Canadian Film Weekly (May 30, 1945)

Page 10 Theatre Safety Wins Praise Theatre safety in this country and across the line won great praise from T.A. Fleming, director of conservation for the National Board of Fire Underwriters, New York, at the joint meeting last week in Quebec City of the Dominion Fire Prevention Association and the Association of Canadian Fire Marshals. “Of all the various industries in the United States and Canada,” stated Mr. Fleming during his address, “I am glad to pay honor to the motion picture industry as a whole—producers, distributors, exhibitors, for not alone their co-operation with state and provincial Fire Marshals, but also for their own effort in working for prevention of fire hazards. They have done more good work along this line than any other industry in our domestic economy.” Among those who represented the motion picture industry at annual meeting, which was held at the Chateau Frontenac, were A.S. Dickinson, Hays Office, New York; Col. John A. Cooper, chairman, 16 Mm. Distributors Association; E. H. Wells, executive secretary, Motion Picture Distributors Association; and A. H. Jolley, executive secretary of the Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario. Col. Cooper acted as chairman during the joint conference dinner. He was honored with election to the newly-created post of past president. Canadian FILM WEEKLY CNCarbon Appointments Cc. V. EDWARDS R. P. HALL R. F. TILLEY R. M. LYNCH S. R. SPENCE W. F. BUTTERS To prepare for a progressive post-war program, a number of changes have taken place in the executive organization of the Canadian National Carbon Company Limited. Mr. Ewart Greig, Vice-President and General Manager, has announced the following appointments: _ General Sales Manager, Mr. R. F. Tilley, formerly Prairie District Sales Manager. Merchandising Manager, Consumer Products—Mr. C. V. Edwards, at one time Ontario District Sales Manager. Merchandising Manager, Industrial Products—Mr. S. R. Spence, formerly Man ager, Carbon Sales Division. For the carrying out of an efficient sales and service program, Canada has now been divided into three major divisions with the following managers in charge: Mr. W. F. Butters, Western Division with offices in Winnipeg; Mr. R. P. Hall, Central Division, with offices in Toronto and Mr. R. M. Lynch, Eastern Division, with offices in Montreal. Merryl Lewis to WB Pub Staff Merryl Lewis has been appointed assistant to Glenn Ireton, public relations director for the Canadian district of Warner Bros. Pictures, following the recent visit to Toronto of Mort Blumenstock, in charge of eastern advertising and publicity. The creation of the new position is in line with Warners expansion of field exploitation forces. Miss Lewis has been identified with promotion work for major film companies in London, England and New York City, and is well known in Canadian film circles. Ireton was assigned to Warners’ Canadian district about five years ago with headquarters in Toronto. It is expected that the addition to the staff will permit him to spend more time in the field, covering key openings throughout the Dominion. Passes MORRIS MILLIGAN For many years identified with distribution and exhibition in Canada, he passed away in a Toronto hospital of a heart attack on May 28. Above is an informal photo taken at the annual meeting of the Pioneers, a May 30, 1945 NFB Prominent at Frisco Showings Nine National Film Board documentaries are scheduled for showing during the San Francisco conference at the special theatre in the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, with “And Now the Peace’’ being exhibited twice. Some objections have been made by those in charge of films from other countries at the alleged favor shown Canadian reels. Hostess at the conference theatre in the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, San Francisco, is Mary Losey, who was borrowed by the American State Department from the National Film Board to take charge of the documentary showings. Miss Losey is following the policy of showing only official films which have been made by government agencies or approved by the various foreign offices. Information representatives from every country were called together before the showings began to choose the pictures each wanted for his country. Western Hemisphere documentaries have been made by the USA Office of War Information, Canada’s National Film Board, and the Office of Inter-American Affairs. The OWI films are narrated in anywhere from eight to 22 languages with “Steeltown” reaching the top figure of 22. American films included ‘“‘Autobiography of a Jeep” and “Pipeline,” made by the OWI and “High Plane,” “Sao Paulo,” and “Mexican Moods,” made by the Office of Inter-American Affairs. Other documentary showings have included “Films About the United Nations,’ “Films of France,” and “Films of the USSR.” Film fare at the conference is not restricted to documentaries however, for the movie tastes of the delegates are being catered to, not in one but two theatres. The United Nations Theatre, formerly the Alcazar, has been contributed by Charles Skouras, president of Fox-West Coast Theatres, and opened by the movie industry for free showings of the world’s top entertainment and variety films. In addition to all this Hollywood has pooled its facilities for the production of a daily United Nations Conference newsreel. Managerial Change The Garry Theatre in Alberta recently underwent a change in management when James C. Crawford took over operation of the theatre from Frank Shephard who has been managing the house for the past few years. Crawford was recently discharged from the RCAF where he held the rank of flight lieutenant,