Canadian Film Weekly (May 6, 1942)

May 6th, 1942 Golding Honored At St. John Walter Golding of the Capitol, St. John. N.B., a Famous Players house, is celebrating’ his 35th year in the business and the whole community is saying kind words about the popular manager. Golding is one of St. John’s first citizens in public affection. Golding was a newspaperman who became a manager. He began his career in 1907 as chief of Keith and Albee’s St. John vaudeville house. The stage stuff faded out when transportation difficulties set in and to keep the house going the new-fangled movies were given a try. “Well,’’ wrote Albee to Walter, “we will try these pictures for a few weeks to help pay the rent, but they are only a flash in the pan.” They have been flashing ever since and they panned out well. The house in the past has featured the town’s finest orchestras. In 1913 the house was rebuilt and when it was still new the first World War broke out. The owners wired from New York: ‘Your country is at war—ours will follow shortly. Use house as your own and forget profits. Nineteen members of the staff enlisted and Walter sold $100,000 worth of Victory Bonds. Now the same house, with the same manager, is again leading St. John in private war effort. Members of the staff are with the armed forces, Sunday evening shows are held for soldier entertainment, Walter is on the district recruiting board and his son is in the army, and the Capitol houses a hospitality centre for sailors, soldiers and airmen. The St. John Times-Globe devoted several columns to Walter. “Walt Golding’s career has spanned the whole cavalcade of the amazing development of the movies—from the days when they were considered to be merely freak oddities with a doubtful future, to the present time when they are a great established industry, their entertainment an indispensable factor in nearly everyone’s life and a powerful influence in maintaining national morale,” wrote Stuart Trueman in the Times-Globe. “And in these times too, motion pictures are an effective medium of portraying the nation’s effort to the people.” Walter is a credit to the business and is deserving of the praise which is arriving daily from many points in the Dominion. INCE FREEMAN, of the Mc Carthy Theatre in Belleville, just finished a terrific run on Columbia’s ace exploitation film of the year, ‘No Greater Sin,” doing turnaway business for three days and filling the house on the fourth day. This was the result of Vince’s outstanding campaign, which consisted of an advance preview for the clergy, military officials, newspaper editors, YMCA —YWCA—National Council of Women, IODE and civic officials. This preview was held on Friday, prior to the Monday opening. Vince’s newspaper campaign was made up of special ads prepared by Columbia, which opened three days in advance. Vince attributes a lot of the push to the liberal use of heralds, one sheets and window cards, with which he covered the town and the surrounding district. All advertising was prepared with a special message in view, which hits the exact keynote of the campaign. The advance newspaper campaign although not terrifically costly, was shot mostly in advance of the playdate, at a ratio of possibly 75 per cent in advance to 25 per cent during the run of the film. Congratulations to our’ good friend Vince, and to Columbia Pictures, for working so well together on this oustanding real topgrosser. * * * O*N a Laugh Program, Tony Mascaro of the Capitol, Bellville, had specially made up window cards. He fastened three together in kite shape and attached them underneath the marquee, giving a very attractive appearance. Teaser cards reading “You can’t live forever, insurance statistics show. The average span of life is only 60 years. If you are now 30—you have only 30 years left! You’ll work a third of each day, that leaves only 10 years. You'll be sick about a month a year, that leaves only about 8 years, So—barring all accidents, you really haven’t long to live. Time flies so make the most of these fleeting moments left and enjoy them to the fullest. Have Fun! Laugh your head off while you may. For a surefire receipe, read the review on the other side of this card. ‘A Cockeyed Cavalcade of Crazy Capers, Combining the Clowning of Hight Colossal Comics’ which comes to the screen of the Capitol Theatre etc., etc. A refund awaits you if you don’t laugh!” Canadian FILM WEEKLY RNIE WARREN, of the Mid town, Toronto, had an excellent tieup with the Toronto Liberty distributors. Over 200 of their boy salesmen competed in a “Charlie Chaplin Impersonation Contest” and were given ballots to distribute to all their customers totalling over 10,000. These ballots were effective only if dropped into the ballot box in the lobby of the theatre. In addition, it was understood that all the boys for ten days in advance of the picture were to sell their magazines dressed as Charlie Chaplins, with the result that they had many street ballyhoo boys working for them. On the opening day, the boys were paraded to the theatre, led by one of the school bands. The best twenty were judged from the stage and $25.00 in prizes were given out. Besides the boys competing in the contest, every salesman and member of the Victory Club sponsored by the parade was supplied with banners liberally plugging the picture, playdate, and theatre. Also the Liberty distributors bannered their trucks in advance. Jumbo window cards were spotted advantageously and window displays were obtained in one or two stores. Radio plugs over CKCL and CF'RB through the courtesy of Eddie Guest and Laura Elston, columnists. Excellent newspaper reviews by Jack Karr, Roly Young, and Helen Allen did a world of good. Increased newspaper space was used in the morning papers on opening day and again at the beginning of the second half of the week. Surrounding restaurants carried copy on their menus. A special comic cutout of Chaplin was used three weeks in advance. An attraction board with two large heads of Chaplin on the marquee drew plenty of attention, advertising the names of the four famous two-reelers. It all helped to round out this real live cam paign. * * * M** PHILIPS, of the Regent, Sudbury, used a very original idea for “King’s Row.” He had his staff place coloured gelatine in the windows of a row of houses, had @ light wired behind these as well as in the street lamp posts. Figures of a man and a girl standing beside a street corner lamp which flashed on and off intermittently, created a lot of attention. He also distributed cards stressing the horror angle. I te HEATING AND VENTILATING CONTRACTORS AND ENGINEERS AMAA Congrats Harry Firestone, Odeon supervisor and interested in Firestone Enterprises, was married in Toronto yesterday to Shirley Lynn Dunkleman. Good luck. Coventry Film Rosalind Russell, who has just completed “Take a Letter, Darling” with Fred MacMurray as leading man, has been offered another Paramount assignment opposite the actor, in “Four From Coventry,” an original screen story by Clare Boothe, which Paramount purchased some months ago. Ge Bat CONTRACT SALES OFFICE PHOWE TR.1257 GT* FLOOR #éEATO 6? Collage Stiser