Canadian Film Weekly (Dec 31, 1947)

Page 6 NEB Canada Aid McLean States Chief purpose of the National Film Board “is to help Canadians in all parts of Canada to understand the ways of living and the problems of Canadians in -other parts,” Commissioner Ross McLean in a broadcast address over Ottawa: station CKCO recently. McLean’s talk was one of a Series arranged by the Professional Institute on government departments. ‘The Commissioner spoke of the contributions of NFB personnel to Ottawa life. NFB musicmen Jack Kash and Lou Applebaum, he declared, had worked closely with Dr. Allerd de Ridder to found and promote the Ottawa Philharmonic Orchestra. He mentioned Kash’s founding the nowfamous Kash.Concerts for children which teed off with 200 in the audience last year and opened this season with an enthusiastic, 1,000 kiddies attending.The Com‘ missioner also mentioned various NFB people who work with community -groups including the Drama League, the RA (Ottawa Civil Service Recreational Association), camera clubs, National Film Society and art groups. NFB people are associated with the National Capital Planning Committee. Upcoming. NFB productions McLean spoke of included films for the United Nations Film Board, “The Maps We Live By,” “Common Concern” (on FAO), “TLO” on the International Labor Organization, and “Hungry Minds” on UNESCO. Nearing completion are “Saguenay” and “The Double Heritage’ on the Lake St. John area and the Eastern Townships in Quebec, and a longer film on the building of Canada’s French tradition. Released this month will be “Eyes On Canada,” Carries On release about the infiuences that determine Canada’s external policy and the way the ‘Dominion shares with others the work of the United Nations organizations. McLean spoke of the eventual closer relationships in Canada between films and radio with the coming of television. Eddie Cantor Film Being Prepared Jack L. Warner, executive producer for Warner Bros., has assigned Harry Kurnitz, veteran scenarist, to write and produce “The Story of Eddie Cantor,” based on the life of the noted stage, screen and radio comedian. This will be Kurnitz’s first assignment under his recently signed long-term Warner contract as writer-producer. said: Government Film. a Canada. Paramount Pictures Ups Shorts Program Paramount Pictures, Incorporated, will release 24 cartoons in the 1947-48 season, six more than issued by the company the previous year. Included in the schedule will be shorts in three motion picture color’ processes—Techni color, Cinecolor and Polacolor. It was also revealed by Oscar’ A. Morgan, Paramount short subject sales manager, that a further increase to 30 cartoons is jedan! for the 1948-49 season. ; Sturges To Direct Mark Twain Story John Sturges, director who re ‘cently completed Columbia’s “The Sign of the Ram,” which marks. Susan Peters’ return to the screen, was assigned: yesterday _ by the studio to direct “Best ' Man Wins.”: ._ . The film, based on Mark . Twain's classic, ‘The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” will present Edgar Buchanan as Jim Smiley, bettor and the central character of the HON Creates New HIEIMONEIG|: PRESENTS THE THEATRES GREATEST MONEY MANE CREATING, AND SUSTAINING HOX OFFIC BE RECORDS Head Offics NOW LOCATED IN NEW ENLARGED PREMISES 431 Yonge St., Toronto EL. 7796 Quebec & Maritimes QUEBEO CINEMA BOOKING REG'D. 164 Sherbrooke West Montreal Western Canada FOTO-NITE DISTRIBUTORS, Inc. 1246 Burrard 8t., Vuncouver, a PLY Canadian FILM WEEKLY MGM Will Produce the perennial © .Starring John = Mills, Glenn Ireton To -on an equal .of administration, . proaching Jolson Sequel Following completion of nego tiations between Louis B. Mayer ~ _and .Al Jolson, it was announced that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer will bring to the screen “a sequel to “The Jolson. Story” to be produced by Edwin Knopf. Jolson will work directly with Knopf on an original story based on further colorful and exciting incidents from his life, and will be associated in. the preparation and filming’. of the . production. Hewill sing and record many of the songs he made famous and popularized during his many ~ years as one of America’s greatest entertainers. . Second RKO-Rank Production Set RKO Radio’s second picture to be made in England in associa ‘ tion with J. Arthur Rank will be’ “The. Captain Was a Lady.” It : will -be produced next summer _-with William Pereira‘as producer: “So Well Remembered, ” is the fi car rst jointly-made film: arid as: ‘$14, 762, represented. an increase _ Of $2, 447, based on the James Hilton novel, Martha Scott, Patricia Roc, Trevor Howard and Richard Carlson. ~ Renaissance (Continued from Pasel 1) tors of that company. The English-language division would rank basis with the French, stated J. A. DeSeve, president, and Ireton’s function would correspond to his in terms production, distribution and exhibition. Renaissance’s new administrative offices and studio, now apcompletion, are at 4824 Cote Des Neiges Road, Montreal. An apartment in the building is being constructed for Ireton’s residence. DeSeve, in his statement, revealed that eight story properties were ready for filming and that production activities would begin in the spring. A second studio to occupy 300,000 square feet on Notre Dame East, is contemplated. Ireton, a graduate of Colgate University, has been engaged in the theatre and newspaper fields in various capacities. He came to Canada for Warner Brothers in 1940 to handle public relations and scripted several short subjects made here by that company. He praised the National Film Board and Associated Screen News for their work in pioneering Canadian production and expressed the opinion that “Canada is virtually untapped as a source for the full development of a domestic industry.” — Island. had two operators, ‘’a motion picture, December $1, 1947 35 Mm. Itinerants Grosses Jump. Admissions to moving picture exhibitions in Canada during 1946 held by itinerant operators using 35 mm. equipment were 196,548, revealing a surprising incr-ase of, 146,590 over the previous year, during which the Agure stood at 49,958. , In. 1946 there were 13 operators in five provinces compared with five in two provinces in 1945, and these grossed $49,905, not including the amusement tax. ‘While no.total receipts for 1945 were among the government fi© gZures, amusement taxes in that year, $4, 966, urapee to $10,094 ‘in’ 1946. The 1946: figures show that British Columbia, which includes the Yukon and Northwest Terri. tories in its totals, had five operators compared with three in 1945. These played to. 36, 534 admissions compared with 37,523 in the. previous year, a drop of 989, but the receipts of 1946, ‘Quebec, which had no itinerant 35 mm: operators in 1945, became the leading province in that. field during 1946, when its three operators played to 81,068 _ admissions and grossed $17,411. Some operators withheld. figures to avoid disclosing individ| ual operations. Prince Edward the same number as in 1945, who in’ that year played to 12,435 and paid. the government $1,489 in amusement taxes.. Manitoba had: two operators and Saskatchewan one. : “ie ; "Hypo Murder Case’ Uses New Discovery Latest discovery of medical science, the Hypospray, a gadget which provides a painless substi tute for the hypodermic needle by spraying drugs through the pores without breaking the skin, will be introduced to America in “The Hypo Murder Case,” which Producer Ben Stoloff will put before the Cameras shortly. It will be an Eagle-Lion (Hollywood) release. MGM Sets Operetta From "Cimarron' “Cimarron,” the famed Edna Ferber novel which was a screen milestone as a straight dramatic film, is to be produced by MGM aS an operetta with Kathryn Grayson starred. Arthur Freed, producer of the forthcoming “Haster Parade,” will handle the production reigns and the Technicolor musical will be one of MGM’s most impressive ventures in 1948,