Canadian Film Weekly (Nov 20, 1946)

Page 8 GEORGE W. PETERS Recently elected to the executive committee of Odeon Theatres by the board of directors, of which he is a member. He is secretary of the company and executive assistant to the president. "Northern Rampart’ “Northern Rampart” is the latest RKO This Is America release. "If You Knew Susie’ ‘Tf You Knew Susie” is the title of the Eddie Cantor-Joan Davis starrer formerly titled “Rich Man Poor Man,” on which production is slated to get under way the first week in December. E.J.HALL KEnwood 060) TORONTO 10, ONT. 618 Oakwood Ave. Canadian FILM WEEKLY Exhibs Still Waiting, Says Spokesman (Continued from Page 1) justice of the exhibitors’ position and will show a willingness to meet again with their representatives in an endeavor to resolve the dispute amicably. “At least, such a meeting would indicate recognition of the exhibitors’ right to have an opinion on a matter which is vital to his existence and have that objection acknowledged and discussed mutually. We have had one meeting but I am sorry to say that it was fruitless.”’ Meanwhile members of the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association were due to meet again and it is assumed that the controversy, the most serious and the broadest one in years, would be discussed. Exhibitors’ associations and leading circuit and Independent operators have gone on record as refusing to sign any contracts con Crawley Films Game Crawley Films Limited, Ottawa, recently filmed a complete game of the Alouette Footba!l Club of Montreal. The team has contracted for the movie in order to study the play both of themselves and their opponents. To Direct ‘Guilty’ John Reinhardt has_ been signed to direct Monogram’s “The Guilty.” Albert Field Dead Albert Field, superintendent of the Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto, passed away recently in his 7ist year. A native of England, he was well-known in industry circles for his achievements on patriotic projects during the war years. Levey In London Jules Levey of the Hal Roach Studio, is in London, England, to arrange for the British premiere of “New Orleans,” which wound up production recently. Gem, Fairview, Not Sold, As Stated We are informed by K. E. Purdy of Purdy’s Circuit Shows, Edmonton, that the Gem Theatre, Fairview, Alberta, has not been sold. Completion of arrangements to sell the house to one Sam Laurie of Hussar, Alberta, was reported in the Fairview Post recently and repeated here. Purdy wired a denial, followed by a letter which seemed to imply that he didn’t know Laurie. taining the amended Clause 18, which applies to percentage engagements. The distributors want increased rights to designate as revenue “any and all income,’ if they so desire, in cases where operating expenses bear on the amount to be returned to the distributor. That is but one of several new privileges, the exhibitors contend. No public statement of any kind which bears on the controversy has as yet been issued by the distributors independently or through the association. It was probable, Taylor said, that few exhibitors had bothered to read in its entirety the Canadian License Agreement until the controversy arose. “I happen to have been one of those few because my duties in the past in behalf of exhibitors’ associations required it of me. I have also observed the increase in distributors’ powers and the consequent reduction in the rights of the exhibitors,’”’ Taylor stated. “This was accomplished simply by altering the License Agreement to cover in the future any point lost by arbitration or in court. Since, in the last number of years, we have undoubtedly been operating in a seller’s market, the distributors had little trouble doing this.” Failure to protest vigorously has encouraged distributors in that direction. ‘Any exhibitor who will read and study the License Agreement in its entirety would probably find clauses more potentially dangerous to his rights than even a revised Clause 18.” What seems to be the present attitude of the distributors is not only shortsighted but can have a serious effect on their own welfare in the future, Taylor contended, pointing out the state of the industry in the USA right now. “Among the letters of support from all parts of the Dominion is one from a prominent independent exhibitor suggesting that the Canadian License Agreement be approved by the Attorney-General of each province and by Ottawa in the same manner as the standard machinery contract and the standard fire insurance policy,” he said. “I’m sure the distributors wouldn’t care for that. Common courtesy, mutual discussion and amicable compromise are the things that will best enable the industry to continue to rely on self-regulation, rather than attract outside interest in its administration.” November 20, 1946 _ ——es More Theatres Being Readied ' (Continued from Page 1) Another 1,000-seat theatre will be built in Quebec City as part of a $500,000 building being planned by a Montreal and Quebec syndicate. The site is on St. John Street and Begin and RousSeau, Quebec architects, are drawing the plans. Work has started on the $130,000 Famous Players’ theatre on Eglinton Avenue, near Peverill Hill, Toronto. J. A. Facey, Toronto, is the architect and Jules Wolfe is in charge for the company. Plans have been prepared by Twentieth Century Theatres for a $50,000 500-seat theatre on Bloor, near Church Street, Toronto. j May ist may be the starting date for work on the $100,000 Oshawa, Ontario, theatre for Odeon, to seat 1,000. The same company is receiving tenders for a $300,000 building with a 1,500seat theatre on Bank Street, Ottawa and a 1,444 seat house on Dundas Street, Ottawa. Bidding is still on for the $150,000, 750-seat Windsor, Ontario house announced by Paramount Windsor Theatres. Construction may start in six month on Harland Rankin’s Alvston, Ontario, theatre, of which 50 per cent of the cost will be subscribed locally. Rankin also has plans for Thamesville, Ontario. Vancouver City Council refused a permit for a drive-in in Vancouver like the one now at Burnaby, BC. Warners Buy Book Warner Brothers has purchased the soon-to-be-published Lester Fuller and Edwin Rolfe story, “The Glass Room.” Variety Meeting Toronto’s Tent 28 of the Variety Clubs of America will hold its last meeting of the year on Thursday December 12th at 6.30 p.m. in the Tudor Room of the Royal York Hotel. Perkins, 25-Year UK Para Men Honored Adolph Zukor, chairman of Paramount Pictures, last week officially installed J. E, Perkins as chairman and managing director of Paramount in Great Britain, succeeding David E. Rose, and also initiated 58 members of the organization into the Paramount 25-Year Club, at a banquet held to commemorate the occasions, at which a party of Paramount executives were present,