Canadian Film Weekly (Jun 17, 1942)

June 17th, 1942 Russia Busy Making Films Although locked in a life and death struggle with Germany, the Russians are so far from demoralization that they still talk in terms of motion pictures. Gregor Irsky, chief engineer of motion pictures in the USSR has been in the United States since last August throughout the stagering defeats followed by heartwarming _ victories, purchasing much needed film materials for the Russian services. “We want to buy all kinds of equipment for military purposes and for our theatres. Our aim is to send a complete movie unit into every Army regiment,” he said. Already a large number of regiments are fully equipped with their own cameramen and materials, he reported. Irsky emphasized the need for his country’s purchase of American film equipment in large quantities, by pointing out that during the war against Germany, Russian cameraman had taken 400,000 feet of motion pictures at the front and 100 newsreels had been released. He reported that 150 studio cameramen were in the front lines, fighting and filming war pictures. In addition, he said, Russian studios have turned out since June 22, 1941, 150 shorts and 15 features on war subjects for the training of tne army and civilians. A number of plants, studios and laboratories were exacuated from danger zones and re-established, in new localities inland, within two or three months after the Nazis invaded Russia. Soviet productions currently in work, he said, include “Ivan the Terrible,” ‘“‘The Heroic Defense of Moscow,” ‘‘The Brave Soldier — Schveik” and “Heroic Leningrad.” Ten years ago, according to Irsky, Russia had about 20,000 theatres with only 2 or 3 per cent equipped for sound. Today, there are close to 40,000 film houses of which 80 per cent have sound installations. The average number of prints made from each new film is from 500 to 1,000. In Moscow there is a_ studio which turns out films for children exclusively and another devoted entirely to producing a newsreel every three days. There are 25 local studios throughout the country which make special films pertaining to their individual coun tries and which distribute on an average of one a week. Complete Theatre Equipment and Supplies COLEMAN ELECTRIC CO. 258 VICTORIA ST., Toronto, Ont. Page 3 OnThe Square 7. About a Man You All Know It’s always a pleasure to run into Lieut.-Col. John A. Cooper, chairman of the board of the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association—even the first thing in the morning. It would seem that a gentleman with that accumulation of titular terminology would be hard to approach. T’ain’t so. The Colonel—as he is referred to generally in the celluloid hawkshops—still retains his military mien but the ability to break through some gentle-andsober-faced jollying is all you need. From then on he digs into his vast store of knowledge of the business for the facts you want. No high-and-mighty attitude there. No nonsense from you, either. I encountered the Colonel first thing in the other morning adorning a private little panel in the Toronto Globe and Mail. The one that super-patriot and one-man war effort, J. J. Carrick, gets up. You’ve seen it. It’s usually filled with witty wordage and heartily patriotic sentiment. Mr. Carrick, formerly a member of the House of Commons, inserts these sketches at his own expense of people he considers worthy of public attention under the heading: ‘“Let’s Get It Done.’’ There you have the reason for them. They’re used to help the various causes. Mr. Carrick has sold an endless mumber of bonds, certificates, etc. So far he has collected more than 250,000 books for the boys in the services. That Mr. Carrick, who is a stockbroker, is a smart man about print. He knows that mostly people want to know about people. That’s how he lures the reader into his patriotic scheme of things. Though he calls it his ‘‘Rogues’ Gallery” he has a waiting list of cabinet ministers and other leaders who are anxious to be presented by Mr. Carrick in his own interesting way. Lieut.-Col John A. Cooper But About the Colonel... Mr. Carrick introduced Lieut.-Col. Cooper with a photograph and these’ immortal words of Milton from ‘Paradise Regained”: “Athens, the eye of Greece, mother of the Arts and eloquence.” Then goes on to say about The Colonel and a certain occasion: “Big night—last Friday—for some of us Old Boys. We took our Tux out of the moth balls. “Hart House Reunion Dinner of Toronto University graduates in Arts was a notable feast of lofty and impassioned eloquence. President Cody & Principal Wallace—great orators— spoke on behalf of the Faculty, and Colonel John A. Cooper was the Demosthenes for the graduates. “The occasion was especially marked by Reunion of Old Boys & Girls of the Classes of 92 & 97—50 and 45 years ago to you. Jack Cooper graduated half-a-centutry ago. But he’s just a young fellow yet, as sprightly and full of pep as in the days when we attended our Alma Mater. “Jack, an old warrior, closed his address with an appeal to the younger graduates in the words of Dr. John McRae’s Flanders Fields: “Take up our quarrel with the foe, To you from failing hands We throw the torch Be yours to hold it high.’ “P.S. As we strolled thro’ the University Library, I was just itching to back up a truck and kidnap Books For The Boys.” Thank you, Mr. Carrick. ; ae * * Notes Syd Taube became a grandpappy last week—a daughter of his daughter, Bernice Taube Zacks. The cigars were good. Son Irwin just hopped to Halifax via plane. They do things right, those Taubes ... Jack Melzer of Premier is away from his desk with a bad back .. . Film men put on a nice 16 mm. display of posters and equipment at the National Manufacturers Association convention at the Royal York = Law Heads Assocd Theatres (Continued from Page 1) ness could have been selected who commands the confidence of exhibitors throughout Ontario to a greater degree than he does. Few, if any, have had a greater background of experience, all of it gained in the province in which Associated Theatres operate. Harry Law’s introduction to the film business took place away back when he joined tne Dominion Film Exchange, later to go to General Film Company where he remained for six years. He then joined Universal and under Clair Hague acted as Branch Manager of the Toronto exchange for ten years. He resigned from Universal to become Assistant General Manager of Associated Theatres, in which duties he was in close contact with more than sixty exhibitors by supervising the booking of their theatres. Harry resigned to go with Warner Brothers where he remained for 84% years as Ontario Sales Representative. Recently he teamed once more with Harry Painter in the sales of Republic Pictures and now returns to Associated as head man for that group of Independent theatre owners. The best wishes of all who know Harry Law go with him imto his new job. It is a job for which he is ideally fitted by his long association with film distribution and the many friendships that have grown stronger through the years. IATSE Reelects Walsh Covert Richard F. Walsh, president of the IATSE, which union controls most of the continent’s projectionists and stagehands, was reelected to office together with his slate at the Columbus, Ohio, convention of the organization. Walsh received 644 of the 973 votes cast. The rest were divided between the other two candidates. Two Canadians found important places. William P. Covert of Toronto, vice-president for Canada, was elected second-vice president of the IATSE with 599 votes to the 367 received by his opponent, Archie Prentice. Edward L. Turner was named delegate to the Dominion Trades and Labor Council, Walsh succeeded George Brown, who, together with Willie Bioff, was sent to jail of extortion charges involving the studios. It appeared before the elections that some issue would be made of Walsh’s lack of opposition to Brown and Bioff during their re~% but this apparently faded out.