Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Sep 18, 1954)

SEPTEMBER 18, 1954 Keep Your Eyes On JACK ARTHUR Pioneer of the Year, annual honor of the Canadian Picture Pioneers to an individual who has contributed importantly to the advancement of the motion picture theatre as national entertainment, is Jack Arthur, MBE, it was announced by N. A. Taylor, president. Arthur, famed show veteran whose career reaches back to the Primrose Minstrels and the show boats of the early 1900’s, was chosen by a committee headed by J. J. Fitzgibbons, CBE, who received the award last year. He will be honored in November at a special dinner. In 1916, when the screen had neither sound nor color, Arthur introduced symphonic accompaniment, much of which he composed himself, for the moods of the film on the screen. Through special stage prologues to films and other live presentations he brought life to movie houses. The scene of this activity was the Regent Theatre, Toronto, an old legitimate house known as the Majestic. Violinist, conductor, creator of the Army Show, producer of the Canadian National Exhibition Grandstand Show and “Mr. Showbusiness” of the CBC radio program, Jack Arthur was born in Glasgow and is a veteran of almost 52 years in the theatre, including a tour with Sir Harry *Lauder’s concert party when he was only nine. Twenty-seven years ago he was musical director of the Toronto Hippodrome and 70 other Famous Players houses across the country. Once hailed as the Canadian Ziegteld, he turned down a $30,000-a-year offer as musical director for a chain of theatres owned by the late William Randolph Hearst, who threatened him with breach of contract for withdrawing from the deal. He directed orchestras and presentations at the Majestic, Loew’s, Winter Garden, Regent, Hippodrome, Uptown, Imperial, back to the Uptown as manager, and with the growing popularity of sound pictures, he moved into the head office of Famous Players as a supervisor of a number of movie houses. He left three years ago to take the CNE post. Across Toronto and District Life has been beautiful for Mrs. Eva Delaney, proprietor of the Delaney Theatre, Gananoque, who, after making a remarkable recovery from a dread ailment in a Kingston hospital, was a special guest at the Canadian National Exhibition. At the same time, CinemaScope was introduced at her theatre with the playing of “The Robe.” Mrs. Delaney was one of three ladies who were chosen by popular vote of the townspeople as the ones who had best served Gananoque, the contest being inspired by Mayor J. D. Carmichael, the prizes being a trip to the Toronto Exhibition. The mother of 11 children, Mrs. Delaney had been a town councillor and otherwise active in the community for many years. Country e e ° Hamilton Local 303, Motion Picture Projectionists Union, which claims to be the oldest in its field in Canada, is starting its 51st year this month, the president being Harry Thornberry and the business agent H, W. Usher. One of its members is Hugh J. Sedgwick, International vice-president for Canada, and also a director of the Canadian Picture Pioneers. 3 e e e In starting the fall season with an attractive array of product, two St. Catharines managers, Vern Hudson of the Capitol and Roy Miller of the Lincoln, combined in a statement that emphasized the new value of moving picture entertainment in contrast to other mediums. The pronouncement said, in part: “Through the medium of the large screen and today’s beautiful color processes, you now see on your theatre screen all the realism and grandeur of every story as if you were actually at the scene yourself. We are sure that, after seeing these great pictures, you will agree that no other medium can bring you such fine entertainment.” ° ° ° _ On the Windsor scene, the Kent.Theatre has re-opened as a specialty cinema for the fall and winter, the early pictures being “Man of Music” and the Canadian premiere of “A Voice in Your Heart.” The Vanity at the Border City opened a special engagement Sept. 13 of “British Empire Games '54,” a Columbia release of the NFB documentary. Maritimes Mr. Alfred G. Staples of Saint John, N.B., passed away last week at the advanced age of 96 years. Among his surviving relatives is a son, Mr. Charles E. Staples, well-known Exhibitor at St. Stephen, N.B. The late Mr. Staples was a retired master painter and interior decorator. Among the many public buildings he was responsible for decorating is the Capitol theatre, Saint John, N.B., as well as the old Opera House (one-time famous show place) on Union Street. e e e When the Duchess of Kent and her daughter, the Princess Alexandra, visited Saint John the Duchess received a delightful surprise when Mr. Nicholas Vassis, president of the local Greek Community greeted and then chatted with her in Greek, the language she knows so well. The Duchess was a Greek Princess before she married the late Duke of Kent. Mr. Vassis is a joint proprietor of the Empire theatre, Halifax, N.S., and jormerly of the Empire, Saint John, N.B., now the Kent theatre owned by the Odeon Garson Circuit. Vancouver A local film exchange manager said that Drive-in theatres in this area and in the three Prairie Provinces accounted for more than 25 per cent of total theatre gross receipts to date this season. Drive-ins are going up rapidly across Western Canada, Ozoners now at the height of their season are showing considerable interest in widening their screens. But, say equipment dealers, most of the outdoor spots are apt to hold off any changes until next year, Reason is that the drive-in operators (Continued on Page 6) In Prince Ed. Is. “The Robe"—Twentieth Centu-— ry-Fox, first CinemaScope production with fuli Stereophonic Magnetic Sound to play Prince Edward Island opened simultaneously on Labor Day in the Prince Edward theatre, Charlottetown, P.E.I. (F. G. Spencer Company Limited) and in the Capitol theatre, Summerside, P.E.I. operated by Mr. Harold Gaudet. An extensive renovating job and enlarging of the Capitol, Summerside was necessary. The cost, Mr. Gaudet estimated, will amount to approximately $40,000. Mr. F. Gordon Spencer attended the opening of “The Robe” in the Prince Edward Charlottetown, first theatre on the Spencer Circiut to install CinemaScope. JARO Takes Over Distribut’n of Cardinal An announcement made Jate on Monday by Frank Fisher, vicepresident and general manager of JARO stated that effective Monday, September 13, JARO will distribute through its 6 Canadian branch offices, the product of Cardinal Films Ltd. Frank Vaughan, general sales manager, stated that JARO will of course be servicing all contracts now in effect with Cardinal. The announcement continued, “we feel that the acquisition of this product will please our many old customers, and we look forward to receiving the co-operation of all Canadian exhibitors in the playing of this wide variety of boxoffice attractions,” A full and complete product story for the coming year will be made next week. Joseph C. Priore Joseph C. Priore, 40, of The Film Daily staff died last week in New York, following surgery. Mr. Priore had been the movie reviewer for The Film Daily since joining its staff in 1946, IGEST aitOSs May 1, 1921, The Iola Theatre on Danforth Ave., Toronto, reduced its admission price to 18¢ because of the high cost of living. —Reprinted from the Conedien Moving Picture Digest, nnn! THE CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST, Entered as Second Class Matter, Jay L, Smith, Editor-in-Chief; Max Chic, Associate Editor. . Jock Droy, Vancouver, B.C.; Will McLaughlin, Ottawa, Ont.; Bill Press, Toronto, Ont.; Helen Crowley, St, John, N.B. Address all tlh entered tay Ba any sores Digest Company, Limited, 21 Dundas Square, Toronto. Telephone: EMpire 8-8696. Cable: Roydigest. Esteblished 1915, Publication weehly, Subserition: oe Picture