Canadian Film Weekly (Aug 4, 1943)

at oe’ August 4, 1948 Fox Will Spend $41,000,000 Twentieth Century-Fox has set @ budget of $41,000,000 for the 1943-44 production program, it was announced last week in Hollywood. This amount, a full 30 per cent above the largest for any previous year, is the biggest in the company’s history. Following a meeting in the cinema city with Joseph M. Schenck, executive head, and Spyros Skouras, president, it was revealed the coming year will see the production of from 86 to 40 pictures all containing the greatest scope and appeal possible. A previous announcement stated that the company will not produce any more films on a budget lower than $750,000 per film thus completely eliminating B and minor A films. Darryl F.. Zanuck will personally produce the first two pictures on the new production schedule. First of these will be Wendell Willkie’s much discussed best ~ seller, ‘‘One World,” which other studios have also been bidding for. Willkie may appear in it. Second production will be “Wilson,” a film on the life of America’s Great War president and founder of the League of Nations. All features now being planned will have the benefit of only the finest writers, directors and players obtainable. Filmites in Jail For Their Art Screwiest premiere in the history of screendom took place at the Statesville Prison, Jolliet, Tilinois, last week. Twentieth Century-Fox unreeled “Roger Touhy—Gangster” in the big house before a large body of public officials and members of the press. Touhy didn't like it. He threatened to sue. He still has some influence around the place. One of his playmates -tampered with the switch and held the show up for 80 minutes, the 1,600 guests sweltering all the while. Despite the holdup, the preview came off, with several hundred law enforcement officers from throughout Illinois, federal and state judiciary, members of the clergy, representative state and local officials. RKO Studios Are Buzzing RKO films now in production and slated for release during the 1948-44 season are of a varied nature and have plenty of boxoffice promise. Canadian FILM WEEKLY A Fire Can Be Funny Too Theatre men live in fear of film fires. But when a distinct victory is won over one there is time for rejoicing and it is possible to see humor where you might have sworn none existed before. We can be proud of the boys and the girls of the National Film Board whose bravery and quick thinking saved lives and money for the country. The National Film Board is doing a wonderful job of entertainment and instruction—this we say in spite of any rumors that our burnup over “The Gates of Italy” might have reached that far and ignited things. The story of the fire revealed to us a vastly amusing gentleman by the name of Hamilton Wright, known as “Ham.” Wright, a top-notch publicity man, beat the drum for the New York World's Fair and still bangs it for Miami. He’s in charge of the production of newsreels on Canada’s war effort and connected with a newsreel pool made up of Fox, Paramount, Universal, News of the Day and Pathe. In the hospital Wright let the reporters have at him. Having given up fighting the fire when his clothes became ignited, he showed the scribblers his sizzled trousers. “That,” he said, “is what you call ‘thot pants’ eh?” Wright wired his New York office about what happened to him—and signed the wire “Baked Ham.” = = o No Sooner Said... National Film Board workers go in for fire drills and everything related to them. The fire broke out at 10:30 am. At 10 a.m. a painter was marking long arrows along the corridor walls, each pointing to an exit. Having put on the final dabs, he stepped back to admire his work. “You can have a fire here,” he told a passing NFB worker, “any time now!” . 2 = x Believe It or Leave It In another section of the building, they say, a film editor was recording sound. It was in a theatre and the projectionist phoned down to him. “Got much more to do?” he asked. “Oh, about 500 feet,” was the reply. The projectionist hung up. A few minutes later he phoned again. “How are you doing?” he asked again. “Fine, thanks,” answered the editor. “I just got finished this very minute.” “You did, eh?” piped the projectionist. “Then get to hell out of there. The place is on fire!” s cs me Business Is Business Members of the National Film Board got out of the building in a hurry, taking as much film as possible with them. That's using the old noodle. They stood outside watching the firemen. Smoke was pouring out of a group of windows. One of the watchers shouted up at the windows. ‘Is there anyone trapped up there?” No answer. He repeated the cry. This time he thought he heard an almost inaudible “yes.” His face lit up. He cupped his hands and shouted: will you please throw down my files!” “Then Page 8 Big Ont. Boost For Roy Rogers Republic’s current moneymaker, Roy Rogers, whom the studio bills as “King of the Cowboys,’ will get a fast, high-powered buildup in Toronto and Ontario via the leading daily papers and over the radio. Rogers and his horse, Trigger, have been the biggest spacestealers in the movies during the Jast six months. They have popped up in everything from weekly newspapers to national magazines in Canada and the USA. Now the Canadian offices of Republic have decided the Rogers’ potentialities for bringing the exhibitor money, though they have proved themselves strongly, have not been developed to capacity. And that is their aim. The campaign gets under way on August 12th with 1000-line ads in every Toronto newspaper and plugs over radio stations CFRB and CKCL five times during the afternoon and evening of each day. There will be day-and-date booking of a Rogers’ film, “Song of Texas,” in two Toronto theatres, the Alhambra and the St. Clair, the first time either house has featured a Western star. Ever since Gene Autry had his run-in with Republic—-some years ago—the studio has been gradually building Roy Rogers. In many places he outdraws Autry and when the latter went into the USArmy Republic was lucky to have another ace. The campaign should create Rogers’ fans where none existed before, providing the exhibitor with a piece of prepaid product. Greek Relief Now $800,000 The Greek Relief Fund, which was assisted in its recent successful drive by many theatre and film men, is still going strong in spite of the fact that the Dominion quota of $500,000 was obtained and the drive officially ended last month. Gerald F. Pearson, the manager of the Toronto campaign, has just revealed that up to last week the fund had reached $801,000 and the money is still coming in. “The name of Canada will be engraved on Greek hearts forever,” said Peter Palmer, secretary of the campaign. “Greek officials in London, England, attribute the survival of the Greek people to a great extent to Canadian generosity.” Canada ships 15,000 tons of wheat monthly to Red Cross officials in Greece, assuring 7,000,000 people of seven ounces of bread daily. .