Canadian Film Weekly (Feb 25, 1942)

Vol. 8, No. 9. Lar is AES le ‘i y the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE ~ TORONTO, FEBRUARY 25th; 1942 Pes EA BEM FTE IT AS IS ine Lae GOENS Mes Io eS Frain Ed mio $2.00 Per Ann Army Entertainment Big Task Ottawa Defines Board s Power The Wartime Prices and Trade Board, under the signature of chairman Donald Gordon, has issued a statement setting forth the authority of its appointee, R. C. McMullen, director of the Theatres and Film section. Until now the questions and matters dealt with by James Stewart. head of the Services Administration Board, have been handled with understood authority and accepted by the trade. The clauses of the order, several. of which require elaboration, are reprinted below: 1. No premises that were not ~~ actually used for the purpose of (Continued on Page 2) Girard Joins Up Ray Girard, assistant manager of the Regent, Sudbury, has taken a leave of absence from 20th Century Theatres to join the Canadian Active Service Force. es e e e Projectionists Give Canadian moving picture projectionists allied with the IATSA have waived all overtime and extra time caused by showings of special Victory Loan bills or trailers and shorts on the regular program. Tax 16 mm. Films The Copvright. Appeal Board has granted the Canadian Performing Right Society permission to tax all positive prints of 16 mm. films used commercially in Canada at the rate of one dollar per print. Fees are payable’ within 10 days of importation in the case of imported films and distribution where e films are produced here. The has annual application. e Society had asked the right impose a $20 semi-annual fee per machine. The rule was made instead. H. O. PAINTER HANDLES REPUBLIC EXCLUSIVELY Military Centres Provide No. 2 Dominion Exhibition Cireuit The entertainment of Canadian soldiers through motion pictures has become, from a modest beginning, a major theatrical enterprise requiring expert attention. The army cinema circuit is the second largest in Canada today and it is serviced ——________—_———_¢through the regular trade The Laugh That Might Have Been The buildup given “Captain of the Clouds” by Warners is a classic example of news and publicity inseparably interwoven. Because news is controlled today those divisions of the Fourth Estate have overlapped and dovetailed oftener than ever before. Public Relations men and their scorned brethren, press agents, have won a new respect for their service in behalf of public information. But every press agent has a cute gag that’s closest to his heart. That’s why the Canadian office of Warners is dreaming sadly of what might have been a prize laugh. A member of staff sought framtically and vainly to find a German homing pigeon. They wanted to release it from the roof of Shea’s, Toronto, the night ‘Captain of the Clouds” opened with a fanfare. With a band containing this message: “Dear Adolph: “The Captains of the Clouds are here tonight. They'll be seeing’ you soon.” Stephenson Rests Charlie Stephenson, manager of the Century, Kitchener, was granted a leave of absence for two months by ‘Twentieth Century | Theatres. Charlie was operated on @ while back and needs recuperation. distribution channels. Great Britain also maintains a vast entertainment organization, though theatre relaxation there is made up mainly of live shows. Diversion under fire is a much more difficult task but the British seem to have mastered it in splendid fashion. Entertainment in Canadian army camps is made up of motion picture showings. The only break in this policy occurs when service organizations send in a variety bill, or stars of the stage, screen and sporting worlds make personal appearances. These are confined to the larger centres. Canadian soldiers are luckier in matters of entertainment than those of England and the United States. The English and American lads must pay. to see movies but (Continued on Page 5) Douglas Cooper Dead in Toronto Douglas Cooper, veteran member of the motion picture industry, died in Toronto on February 16th following a lengthy illness. Mr. Cooper was an honorary’ member of the Canadian Motion: Picture Pioneers, having ‘been one of this country’s. earliest film executives. He was the first general manager of the General Film Company, which was an outgrowth of the Klein Optical Company, and brought into Canada films produced by such old-time studios as Vitagraph, Essanay, Lubin and Biograph (of which Mary Pick (Continued on Page 2) Grand, Sudbury, Robbed The Grand theatre, Sudbury, a 20th Century Theatres house, was robbed on Monday, January 16th. Thieves got in after the Sunday midnight show and got away. with the receipts of Saturday as well as Sunday midnight. Max Phillips is the manager. Canada and USA to Use Same War Shorts, Says John Grierson The United States and Canada will be using the same films on civilian defence, industry mobilization and so on, John Grierson, Dominion Film Commissioner, revealed in an address to the Canadian Club in Toronto. Documentary films, which Mr. Grierson termed “facts on a bandwagon,” are now being turned out by the National Film Board at the rate of three each month. According to the Commissioner, these have been so well received by He commented on the reception in the United States to NFB’s timely short, “War Clouds in the Pacific.” American exhibitors recognized its interest and it got a Broadway showing. “One week later,” said Mr. Grierson, “came Pearl Harbour. That picture was certainly prophetic.” The Commissioner paid tribute to the co-operation of the Canadian film industry. The film, he pointed out, has a special job at the moment outside of instruction. “For 20 years the democracies movie patrons across the line that: have been subjected to false teach United Artists signed a contract calling for the delivery of one each month. ing. Our education ran to blatherings about ease and luxury and (Continued on Page 6) H. O. Painter, Toronto Branch Manager for Empire-Universal, has become Canadian Sales Manager of Republic and will concentrate on the sale of that product exclusively. Harry Law, formerly of Vitagraph, has joined Republic.