Canadian Film Weekly (Jan 29, 1947)

January 29, 1947 Famous 25 Year Clubs Meeting (Continued from Page 1) and the second in the Social Suite, Hotel Vancouver, Vancouver. Date of the Winnipeg dinner was the 15th and the Vancouver one took place on the 20th. The concluding affair is set for the Crystal Ballroom, King Edward Hotel, Toronto, on the 30th. Bach year, in addition to new members and their wives, members previously inducted and their wives are invited to be present. More than 150 persons are expected to attend the Toronto dinner, which will be the largest. There are now 89 members. New members are offered their choice of a wrist watch or a bond and are presented with a diamond-set membership pin and a certificate of appreciation. They are given an extra two weeks va cation with pay each year. Wives of members are presented with a silver compact decorated with the crest of the club. “The Famous Family Album” of photographs of new members is issued each year. Attending the western dinners and tdking part in the inauguration ceremonies were J. J. Fitzgibbons, president; R. W. Bolstad, vice-president; Lawrence I. Bearg, western division manager; Morris Stein, eastern division manager; and James R. Nairn, director of advertising and public relations. Ottawa Staff Shift By Famous Players Ray Tubman, district supervisor for Famous Players Canadian Corporation announced recently two personnel changes at the Capitol and Regent Theatres in Ottawa. William Cullum, who joined the staff of the Regent after his discharge from the RCAF two years ago, has been promoted to assistant to Tubman, manager of the Capitol. : Nick Tremblay, formerly attached to the house staff of the Regent, returns to his position as assistant to Henry Marshall, manager of the Regent. "Time, Place, Girl’ Sets New Record Warner Brothers’ “The Time, the Place and the Girl,” in the face of opposition from three other musicals, broke all existing house records for any one day at Odeon’s Capitol Theatre in Hamilton on its first Saturday recently, according to the report of Connie Spencer, manager. —. Canadian FILM WEEKLY Salamis Replies To Report Critics (Continued from ‘Page 1) 14, “Principal Statistics for Film Exchanges in Canada, 1930 to 1945,” gives a combined figure in 1930 and from 1933 to 1939 inclusive under the heading, ‘Total Receipts.” From 1940 to 1945 (inclusive) film exchange revenue is shown under “Total Receipts’ to be from three sources subheaded respectively “Film Rentals,” ‘Advertising’ and ‘Other Sources.” In Salamis’ report he lumped the three and used the single figure as film rentals, thus adhering to the method of the Bureau of Statistics in 1939 and earlier. For instance, in 1945 the Bureau showed $17,490,264 under “Film Rentals,” $358,250 under “Advertising” and $127,953 under “Other Sources” and Salamis added these figures together to show film rentals as $17,976,467. Using the combined figure as the basis for his computations, Salamis claimed in his report, which was distributed to executives and the trade press, that 32.41 cents of every dollar taken in at the boxoffice in Canada goes for film rental, a higher ratio than that of the USA, which he contends is around 30 percent. He also claims that rentals have increased by 25.6 percent during three years, whereas receipts have gone up only by 19.3 percent. Following the publication of his report the distributors expressed themselves as being’ puzzled as~ to the source of his figures but, because they seemed at odds with government totals, declared them to be erroneous. Their major objection was Salamis’ failure to deduct 16 mm. rentals, amounting to $1,198,016 from the the government figure of $17,490,264 in 1945, before he began his computations, In the matter of his use of the combined figure, Salamis says that expenditures for trailers used to advertise coming films are added to film costs and he saw no reason why the revenue from posters and other advertising materials should not be included in the figure on which he based his computations. In the past accessory costs were included in film costs, he says, and not with other advertising expenses such ag newspaper ads. From the standpoint of the exhibitor, the distributors’ position regarding the inclusion of 16 mm. rentals in the total revenue is not a fair one, states Salamis. Such films, played in church halls and public places, provide everincreasing competition for 35 mm. theatres and give the distributors revenue from the same product being played in standard theatres. If there were no 16 mm. films 35 mm. theatres would receive more business and would therefore be able to increase the amount paid to the exchanges. “Apparently,” he writes, “in order to reduce the amount shown for the total film receipts in 1945, the distributors prefer to leaves out this additional revenue.’ Figures do not lie, he observes, and points out that the results depend on how they are interpreted, and that those offered by him, if the government precedent is given consideration, are identical with the figures offered by the Bureau of Statistics. Apart from the figures given by both sides, Salamis claims, records from the majority of exhibitors of operation since 1941 will show higher rentals and a disproportionate increase, which is what he describes as “‘the esSence of the report.” The increased film rentals are due mostly to the increasing number of Specials offered each year. “We should not forget Newton’s Law of Gravity, ‘To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction,’” he concludes. “Tf the exhibitors are not treated fairly, now that controls are out, there is bound to be dissension, which may lead to court disputes and government interference — as is the mess across the border. I hope that a central committee representing all the exhibitors will be formed to deal with their problems in the same way as the distributors’ central committee.” USP Buys Novel United States Pictures has purchased Roy Huggins’ ‘Nothing but the Night” and will place it on the 1947 production schedule. Vol. 12, No. 5 January 29, 1947 Address all communications—The Managing Editor, Canadian Film Weekly, 25 Dundas Square, Toronto, Canada. Published by Film Publications of Canada, Ltd., 25 Dundas Square, Toronto, Ontario. Canada; Phone ADelaide 4317. Price 5 cents each or $2.00 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter. Page 3 McLean Is Made NF Board Head (Continued from Page 1) the University of Manitoba, he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship in 1927 and subsequently studied at Balliol College, Oxford, travelling extensively throughout Europe and the Caribbean. After winning another scholarship and ROSS McLEAN receiving his B.Litt. he returned ° to America to do special work with the Unemployment Relief Commission of Illinois. On his return to Canada in 1932 he became secretary of the Association of Canadian Clubs. He was also Ottawa correspondent for various publications including Saturday Night and the Canadian Forum. In 1935 he became editor of publications for the National Liberal Federation, later becoming private secretary to the Hon. Vincent Massey, former High Commissioner for Canada to the United Kingdom. McLean has been with the National Film Board since its beginning in 1939 working on the various aspects of documentary films. In 1941 he was appointed assistant government film commissioner and deputy government film commissioner in 1943. In 1945 he filled in an acting capacity the post left vacant by Grierson. The film commissioner as chief executive of the National Film Board advises on the production and distribution in Canada and abroad of all Canadian government films. He also dirécts the production and distribution of the film board’s films, film strips, photographs and displays for the federal government. Theatre Fire Slight A minor blaze occurred recently in a*pile of wood shavings near the stage of the Famous Players Oxford Theatre in Halifax, NS, causing negligible damage. Firemen responded to the alarm but patrons did not leave the theatre.