Canadian Film Weekly (Jan 4, 1956)

{ } | i Sh, a i | Canadians Spent 50c Less In 54 The average Canadian spent 50c less in 1954 for movies than in 1953, when the per capita figure was the highest on record, $8.30, and there is no doubt that the 1955 figure will drop even more. During 1953 the average admission price went up to 50c (Continued on Page 3) Victoria, Toronto To Be Demolished Shea’s Victoria Theatre, Toronto, which has had a spotty existence since its career as a twoa-day vaudeville house ended in 1926, has been purchased from Famous Players by City Parking Limited, Toronto. It will be razed at the end of January to make (Continued on Page 6) Aa VOICE of the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY TORONTO, JANUARY 4, 1956 CALLS FOR BEST SELLERS, HIT PLAYS, TOP STARS Warner Bros.’ list of pictures due for release and in production or preparation is nothing short of sensational, according to industry veterans. On deck is The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell, in CinemaScope and WarnerColor, which Six Cents Of Average 50c Price Is Tax The average admission price in Canada went up from 47c in 1953 to 50c in 1954. It is unlikely that it went any higher in 1955, in which the decline in business continued. The average admission price included amusement taxes, which reached 12 per cent of the average gross. So that the theatre averaged 44c and the provincial and municipal governments 6c. The table below includes taxes: Newfoundland... -cssccsesseceeececseesessessseeneens 43c Prince Edward Island sxenie ee NOvce, SCOPE © feesnlecccmcsescscrcscatosscopeectpeeneon ane . 42c Rey BUT SWICK: soiciecics Becaech coriancactenns eerie G Quebec .. ONntGrio: ©..-occtees ees Manitobar .....:0.-.eee Saskatchewan... A ertes inc ae eR ceo peceaaterase British Columbia ...........---::020Yukon & Northwest Territories Cinema Seating Shows Remarkable Growth Despite the drop in admissions and receipts, Canada’s movie accommodation keeps increasing. According to the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, the 1,936 “Regular” theatres had a seating capacity of 984,907 compared with 1,906 hous es classed similarly in 1953, which had a capacity of 973162. So that in 1954 there was a gain of 38 houges and 6,745 seats. “Regular Theatres” are those not classed as “Drive-in Theatres,’ “Community Enterprises” and ‘Halls Serviced by Itinerant Operators.” There may be a few 16 mm. situations among the “Regular Theatres’ but almost all were built (Continued on Page 3) Cast In ‘Crashing Las Vegas’ Mary Castle has been signed by Allied Artists for the feminine lead in Crashing Las Vegas, next in the Bowery Boys series. YjYw@GGF Two Houses Open In Alberta, Nfid. The Community League of Tofield, Alberta has opened its $70,000 Community Centre containing a 300-seat theatre. It replaces the old Community hall and theatre recently destroyed by fire. Harry Randell has opened his 300-seat house, the first in Twillingate, Newfoundland. The F. G.:Spencer’ circuit: is preparing plans to rebuild its Prince Edward Theatre in Charlottetown, PEI. The 1,050-seat house was gutted in a fire on December 14, 1955. (1955-56 CANADIAN FILM WEEKLY YEAR BOOK IS NOW AVAILABLE AT THIS OFFICE stars Gary Cooper and an outstanding cast directed by Otto Preminger. It is one of 21 features on which information was carried in the company’s recent report to the shareholders, among which is one of film history’s greatest spectacles, Helen of Troy, which was shot in Italy and stars Rossana Podesta as Helen. Among the films in current release in Canada are Illegal, with Edward G. . Robinson; Rebel Without a Cause, the much-talked-about film starring the late James Dean; I Died a Thousand (Continued on Page 3) $3.00 Per Annum FEATURE PROGRAM OUTSTANDING Scott JARO Aide To Frank Vaughan Assistant to Frank L. Vaughan, general manager of J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (Canada) Limited, is Frank L. Scott. Vaughan, who became JARO film chief when Frank Fisher moved over to head Odeon theatre operations, promoted the Western in (Continued on Page 4) Sutherland Circuit George Jenner and Arthur Currie are now operators of the H. J. Sutherland circuit in Ontario, which is comprised of the Roxy, Clinton; the Capitol and Park, Goderich; the Plaza, Mitchell; the Regent, Seaforth; and the Lyric, St. Mary’s. DONALD SUTHERLAND, 73, PASSES One of Canada’s leading motion picture pioneers, Donald Sutherland of Vancouver, died in that city last month at the age of 73. Born in Scotland, he opened his first movie house in Winnipeg in 1906. In 1919 he came to Vancouver and opened his Dream Land Theatre in a rented hall. In 1932 he built the Kingsway and in 1940 the Circle and Fraser theatres. In 1941 Odeon acquired his interests and he retired in 1945. Among those surviving are his wife Gertrude, two sons, one daughter, two brothers, three sisters and eight grandchildren. One of his sons, Gerald A., is British Columbia District manager for Odeon. The late Mr. Sutherland, who had been one of Winnipeg’s best soccer players in his youth, was an active golfer. Interment was in Ocean View Cemetery. TO BUILD IN CHARLOTTETOWN Loss of the 64-year-old Prince Edward Theatre in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, brought much regret locally, an editorial in The Guardian said. “Down through the years this theatre has been the major centre of entertainment and many magnificent productions have been staged within its walls, ranging from Grand Opera and Shakespearean presentations to minstrel shows and popular concerts of all kinds,’ the Maritime newspaper said. The 1,050-seat theatre, destroyed by fire of unknown origin during the nght, will be replaced with a new one, F. Gordon Spencer, president of the F. G. Spencer Company Limited, announced on his arrival in Charlottetown from the firm’s headquarters in Saint John, NB. The company also operates the Capitol, which is the remaining house in the city of 20,000. és