Canadian Film Weekly (Sep 26, 1945)

September 26, 1945 RKO Into Orient With 16 Mm. Pix RKO, through Leon Britton, supervisor for the Orient and the Far East, has made known its intention of staging a drive on that field with 16 mm. films. Britton estimates that the smallguage films couJd develop a new audience of 100,000,000 among peopte who have yet to see their first film. At the same time United Artists has begun to show an interest in 16 mm. and prefab theatres for Latin America. Britton, who has been in South America for RKO since the Japs closed his Singapore office, wasn’t sure whether a special structure would handle 16 mm. or whether present offices would add it to their tasks. Mobile units and existing structures, if suitable, would beused for exhibition. Prints in 16 mm. will be made of each RKO feature and short and title superimposed if necessary. Competition is expected from the Phillipine film industry, now being revived, which plans to enter the 16 mm. field in its territory. RKO is the second company to announce expansion into 16 mm. in a large way, Loew’s International having announced a 16 mm. division to serve the world, with the exception of the USA and Canada. Spencer's Next Pic Spencer Tracy’s next MGM picture will be “Before the Sun Goes Down,” produced by Pandro S. Berman. Josephs Named Aide To Abe Montague In line with Columbia’s policy of promotion from within the ranks, George Josephs, manager of the sales accounting department has been named assistant to general sales manager A. Montague. Josephs came to Columbia in 1928 as a bookkeeper while still attending New York University. RKO Profits Down In First Half Year RKO and all subsidiaries reported a net profit of $2,421,778.78 for the 26 weeks ending June 30, 1945, after all charges were deducted. This compares with $2,588,493.02, net profit for the first half of 1944. Provisions for estimated income and excess profits tax for the first half of 1945 were $3,340,000 as against $4,377,000 for the same period of the previous year, Catherine McLeod and Philip Dorn, Canadian FILM WEEKLY SS stars of Republic’s Technicolor film “Concerto,” study the Rachmaninoff second piano concerto for their roles in the picture, while producer-director Frank Borzage (with pipe) looks on. Both players are required to learn all the correct fingering for the difficult composition, but the concerto will actually be played by Artur Rubenstein, one of the world’s greatest pianists, who will play for the first time for motion picture audiences in ‘‘Concerto.” Jules Levey Surveys Public Movie Tastes Jules Levey is conducting a survey of the public’s taste in motion pictures. He is querying 15,000 exhibitors to determine what type of pictures he should make during the 1945-46 season. Listing 12 backgrounds for motion pictures which are of proven dramatic and boxoffice value, Levey is attempting to determine which of these, in the exhibitor’s opinion, has the highest mass appeal rating. Included in the list are the following types of stories: war, gangster, love, domestic drama, mystery, light musical, western,. sea, costume, family comedy and sports. Levey’s current production for United Artists release has been renamed ‘Abilene,’ after General Eisenhower's home town in Kansas. The film is based on “Trail Town,” a best-seller whose story closely parallels the factual story of Abilene. Rank Again Head of Producers’ Society Following his re-election as chairman of the British Film Producers Association for the third straight year, J. Arthur Rank stated in London, that except for the very serious lack of studio space, the future of British films ‘is very bright. Assistance of the Board of Trade is expected to be sought in an effort to hasten the present slow rate of studio de-requisition, it is reported. Numerous films have also been put back because of the delay in returning prints to regular industry usage. Columbia's Ad-Pub Director Returns Having received his discharge from the United States Army, Corporal David A. Lipton is returning to his post as director of advertising, publicity and exploitation for Columbia pictures. He was on leave of absence while in the service. Lipton will also serve as public relations consultant to the War Activities Committee for the remainder of that organization’s existence. Three Star Picture Orson Welles will star with Edward G. Robinson and Loretta Young in International's “The Stranger,’”’ a new melodrama for RKO release. Halifax Theatres Admit Vets Free War veterans who are patients in military hospitals at Halifax, NS, have been admitted free of charge to the Capitol and Casino Theatres in the Maritime city for more than two years. This was made possible through the arrangements made by J. W. Howe, supervisor of YMCA War Services, in cooperation with the managers of the Famous Players and Odeon theatres. About 50 walking cases from the Camp Hill Hospital attend the Capitol Theatre twice weekly and similar groups from the Naval Hospital and Cogswell Street Hospital attend the Casino Theatre at specified times during the week. Free transportation is provided for the patients from the hospitals to the theatres by the Pender Bus Service. Page 19 Grad Sears Drive Gets Nice Boost Several dozen bookers and theatre executives were present at an informal but successful party and buffet supper, held reecntly in the Toronto offices of United Artists, to celebrate the Canadian division’s part in the Grad Sears $100,000 Sales Drive, which will continue until December, 1945. Douglas V. Rosen, Toronto branch manager, and Charles Chaplin, UA’s Canadian division chief, acted as hosts, with Doug in his customary fettle—which is the traditional “‘fine.”’ Surprise of the party was the unexpected presence of popular Ed Schnitzer, United Artists home office executive and captain of the general drive, who made a flying trip to be present. Chaplin had just arrived back in Toronto after a 6,000 mile jaunt around UA’s Canadian circuit and he was particularly jubilant about the standings of Canadian exchanges in the sales drive. He expressed the belief that the present line-up of pictures is one of the greatest ever to come under the United Artists banner. Pictures now on the company’s release schedule include David O. Selznick’s “Since You Went Away” and “I’ll Be Seeing You”; Hunt Stromberg’s “Guest in the House”; Bing Crosby’s “The Great John L.”; Edward Small’s ‘Abroad With Two Yanks”; Sol Lesser’s “Three is a Family”; William Cagney’s “Blood on the Sun”; Andrew stone’s “Bedside Manner’; Lester Cowan’s “Tomorrow the World” and Ernie Pyle’s “Story of GI. Joe’; Jack Skirball’s ‘The Chair” and ‘‘Guest Wife’; Charles Roger’s “Delightfully Dangerous”; J. Arthur Rank’s ‘Mr. Emmanuel” and “Colonel Blimp”; David Loew's “The Soutnerner”’; the National Film Board’s “World in Action” short subject series; and the Technicolor cartoons “Daffy Ditties.” Civic Stadium For . Toronto Approved Toronto’s Board of Control has approved the building of a civic stadium seating between 30,000 and 40,000 persons, on the site of the CNE grandstand. It is also to be established through the conversion of the present structure and the remodelling of the grounds at an estimated cost of $40,000. Elwood Hughes, general manager of the CNE, and C. E. Chambers, Toronto parks commissioner, have been appointed to handle the project which is expected to be completed by the fall of next year.