Canadian Film Weekly (May 5, 1948)

May 5, 1948 <a Variety Convention Pictures These photos were taken ati the 12th annual convention of Variety Clubs International in Miami Beach. 1. Here’s what makes Variety international. Left to right—Bob Graham, Cuba, a member of the Mexico City tent; Felipe Mier, Mexican delegate; Luis Monies, chief barker, Mexico City; Bob O'Donnell, international chief barker; Morris Stein, Heart Committee head for the Toronto tent; and Rube Bolstad, Toronto delegate. 2. Stein; Chick Lewis, editor of Showman’s Trade Review and head of Variety public relations; O’Donnell; Bolstad; and Hye Bossin, editor of the Canadian Film Weekly. 8. At the South Seas Party. In the centre are Col. William McCraw, Variety executive director, and Hye Bossin. 4. At the Stassen reception. From the left—C. J. Latta, second international assistant chief barker; O’Donnell; Harold E. Stassen, leading candidate for the Republican nomination for the USA presidency; Jack Beresin, international property master; and Mare Wolf, international dough guy. 5. Mr. and Mrs. Morris Stein and Mr. and Mrs. Rube Bolstad are shown relaxing over a cool drink in the Surf Room of the Roney Plaza. 6. At the Humanitarian Award dinner which closed the convention. Shown on the dais are Stassen; O’Donnell; Col. McCraw; Lewis; Mitch Wiolfson, general charman of the convention; and Bob Floyd, mayor of Miami. 47. O'Donnell presiding at the meeting. From left to right are Beresin; Latta; Wolf; O’Donnell; and Lewis. <a WANTED 100 Veneer Theatre Chairs, Complete and in good con tion. Reply BOX 20 CANADIAN FILM WEEKLY 25 Dundas Square, Toronto FOR SALE Theatre business and modern home in B.C. near Okanagan ‘Valley, showing good profit in payroll the year round town. Cash sale, $9,500. Reply BOX 21° CANADIAN FILM WEEKLY 25 Dundas Square, Toronto Canadian FILM WEEKLY McLean Denies That NFB Extravagant (Continued from Page 1) had increased from 15 to 20 per cent. He also made it plain that the NFB is not in competition with commercial photographers, a charge made by G. K. Fraser, MP from Peterborough, and ‘supported by some of the lensmen. Regular commercial rates were charged by the photo service library. The taking of industrial pictures had been discontinw2d where commercial photographers were available, and “events” were not being covered. The statement of the NFB chief to the newspaper is important, for a special House of Commons’ committee may be appointed shortly to enquire into the operations of the government film agency. The estimates of the board, McLean said, have dropped from the peak year of 1945-46 when the total vote was $2,425,965 to the estimates for 1948-49 totalling $1,905,910, a reduction of $520,055. The reduction, he stated, of estimates for 1948-49 compared to 1947-48 fiscal year ending March 31, 1948, is $202,964. The above figures do not include work of the film board done for other government agencies, For example, McLean gave the total 1947-48 vote for the National Film Board as $2,108,874. But added to that amount was $418,712.15 of contract work for other government agencies, $111,611.51 for production of other “visual materials” and $24,000 for “sponsorship of services,” 2, final total of $2,663,197,66 for the year ending March 31, 1948. He said, however, that there had been a decrease in this work for other agencies from approximately $1,200,000 in the fiscal year 1945-46 to about $550,000 for 1947-48. The total salaries of the board for the calendar year 1947 ending Dec. 31, McLean said, were $1,442,394.08. These salaries covered all paid in connection with film production, displays, film strips, photographs and other graphic materials; skilled people, directors, script writers, artists, cameramen, film editors, composers, musicians. The salaries of such personnel are the principal cost of production. Also the salaries and travelling expenses of all engaged in production and processing. Cameramen must be sent into the field to take pictures. Projectionists must travel to exhibit pictures on rural circuits. It is wrong to deduct such salaries from total expenditures and say the balance represents cost of producing films. Actwal cost of the celluloid is very small, Total travelling expenses for the calendar year 1947 were $263,589.20. While the total number of persons employed by the National Film Board last year was 760, the highest total staff at any one time, on January 31, 1947, was 680, and the lowest number, Dec. 31, 1947, was 592. McLean pointed out that rent, which last year amounted to $100,000 in Canada and $138,959 in other countries, was paid by the Public Works Department, which also took care of telephone costs. These costs are defrayed by the Public Works Department for ‘all public departments of the government and he saw no reason why the NFB should be an exception. Three Threaten Suit Over Fox’ "Curtain’ Three Canadians, James Scotland Benning, Eric Adams and Dr. David Shugar, have threatend to take legal action against 20th Century-Fox and exhibitors who show “The Iron Curtain,” in a recent letter sent to Spyros Skouras, president of 20th-Fox, by Sidney Schreiberg, New York attorney who specializes ‘in libel law. Schreiberg stated that he had been retained in behalf of the three men to commence immediate action in the event the film is found to have libelled his clients. He also pointed out that retractions, apologies and damages had been obtained by one of his clients from newspapers and magazines, which had libelled him in connection with the cases that had resulted from the Canadian Royal Commission’s report. Vol. 18, No. 18 May 5, 1948 .HYE BOSSIN, Managing Editor Address all communications—The Managing Editor, Canadian Film Weekly, 25 Dundas Square, Toronto, Canada. Entered as Second Class Matter. Published by Film Publications of Canada, Ltd.. 25 Dundas Square, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Phone Aldelaide 4317. $2.00 per year, Page 3 Wright To Emp-U Vancouver Office (Continued from Page 1) He succeeds Leslie Plottel, who resigned. Wright entered the film business as a poster clerk with Empire Films in March, 1935, and a year later was promoted to the booking department, where he remained until made manager of the contract and playdate department for Canada in June, 1938. He returned to the Toronto branch as the office manager but left in 1942 to enlist in the RCAF. After three years with the air force, in which he was winged as a navigator and did a tour of operations, he rejoined Empire-Universal’s Toronto branch in his old position as office manager, holding that post umtil his present promotion. Leslie Plottel resigned from the Vancouver office to join his brothers, Ernie and Ben, in their ladies’ ready-to-wear business in Vancouver. He entered the motion picture industry as a salesman for RKO at Toronto in 1932, later joining Empire-Universal as a salesman in the same city. He was later moved to Vancouver by the latter company, remaining there until leaving the industry. Fines Urged For All Kids At "Adult’ Pix The 26th annual convention of the British Columbia ParentTeacher Federation passed a resolution asking the provincial government to fine parents and managers of theatres who permit children under 14 to see ‘‘unsuitable’ films.