Canadian Film Weekly (Jun 20, 1945)

8 FT = SS ES, EERE EE at oh June 20, 1945 Shea s Victoria Awaits Permit (Continued from Page 1) The -number of seats in the house,”'1995, is spread over the ‘orchestra and the first and sec ond balconies. The top balcony will not be used. Minor alterations will be made and some painting done but, except for the replacement of the silent projection equipment with that of modern sound machinery, the house will remain generally as is. The house was given some renovation a while back when it was required for presentation of the army and other shows. Plans for alterations have been approved by the provincial Theatre Inspection Branch. Chief purpose of the reopening is to help provide. playing time for Famous Players first-runs, the facilities of the Tivoli, Shea’s and Imperial not being ample enough in the face of strong business and long runs. It is presumed that this situation will continue when hostilities with Japan are concluded. Shea’s Victoria was opened by the late Jerry Shea in September, 1910, as a two-a-day vaudeville house. Shea closed his Yonge street house and moved his activities to the new and larger theatre. With vaudeville declining, the Victoria was closed on May 24, the usual summer clossing date, and not reopened in the fall. The vaudeville was moved to Shea’s Hippodrome, built in 1914, when it reopened in September for the new season. Shea’s, renovated several years ago, is now a first-run house playing top pictures. The Kinetograph was the first projection machine installed in the Victoria, showing silent short subjects as part of the program. Talkies were experimented with but dropped. The house has been used occasionally for amateur and other stage productions, as well as public meetings. Twenty Years at WB Albert S. Howson, Warner Brothers’ director of censorship and scenario editor, recently completed 20 years with the company. Boyer, Bacall Star In Warner Bros. Pic Charles Boyer and Lauren Bacall will star in the Warner Brothers picture, ‘Confidential Agent,” which will be directed by Herman Shumlin and pro ‘duced by Robert Buckner. Katina Paxinou will play one of the top supporting roles in the picture, her first role since winning the academy award in “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” Canadian FILM WEEKLY At the Hanson Picnic Here is a scene at the picnic of the Hanson enterprises, held at Charlie Mavety’s Circle M Ranch at Kleinburg, Ontario. In the foreground, in chef’s rigging, is Oscar Hanson. Next to him is Mrs. Hanson, seen talking with Bill Bailey, who recently completed 50 years in theatre business, then retired. Crosby Goals Em In Montreal Stop Bing Crosby, Bob Hope’s fellow-star and friendly enemy at Paramount, drew mobs of admirers wherever he showed up in Montreal during his recent visit to the Canadian Professional Golfers Open Tournament, 4 $10,000 competition. More than 8,000 spectators watched the Academy Award winner play unseriously and put on an impromptu concert on the green. Crosbys’ arrival at the Islemere Golf Club, where the tournament took place, was heralded by a squadron of motorcycle cops and a mixed shrieking of women and sirens but even with police protection he still managed to lose part of his shirt. He told the women, “It’s all right girls... I’m not Sinatra,” and took it all in his stride. He was not formally entered in the tournament but a large gallery followed him as he went around the course. Prior to his appearance at the golf club Crosby visited and entertained veterans at the Queen Mary Road Military Hospital and the Saraguay Convalescent’s Hospital. On his arrival at Montreal's Windsor Station, Crosby was greeted with the usual reception but he departed in greater seclusion after being entertained by Emile Collette, president of the Canadian Professional Golfers Association, at a small private party in the Royal Suite of the Mount Royal Hotel. Crawley Heads Film Society F. R. Crawley was elected president of the National Film Society, Ottawa branch, at the annual meeting of the organization in the lecture hall, National Museum, Ottawa. Crawley succeeds Lieut.-Col. W. A. Steel, who served two seasons as president. Other officers elected were: secretary, A.J. Thomas; treasurer, J. P. Barwick; directors, Mrs. E.A. Davis, Miss K. M. Fenwick, Mrs. F.R. Crawley, H. O. McCurry, E. W. Harrold, Maj. Paul Belcourt, J.P. Labelle, KC, Roby Kid, Lieut.-Col. Steel; Film Survey group directors, Stanley G. Hawes, Ernst Borneman, Graham McInnes, Guy Glover; auditor, P. F. D. Ellis. In his presidential report, Col. Steel spoke of the steady progress that had been made during the year by both the regular branch and the Film Survey group. The combined membership was in the neighborhood of 750, with the group doubling its membership over last year. Votes of thanks were passed to the Ottawa newspapers, O. J. Silverthorne of the Ontario Motion Picture Censorship Branch, and the National Film Board. e e "Movieland Magic' Warner Brothers will soon produce ‘“‘Movieland Magic,” a Technicolor short subject telling the behind-the-scenes story of motion picture production. Page 9 Winter Garden To Open Again (Continued from Page 1) in the top storey of the building which houses the Loew’s lower Yonge street theatre, has been closed for 15 years. The main theatre has never ceased. operation since it was opened on December 16th, 1913, and the Winter Garden was ready for business about a year later. Architectural plans, approved by the Theatre inspection Branch of Ontario Treasury Department, call for alteration of the interior to a simple modern design. The former appearance of the auditorium was rustic, with leaves decorating the pillars and hanging from ‘a wire mesh ceiling. The sacrifice of more than 400 seats will allow those used to be wider and provide more leg room. Washrooms will be installed for both sexes and these will be on different sides of the theatre. The three elevators which serviced the old Winter Garden will be put to use again and the Victoria street exit, now opened only at the conclusion of the theatre day, will be utilized. The inside boxoffice, unused for many years will be reopened. The stage on which the vaudeville performances of the main auditorium were repeated in other days will be retained. New production equipment will be installed, the present machinery having been used for silent pictures. A poster still on display in the Winter Garden gives the name of the last film shown there —“The Temptress,” with Norma Shearer. Policy of the house will be based on product conditions at the time of its opening. In some cases the same picture may be used in both auditoriums, in others double bills will be staggered. It is a certainty that roadshow pictures, offered on a reserved seat basis when necessary, will occupy the screen part of the time. The theatre will help relieve the product jam that has endured in downtown houses for the past few years. . Jules Bernstein is still manager of the house and Jack Clarke assistant manager. Both have occupied their posts for many years. New Monogram Post Goes to Broidy Monogram Pictures’ board of directors, appointed Steve Broidy to the new post of executive vice-president in charge of operations, at their Chicago confab. The new post is in addition to Broidy's duties as general sales manager.