Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jan 26, 1957)

[SS age I a ree 2 me JANUARY 26, 1957 ~“pIeCEST PAGE THREE Across Toronto The Ottawa Film Society has switched from the Regent Theatre to Morris Berlin’s Somerset Theatre in the Capital for its series of Sunday performances for members this winter. The program for Jan. 13 included “One Summer of Happiness,’ a Swedish feature, and a documentary, ‘‘The City.” e @ @ Len Bishop, now manager of the Hollywood Theatre, Toronto, offered the swan song of former Shea’s Theatre where he had presided for so many years, when he made a personal appearance on the Denny Vaughan Show over the television network of the CBC. He displayed a number of autographed photographs from his scrapbook of stars who had trod the boards of the historic theatre. e @ e Two well-known celebrities are scheduled to tour the halls and community centres in places around Ontario, the bookings starting in a few weeks. Gene Autry and his Western Show will play a number of February dates while Gracie Fields has arranged another tour late in January. Sd e e As a warm-up for the approaching engagement of “Don’t Knock the Rock,” the Paramount Theatre, Brantford, featured a Rock ’n’ Roll session Saturday, Jan. 12, at 10 a.m., for which no admission was charged, the participants having the privilege of dancing on the stage. The Pepsi-Cola Company provided free drinks and three stores donated appropriate prizes. e e e Bob Maynard, owner of the Francais Theatre, Ottawa, held a Sunday night benefit show in aid of the many persons made homeless in the big fire on By Ward Market early in January. The stage and screen show attracted 500 people and the donations to the special fund totalled $300, it was announced. e © ® Tom McKnight, former manager of the Patricia Theatre, now the Victoria, at London, underwent a gall-bladder operation in the hospital there. Last summer he was seriously injured in a traffic accident at Welland from which he had nicely recovered. Also in hospital at London was Mrs. Jack Saunders, wife of the projectionist at the Centre Theatre for many years. Prairies W. J. (Bill) Johnston, manager of the Rothstein theatre interests in Yorkton, suffered a broken leg Dec. 30, when he fell while putting up decorations for a New Year’s dance. Winnipeg Visitors to Winnipeg included Mr. and Mrs. Malkoski and daughter Patsy, Beausejour, Man., W. Friesen, Altona, Man., Mrs. Todd, Morris, Man., F. Polenske, Fort Frances, Ont., W. Barabash, Swan River, Man. ® ® ° The Mayfair Theatre, Sioux Lookout, Ont., buying and booking has been taken over by Associated Theatres, as of Feb. Ist. e e e The controversial film “Baby Doll” has been passed by the Manitoba Censor Board for showing in motion picture houses in the province. No deletions were made by the Board. On Tuesday, Jan. 15th, the Alberta Censor Board announced the banning of “Baby Doll; no reasons were given for the rejection. At the time of writing it was not known whether Warner Brothers, the distributor, would appeal. ® ® e “The Teahouse of the August Moon” held for a second week at the Capitol Theatre, Winnipeg, while “Written on the Wind” held for a second week at the Odeon. ‘Friendly Persuasion” goes into the Garrick. the Country The Rialto, Winnipeg, playing “Mom and Dad” for the week of Saturday, Jan. 19th to Friday, Jan. 25th, has gone all out on a special exploitation campaign. 25,000 double page heralds were distributed throughout the City. Heralds, together with personal letters, went to Churches, Community Clubs, Schools and educational groups. For the last two weeks prior to the engagement, an amplifier has been plugged in from the office to the auditorium with special announcements during intermission, while for the month before the engagement, a banner has been spread across the outside of the theatre. The added feature with “Mom and Dad” is “Champions’ Reward.” All heralds state “positively no children’s tickets sold during this engagement.” Ernie Diamond is to be congratulated on the fine work he does in selling all his programs. e e e The Classic Theatre, St. James, has changed policy, effective immediately. Although the Classic will still be playing two programs a week they will be playing each program two days only— the first program on Tuesday-Wednesday, and the week-end program Friday-Saturday. The theatre will be closed Monday and Thursday. Vaneouver The booming business being registered by several new films here is spurring the hope of theatre men that better times will be forthcoming at the box-office. Doing smash business are “‘The Teahouse of the August Moon” and “Friendly Persuasion,” both in their third weeks, and “Giant,” now in its sixth downtown week, making the theatre boys very happy. “Written on the Wind” and an import, ‘“Private’s Progress,’”’ both loom as winners. ® ® e Four former Famous Players Vancouver theatres, the Alma, Kitsilano, Windsor and Victoria Road, all outdated, and formerly part of the Langer Circuit before being acquired by F-P, will be taken over by the wreckers shortly, to make way for industry and other purposes. Combined seating capacity was 2,655. ; e ® °e It’s also reported that Odeon have a deal in the making for the sale of the 450-seat Abbotsford Theatre in the Fraser Valley to a local exhibitor. In addition, both Mission and Haney, small situations, are up for sale by Odeon. e e e Mary Crompton, for the past eleven years cashier with Famous Players in the downtown theatres, last at the Strand, died suddenly on her way home from the theatre from a heart attack. She was only 35 years old. es * * A new film production outfit has been formed here with Art Jones as President. It is called Artray Film Production Ltd. Appointed to the position of production manager is Victor Spooner, a graduate of Stanford University’s Institute of Television and Film Production. It will confine its activities to TV films and the audiovisual field, and commercial advertising and strip films. es e e Two more downtown assistant managers have quit show biz to work in other industries. They are John Printz of the Orpheum, and Darrell Preszeau of the Vogue. Brian Wright from the Odeon, Victoria, takes over at the Vogue, and Earl Barlow, former F-P manager now with a local finance company, is helping out at the Orpheum until a new assistant is appointed. e e a Adding Bingo to their regular film programs is keeping many Western Canada houses from closing. Over 35 Prairie Province small situations now using it, find the game returns a profit and attracts new patronage. No B.C. theatres are using Bingo at present, as the Government so far, will not allow it. rE THE CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST, Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Department, Ottawa. Jay L. Smith, Editor-in-Chief; Correspondents: Bruce Peacock, Regina; Libby Bookhalter, Winnipeg; Jack Droy, Vancouver; Will McLaughlin, Ottawa; Bill Press, Toronto; Helen Crowley, St, John. Address all mail to Publisher, Canadian Moving Picture Digest Company. Ltd., 501 Yonge St., Toronto. Telephone: WAlnut 1-4352. Cable: Raydigest. Est. 1915. Publication weekly. 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