Canadian Film Weekly (Sep 26, 1945)

Page 18 Snowdon Plans To Go Ahead (Continued from Page 1) onto is not successful. The company owns a lot on Yonge Street on the opposite side of the street, according to Morris Weiss, and will use the site affected by the judgment as a parking space. Application of F. A. A. Campbell, K.C., for the City of Toronto, requesting a modification of building restrictions to permit a theatre on the lot was refused when opposed by W. R. West, who acted for certain Snowden Avenue property owners. The City had acquired the lot some time ago and had agreed to sell it providing that the purchaser be granted the right to erect a theatre. The restrictions, part of a building scheme, prevent anything but a house or store from being erected on the front part of the lot, which is Yonge Street. According to the judgment “|. The application is opposed very strongly by nearby residents of Snowden Ave., a quiet residential street, who fear that although a lot is to be provided for the parking of cars, patrons of the theatre will park their cars in front of their houses to their inconvenience and _ that there will be noise and general inconvenience. . . . In this case I am not satisfied that there is dny balance of convenience in favor of the application... . Stores are permitted and the city would have many opportunities no doubt to sell to people contemplating the erection of a store as time goes on. Also there being another theatre close by, the community is well served and I see no necessity for a second so close. The application will be dismissed with costs if asked.” The Bedford, a 20th Century theatre, is on the block which holds the Snowden site. Jules Levey, Independent Hollywood producer and his brotherin-law, Morris Weiss of Toronto, are interested in Snowdon Investors, which has plans for eight theatres, part of a scheduled 25. Fromkess Appointed Goldwyn Vice-Prexy Leon Fromkess, who recently resigned as president of PRC Pictures, has been named a vicepresident in the Samuel Goldwyn organization, it is announced. He will play a part in Goldwyn’s future plans for expanded production. Associated with PRC since the company was organized, Fromkess was vice-president in charge of production before hecoming president in 1943, New March of Time of Time subjects, of which there will be the usual 13, wETURE (2 4s (EK USS The Bishop and the Pickpocket While Cathie, on the screen of the Tivoli Theatre, left the protection of Wuthering Heights to unsuccessfully seek the moody Heathcliffe on the stormy moors of Yorkshire, another manhunt, more prolonged was being successfully ended in the auditorium. What led to the latter search was a pesky pickpocket who had been plaguing the patrons for some time. Unwary ladies who left their purses on the next seat and soldiers and airmen whose tunics, having been shed for comfort, hung behind where they sat, had reported being robbed. What caused Len Bishop, the manager, to become particularly angry was the complaint from one warrior, home but two days, that his wallet and the $150 in it were gone. As complaints increased Bishop, mentally donning the twoway hat of Sherlock Holmes, discovered certain things that led to the deduction that the same man was responsible for each act of pilferage. All took place only during a certain time of day and in an area close to the foyer, so that escape could be successful with half a chance. The pickpocket always operated during Len’s dinner hour, between 5.30 p.m. and 7 p.m. The best defence, Bishop decided, was a good offense. He got in touch with Police Sergeant Jim McGregor of No. 1 Division who, after hearing Bishop’s plan, assigned Constables Ross Riley and Tom Field to the theatre in plain clothes. Len sent a dozen passes to the canteen each day and those who used them agreed to tempt the thief by letting their tunics hang backwards over their seats. The constables, Riley and Field, were new to the force and so were not yet known to hardened criminals, nor had they that affidavit of police affiliation, the authoritative manner. Each dinner hour they sat and watched the area occupied by the servicemen. Sure enough, one supper show P. C. Riley noticed a man changing seats so as to be nearer Sergeant-Major J. Vultican, whose tunic hung over the seat in a tempting way. Vultican seemed absorbed by what was going on on the screen and interested in the lady beside him. But he felt a tug on his tunic and waited until he was reasonably certain that his wallet had changed locations, then grabbed the thief’s wrist. Riley headed for the scene but not before the pickpocket had offered Vultican his wallet back. It was the policeman’s initial arrest. —— POWELL The thief, whose police photo is shown above, is named Harold Powell. Magistrate Brown gave him six months in jail. He would have gotten three years but for the fact that Vultican’s wallet contained under $25, the limit for that sum or under being what he did get. Bishop did every downtown manager a favor by nabbing Powell. When Bishop finally saw the man who had been upsetting things around his theatre he recognized him immediately. Powell, you see, often played billiards at Karry’s, where Daley, Bishop and I play an occasional after-show game or two during winter evenings. So Bishop, in noting that the robberies always took place in his absence, was rather observant. Powell always made sure Len wasn’t around to recognize and watch him. Mr. Bishop, flattered and amazed by his own cleverness at detective work, has undertaken to find Charlie Ross, Judge Crater, Ambrose Small and Adolf Hitler—if alive. Hitchcock's Next “Palestine Problem’ has been Alfred Hitchcock, foremost named by 20th Century-Fox as Hollywood mystery director, will the first of the 1945-46 March direct “Notorious,” co-starring for RKO. Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman, September 26, 1945 SIDNEY ALBRIGHT He has been appointed managing director of 20th CenturyFox Film Corporation in Australia by Murray Silverstone, president of 20th Century-Fox International Corporation. Albright recently resigned from United Artists and takes over his new post in October. MPTAO Holds Annual Meeting October 23 Annual luncheon meeting of the Motion Pictures Theatres Association of Ontario, will be held on October 23, at the King Edward Hotel, Toronto, it is announced by Arch. H. Jolley, executive secretary. Election of officers for the ensuing year will take place at this time. WB Employees Club Elects Executive Warners’ employees club, Toronto, elected the following officers for 1945-46 at a meeting held at the club rooms last week: Sam I. Shapero, president; Wm. McGuire, vice-president and entertainment committee chairman; Eva Cohen, vice-president and membership chairman; Theresa Mancino, secretary; Aldo Maggiorotti, treasurer. Haskell M. Masters is chairman of contributions and loans. The following were elected to the entertainment committee: Wm. McGuire, Rosanna Katz, Rosalyn Sheffe, Christine Grant, Max Applebaum, Norman Tit cher and George Altman. Sam Shapero, president, reports that varied activities are in the offing for the employees club after Warners moves into its new building which will be equipped with an up-to-date recreation room for the use of the members, , =