Canadian Film Weekly (Sep 1, 1948)

Page 6 Short Shots Variety Honors Charlie Skouras Thanks to Syd Goldstone, who was present, I have the program of the first Great Heart Award dinner of Tent 25, Los Angeles, Variety International, in the Ambassador Hotel. George Jessel was the toastmaster and among the speakers were Joe Schenck, Ted Gamble, Louis B. Mayer and Bob O’Donnell. Dinah Shore and Dr. Giovanni were listed for entertainment and Syd says that Bob Hope was a surprise guest. Skouras told how he had arrived at St. Louis from Greece in 1909 with $150 in his pocket. “And when I left St. Louis in 1932, I owed six million dollars,” he said. “It proved that America is the land of opportunity—that is if you live long enough you can pay it off.” Having left Greece as a boy, he speaks neither that language nor English smoothly. “But,” pointed out the man who earned the largest salary in America in 1947, “hard work is the same in any language.” I have heard Charlie and Spyros Skouras speak and to listen to either is a rare experience full of wit and wisdom. The Los Angeles affair reminded me of the one we held earlier this year, at which Conn Smythe was given the Order of Human Being, First Class, which seems to have anticipated the Great Heart Award Idea. Personally I would like to see some unusual Variety social activity, such as luncheon meetings with the amusement world’s own kind of fun, perhaps. Too much canot be done to keep fraternity alive along with benevolence. ~ Thanks again to Syd Goldstone, who sends you his regards from California. * * * About This and That. You won’t be able to enter 277 Victoria Street, pass through Mavety’s and then to Fox to get to Paramount on Bond Street any more. Arthur Silverstone has ruled Fox out as a thoroughfare . . . Steve Doane’s son, Harvey, a lawyer, was the guest of Bill Redpath at the Variety Club... Nat Bresver of the Oak, Brandon, visiting the home town . . . Max Pelly is the new operator of the Joy ... Win Barron was one of the judges of the Miss Canada contest in Hamilton ... York Roads Commission . threatens to cancel drive-in licenses if they don’t stop gumming up traffic .. . Dick Main has acquired the Roxy, Grimsby, from the Fingold interests. Famous Players convention takes place at Niagara Falls in October . . . Jack Fitzgibbons and Bob Eves taking a month course in business administration at Western U .. . Harvey Kathron, after five years as a Fox salesman in the Toronto territory, has switched to SRO... 20th Century Theatres has acquired the Rex, Mimico . . . Dick Lewis’ Canadian Broadcaster is now “and Telescreen” .. . Archie Laurie’s Xmas present to Stan Gosnell is still in the former’s desk. Archie insists that Stan call for it and Stan demands that it be delivered. Larry Stephens, formerly of UA and now with the J. Arthur Rank Organization, has been acting as liaison... Marg Doerr, Ed Wells’ secretary, has retired» to domestic «life and has been succeeded by Barbara Lightfoot. We’ll all miss Marg, a very pleasant person. What’s with Canadian International Screen Productions and when will they get going on those Mono pix? ... Mel Jolley, promoted from the Marks, Oshawa, to the Century, Hamilton, was honored with a dinner at the Genosha Hotel. He’s as nice as he’s capable, that Mel—and he’s plenty capable . . . Bill Williams, formerly of Sudbury, succeeds Jolley in Oshawa... Mart Simpson, formerly of the Century, Hamilton, will manage the new 20th Century Yonge Street house, the Downtown, which will be a revelation in theatres . . . Redecorating begins at the Imperial, Toronto, on September Ist. Canadian FILM WEEKLY | ‘ Brief Yarns The Tales They Tell FAR FROM ME be it to laugh at my fellow-craftsmen. The Globe and Mail’s Jim Coleman recently did a column about the startling whims of the lads who tell you about the rest of the world. He reminded me of the reporter I knew who liked the juice and didn’t show up for a couple of days. “You were supposed to be here on Sunday night,” the editor said. “Isn’t this Sunday night?” the reporter asked, surprised. Then there was another with similar failings who worked in a Canadian city with two newspapers. He was extremely capable so that when one fired him the other took him on and he went on that way for years. Once, after a joust with the juice, he was on the street again. He got an idea after several weeks for a good story that would get him another job. There had been complaints about the local jail and he suggested that he would commit a minor infraction, accept a sentence and write the story of his experience. The editor agreed and gave him some money in advance, They discussed what sort of violation the reporter was to commit and the editor suggested that he heave a brick through a window. The reporter left, headed for a saloon where he loaded himself for a 30-day drought, and weaved down the street to begin the business. After a while a large plate glass window challenged him and he threw the brick. The crash brought people on the inside to the front in a hurry, among them the editor who had given the reporter the idea. The window was that of the newspaper. _ Even then the editor decided to make the best of it and went along with the plan. In 30 days the reporter was out— and couldn’t remember a thing. The cops and guards all knew him and liked him, so to make his stay more comfortable they had sneaked whiskey to him. Since none let the others know, the reporter always had more whiskey than ever before. And I just heard about the editor of a beverage trade paper who was fired for his terrific cover idea. On the cover of his Christmas and New Year issue he showed the traditional baby— holding a beer bottle. RAN ACROSS this translation of an old German poem: “Should you meet my true love, Say I greet her well; Should she ask you how I fare, Say she best can tell. “Should she ask if I am sick, Say I died of sorrow; Should she then begin to weep, Say, I’ll come tomorrow.” AT THE VARIETY CONVENTION in Miami this year Harold Stassen, who was a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, told a touching story. During the Pacific war he had been with an American rescue party which entered a camp so remote that it could only be reached by air. American soldiers had been the prisoners of the Japs in that camp for three years. They had been starved and beaten and many had died. One soldier came out to greet them. Although he was now a mere caricature of a human being, it was this soldier whose. dauntless spirit and wonderful leadership had kept alive the morale of his comrades and their faith in eventual victory. The Japs, knowing this, had inflicted cruel punishment on him. The soldiers of the rescue party spoke to him. He did not answer. They spoke to him again and again and he did not answer but just looked at them. Minutes went by and at last he broke the silence. “Forgive me,” he said softly. “You are the first free men I have seen in three years.” September 1, 1948