Canadian Film Weekly (Jun 10, 1942)

—See SS June 10th, 1942 Theatres Fight Marquee Fee (Continued from Page 1) further permits for the erection of shadow boxes would be _ issued. This decision resulted from the recommendations of Works Commissioner R. C. Harris, City Solicitor R. C. Colquhon, City Planning Commissioner Tracy D. leMay and Buildings Commissioner K. S. Gillies. The shadow boxes were banned on a motion by Alderman Gordon J. Millen. The Committee decided to leave undisturbed the present ones but recommended that future boxes should be arranged for in the recesses of the building walls. Joseph Singer K.C., appearing for the Independent Theatres Association, protested against a proposed assessment on advertising devices of $1 per foot, with an annual minimum fee of $10. Civic department heads, in bringing forward the plan, specified that the tax was to apply to signs having a lesser clearance of nine feet from the ground and reaching over the sidewalk more than four and one-half inches. Mr. Singer said that he thought five cents per square foot with a minimum of $1 per year would be sufficient. Representing Famous Players, Norman S. Robertson pointed out that such a measure would bring hardship to the small merchant, costing him, in many instances, from $30 to $40. Civic officials said that they favored the larger fee because it would discourage merchants from erecting signs. Canada Please Copy The War Activities Committee of the USA has issued a campaign book for the sale of war bonds and stamps in theatres. WARNING! Lest You Be Shut Out We Have Several Thousand Used and Reconditioned All Types THEATRE CHAIRS FOR SALE — AT BARGAIN PRICES — Our reconditioned chairs look as new and fine enough for any theatre anywhere. —-SPECIAL— 1,820 Very Fine fully padded velourcovered backs, spring cushioned seats NOW just being removed from matopeloas Theatre, Win nipeg: | arate YO eT AVE TO HURRY ! THESE CHAIRS COMING OUT JUNE 138th Have large stocks of Used Chairs in Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary and Vancouver. 5,000 yds. new British theatre carpet just arrived. WRITE FOR FULL PARTICULARS LA SALLE RECREATIONS LIMITED (Theatre Seating Division 9S GRANVILLE ST. VANCOUVER Canadian FILM WEEKLY = et se nna I Page 3 Film Red Cross [/jonTheSau Sera | Net; $31,000 ; Pale aed oss You Shoulda Been There The Harry Firestone stag at the Royal York last week yielded plenty of goony goings-on, bright entertainment, horsey laughter and some nice sentimental moments. All through the evening spontaneous combustion of a humorous nature caused sudden flames of laughter here, there and everywhere in the long room. Up to the head table floated tke agonizing harmonizing of Walter Kennedy and Charlie Mavety knocking the windows out of their “Home on the Range.” Walter, it seems, was trying to recapture that first careless rapture of song-plugging days and Cowboy Charlie lost himself deep in the heart of Texas. Well over 100 filmites showed up and an ugly rumor started that Archie Laurie of Esquire Films, who headed the committee, put a checker on the door when he saw the rush. That Quizzling Kennedy There was a double-bill of toastmasters, with Archie Laurie handling the gag end and this columnist the serious side. Archie’s presentations to the groom-elect and premiums to the guests cannot be reported here, lest we be barred from the mails. But they were plenty funny. However, the scream of the crop was Walter Kennedy. With Commando tactics Walt captured the microphone and kept throwing witty grenades at Laurie, in the chair at the time. All attempts to find him failed. The spoofy spook had hidden under the piano and when he finally yielded Haskell Masters recaptured the position and went to work on the bleeding Mr. Laurie. The boys from every office got a prize going-over that kept the crowd howling. Ken vs. Ben at Fizz Quiz Probably the A stunt of the stag was Ken Soble’s Alkaseltzer radio show, “Did I Say That?” Ken, there as a guest, brought along his recording equipment, lined up six film-flammers and threw movie queries at them. The broadcast will be aired on June 19th over CFRB, Toronto. The boys on the verbal cross-firing were Harry Firestone, Ben Geldsaler, yours truly, Leo Devanney, Rube Bolstad and Nat Taylor. They were asked to name their business affiliations and positions. Listeners with some knowledge of the local film world will be surprised to hear, by their own confessions, that Nat Taylor is an office boy as the 20th Century Theatres and Rube Bolstad an assistant office boy at Famous Players. The other staggers laughed and applauded as the boys answered the questions. Nobody questioned the answers so it is presumed that they hung up a neat gross of prize money—which they thumbed in the direction of the Red Cross. Ken Soble asked Ben Geldsaler to give some movie phrases that weren’t so bad as they sounded. Ben told about pictures “that died” and others that “knocked ’em dead.” Then hesitated. “One more?” coaxed Ken. “Well,” said Ben, “I’ve seen many a picture that ‘laid an ege’!” “Don’t tell me,” cooed Ken, “that Famous Players plays them?” Ben, as head booker at Famous, is nominally responsible for picking winners—and losers. He was in a bit of a spot. “Oh,” he said in a you-can’t-win-all-the-time tone of voice, “sometimes we get hooked!” And That Ain‘t All Harry Firestone, after being presented with a golf bag filled with clubs, made the best speech of the night. Sam Firestone, Harry’s dad, on being called on, gave voice to his pride in Harry and their assembled friends shared his pleasure. Jesse Kaplan, well-known non-filmite, replied wittily to Sam’s toast to the then bride-to-be, Shirley Lynne Dunkleman. There was a good floorshow, fun-inspiring refreshments, gin rummy and other types of excitement. If you missed it, blame yourself. You shoulda been there. ES eee (Continued from Page 1) man and Ed Wells as secretary, supervised the workings of representatives of every exchange who dug up every available dollar— or tried to. Certainly no contribution was missed through lack of effort. Individual and firm donations from $5,000 down to the smallest amount was the answer to the persuasive appeals of Herb Allen, Dick Main, Jack Arthur, Mark and Joe Plottel, Jack Hunter, Leo Devanney, Abe Cass and Harry Alexander. These boys gave their time and energy to reaping the harvest of film dollars in a way that made the rest of the industry proud and won deep apreciation from Red Cross Officials. Of course, they really had something to sell. And their hearts were in it. They were on the spot, too. Every campaign, general and community, now places special emphasis on the part the motion picture industry plays. There is no longer any attempt to win motion picture cooperation. A mere request is considered sufficient and complete assistance is taken for granted. The Red Cross collection was merely a part of the industry’s help. The Red Cross Film, ‘There, Too, Go I,” which was sponsored by Col. R. S. McLaughlin of Oshawa, was shown in almost every theatre in the Dominion, a special industry committee guiding its course. This direct appeal to the hearts of the people during their relaxed moments played an important role in spreading the full understanding of the part the Red Cross is playing today. In one instance a woman patron, after seeing the film, increased her donation several times over and said so. Film men have joined so wholeheartedly in every form of war effort. So many committees exist now that they almost represent an industry within the industry. Inter-Exchange Reel Is Columbia's Newest The boys who push the product for Columbia will be shown a special series of reels, made up of screen tests and clips from new pictures, to acquaint them with 13 of the studio's young players. So they'll know what they’re talking about when they’re spreading the good word around. Players shown in the reels are Marguerite Chapman, Shirley Patterson, Alma _ Carroll, Leslie Brooks, Roger Clark, Jeff Donnell, Robert Stevens, Lloyd Bridges, Bruce Bennett, Frank Sully, Larry Parks, Adele Mara and William Wright.