Canadian Film Weekly (Feb 15, 1956)

Observanda THE NEW YORK FLOP of Tamburlaine caused the Toronto Daily Star to admit that it was one of those that let hope influence its judgment of it as a public attraction. “The Broadway critics, who gave it a fairly warm reception, were apparently more generous than critical and may have judged the performance less on its merits than by the fact it was Canada’s big try,” it said editorially. The lone Toronto writer who said in print that Tamburlaine didn’t have it and wouldn’t make it was Stan Helleur of The Telegram. For this he was treated as though he had committed High Treason. I felt the same way and studied the NY reviews, which were interpreted as whole-hearted endorsements. I felt about them what the Star admitted — and got a bad time from pro-Tamburlaine enthusiasts. But there’s no joy in being right—or even my winning money on it . . . Tyrone Guthrie has been doing narration at Shelly’s on a how-to-produce-aplay subject being made jointly by the NFB and CBC .. . Ford Motors is laying down a big bankroll for what the CBC identifies privately as Project X — a TV series in the See-It-Now kick being shot now by four wandering camera crews . . . The Myers, Pete and Dianne, tossed a party for Bill Gehring and Arthur Silverstone, here for the C’Scope 55 rundown, with Fox folk and press people as guests . . . Jazz Festival set for Stratford. JIMMY COWAN, interested in both Labatt’s and Cinema (Canada), set up that ale-for-life exchange for the rights to the late H. L. Mencken’s bathtub-hoax story. Won. world-wide publicity. I remember many years ago reading an article by Mencken in which he explained how to drink a great deal of beer: “arrange an interregnum now and then” . . . Board of Trade Journal: “There’s a reason why you can’t take it with you. It goes before you do”... Old gentleman, asked what he thought of movies, described them and expressed disappointment: “When he wants to—she doesn’t. When she wants to—he doesn’t. Just when they both want to—they end the picture!” . . . Shared the Variety table at the annual celeb dinner, given by the Ontario type-andgab sports group in the Royal York with Jack Fitzgibbons, Andy Rouse, Frank Strean and the three Summervilles. It was a great evening, with Lester Patrick, Leo Dandurand, Conn Smythe and Billy Hewitt doing the Good-Old-Days bit. Young (comparatively) Lynn Patrick told an interesting gag about old-timerism, Two oldtimers were sitting around a pot-bellied stove in a country store and one looked out at the acres of untracked snow while more came down. Observed he sourly: “T’aint as white as it used to be.” The sports chroniclers gathered $20,000 via the dinner for their work . . . University doing big with Para’s The Trouble With Harry, The press book ads were ignored and a new approach, based on Hitchcock’s TV popularity, was worked out here. FAMOUS PLAYERS, its bid for CKLW-TV, Windsor, rejected by the CBC governors because of objection to multiple ownership of stations, has withdrawn. It passed up the chance to reapply for permission to buy this loser from Harry Sedgwick and associates . . . David O. Selznick, says Mike Connolly, will make The Merchant of Venice ... Stan Helleur outflanked his CBC “friends” by being teeveed into Toronto via CHCH, Hamilton .. . Simon Meretsky, Windsor showman and tycoon, has been convalescing from a stroke . . . Some fellows were in looking at local cinemas for Oklahoma! . . . To AE: I’m getting sick of that small-time specialist in Sammyglickism. It’s time he was ticked off—and out . . . Montreal Star not only has a TV columnist, Dusty Vineberg, but also uses the NY Herald-Tribune’s John Crosby . . . Alex Barris will emcee another 11.30 Friday for CBC-TV . . . Prediction: The Fifth Season, starring Sammy Sales, will run for at least six weeks at the Avenue. That would be the longest live-drama run by a local company, wouldn’t it? Any wagerers?... “The Brotherhood of the Sea’”—that majestic title, gleaming through the very late darkness of King Street East from around a neoned lifebuoy, identifies the office of an AFL union .. . Bernie Kranze’s successor at UA rumored to be Western Div. Chief James Velde . . . Pete Crosby Denise Darcel’s hubby here to pay mining man Dave Rush $115,000 in a stock deal. CANADIAN FILM WEEKLY n the SQUARE WE WANT TO thank Taylor Mills and the Canadian Cooperation Project of the Johnston Office for the proud privilege we, as a Canadian publication, enjoyed in relation to its annual report — that of reading about it first in the American trade papers. Canada has a valuable stake in the CCP, which grew out of the question of freezing American remittances, as was the case in almost every country in the world. I can’t remember when the annual report arrived at these offices without appeal, negotiation or argument with someone representing the CCP, which some of us have never quite been able to figure out anyway. The fifth annual report just made a front-page, banner-line story across the border. This one apparently gives an eight-year roundup of what it considers benefits to Canada originating under the CCP, although these types of benefits predated the CCP by many years. Our private $64,000,000 question: Why does the CCP report take on the air of Top Secret information when it comes to. putting it into our hands? I might add that John J. Fitzgibbons, Sr., I learn from one of the USA trade papers, wrote the preface to the report, in which he sees a, “good year” for our industry in 1956. Typographs THE YOUNG FELLOW decided on the pole vault as his means Of making the school team. He tried a few times and failed. He wanted to quit. “How do you get over that darned bar?” he wailed. The old coach said that he could account himself a failure if he wished. “Go ahead and quit,” he told him. “That's your privilege. But there is one great secret about successful pole vaulting that you still have to learn.” The young fellow perked up. “I knew there was something I was doing wrongly,” he said. What was the great secret? “If you will just throw your heart over the bar,” the old coach said, “your body will follow.” WANT TO KNOW what makes it tough to put over a tradepaper? In 1955 the leading studio among the advertisers, in just one USA film tradepaper, placed 159 full pages. That same advertiser, in that same period, placed with us the magnificent total of—19! . . . I see that the comic strip, Steve Canyon, is featuring a Hollywood actress who relies on a “Canadian makeup man.” Isn’t there some way the CCP can take a bow on that one? .. . The score for the silent version of Monsieur Beaucaire, the Valentino starrer, didn’t show up with the print for the A-G-E Film Society Sunday showing at the Studio. So Ruby Ramsey Rouse revived a lost art by making the piano keys match the action as it developed on the screen. Almost perfectly, too. Gerald Pratley told the full house about.it at the end and she got a big hand . . . Warners, says the CCP report, will release LeRoy Prinz’ Ace of Aces, the Billy Bishop biog, when made. How come you let me get scooped, LeRoy, old pal? POPCORN MACHINES | SNACK BAR EQUIPMENT TO MAKE ROOM FOR NEW MODELS MONEY MAKING MACHINES PRICED FOR QUICK SALE You Will Be Glad You Noticed This Ad DEMONSTRATORS SAMPLES TRADE-INS PRICED AMAZINGLY Low WRITE WIRE OR PHONE SUPER PUFFT 97 DUKE ST. EM. 3-1081 $ February 15, 1956 $