Canadian Film Weekly (Apr 7, 1943)

The Reigning Star Robert Donat Count of Monte Cristo with Elisa Landi, Louis Calhern, Sydney Blackmer and Raymond Walburn in Alexander Dumas’ immortal story * ROBERT DONAT The Ghost Goes West Screen play by Robert E. Sherwood Produced by Sir Alexander Korda * ROBERT DONAT and Charles Laughton, Merle Oberon, Elsa Lanchester and Binnie Barnes in Private Life of Henry VIII Directed by Sir Alexander Korda * CURRENT AND TIMELY HITS Secrets of a Coed Night for Crime Baby Face Morgan Tomorrow We Live * Producers Releasing Corporation Executive Offices: 277 Victoria St., Toronto, 2, Ont. N.G. for the House Maybe It Could Be Canadian FILM WEEKLY ye Zp On The SQUARE Return of the Old Maestro I watched the Army Show being rehearsed by Jack Arthur at the Victoria last week and would almost gamble that it won’t be many points behind the American one. Seeing Jack, who was borrowed from Famous Players for the job, on the stage in complete command, one gets some idea of his great love for the theatre’s original medium. This Arthur is famed wherever the stage is still alive, as a producer and conductor. By the time he retired from stage production to a desk as theatre supervisor, many who passed through his hands went on to fame and fortune of their own in the theatre. And they still love their old boss. For a while, some years ago, Jack produced a series of Variety shows for CBC. He was always surprising those who worked for him with his ability to point out the things that were exactly right. : For instance, he wasn’t satisfied with the script name, on one occasion, of comedian Sammy Sales, who was doing Heeb comedy on the program. The cast offered substitute names, none acceptable to Jack. “How about ‘Salzberg’? asked Sales. “That's the one,”. answered Arthur. “It’s in.” “No wonder,” said Sales. “It’s my real name!” Film men will take pride in the fact that a number of recruits from the industry, among them Bob Eves, Jimmy Cameron and Eddie Harris, are associated with the Army Show. And the Army Show will probably yield Hollywood more than another film—a Warners producer came here to catch it, that studio being busy right now on the American army show. There.-is talent of various sorts to be studied, particularly that of Johnny Wayne and Frank Schuster, who did much of the writing for the show. * * Out of the Mouths of Babes Al Daniels, who runs the Royal, Toronto, used to be in vaudeville as a comedian. He was playing a supper show on a Saturday and the front rows were filled with juveniles who had sat through the earlier shows. . “Shall I sing,” asked Al, quoting from his routine, “or shall we be friends?” “Aw, mister,” wailed one of the repeaters, “let’s be friends!” * * There’s a story about an exhibitor who was offered “Random Harvest,” Regal’s big grosser. He wouldn’t have any part of the offer. “Why?” he asked. “Farm pictures,” he replied, “are no good in my house.” = * A kibitzer phoned Win Barron, Paramount press agent, and asked him if it weré’ true that his studio had bought the film rights of ‘“‘Tobacco Road” from Fox for a remake. “I haven't heard about it,’’ answered Win. “Where did you hear that?” “Oh, just around,” was the answer. ‘'They say that Crosby and Hope will be in it and it will be called “The Road to Tobacco.” s a x They Don’t Care The public never remembers what company made the film it just saw. A radio quiz contestant missed the $64 question on this point, after answering every other movie question. Announcer asked, “If you were a Paramount press agent, would you be more likely to brag about “Star Spangled Rhythm,” “Casablanca” or “Random Harvest’? Contestant didn’t have the slightest idea, April 7, 1943 For Servicemen (Continued from Page 1) tion forward in editorials. The Hollywood Reporter, a _ trade paper, addressed a similar request to the industry. Some New York theatres have given service men a quiet preference by summoning them out of line but haven't announced the practice as a policy. It is felt that there would be little protest from civilians, who have plenty of time. Servicemen, on the other hand, have limited time and cannot spare any for waiting. Many must catch trains and just can’t take a chance on a movie. The absence of any waiting would leave them an extra couple of hours with their families and friends. Nothing has been said about extending the proposed privilege to girls in uniform, it being considered that their problem -isn’t the same. The adoption of the idea here would certainly be the friendliest of gestures. It wouldn’t affect patronage adversely. If anything, it will increase the attendance slightly. New Theatre in Inverness, N.S. (Continued from Paga 1) 1941, is especially designed for the viewing of pictures with a maximum of comfort and safety. It is fitted with the latest type of theatre chairs. The projection room has been pronounced one of the best in the province. The room is fireproof, conforming in every respect with the regulations governing the operation of moving picture equipment. The walls are eight-inch hollow tile, with a concrete floor and asbestos ceiling. The doors are of steel and no woodwork is exposed in the room. A. feature of the auditorium is the high ceiling which provides space to ensure uncontaminated air at all times. Four exits from the body of the auditorium are provided, two of which are five feet in width, besides the main entrance and exit door at the front. An inspector from the Board of Censors visited the building and pronounced it satisfactory in meeting the requirements of the Cinematograph Act. Columbia Likes British Columbia Hollywood returns to Vancouver Island for suitable background and color, this time for “Attack at Night,” a Columbia production now being filmed at Camp Nanaimo,