Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Oct 23, 1954)

PAGE EIGHT hore Pete “pIereT Ou the Geam (Continued from Page 1) evening at the King Edward, for the partners, associates, department heads, district managers and their wives, and the distributors and their wives, with very brief talks given by Morris Stein as toastmaster, J. J. Fitzgibbons, R. W. Bolstad, and Norman Robertson, director and legal counsel for Famous Players. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the winners of the 16th Annual Digest Championship Contest. I must admit I was very pleased to see first prize taken by an old friend of mine, Bob Harvey, of F-P’s Capitol, North Bay, for his campaign on Paramount's “Money From Home”. Showmanship is second nature to Bob, he has been hard at it ever since I first knew him, and that goes back some 15 years. To Nicky Langston of Odeon's Capitol Theatre, Hamilton, winning Showmanship prizes is also getting to be a habit, for he just recently won Odecon’s Big Top Contest. Nick’s campaign on MGM’s “Rose Marie” was a very close runner-up in the Digest Showmanship Contest. Third Prize Winner in _ this year's Digest Contest was another Odeon manager, John McKim, of the Odeon, Ladysmith, B.C., with his campaign on Paramount's “Little Boy Lost”. John was the only Westerner to finish in the money this year. In previous contests, the West has many times walked away with all honors, but this year the Eastern boys really put their best campaigns forward, and wound-up with three winners out of the four. Special Award Prize went to Jacques Martin, Odeon Mercier, Montreal, for his campaign on the Kute Kiddie Kontest held at the Mercier. This campaign almost won the unanimous nod from the judges, and anyone seeing the campaign submitted by Jacques can readily understand the enthusiasm it aroused. It was a terrific selling job by a very capable theatre manager. “Hurricane Hazel” has come and gone, leaving havoc in its wake, especially in Southeastern Ontario, where the death toll may reach close to 100, with as much as $100,000,000 damage caused by the hurricane and its accompanying floods, As J write this, information in respect to theatres in the path of the storm is very sketchy; by next weck’s issue we will have the whole story for you. ee) However, one thing we do have definite news on, and that is the terrific job done by George Altman and his staff at Mavety’s Film Delivery Service, who worked around the clock Saturday and Sunday, setting up emergency film depots, and getting the film through to the various theatres. Had it not been for the extraordinary efforts on the part of George and his staff, even on behalf of those theatres not normally serviced by Mayety’s, there would have been many a dark house in Ontario over the week-end. Down at Milwaukee, Wis., Allied States Theatres Association concluded their 25th Annual Convention, with a resolution approying the drafting of a bill calling for Government regulation of the Motion Picture Industry. The resolution proposes that introduction of the bill in Congress be held in abeyance for a three-month period, and after that time, its introduction to be at the discretion of the Allied Board. In other words, Allied have gone on record as being in favor of Government intervention and regulation of the Industry, if within three months, it cannot settle its alleged grievances against the producer-distributors. In other words the threat of Government intervention and regulation will be used by Allied for the next three months as a bargaining weapon with distributors. Alleged grievances as outlined at the Allied meet, included film terms which Allied regards as unreasonable; a shortage of product; shortage of prints. The Digest has always been against Government intervention or regulation for the Motion Picture Industry. Some months ago we heard talk of an Industry coordinator to be hired by Allied States, someone familiar with the problems of both exhibition and distribution, and who could iron out difficulties between Allied States members and the distributors amicably, and with fairness to all parties. What happened to that idea? As we recall, the names of Ned E. Depinet and Willam F. Rodgers were mentioned as possibilities for the post. We are certain that anyone of the caliber of Mr. Depinet or Mr. Rodgers could do a lot more good by way of settling. distribution exhibition differences within our Industry, than anyone Washington might appoint. Exhibs Association Chaired By Stein Morris Stein, chairman, National Committee Motion Picture Exhibitors Associations, announced last week that the committee’s Annual Meeting will be held in the King Edward Hotel, November 22nd. Principal among the many important matters to be dealt with will be the number of road show pictures at advanced prices and the proposed Canadian Motion Picture Institute. Any exhibitors having problems they wish discussed during the Committee’s business sessions should immediately notify the Exhibitors Association of which they are a member and ask that the matter be placed on the agenda so that it can be dealt with during the sessions. Panavision’s Newest The Apo Panatar, the third optical device produced by Panavision, will be ready for production use within the next month, it was disclosed by Robert Gottschalk, Panavision president, whose previous two devices, in order of introduction, were the Super Panatar (anamorphic projection lens) and the Micro Panatar, a system of laboratory installation which achieves the development of standard “flat prints.” Whatever your angle a good theatre chair “a OCTOBER 23, 1954 Golden Mile Theatre InterestingExperiment Toronto acquired a brand new suburban theatre of approximately 1,000 seats Oct. 14 in the opening of the Golden Mile Theatre, the first in conjunction with a modem shopping centre, the Golden Mile Plaza. It was also the first to be opened with CinemaScope equipment installed, it was announced. Contracting firms included Dominion Sound Equipments Limited, Robert Simpson Co. Limited, Appleton Engineering Co., Canadian Theatre Chair Co., Camesco Lighting Limited, Armstrong, Baum, Co. Limited, Desprit Marble and Tile Co., Theatre Poster Service Limited, and Liberman Plaster Co. The opening program had “Up in Arms” and “Our Very Own." Admissions range from 20 to 60 cents and the theatre will have matinees on Saturdays. The Plaza shops are open Thursday and Friday nights until nine o’clock. Industry Council Meet The Motion Picture Industry Council of Canada will meet in Toronto, November 23-24 and Chairman Arch J, Mason has announced that this year’s Annual Meeting will be the most imporyet tant held. should fit your curves. Heywood-Wakefield Chairs feature ‘‘contour forming’’—your patrons sit in not on these richly-upholstered chairs. Ask us about the new “CONTOUR” Formed Rubber and “‘SIT-IN’’ Coil Spring Cushions. They're made for real comfort during the entire showing of the longest movie program. DOMINION SOUND EQUIPMENTS LIMITED HEAD OFFICE: 4040 St, Catherine Street West, Montreal. BRANCHES AT: Halifax. Saint John, Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, London, Nortl; Bay, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver.