Canadian Film Weekly (Sep 11, 1946)

Page 8 Skyway Drive-In Asks $300,000 (Continued from Pago 1) company, which is incorporated under the laws of the Province of Ontario, take the form of five and one-half per cent dedeemable sinking fund debentures dated May 1, 1946, maturing May 1, 1956. Common stock of no par value: is being offered also to buyers of debentures at the rate of ten shares of common at one dollar per share for each $100 debenture, Of the 135,000 shares to be presently outstanding, 115,000 are being reserved for the exercise of 115,000 warrants issued in connection with the original financing entitling holders to purchase the shares at the regular rate at any time on or before May 1, 1951. Price per $100 debenture is $100 plus accrued interest. Since, with the exception of Famous Players, no: other exhibition company has offered a public issue, action of the Skyway interests attracted attention within the industry. According to what appears to be a footnote in the newspaper advertisement, “The statements contained herein are based upon information which we believe to be reliable, but are not guaranteed by us.” The advertisement indicates that the Hamilton unit, in the opinion of its promoters, will earn more than three times $16,500 per annum—or over $50,000 — before depreciation and income tax. The figure mentioned, $16,500, is the amount needed to pay the promised five and one-half per cent annual interest on the $300,000 worthof $100' debentures. The company proposes to build five such theatres, the second of which will be opened shortly near Windsor, Ontario. Harrison and Company Limited and H. B. Houser and Company were the two firms which originally formed the syndicate and the company reserves the right to redeem the debentures of this issue, in whole or in part, at its option on 30 days notice at any time at $105 plus accrued interest. Guaranty Trust Company of Canada is the trustee and transfer agent and Messrs. Wilton and Edison are legal counsel for the corporation. Welsch Joins PRC As Exec Producer Howard Welsch, who recently resigned from Universal, has been appointed an executive producer with PRC Pictures Incorporated, according to an announcement by Harry H. Thomas, president. Canadian FILM WEEKLY -1945’s Grand Gross All-Time High (Continued from Page 1) ors operating in Canada, and these reported net receipts of over $360,000, collected another $93,195 in amusement taxes, and had admissions numbering 1,581,303. The per capita expenditure on motion picture entertainment, including both ‘theatres and Itinerant operators, averaged $5.77 in 1945, figures for individual provinces standing at $8.15 for British Columbia, $7.16 for Ontario, $6.56 for Nova Scotia, $5.34 for Alberta, $5.13 for Manitoba, $4.76 for New Brunswick, $4.36 for Quebec, $3.83 for Saskatchewan, and $3.31 for Prince Edward Island. Indications that receipts would decline this year, ending the steady climb upward since before the war, were given in the preliminary report of the Dominion Bureau of Statistics but these proved inaccurate. The following table showing the expansion of the motion picture industry in Canada may be of interest. (Receipts do not include amusement tax): Receipts declined by one per cent in Brantford, two per cent in Halifax, three per cent in Kingston, five per cent in Moncton -and Edmonton, and nine per cent in St. Jean, Quebec. Motion. picture theatre attendances in 1945 could have numbered 590,967,937 had each theatre played to a full house at each performance. Actually, the number of paid admissions reported for the year was 215,573,267, indicating that on the average only 36.5 per cent of the potential maximum seating capacity was utilized at every performance. Corresponding ratios for earlier years were 35.9 per cent for 1944, 35.7 for 1943, 32.4 for 1942, and 31 for 1941. Results for the larger cities in Canada revealed that the highest proportion of average seating capacity utilized was recorded for Halifax, at 47.2 per cent. Edmonton followed closely, paid admissions numbering 46 per cent of the total possible seating capa NO. OF PAID YEAR THEATRES RECEIPTS ADMISSIONS 1980 907 $38,479,500 1983 7162 $24,954,200 nT AD ior & Toa 1934 7196 $25,338,100 107,354,509 1985 859 $27,173,400 117,520,795 1986 956 $29,610,300 126,918,547 1937 1,044 $32,499,300 133,668,450 1988 1,180 $33,635,052 137,381,280 1939 1,183 $34,010,115 137,898,668 1940 1,229 $37,858,955 151,590,799 1941 1,246 $41,369,259 161,677,731 1942 1,247 $46,461,097 182,845,765 1943 1,265 $52,567,989 204,677,550 1944 1,298 $53,173,325 408,167,180 1945 1,323 $55,430,711 215,573,267 Prince Edward Island and _ city, while ratios for other cities Nova Scotia reported declines in receipts between 1945 and 1944, while boxoffice returns in Alberta gained less than one per cent between the two years. Receipts for the other provinces showed gains of between two and nine per cent. The number of paid admissions fell off slightly in Nova Scotia while gains in admissions in the other provinces ranged up to eight per cent. Marked increases were recorded in both receipts and admissions for some of the larger cities in Canada. Revenue from the sale of tickets increased 21 per cent in Sherbrooke, 14 per cent in Winnipeg, 12 per cent in Saskatoon, 10 per cent in New Westminster, nine per cent in Saint John and Quebec City, and eight per cent in Regina, Other cities showed gains ranging from one per cent to six per cent. include 43.6 per cent for Moncton, 32.3 for Montreal, 41.7 for Toronto, 31.9 for Winnipeg, 35.1 for Regina, and 39.1 for Vancouver. These figures make no allowance for the heavier traffic at evening performances as compared with matinee exhibitions. The proportion, of actual to potential admissions would be considerably higher than that recorded in the total figures if evening performances alone were used. Peace River Theatre Changes Hands A. Pierlot, R. Bain and E. Pierlot have purchased the 296-seat Valley Theatre, the only one in Peace River, Saskatchewan, from J. J. Purnell and Sons who have owned it for about a year. D. Purnell will act as manager and chief operator for an indefinite period. Payne Quits And Sells To Main (Continued from Page 1) (Dick) Main, until last week identified with Theatre Amusements Company as a partner of Sam Fingold and Ralph Dale. Main revealed that he had withdrawn from Theatre Amusements’ exhibition operations voluntarily and amicably in favor of personal enterprise. He previously acquired the Simcoe Theatre, Sutton, Ontario. Payne entered the industry in St. Thomas, Ontario, in 1905 and came to Listowel in 1915. During ‘the war Mr. and Mrs. Payne gave tireless support to every type of campaign and cause and financlally this amounted to $41,465.88 raised through their efforts-and donations. He was a member of the Canadian Motion Picture War Services Committee and joined heartily in its work. The theatre was loaned to the Listowel War Services League 55 times during the six-year span. Payne also offered his facilities 11 times for The Evening Telegram British War Victims’ Fund, British Fire Fighters, Red Cross, Navy League, Greek, Chinese and Russian war relief drives also received proceeds from the theatre on one or more occasions, During the war Mr. and Mrs. Payne received many letters from men of 'the area who were serving overseas and presentations from several regiments. Among these was a $1,200 Napoleonic watch. His retirement -to a life of greater ease was hurried by ill-health. Dick Main, successor to Payne as Listowel’s theatre operator, was an Odeon supervisor at the time of his resignation in March, 1945, to join Fingold along with Ralph Dale, then chief booker and buyer of ‘the Rank circuit. Connected earlier with theatres in Toronto and Sudbury, Main, prior to the Odeon connection, was an executive of Hanson Theatres. ; He left Theatre Amusements officially on August ist but remains associated with Fingold and Dale as general manager of Pony Cycle Company of Canada, a post held by him since April 1. Florence Turner Dies Was 'Vitagraph Girl Florence Turner, screen star of silent days, died recently at the Motion Picture Country Home after a long illness. She was in her 60’s. Called the “Vitagraph Girl” when she became a star for that company at the age of 17, she was voted the most popular actress of 1915 by an exhibitor’s poll and until recently was still playing screen roles.