Canadian Film Weekly (Feb 7, 1945)

Page 12 The Rambler Strikes Back “DAMBLING WITH ROLY” I Young, the George Jean Nathan of the Casino kickshow, spreads my ill-fame abroad with this paragraph in the Toronto Globe and Mail: ‘Hye Bossin, who edits the Canadian Film Weekly, has been taking quite a joy in ribbing me lately. However, I can wait. Mr. Bossin’s paper will shortly hold its annual poll to determine Canada’s choice of the Best Ten Pictures of the year, and I just can’t wait to see how my pal is going to juggle the votes to agree with the ads! Hi, Hye!’ Why, Rowland, you cad! Reflecting on your pal’s journalistic integrity thusly. It will be blunderbusses for two and coffee for one, sir! (No cream, no sugar for me.) Incidentally, a blunderbuss, says Mr. Webster, is a “firearm with a large bore.” We had better weigh in before the battle. As for waiting, remember, “They also swerve who stand and wait.” Especially on the free luncheon and cocktail circuit, where we often cross forks. Joking about journalistic corruption, (as you were) I might add, Rowland, that I don’t think you should have taken as personal my remark about a movie columnist: “As a reviewer he is famed for his low price of ten dollars per star or one bottle of Scotch.” O, those pinchy shoes! I wasn’t thinking of you at the time. However, now that you are wise to me, why don’t we pool our graft? You can have 60 per cent on account of your previous accounts and greater earning power. (To those who think Roly isn’t kidding about the Ten Best Polls: Ballots are examined by accountants as well as ourselves and are still on hand for anyone's inspection at any time.) Afterthought: That Youngy ain’t a bad fellow at all. Look at all the space he helped me fill in a slow week. Odeon Partners Odeon partners and executives from various part of the country were in town for conference with Paul Nathanson and took time out to fraternize with the folks. Henry Morton of Winnipeg, Harry Friedman of Edmonton and Harry Bercovitch of Regina, all partners, were in. Harry Boothe of Vancouver had a special reason for wanting to be here. His son, Jack, is the Globe & Mail’s political cartoonist. Also responsible for those great caricatures of Canadian and international celebrities on the walls of Maison D’ore, French restaurant on Asquith. ee Ne bs Yer. No Beardless Youth Warner’s Glen Ireton has shaved off that much-talked-about beard. He is now beardless but no youth. I commented on Mr. Ireton’s eliminating his beard from the scene to the candy stand girl in the building and she said, ‘He looks the same to me.” Hadn’t even noticed it. Glen had a series of funny photos taken of himself while removing the beard and threatens to send them to Hollywood stars with a note: “I’ve been trying to plant your pictures for years. Now try to plant some of mine.” Unmistaken Identity Montreal police picked up a lost child who identified himself as “Winston Churchill.” Reminds me of the story about the boy delivering groceries in a Hollywood suburb. He was asked his name. “Humphrey,” he replied. ‘“My Jast name is Bogart.” “Humphrey Bogart?” enquirer remarked. ‘“That’s a pretty wellknown name around here.” “It darned well ought to be,” said the boy. “I’ve been delivering groceries around here for four years!” : Canadian FILM WEEKLY OnThe Square with Hye Bossin : Swell Contest For “Since: You Went Away” Wannie Tyers, manager of the Capitol, Niagara Falls, really put something over that touched the hearts of the local folk. Wannie got up a “Since You Went Away” baby contest, each entrant having been born after daddy went overseas and only those who have never been seen by their fathers being permitted to compete. Photographs of each baby were shown on a page in the Niagara Falls Evening Review, the page being sponsored by local merchants. The public was invited to cut out the photos and send them in as votes. Winners got prizes. Swell idea and execution. Toss-Up Bill Cupples of the Granada, Dunnville, got a laugh out of his own marquee recently. It read: GAMBLER’S CHOICE UP IN MABLE’S ROOM Red Cross HQ The Ottawa Red Cross Transport has been operating from a vacant store which had been placed at their disposal free by a kindly landlord. Recently the landlord had a fire in his office and found it necessary to use the store for himself. The Transport was homeless. So Steve McManus, manager, found them room at the far end of the Elgin Theatre lobby. The telephone company put a buzzer phone in for them. Theatres find many uses in crowded cities. “P.S.” says Steve: “They sure are lovely girls.” Seems to Me “Psychological warfare” is a popular term right now. Just another name for showmanship. Too Cold When you exhibitors beef about the cold weather, read the following from the Dawson News, Yukon Territory: No Show Tomorrow Night — Too Cold. As announced elsewhere in this issue of the News, there will be no show at the Orpheum Theatre tomorrow night (Wednesday) owing to the drop in temperature. Kebruary 7, 1945 Nice Work, Ted HERE are times when the work of a manager does not come under such a general head as public service or the war effort but is just part of his own deep human sympathy and desire to help an individual. Recently in Bollet, Ontario, a hamlet 30 miles from Rouyn, five of the 13 children of Bruce Caron and his daughter-in-law lost their lives in a fire that took place in their home. The family needed help. It was Ted Soucie, manager of the Alexander Theatre, Rouyn, who got things under way. He arranged for a theatre night and worked with his fellow-citizens. They received gifts of merchandise which were auctioned off. All in all the citizens of Rouyn and Noranda, attending the theatre at 30 below zero, raised almost $1,000. La Frontiere, the French newspaper in Rouyn, praised Soucie’s work as organizer. It wasn’t for that that Ted did it but because that’s the sort of a fellow he is. Jingle Bells The Monogram Social Club, composed of Oscar Hanson’s flock and presided over by George Thurling of Microfilm-Microstat, held a sleighing party topped by dancing at the Log Cabin, near Islington. It was fun, they say. Notes on the Back of an NSF Cheque Sean Edwin, conductor of “the sound track’ in the Montreal Herald, reports that George Ganetakos of United Amusements recently reecived a postcard from his step-brother in Greece, the first news from him in four years. The stamp cost 4,000,000 drachmas . . . In Quebec children under 16 are banned from cinemas whether accompanied by adults or not—which caused the same Edwin to comment: “What’s That Again? Dept: The Famous Players silver jubilee ad the other day, showing father, mother and two minor children going into a movie. Page Mr. Duplessis!” . . . Teddy Gee, Shea’s doorman, had his picture in every large daily in the country, he being the doorman in the institutional ad referred to in the previous item . .. Gordon Lightstone—The boys say hurry back. All gin rummy has ceased because of your absence, according to them . . . In Halifax the Salvation Army used to run films on Wednesday afternoons for kids. It’s all off now because Someone stole film and projectors. €