Canadian Film Weekly (Apr 28, 1943)

Page 4 PIONEER FILMS 277 Victoria St. ARE RELEASING THE ALFRED HITCHCOCK Production The 39 Steps featuring Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll It is six years since this feature has been shown in Canada, and the circuits are booking the picture for first run in all key situations. * Pioneer will also release in the very near future Thunder Over the City Edward G. Robinson This is also a re-issue which should be in demand by all theatre operators * Pioneer Films Lid. Toronto, Montreal, St. John Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver Canadian FILM WEEKLY Come Hell or High Waiter Frank Reid, manager of the Park, Chatham, Ontario, is a fellow who can think on his feet—-even if his feet are deep in water. Last week an accident to a water main near the theatre resulted in a small-time Johnstown flood. Frank looked wearily at the water creeping higher in his cellar towards the suspended motors. No motors, no shows. There was no heat, of course. When it began to look like a reissue of the flood Frank pitched in and removed the motors successfully. That was worth swimming for. After the flood stopped and some of the water was removed he put the motors back again. That licked, Frank was faced with calling off the Friday and Saturday shows, but he was stubborn. He put signs in front of the theatre explaining what happened and advising the patrons that it was cold inside but that they could see a show. The patrons liked Frank’s stick-to-it-iveness and came just the same, sitting in thelr overcoats. Thus a manager’s alertness and resourcefulness saved irreplaceable materials and kept the boxoffice in action during the two biggest days of the week. Go thou and do likewise—but I hope you don't have to. cd . * One Size Too Small A certain Western branch manager got an enquiry about pictures from an exhibitor with whom he had done no previous business. The exhibitor operated in a somewhat distant town and the film man asked him to come to his office, offering to pay all expenses. The exhibitor did, was lavishly entertained and reciprocated by buying everything offered. The branch manager sent the deals on to Head Office, where he was praised by letter and held up as an example of the smart film man. After the first picture arrived under the new contract, a telegram came from the exhibitor. “What's the idea?” it read. machine.” He was, it turned out, a 16mmer. “The films are too big for my a > On the Rebound A sailor told me this one and I prefer to believe him. A British sub came up in the harbour of an Italian port and stopped an incoming cargo ship, one being used to supply the Axis African army. “What are you carrying?” shouted the sub chief. “We're empty,” was the reply from the ship’s captain. The sub chief made sure of that. “Go ahead,” he shouted. “We'll get you coming out!” * * * “Scotty” Back Home A familiar fellow with a cocky walk and brogueish talk was On the Square last week saying hello to old friends. He was Jack “Scotty” Shaw, former film salesman, who couldn’t wait to get at Hitler when history’s all-time heel went on a rampage in 1939. Jack has been in England all this time waiting his chance and came home on leave. He thought he was on his way to Berlin before France fell. His regiment got as far as Brest when McNaughton called them home, telling them to wait 2 while. In the meantime Jack has been attached to the London headquarters, ducking downcoming raiders speared by the boys in blue. And slipping away to the old home town, Glasgow, once in a while for a reunion with his family. He looks as sprightly as ever. He’s one guy Hitler hasn’t got bulldozed, April 28, 1943 Imerovenii in 42 (Continued from Page 1) year was marked by a thorough examination of all places of entertainment from a standpoint of safety. Seating was re-arranged to allow greater aisle space and in many theatres furnaces were enclosed in separate fire-proof rooms. The highlights of the report follow: A total of 2,100 films were submitted for screening consisting of 556 features, 522 short subjects, 618 trailers, 397 newsreels and seven serials. Of this number 13 were British, one French. The films submitted for screening represent 6,276 reels, totalling nearly 6,000,000 feet of film: The number of 16 mm. subjects screened totalled 161 programs — 1,449 reels of four hundred feet of film each. The number of licensed theatres totalled 63, of which 56 operated full time or six days each week, and seven operated part time or three days or less each week. Theatre and places of amusement attendance totalled 12,006,$21, an increase of twenty per cent over the previous year. There were 956,295 juvenile admissions to theatre performances on Saturday afternoons and the afternoons of statutory holidays at which no tax is collected. There were 4,200,117 admissions to theatres from 10c to 25c, 5,635,495 admissions to theatres from 25c to 34c, 804,055 admissions to theatres from 34c to 55c and 410,359 admissions to other amusements. Amusement licenses issued reached 2,054, of which theatres held 63; projectors, 126; operators, 97; apprentices, 48; itinerants, 53; baseball parks, three; skating rinks, 21; dance halls, 1,525; amusement halls, 27; hotels, 3; billiard rooms, 81; race tracks, 5; and boxing rings, 2. Although the total attendance at theatres and other places of amusement was 12,480,922, the number of people who contributed to the revenue by way of theatre and amusement taxes totalled 11,524,27. The total collections amounted to $312,987.77, which is an in crease in comparison with the pre-— ceding year of $38,376,31. In addition to the amount collected by this department by way of theatre tax and amusement tax, considerable revenue was derived from the fees for screening 16 mm. films and 35mm. films, and licenses from film exchanges, theatres, operators and apprentices, billiard rooms, race tracks, hockey, baseball, dance halls, itinerant shows and other amusements. There was an increase of 1,864,849 people attending theatres and places of amusement. ad