Canadian Film Weekly (Jul 27, 1949)

A VOICE of the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY TF Vol. 14, No. 30 TORONTO, JULY 27, 1949 $2.00 Per Annum Griesdorf Odeon General Mgr. Resigns From IFD To Accept Lawson Appointment General manager of Odeon Theatres of Canada, on August ist, will be David H. Griesdorf, who has resigned as head of International Film Distributors to fill that post, which has been vacant since the resignation of Haskell Movie Construct n On Par With 47 Maintaining the rapid pace set in the last few weeks, theatre construction in the Dominion is creeping up on the records set in the peak year, 1947, and as of the present time has exceeded the like periods in 1948 and 1946. New listings included the opening of a (Continued on Page 3) 82 Shorts From Warner Bros. Warner Brothers will release 82 short subjects and 52 issues of Warner Pathe Canadian News during the 1949-50 season, it was announced by Haskell M. Masters, Canadian general manager, on his return from the company’s international sales conven (Continued on Page 5) UK Industry Mourns Ernest Fredman Managing director and editor of the Daily Film Renter, British trade poper, Ernest Walter Fredman died in London ct 65 after a brief illness. He was one of the best-known figures in the Englishspeaking part of the film world. His Tattler’s Gossip was an institution of the British industry and he enjoyed the personal friendship of its leaders. Forty years ago he entered film trade journalism and in 1927 he converted the Film Renter from a weekly to a daily. Last year he sold the company to a new group but retained editorial control under a long-term contract. Mr. Fredman, who was widely known as “Freddie,” is survived by his widow and one son, Eric, who is connected with Imperiado Pictures, the Herbert Wilcox ~ company. Bernard Charman has succeeded the late Mr. Fredman as managing editor and business head of the Film Renter. Manitoba Exhibitors Oppose DSTime Mesho Triller of Winnipeg was re-elected president of the Manitoba Motion Picture Exhibitors’ Association during the recent annual meeting in the Windsor Room of the Royal Alexandra Hotel, Winnipeg. Fifty-eight members were pre CHARLIE REAGAN JOINS METRO Charles M. Reagan, who resigned in February as vice-president in charge of distribution for Paramount Pictures, has joined the executive sales staff of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was announced in New York by Nicholas M. Schenck, president, and William F. Rodgers, vice-president and general sales manager of Loew’s, Inc., parent company. Reagan will assist Rodgers and others at the home office with the many problems caused by recent developments in the industry, it was said. Reagan, who is a native of Lawrenceburg, Ind., and a graduate of Notre Dame, was with Paramount for 29 years, having started with the company as a salesman in Cincinnati in 1920. He was subsequently district sales manager, Western sales manager and assistant general sales manager, becoming top sales executive in 1944. It was understood at the time of his resignation that he would enter exhibition but this apparently fell through. sent, including 22 from rural Manitoba and A. E. McLean of Rainy River, Ontario, a community which is part of the Winnipeg distribution territory. The annual report was given by B. K. Beach, secretary, and the president reported on the projectionists’ examining board, Richard Miles on employers’ col (Continued on Page 5) RKO To Release RKO will release Blind Spot, top budget suspense drama which will be produced by Jack H. Skirball and Bruce Manning. “SIGNS of the TIMES” WALLACE PUBLICITY LIMITED 20 CARLTON STREET TORONTO Masters in 1945. No successor has been appointed by IFD as yet. The appointment was made by Hon. J. Earl Lawson, KC, president and managing director of the J. Arthur Rank Organization of Canada, of which the 116-theatre Odeon circuit is a division. Griesdorf knows considerable about the Odeon organization, for he was manager of its British Columbia district until his resignation in April, 1945. His former colleagues in Odeon organ (Continued on Page 3) Bresler Contracted Jerry Bresler has been signed to a producer contract by Columbia. \ Sins Producers Win First Round The motion of Maynard Film Distributing Company Limited for a stay in the action against it by Canadian Motion Picture Productions Limited was dismissed in Osgoode Hall, Toronto. This gives the latter the first round in its legal battle to reco (Continued on Page 3) Every Film Has Its Own Patrons “There is an audience for every picture that was ever made,’”’ MGM’s Movie Memo stated recently in an article which developed and qualified that premise. Helen Aikenhead, reviewer of the London (Ontario) Free Press, devoted a full column to (Continued on Page 9) UA Celebrates 30th With BO Boosters Very few old-timers in the film business will quarrel with the statement that “The history of United Artists Cor poration is, in effect, the history of modern-day motion pic tures. With the formation o f the company as an interna tional distributing organization 30 years ago, the motion picture industry took a tremendous step forward and quietly officiated at the demise of the nickelodeon period.” Even historians won't challenge that statement — even if United Artists did make it. With all due respect to the contribution of United Artists to (Continued on Page 9) Theatre Transferred G. Mallard has taken over V. J. Sherloski’s 175-seat, two-day Kerby Theatre in Whitemouth, Manitoba. Extra Revenue to the Exhibitor : 13 Editions of these highly interesting Magazine Films (450') are now being released to Circuit and Independent Theatres (one every four weeks). Between entertainment subjects three short advertising shots appear, “Signs of the Times” has strong audience appeal,