the Fox Theatres in Denver, Colorado. On the theory that the customers are tired of being marched to their seats by a hip-swinging, gum-chewing gal with a careless flashlight, the circuit has entrusted all 60 of its usherettes to a local charm school. The course, which has garnered plenty of publicity in the local areas, is the brainchild of Paul Lyday, the chain’s ad-pub director, who says the whole thing could lead to a new approach to usherette training nationally. At any rate, he reports, his girls are only half-way through the course and the improvement is already obvious. Monsarrat Sea Story From Ealing Studios A Nicholas Monsarrat story is to be filmed in Great Britain this year, by Ealing Studios, which turned out “The Cruel Sea.” The Ealing film “Ship That Died Of Shame,” will be Basil Dearden’s 21st directorial chore for the company. He will again team with producer Michael Relph. John Whiting is collaborating on the screenplay and the film is expected to start rolling in September, Dearden is currently directing “Out Of Clouds” for Ealing, which stars Anthony Steel. Pioneer Golf Tournament Winners N. A. TAYLOR TROPHY Winning Foursome Low Gross —Projectionists Local 173 — Total Strokes 330. Winners—F. Cox, F. Cross, A. Byford, A. Pura. Runners Up — J.A.R.O. (Distributing Co.)—Total strokes 346. Winners—S. Hanson, D. Carman, T. Knight, I. Stern. FAMOUS PLAYERS CANADIAN TROPHY Individual Low Gross “A” Flight, Handicap 1 to 16 incl. Winner—F. Cross; Ist Runner up —B. Herman; 2nd Runner up—P. Myers. PROJECTIONISTS LOCAL NO. 173 TROPHY Individual Low Gross “B” Flight, Handicap 17 to 27 incl. Winner — Gurston Allen; Ist Runner up—Dawson Exley; 2nd Runner up—Monty Beder. 20th CENTURY TREATRES TROPHY Individual Low Gross “C” Flight, Handicap 28 to 36 incl. Winner — Bill Freedman; 1st Runner up—Michael Taylor; 2nd Runner up—Vic Beatty. CANADIAN FILM WEEKLY TROPHY Individual Low Net—18 Holes Winner—G. Georgas; 1st Runner up—L, Axler; 2nd Runner up —T. Naylor. TOM DALEY TROPHY Bookers Only—Low Gross 18 Holes Winner—S. Hanson; ist Runner up—sS. Sarick; 2nd Runner up—Z. Sheine. Individual Low Gross— Ist Nine Holes Winner—A, Pura; Runner up— D. Carman. Individual Low Gross— 2nd Nine Holes Winner — D. Romberg; Runner up—Martin Bloom. Individual Low Net— Ist Nine Holes Winner — H. Weisman; Runner up—Earl Magee. Individual Low Net— 2nd Nine Holes Winner — N. Georgas; Runner up—TI. Forsyth. Highest Score—Ist Nine Holes Winner—D, Clarke. Highest Score—2nd Nine Holes Winner—C. Godfrey. AFFILIATED INDUSTRIES— THEATRE CONFECTIONS TROPHY Individual Low Gross—18 Holes Winner—C. Lynch; 1st Runner up—Bob Dale; 2nd Runner up— Monty Hall. AUGUST 21, 1954 Kiem Johlmuson (Continued from Page 1) Guinness, Pavlow, Wisdom and Joan Rice.” Johnson’s series in The Telegram will begin on September 7th and exhibitors across Canada are advised to order copies of The Telegram for use in special theatre lobby displays, and as a source of information to local movie reviewers and radio commentators. The Digest, as a service to Canadian Exhibitors will present excerpts and special material based on Mr. Johnson’s trip to England, EXCLUSIVE. The pattern of cooperation between Canadian newspapers and our industry has developed along three main lines. In the past year or two the major dailies have begun to carry special Hollywood columnists as well as sending local movie critics to jaunts to Hollywood and Britain. Deserving special mention are the trips of Alex Barris, Globe and Mail to Hollywood and Frank Morris, Winnipeg Free Press to Britain. Newspaper coverage of important industry events as well as exploitation and promotion stunts has won top Showmanship Awards and Citations for Canadian Showmen. The recent newspaper breaks given to the tour of Ruta Lee, one of MGM’s Seven Brides, would warm the cockles of showmen the world over. CinemaScope, VistaVision and Pola-Lite demonstrations earned and received off-the-movie-page coverage. Te moet all three dailies, The Star, Globe and Mail and The Telegram have sent their top executives to attend and cover Variety s Graduation Dinner, the Annual Variety Ball Game and the Canadian Picture Pioneers Award Dinner. Finally, papers across the country have more and more turned to joint sponsorship of film promotion, the most outstanding of which was the Telegram-Loblaw’s Pinocchio Party in Toronto, which attracted over 30,000 children at Maple Leaf Stadium and was tied in with the Pinocchio release. The top product streaming from American and British studios and the new and now well established processes which have been introduced this year, combined with the showmanship of Canadian exhibitors, has started a new era In newspaper cooperation with our industry in Canada. Bogart Sings Paramount has Humphrey Bogart singing Christmas carols in their new comedy “We're No Angels.”