Canadian Film Weekly (Nov 24, 1943)

November 24, 1948 R. S&S. RODDICK Bob was chairman for Nova Scotia in the Motion Picture section of the War Finance Committee. Wrote he in his report: ‘Many exhibitors throughout the province held similar positions in their individual communities. Bill Cuzner did his usual swell job as general chairman of the Sydney Mines War Finance Committee. Archie Mason (Mayor) of Springhill also put forth a magnificent effort on behalf of his town. Bob Harvey and Henry Deveau, two new managers for Dan MacDonald of Sydney, got themselves onto the Public Relations Committee and did themselves as well as their town a good service. Freeman Skinner of the Orpheus, Halifax, and Martin Simpson of the Capitol, Halifax, sold their respective staffs so far over their quotas that each theatre received a three star V pennant from Senator Robertson. Messers. Foster and Hatfield of Yarmouth; Mr. N. W. Mason of New Glasgow; Frank (Mayor) Sobey of Stellarton; Tom Courtmey of the Casino, Halifax; Hugh Best of Shelburne: Mr. Bligh of Berwick and John Farr of North Sydney, and many more deserve special mention of their co-operation in promotional work.” Universal Pushing Last Westerns The remaining three westerns in Universal’s series of seven for the 1943-44 program are now in the final stages of script preparation by Associate Producer Oliver Drake, and cameras will roll right after the first of the year. “Trail to Gunsight,” “Boss of Boomtown” and “Rodeo Cyclone” will be made in that order, starring Tex Ritter and featuring Fuzzy Knight. All three of the stories are originals. Canadian FILM WEEKLY Miusie Trade Paper The growing practice of using vocal doubles in motion pictures to create a false singing reputation for certain screen stars got a lambasting from Charles Emge, Hollywood correspondent for “Down Beat,” musicians and singers trade paper, in a recent story. Emge fears the patrons will soon think all singers are phoney. “We claim that you, the moviegoers who pay your money at the boxoffice, don’t like to be fooled in that manner,” Emge wrote. ‘You don’t mind the fact that a double is used when the star is supposed to perform a dangerous stunt. You have known it for years. It’s part of the business and it makes sense. A minor injury to the star could cost the company $100,000 in lost shooting time. “You know that those buildings, ships, villages, are mostly ‘sets’ made to order and that the scenes are shot on a big stage on the studio lot. “Hollywood has never made any secret of it and doesn’t expect you to believe otherwise. That’s what makes the big difference. “There is a difference between the legitimate use of special effects to create the illusion of realism, and the employment of trickery, which, when discovered, as it always is sooner or later, undermines public confidence. "We refer to certain specific cases. “Rita Hayworth has been presented to the public as a singer in most of her pictures. Her ‘voice,’ in her recent pictures, has been that of Nan Wynn. In her next picture, ‘Cover Girl,’ her ‘voice’ will be Martha Mears (as previously reported only in Beat’). “Rita Hayworth is a beautiful girl, a talented dancer, a capable actress. Was it necessary, or even advisable, to create for her a false reputation as a singer? “When Warner Brothers announced that Ann Sheridan would play the role of Nora Bayes in ‘Shine On, Harvest Moon’ the studio publicity department solemnly declared that Ann would positively ‘Down sing her own songs. The paid praisers didn’t say ‘We don’t know,’ a _ safe, understandable statement which leaves it up to the reporter to dig up his own information, if he can. “They said, ‘Ann Sheridan will sing’! “Ann Sheridan’s ‘voice’ in “Shine On, Harvest Moon’ will be that of Lynn Martin, well-known radio singer. “We believe the majority of the leaders in the motion picture will be with us on our stand that the nnn of limit on the use of voice doubles for the purpose of building fake vocal reputations for screen personalities. Very soon vocal reputation won’t be worth a nickel in Hollywood because screen audiences will assume it is faked! “We know that those studios which are trying to build careers in Hollywood for young, bona fide singing actors and actresses are with us. “And we think that you folks who support the motion picture industry by buying tickets at the boxoffice are with us. How about it?” Pic Pioneers to Meet Next Week (Continued from Page 1) expected to be present. Dinner will take place at 7 p.m. and the initiation of new members at 8:30 p.m. Entertainment will begin shortly afterward and carry on without curfew. Clair Hague is president of the Pioneers, Syd Taube is vice-president and Ray Lewis secretarytreasurer. The board of directors is composed of Oscar R. Hanson, Syd Taube, Ray Lewis, Clair Hague, Archie Laurie, Harry Alexander, Samuel Fine, Sam Sterberg, A. W. Perry, Walter Kennedy, Charles Mavety, Archie Mason, Eddie English, E. A. Zorn, Kenneth Leach and Bill S. Jones. J. J. Fitzgibbons is director of public relations, George Beeston is auditor and David Ongley is solicitor. The committee is requesting that those who intend to be present make their intentions known. Membership requirement is 25 years in the industry. Aid Educational Week Toronto theatres co-operated with the Toronto Teachers’ Council for Educational Week, which was held from November 7 to 14. Educational Week was sponsored in all countries of the United Nations. Ask Horror Ban For Juve Shows A motion urging the Ontario Censor to ban the showing of horror films at Saturday afternoon matinees was made by Councillor Fred Hall and carried at last week’s meeting of the York Township Council. Speaking on the motion, Councillor Bill Beech asked that horror shows be switched to midweek and more conservative pictures ' Dubbed Voeals Irk time has come to put some sort; played for juvenile audiences. Page 9 Toronto Council Studies Vandalism National Selective Service jurisdiction should be extended to include persons under 16 years of age, was one of many recommendations submitted last week to Toronto City Council by the Welfare Council of Toronto and district, in a 21-page brief outlining a broad plan for re-education of juvenile delinquents. Since Selective Service has no jurisdiction over persons under 16 years of age “many young people are illegally employed,” the report stated. The number of work permits granted by the Board of Education since the outbreak of war has tripled. Toronto has always lacker proper recreational facilities, the report continued. Withdrawal of trained juvenile leaders into the armed services makes the situation even more serious. Provision of proper physical facilities for schools with highly qualified instructors, superintendents and well-trained staffs including vocational and high school teachers is suggested and the urgency of immediate action stressed. “Many fathers are in the arny, and many mothers are employed in war industry, with the result that their children have lesz parental care than in ordinary years. The lack of housing accommodation drives children to seek often undesirable diversion outside of their homes,” the report said. “The first line of defence against delinquency lies in the home,” it continued. “Efforts of the whole community are required to correct general conditions contributing to delinquency —bad housing, bad feeding, poor health.” Toronto City Council should finance a project of concerted neighborhood attack on juvenile delinquency, under a skilled leader, the report also suggested. The report was referred, without discussion, to the Civic Welfare Committee. Wailing His Woes To the World? The other week a fellow stuck @ pistol under the nose of Harry Sherman, manager of the Joy Theatre, Toronto, and made off with $83 of the receipts. Tho sticker-upper was nice enough to buy a ticket first, though. He didn’t bother using it to see the featured film, “Bad Men of Missourl.” Didn’t ask for a refund, either. Marquee the week after featured “Meanest Man in the World.” ,