Canadian Film Weekly (Jun 25, 1947)

June 25, 1947 Negotiate For AB Pathe Franchise (Continued from Page 1) Taylor, are prominent in the company which holds Canadian distribution rights to British National films. British National, headed by Louis Jackson, is a wing of ABC-Pathe Pictures. He was pleased with the distribution of British National in Canada and in the boxoffice reception of “Meet the Navy” and other films from that company, Gumpel said. It is not unlikely that the holders of that company’s Canadian franchise will also be awarded the -ABC-Pathe product, although Gumpel refused to name the negotiators or indicate which might be successful. ‘Three million dollars are being spent to overhaul the company’s © studios and these will be ready in September. “We wish to return to our place as Britain’s leading film producers,” the British executive said, pointing out that As‘sociated British Pictures, with 500 theatres, is the leading circuit in the United Kingdom. Next year its combined production interests will turn out 16 features for the world market. The recent history of the company says much for the possibility of pictures on par with those from the leading studios of J. Arthur Rank. Warner Brothers, important ut minor shareholders, made the news public early this year that it intended to produce six top-budget films jointly with ABC and that WB men would be in charge of their production, with the company prepared to provide the best of everything at its disposal. An ABC film which is only now attracing attention on this continent is “Picadilly Incident,” which was awarded the London Daily Mail honor—the British Oscar—as the best native film of 1946. MGM will release it in the USA and Canada. Produced and directed by Herbert Wilcox, the film stars Anna Neagle and Michael Wilding. Other films, which will probably be offered through the successful negotiator for the Canadian franchise rights, are‘’Temptation Harbour,” which stars Robert Newton and Simone Simon; “While the Sun Shines,” Starring Ronald Howard, son of the late Leslie Howard; and “Brighton Rock,” with Richard Attenborough. Two Jolson Films Reissued by Fox Two Al Jolson pictures, “Swanee River” and ‘‘Rose of Washington Square,” will be released this summer by 20th CenturyFox. Later Jolson re-releases are Planned but none in Technicolor due to shortage of color film, Canadian FILM WEEKLY Maple Leafs Lose But Kids Win (Continued from Page 1) ed the game. Highty young ladies from Eaton’s recreation club sold flowers to the crowd for from 50 cents to $50, helped by the lively comment of Radio’s Joe Crysdale, an enterprise conceived by Doug Rosen, who captained a lively committee. Another interesting means of adding to the profits was a fine 25-cent souvenir program supervised by Jim Nairn of Famous Players, whose Jim Campbell and Bert Brown did great work in promoting both advertising and . prizes. Photo-Engravers, through Barker Charlie Cashman, did the engraving gratis and Alter Printed Products printed the cover on the same basis. A photographic record of the occasion was made by Nat and Lou Turofsky of Alexandra Studios. Chief Barker John J. Fitzgibbons helped officiate during the draw and Morris Stein, chairman of the Heart Committee of Tent 28, had a busy time. Crippled children occupied the Royal Box. Despite the rainy weather which marred the,week before the game, the Variety Club was. lucky enough to have clear weather and many came from out of town. All in all, it was a highly successful evening and a promising start for the chain of events to follow for the fund. The eighthplace Leafs looked that way part of the time because of errors— and the rest of the time, through good hitting and brilliant double plays, semed like a team capable of starting on a long drive toward the leaders. Writer And Director Form Own Company John Reinhardt, director, and Robert Presnell, Sr., screen writer, recently formed a new producing company, Arpi Productions. They were recently associated with Wrather Productions’ two initial films, “The Guilty” and ‘High Tide.” Pair have three properties ready for early filming. They are “Rendezvous,” “Ambush” and “Straw Hat.” In addition they have an-option on a play. Above photograph was taken at the recent conference of a s, v ~~ 4 % 3, “ie bs —— & at ros i ee ee ~ ———e : ; Fox’ Sales Managers’ Conference 20th Century-Fox’ sales heads at which Canada was given the status of a division on a par with the five others in the USA. Formerly the Dominion had only been a district of an American division. Shown, from the left, are J. H. Lorentz, Central Division sales manager; O. E. Peppiatt, Mid-East Division sales manager; R. E. Moon, Yankee Division sales manager; William C. Gehring, assistant general sales manager; Andrew W. Smith, Jr., general sales manager; Sydney Samson, Canadian Division sales man-" ager; Herman Wobber, Western Division sales manager; and H. G. Ballance, Southern Division sales manager. Vol. 12, No. 26 June 25, 1947 eT” HYE BOSSIN, Managing Editor SS ee ee ee 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, Oata Canada, Phone ADelaide 4317. Price 5 cents each or $2.00 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter. Page 3 Kingston Group In Production Setup (Continued from Page 1) to exceed $600,000. Headquarters of the enterprise is Kingston, Ontario. Leading figure is Larry Cromien, who was producer of “Bush Pilot,” shot by Dominion Productions, last summer at an estimated cost of $100,000. Dominion Productions, which is headed by Geoffrey Wood, Toronto industrialist, is now inactive and will likely remain so until rentals from ‘Bush Pilot,”’ which is being distributed by Screen Guild in the USA and Great Britain and PRC in Canada, indicate whether further production is financially feasible. Others interested are Harold Gordon Doyle and Bruce William Mathews of Kingston and the company’s. solicitor is Hugh Francis Gibson, also of that city. Austin Willis, Canadian radio player and star of “Bush Pilot,” is also connected with the setup. Cromien expects to start production in August or September and will likely make use of the facilities of Associated Screen News in Montreal and Queensway Studios in Toronto. He is said to have a deal with Screen Guild which calls for the delivery of one film this year and three. in the next. Director Signed Lloyd Bacon, director, has signed a new contract with 20thFox. Shain Appointed To New Fox Position Sam Shain, formerly director of trade relations for 20th Century-Fox, has been appointed to the position of exhibitor and public relations director and will act as personal representative of Andrew W. Smith, Jr., new general sales manager of the company. Shain joined 20th-Fox in 1943 after a career in industry journalism and has held his last post at Fox for several years,