Canadian Film Weekly (Mar 17, 1943)

March 17, 1943 Walter Wilson Shows Em How One of the slickest promotions to come down the exploitation Ways of Western Canada was Walter P. Wilson’s christening of Warners’ “Yankee Doodle Dandy” at the Capitol Theatre, Edmonton. Not content fo be known as the first commercial radio advertiser in the Province of Alberta (and the program is still going strong after some 17 years); not satisfied to be hailed as his city’s Mr. Get Things Done; this time Walter P. Wilson tops all his previous achievements. With Edmonton teeming with thousands of Americans, all engaged one way or another with work on the road to Alaska, Walter’s first move was to set his opening of “Dandy” for Washington’s Birthday. His next was to sell the idea of a “Good Neighbors” edition (saluting the resident Yanks) to the Edmonton Bulletin, with appropriate statements from Premier William Aberhart and Mayor John W. Fry, and lengthy editorial material on the USA/’s first president. In all, the newspaper gave the promotion eight full pages (including one on the film) liberally supported by 67 large-lineage advertisements from commercial firms. Even the opposition sheet, the Journal, climbed on the bandwagon, handing the motion picture two pages. Needless to say, ‘Yankee Doodle Dandy” was held over and played to 26,769 persons out of a city census count of 92,000. Famous Players Makes Managerial Changes MR. R. H. BOLSTEAD has announced a number of changes in the managers operating theatres in Famous Players’ Western Division under E. A. ZORN’S supervision. EDDIE NEWMAN, manager of the Metropolitan theatre, Winnipeg has resigned to enlist in the Royal Canadian Air Force. DON GAULD, present supervisor of the Fort William and Port Arthur theatres and manager of the Capitol theatre, Fort William, will take over the management of the Metropolitan theatre, Winnipeg. FRED TICKELL, manager of the Orpheum theatre, Fort William, will take over the management of the Capitol theatre, Fort William. HAROLD GRAY, manager of the Tivoli theatre, Winnipeg, moves to the Orpheum theatre, Fort William. MISS MARGARET HUGHES, for some years a secretary in Vic Armand's office, will assume the management of the Tivoli theatre, Winnipeg. Canadian FILM WEEKLY dA thus Le & A really gruesome twosome, Frankenstein and the Wolf Man, will appear together in a forthcoming horror epic called “Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man.” Which reminds me that Hollywood kids are a hard breed of movie man. Once I saw a Hollywood Boulevard movie house offering “Dracula” and “Frankenstein” as a double-bill for a Saturday juvenile matinee ... A story from the movie lots is about an Indian extra who introduced two other Indiams and himself this way, “I am Brave Eagle. This is my son, Flying Bird. And here,” he added, “is my grandson, Four-Engined Bomber.” * 2 * It has been a long time since Hollywood has featured an animal hero. “Lassie Comes Home,” the late Eric Knight’s story of a man, a boy and a coolie, will make up for this omission. Roddy McDowell will share the lead in this Technicolor film with Lassie, a clever 3-year-old canine. Her trainer, Rudd Weatherwax, bought her for ten dollars. Now she'll earn $250 per week, be insured against bombs and accidents while travelling, and end up with two Victory Bonds purchased out of her salary. Oh, yes, Lassie’s real name is Pal. She’s a he. * . = Melvyn Douglas, whose real surname is Hesselberg, lived in Toronto as boy, where his father taught music... Fifteen years ago Cary Grant was a vaudeville actor and his partner was a fellow named Don Barclay. Now the team of Grant & Barclay are reunited for a tour of USA army camps... There are just two women producers in Hollywood, Mary Anita Loos, who used Louella Parsons, the columnist ... Stars don’t always make the biggest money among moviedom's hired hands. Hal B. Wallis, Warners’ producer, earned $255,000 in 1942 and Bette Davis of the same studio came next with $252,333. * * = Erich yon Stroheim, who played German soldier villains during the first Great War, is playing them again. Von Stroheim has had his movie ups and downs. For many years after the 1914-18 struggle he was a great director, turning out “Greed,” “The Merry Widow” and many others. Then he faded, reappearing suddenly after some years of oblivion as an actor in 1929. He did another fadeout, turning up in France as one of its leading cinema lights. The war drove him back to Hollywood, where his first assignment of several will be to play Marshal Rommel in “Five Graves to Cairo.’ Von Stroheim, now 57, isn’t through wandering. He has his eyes on some directorial jobs in Mexico. % 2 ? Henry Fonda, in his newest picture, “The Immortal Sergeant,” plays a Canadian corporal in an Imperial regiment in Libya. Fonda does us proud in what is a fine film ... The lowly extra is coming into his own. Hard to get, he wants more money. Mob scene extras, who get $5.50, want $6.50 and so on... . If all stars were like Ingrid Bergman Hollywood's makeup men would be out of jobs. Miss Bergman goes before the camera as is. She doesn’t spend any more time in Hollywood than she can help, rushing off to join her doctor husband and their daughter, Pia, in Rochester. received the support of Quebec Protestants. Instead the Council voted nonsupport and decided to ask the provincial government to retain Mont'l Council Votes Against Juve Repeal The Montreal City Council went on record last week against any move to modify Quebec's legislative ban on the admission of children, accompanied by an adult or otherwise, to motion picture theatres. The Council was asked by Catholic Boys Bureau to support its resolution to allow children nine years and over to attend speclally selected programs on Saturdays and holidays. The resolution under 16 from theatres under any circumstances. Raise For Grierson to $10,000. { | } to be a New York glamor girl, and Harriet Parsons, daughter of { | | the present law barring children | John Grierson, executive chief of both the National Film Board and the Information department, got & $3,400 raise, bringing his salary ——_ Page 7 OF CANADA LTD. 277 Victoria St. Toronto Acclaimed by all reviewers as one of the screen's greatest entertainments BOOKED BY ALL LEADING CIRCUITS Silver Skates has everything that goes to make a boxoffice smash NAMES THAT SPELL MONEY Belita Queen of the Ice Kenny Baker Radio's Golden-V oiced Tenor Patricia Morison Glamorous Frick and Frack World-Famous Skating Stars Eugene Turner United States’ Figure-Skating Chaim pion Irene Dare Amazing Little Darling of the Rink and Ted Fio Rito's Orch SILVER SKATES with romance and galety. sparkles SILVER SKATES is eye-filling, heart-thrilling enter tainment for old and young. MR. EXHIBITOR, do not hesi . e ars ee tate—write, wire or phone for open dates on SILVER SKATES, MONOGRAM PICTURES Tho fastest growing company in the industry. Toronto, Montreal, St. John Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver