Canadian Film Weekly (Sep 5, 1945)

eee Page 6 R. Pearson, Censor For Alta., Quits (Continued from Page 1) ment, it was announced by Honorable A. J. Hooker, provincial secretary, who has jurisdiction over movie matters in Alberta. Pearson came to Alberta in 1904 as a Methodist minister and held pastorates at Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer and Lethbridge. Later he became general secretary of the YMCA in Calgary and it was there that he joined the 89th Battalion, CEF, for service in the first world war. Promoted to the rank of captain, Pearson was wounded — at Courcellette in the Battle of the Somme in 1916. Upon his recovery he served overseas with the YMCA for ten months and then he was returned to the army, serving at army corps headquarters. At the end of the war he was with the 9th Canadian Employment Corps at Bonn, Germany. In 1917 Captain Pearson was elected to the Alberta Legislature as a soldier member and after the war he was returned for a five-year term as an independent member of the Legislature for Calgary. Moving from Calgary to Lethbridge in 1924, he was pastor of Wesley United Church in that city for four years until he entered the service of the provincial government as chief movie censor on September 1, 1928. Prominent in Alberta sport circles, Pearson was president of the provincial hockey league, the rugby league, the soccer league and the Provincial Amateur Athletic Union at different times during his career. He was born in Huron County in 1879 and graduated from the University of Toronto in 1904 with a BA degree before taking up residence in the western province. He leaves public life after a long career in which he served as a churchman, soldier and legislator before entering the service of the provincial government. Upon the announcement of his retirement he drew the editorial praise of the Edmonton Bulletin. . “A motion picture censor is not largely in the public eye,” the editorial stated. “His work is not signed with a flourish. Indeed the summit of his success is achieved when his activities are not discernible at all. “And yet, with imagination, judgment and a deep sense of moral responsibility, he must maintain constant guard over a form of entertainment and education which has a profound effect on the public mind. Too little censorship can do _ untold harm to public thinking. Too much censorship can ruin art. Another ‘Bounty’ Cy n the wy SQUARE “wilh ‘NS BOSSI Lest We Forget Speaking of Bill Weiss, as is the case elsewhere in this issue, a letter from his son, Jerry, still! overseas with the USA army, contains. these lines: “Yesterday I saw Dachau. This was an experience I will never forget. I have seen death in the field, but it was nothing like the scene of scientific, economical and brutal murder which was Dachau. In this camp I saw the chambers in which 200 to 300 persons were gassed daily, bones of bodies piled to huge heights, rooms in which the stink of death was so strong it nauseated you. Thousands were butchered in this camp. The only consolation was the sight of the SS camp commandant chained in his room stark naked awaiting his too-lenient execution, for all to 5ee.” The poison of racial and religious antagonism is creeping into the unlikeliest places and increased vigilance on the part of those who are in a position to prevent it should’ be a duty. Short Throws Andy “Lefty” Sinclair is back at Emp-U after several years in the navy... Mr. and Mrs. Ben Geldsaler celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary recently and a good many of their friends in the trade were present to congratulate them . . . Desire for theatres by the inhabitants of rural communities overlooked by trade men or considered too small has led to civic. bodies being formed, which will sell shares. Folks are going to have their entertainment, come what may... It was nice to read that a Canadian, Fletcher Markle, Winnipeg-born and an RCAF veteran, won one of those $1,500 literary fellowships offered by 20th-Fox. . » « Someone was mailing Tom Daley of the Imperial a batch of useless gasoline coupons every day as a gag. Investigation revealed that it was Sam Fingold, partner of the Quiet Dale (Ralph) and the Bounding Main (Dick). It’s my opinion that such tactics, are designed to unnerve Daley for the next golf game ... Ralph Tiede, Community, Welland, gave the kids fan photos and had to run an extra Tuesday matinee to accomodate the crowds... Got to chatting with a blind war veteran the other day and he says the biggest street hazard for fellows like himself are post-boxes that hang from posts. Always running into them ... The after-midnight stag for Curly Posen, who resigned from the Metro management to become supervisor of an Ohio chain, was fun. Al Perly was toastmaster and he introduced Ray Allen, Bill Weiss, Pete Budd, Harry Goldhar, Harry Lester, each of whom rcviewed some aspect of Curly’s career. The most humorous comments on Curley weremade by Ray Allen, through and by whom he was employed for years. Ray revealed that he had dropped into a hand laundry and that the guy in charge, on hearing his name, said that he was a frustrated actor. That was Curly, who, following Ray’s sponsorship, became an emcee and later an orchestra conductor ... While at the Century, Kitchener, Maurice Coste collected 68,000 books and magazines for armed services reading and raised $1,300 jointly with the Legion for the Sick Children’s Hospital. : Win Barron Sick, Clark Gable wil play the lead in MGM’s “Christian of the | Bounty,” sequel to “Mutiny on the Bounty.” “With tact and efficiency, Mr. Pearson has steered an amazing ly effective course between the ; two.” Pearson and his wife are now leaving Alberta to live in Vancouver, together with their daghter, Mrs. Lloyd Linnell, and their grandson. The Pearsons’ son-in-law, an RCAF officer, was killed in action over Europe and is buried just outside Berlin. At St. Michael's Win Barron, Paramount’s promotion representative in Canada and commentator for its Canadian newsreel, is ill in St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, with a throat ailment. He is one of the nicest guys in our neighborhood, everyone agrees, and we all miss his friendliness on those days when he is home. Win has to hop to New York every week for the newsreel sound track job, come any kind of weather and. a fellow gets plenty of chances to pick something up that way. September 5, 1945 Real Fire Danger At NFB Studios (Continued from Page 1) ecntinued workers here in a place where, one day, there will be a really serious fire and the probable loss of many lives.” A short circuit in the generator board of the control room caused a flash fire of considerable intensity and resulted in injury to two NFB employees. Miss Winifred Thompson sustained a badly burned hand and arm and Mrs. Winona Pulley: blank was overcome by the fumes. The government has announced that it will erect new studios for the NFB. B & L Wins Ruling Against Odeon Sale Odeon Theatres of Canada Limited have been prevented from taking possession of the Roseland and Academy theatres, New Glasgow, NB, through the sustaining of an injunction obtained by B &L Theatres agains the deal. uy at Abe Garson, Odeon’s Maritime head, and the estate of the late NN. W. Mason have been ordered not to transfer any of the stock in the Roseland Theatre Company, original holder of the theatres, until the matter comes un for trial in the fall. The dispute over ownersh'n and sale of the theatres first arose between Mason, who sold his interests to B&L, and Frank Sobey and other’ stockholders. An accord was reached out of court and the theatres were sold tc Odeon. This brought the protests of B&L, who are trying to establish a prior claim. BUILDS CREATES NEW PATRONAGE Here Is What | Foto-Nite Does! Rio, Sudbury started July 17th — triple average business. Radar, Deseronto started August 14th — triple average business. Stanley, Stouffville started August 15th —triple average business. What more proof do ycu need that Foto-Nite js a great Box Office attraction? Write, wire or phone today to our nearest Branch Office for further details regarding Foto-Nite. | eS