Canadian Film Weekly (Jul 8, 1942)

Vol. 8, No. 28 Address all communications—The Managing Editor, Canadian Film Weekly, 21 Dundas Square, Toronto, Canada. Published by Film Publications of Canada, Ltd., 5th Floor, 21 Dundas Square, Toronto, Ont., Canada. Phone ADelaide 4310. Price 5 cents each or $200 per year. Canadian Production The trickle of publicity about Canada’s National Film Board has turned into a flood. For the longest while news about the activities of the Board and its pictures was hard to get. Now you can’t pick up a Canadian or American magazine or newspaper without a sequence or story. Much of the credit for this long-needed information is due to Dave Coplan, the industry‘s dollar-a-year man, who has been prominent in arranging the distribution of NFB shorts throughout Canada and the United States, as well as other parts of the world. The NFB recently established a publicity department under Irene Baird, and this is functioning smoothly. The only thing lacking today to make a complete picture are press books, through which the exhibitor can be told how to sell NFB shorts, which certainly have all the elements of first-class showmanship. A thing to remember about the NFB is that it is the basis of future film production in the Dominion. It is 25 years since Canadian production was tried and there never was an organization of the quality of the present setup. It would be a shame to see it fall apart after the war and it isn’t likely that it will. Shorts of every kind are taking on importance in film production and smart film men are watching the NFB. Few deny that Canada, from a standpoint of population and development, is the country of the future. The film accompanies progress everywhere and this will be especially true in Canada. The Toronto Daily Star made an observation winning recognition everywhere when it wrote: “Canadians probably know litile of the extraordinary value and significance of the National Film Board’s work. Under the direction of John Grierson, internationally renowned as the pioneer in the field of documentary films, films are being produced in Ottawa which not only are helping Canadians to learn about their own country, about each other, about the war and about the place of Canada in the war, but they also serve to publicize Canada to the world at large.” Radio Too “ We've been hearing so much about the movie war effort and free film entertainment for the bovs in uniform that it’s no more than fair to report that radio in Canada is also providing considerable entertainment. Though there is no organized radio entertainment effort, individuals manage to bring their shows before the boys in one way or another. The best current example is Harry (Red) Foster's show, “Lowney’s Caravan,” a mobile theatre of 30 players, which started out in May to tour our army camps from coast to coast and won’t wind up until October. Joe Carr, who played a bit part in “Captains of the Clouds,” is the master of ceremonies. That Foster fellow, of course, is the inseparable companion of the movie mighties that check into the Toronto scene and curtsey before the public at the city hall. Red provides the verbal background for all who share the doings, as well bringing them on and talking them off. The boys and girls of Canadian radio, whose appearance requires more than the shipment of a print. yield to none in their willingness to help the war effort. Canadian FILM WEEKLY |Ottawa Confirms : Dinner July 8th, 1942 HYE BOSSIN, Managing Editor KS Board Practices (Continued from Page 1) lations reads as follows: “(4) In the event of any conflict between these regulations or any order and any law in force in any part of Canada, the provisions of these regulations or of such order shall prevail.” Of some significance was the | amendment to the old order, | which dealt with eleven services |coming under the Board’s jurisdiction. In that order motion pic| ture matters were brought in with “the exhibiting of moving pictures.” In the new order the services have been expanded to thirteen and the motion picture part reads “the renting and exhibiting of moving pictures.” It is now considered that the Board’s orders have been properly fixed, being issued and approved by Ottawa, and would be incontestable in court. There are about twenty amendments to the old Order in Council in the new ones. Another question expected to be made clearer shortly by official confirmation is whether or not the exhibitor may relinquish his deal with a particular company at the end of the contract. Some time ago the Advisory Council and Mr. Stewart were of the same opinion —that the “exhibitor is under the same compulsion to buy basic product as the distributor is to sell.” This has been in practice. Because no Order in Council has as yet carried that principle, exhibitors in various parts have been wondering if they can relinquish their contracts and change companies. Film salesmen have been unable to clear up the point for them. Paramount Officers Are Reelected With the exception of Leonard H. Goldenson, chief of Paramount’s theatre department, who was made a vice-president, all officers of the company were unanimously elected at a special meeting of the Board of Directors in New York. Officers are: President, Barney Balaban; Chairman of the Board, Adolph Zukor; Chairman of Ex cutive Committee, Stanton Griffis; Vice-Presidents, Y. Frank Freeman, Austin C. Keough, Neil F. Agnew, John W. Hicks, Jr., Henry Ginsberg and Leonard H. Goldenson; Treasurer, Walter B. Cokell; Secretary, Austin C. Keough; Comptroller, Fred Mohrhardt; Assistant Secretaries, Norman Collyer, Jacob H. Karp, Frank Meyer. cigarette box with their July 8th, 1942 To Del Goodman (Continued from Page 1) executive, was given by Famo Players but present were indust members of every connection. Del expressed publicly what he has said in private quite often— that he liked it here and has had many a pang of regret at the thought of leaving. ‘You don’t know how sorry I am to go,” he said. The feeling is the same on the part of the natives, who know that Del brought a lot of good fellowship with him when he came here. J. J. Fitzgibbons, president of Famous Players, acted as toastmaster and introduced a number of speakers, several of whom made presentations to Goodman. Paramount branch managers gave the guest of honor a lovely silver names engraved on it and Famous Players marked his departure with a travelling bag and toilet articles. Gordon Lightstone, who left Regal to succeed Goodman at Paramount, excused himself when called on for departing from the main business of the moment and directed his remarks at Henry Nathanson, for so many years his chief. He thanked Nathanson publicly for his friendship and guidance during their years together at Regal. He then offered his personal best wishes to his predecessor. Tom Dowbigger of Paramount, Montreal, made some highly humorous remarks in the course of his speech and Leo Devanney, Norman Robertson and Arthur Gottleib also felicitated Goodman in behalf of the others present. Among those who shared the tribute to Del were R. E. Bolstad, Ben Geldsaler, Haskell Masters, Sam Glazier, Jim O’Loghlin, Morris Stein, Jim Nairn, Jim Hunter, Bob Eaves, Sam Fine and Nat Taylor. Mr. Fitzgibbons made the presentation for Famous Players and Tom Dowbiggen did the honors for Del’s home crowd. The dinner was a deserving gesture to a fine fellow and an example of the goodwill which exists in the industry. Complete Theatre Equipment and Supplies COLEMAN ELECTRIC CO. 258 VICTORIA ST:, Toronto, Ont. % a