Canadian Film Weekly (Dec 6, 1944)

Page 4 Dangerous State Of 16 Mm. Shows (Continued from Page 1) mm. film is fireproof, any place where so many people are in darkness must have additional fire, exit and panic regulations. The people who know most about theatre safety no longer have any responsibility in the matter. The Royal Commission finding, during the investigation of the Hamilton hall fire in which seven lost their lives, was that such places of assembly were for the most part out-and-out firetraps. In an endeavor to keep closer watch over them authority was transferred to local officers. This gave rise to the present situation in which theatre performances take place without the benefit of the Theatre Inspection branch’s safety regulations. Many of the exhibitors decorate the hall with no attempt to get non-inflammable materials. One of these days something serious will happen because neither the exhibitor nor the local authorities are under any compulsion to impose standard theatre safety methods. Sixteen mm. exhibition should be returned to the authority of the Theatre Inspection branch of Ontario. Regal Staff Helps Hospital Phone Fund The boys at Christie Street military hospital, many of them bed-ridden and fated to remain that way for a long time, must put in a nickel each time they want to use the phone — and phoning is their easiest means of communication. They don’t have many nickels. The girls and boys in the Regal exchange put up a box for gift nickels to the wounded and exhibitors are helping to fill it. VOCALITE SCREENS Five times more sound permeability. One-third more light. Vocalite Sound Screen is the result of a series of intensive and costly experiments which have resulted in the production of the finest sound screen made. Flexible plastic coated, fiameproof. PERIGINS COMPANY LIMITED 77 VICTORIA STREET TORONTO 2027 BLEURY STREST MONTREAL Canadian FILM WEEKLY i 7OnThe Seu ua with fye rh Bacon: Shmodeon, Etc. At the press conference for the announcement of the Rank Odeon deal Paul Nathanson explained that he had been thumbing through the dictionary looking for a name to tag on his projected circuit. He found “Odeon” and was surprised later to discover that there was a circuit by that name in Britain. I recall that at the time the formation of that circuit was announced, there was a bit of a mystery for a few days as to who might be behind it. The most natural thing to do was to link it with Odeon of Britain. This proved to be an error, of course. Time plays funny tricks. The error of a few years ago became truth a few days ago. According to Funk & Wagnall’s dictionary, Odeon means (1) “jn ancient Greece a roofed theatre in which trial performances and musical contests were held” and (2) “Rarely in modern usage, a theatre or music-hall.” Odeon and odeum are the same thing, states the Columbia Encyclopedia, and “The earliest important odeum, the one which established the type, was built at Athens about 445 B.C. by Pericles.” In Britain most of the theatres which belong to that circuit are named Odeon, a policy which will be followed in Canada when the Rank-Nathanson houses are built. They are distinctive architecturally from other British theatres, Here again time plays funny tricks. Perhaps, because of their ubiquity, Odeon will no longer be ‘‘Rarely in modern usage, a theatre or music-hall” but will take its place in modern language and mean exactly what it did thousands of years ago. Also, with architectural distinction, Rank and Nathanson may steal the palm from Pericles by establishing a type of theatre. It would seem that Odeon Theatre, a name that may become common in Canada, is a tautology. “Tautology,” according to Funk & Wagnall’s, means— Tohellwithitandwhocares? Look it up yourself. space. I've filled my * The Old Man With the Whispers Harking back to the Davis-Nathanson press conference—as I wasn’t going to—some of us were slapped into the sudden realization that we live in a private world. J. Arthur Rank is a name which has occupied much of our trade conversation. When the official announcement was made about the partnership, Ken McTaggart of the Globe and Mail queried mildly, “Who is this man Rank?” The trade folk present were shocked into momentary silence. The next reaction was that Ken was right and we felt a bit foolish. Then Miss Alec Gibb of the Star asked the same question. John Davis cleared the air with his explanation . .. Ralph Dale is coaching a kids’ hockey team again this year, of which his and Alf Piggins son are members, It’s for the Kinsmen’s Club. Last year Ralph’s team made the finals . . . Charlie Mavety bagged three bears and a deer on his hunting trip—with four shots. I wouldn’t like to shoot it out with that guy ... They’re playing “Since You Went Away” at the Elgin, Ottawa, and folks keep calling up to ask if “Going My Way,” “Since You’ve Been Away,” “When Are You Coming Back” and so on is still playing . . . The stag for Murray Sweigman of Inter-Theatres was a real midnight revel, since it started at 12 and went right on until almost dawn. Curly Posen turned out to be some impresario and exhibitor. Incidentally, the staff of the Taylor enterprises, presented Murray and his bride-to-be with a gift, as did the chief. They were married last week. * — * Cop Story A new cop was escorted to his first beat by a sergeant, who pointed to a red light in the distance. ‘Your beat,” he explained, “is from here to that red light.” Three weeks later the cop returned to the station. have you been?” the sergeant hollered. “Edmonton,” the cop answered, “That red light was on the back of a moving truck,” “Where December 6, 1944 , May Make Juve Pix in Canada (Continued from Page 1) scheduled again since 1942. To get the juvenile audience a club system is used. The children become members of a club, wear its badges, sing a club song and take part in various outside activities of which the film program is the central object. This system is currently sponsored by J. Arthur Rank. The proceeds go to the future production of exclusively juvenile films. The ideals of honesty, kindness, courage, friendliness, etc., are depicted in cinematic story form. The children react favorably with this form of presentation. Scripts are okayed by an advisory council representing all British groups. interested in juvenile education. Groups which contribute to this council are the Ministry of Education, Home Office, National Union of Teachers, Association of Educational Authorities, Association of Boys’ Clubs including the Scouts, Association of Girls’ Clubs, Parents’ Groups, Women’s Institutes, Townswomen’s Guilds, the BBC and the Library Association. Rank farms out the juvenile entertainment films to various independent producers. Mary Field is now working on a plan to provide films for children, produced in all the British Dominions and in MHuropean countries. This plan is designed to have films showing British children something of the lives of boys and girls in other lands; to give them a global human kinship. To this end Miss Field has already made contacts in Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Czechoslovakia and other European countries. She believes producers in other countries will, in time, turn out product which Britain can use and is examining the possibility of an international children’s film league. Miss Field hopes to produce two-hour programs for 52 weeks annually within the next five years, but does not believe that she will be able to make more than an hour’s running time for the first year or so. J. W. Hicks of Para FP Can'd'n Director John W. Hicks Jr., president of Paramount International Films, Inc., was elected to the board of Famous Players Canadian Corporation at a meeting of the directors Jast week in Toronto. He replaces Stanton Griffis, now commissioner for the USA Red Cross in the Pacific area, residing in Hawaii,