Canadian Film Weekly (Jul 18, 1956)

Page 4 CANADIAN FILM WEEKLY July 18, 1956 CBCMOHICANS’ (Continued from Page 1) Productions Limited ‘in association with the CBC.” Normandie Productions, of which the president is Donald H. McTaggart, QC, Toronto, is a Canadian subsidiary of Television Productions of America. The CBC and Normandie have a distribution agreement with TPA, which will sell the series universally. The CBC press release, issued from Ottawa, was the first official announcement of the series from any source and it was made through E, L. Bushnell, assistant general manager, who described it as the “largest film project in Canadian history.” The CBC participation is in keeping with its interest in spurring Canadian production and helping to provide employment opportunities for actors and technicians, as expressed by S. Davidson Dunton before the luncheon of the Association of Motion Picture Producers and Laboratories of Canada in Toronto early this year. It is obvious that Normandie and PTA stand to gain much by producing the series in Canada and because of this CBC participation, with its resultant benefits to Canadian TV production and those who work in it, is probably arrived at for a comparatively modest investment of sorie of its facilities and personnel. The series will be outside the ordinary British strictures on the use of USA-made films for TV and theatres. The CBC needs but to make use of existing channels to contribute much to the success of The Last of the Mohicans in both the production and distribution areas. It is heard that the CBC has a considerable degree of control over certain aspects of the venture and this is most likely in script content and the use of Canadians. Screen tests for the female lead will be made shortly from Canadian actresses. Hawkeye, the scout, and Ching Asch Gook, the Mohican, will be played by Americans, respectively John Hart and Lon Chaney, Jr. Shooting, under Sam Newfield’s direction and supervised by Eugen Shuftan as chief of photography, will likely begin July 23 at the studio of Canadian Film Industries. Mischa Auer Added To Cast Mischa Auer has been added to the cast of Titanus Films’ The Monte Carlo Story. Young Signs Viveca Lindfors Collier Young has signed Viveca Lindfors to star in The Halliday Brand. Republic's ‘Killer Is Loose’ Republic has purchased motion picture rights to Gil Brewer’s newly-published novel, A Killer Is Loose. News Yotes COUNCIL OF RADIO, TV UNIONS Council of Broadcasting Unions, representing 20,000 employees and performers in the Canadian radio and television fields, was formed in Toronto last week. Purpose is to promote co-operation and understanding among member organizations, to exchange information on organizational activities, collective agreements, grievances and arbitration and to guide and assist the Canadian Labor Congress on all matters relating to radio and TV broadcasting. Participating in the new council are The Association of Radio and Television Employees of Canada, the Canadian Council of Authors and Artists, the Canadian Federation of Musicians, the Canadian Wire Service Guild, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians. All are affiliates of the recently-formed Canadian Labor Congress. Officers elected were president, Eldron Wilcox, executive secretary, ARTEC; vice-president, Neil Leroy, president of the CCAA; and secretary-treasurer, Timothy O’Sullivan, international representative of NABET. SEE HWD. KARSH SHOTS SOON The photographs which Canada’s famed photographer, Karsh of Ottawa, took during his recent Hollywood visit are about to be used in magazines in different parts of the world and they'll appear in the latest of his books. Maclean’s, leading Canadian magazine, has a layout of his Hollywood work coming up, the publication again being his first and major outlet in the domestic field. Karsh spent much time with principals of The Ten Commandments. His portrait of Cecil B. DeMille, being used currently in the institutional ad of the American Petroleum Institute, will appear in the Fall in a number of USA magazines. It is likely, judging by arrangements under way through his agent, that color and black-and-white Karsh photos of Yul Brynner as the Pharaoh and Charlton Heston as Moses will appear in major British publications. MAGNETIC STRIPING TALKS Introduction of a new and revolutionary technique for high quality sound on film, magnetic striping, was seen for Canadian television after the meeting last week in London, Ontario of equipment executives, TV engineers and producers of news programs. Host was the London branch of the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, which helped the parent company develop a tape similar to that used on tape recorders but which would adhere to film and remain unaffected by processing procedures. Equipment for bonding the tape to raw or processed film is operated for users by Shelly Films, Toronto, which has one of the few installations in existence. Present striping charge is three cents per foot, which would add a dollar to the price of one-minute commercials. Conversion of present equipment was discussed and a projector from a well known firm was used to demonstrate magnetic sound reproduction. Two conversion kits are already available. Standardization, established several weeks ago by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, is growing. Those present expressed gratification at the possibility of eliminating many present recording problems and raising the quality of sound. JOHNSTON FOR HEALTHY UK INDUSTRY Eric Johnston, MPEA president, stressed the “independence of films” at a luncheon in London recently honoring the editors of all London national newspapers. The luncheon was described as the most impressive turnout of the British press for a visiting American in recent times. “It is the hope of our industry,” Johnston said, “that there will always be a strong and prospering British film industry. “This is in our economic self-interest just as it is in yours. In Britain you have long recognized that economic isolation or nationalism is not in your best interest—a policy of economic expansion is. This policy,’ Johnston told the group, “is an applicable to films as to all other products and economic endeavors. The more we all adopt expansionist measures the more we shall assure our future. I trust that this will always be the joint objective of our two industries.” CFA AWARDS (Continued from Page 1) made in Canada last year by a Canadian, Melburn E. Turner’s The Little Canadian, was shot in 16 mm. but blown up to 35 mm. for theatre exhibition. It was not entered. Turner, who has another feature lined up but is currently handling some CBC assignments, said that he was asked several times by CFA officials to enter it but he has an old peeve and refused, He produced the film for St. Lawrence Pictures Corporation Limited and it showed in several Canadian cities. His beef dates back to 1953, when he entered Etienne Brule, Gibier de Potence (The Immortal Scoundrel), a French language feature made by Carillon Pictures from J. H. Cranston’s book about the French explorer who is credited with founding Toronto, The film, produced and directed by Turner, was returned and no award made in the feature class. He feels the least it should have gotten was a mention as the first color feature shot in Canada. There might also be some significance to the fact that—for the second time since the inception of the Awards in 1948—no entry was named The Film of the Year. Though a feature was submitted for 1953-54 no award was made. Were there any feature entries this year? Nobody’s saying. The press release of selections said it is “encouraging to note” that more amateur entries came in last year and that “The new television category also indicated the broadening of the film making industry in Canada.” First Award in Class 2, for any 35 mm, film produced “principally for theatrical distribution which is 3,000’ or less in length,’ went to Gold, entered by the National Film Board. Its credits: Production—Thomas Daly; Direction— Colin Low; Camera—wWolf Koenig; Recording—Clarke Daprato; Editing—Wolf Koenig; Music— Eldon Rathburn; Commentary— Wolf Koenig. No First Award was made in Class 4, which was for any 16 mm. film produced ‘principally for non-theatrical distribution” sponsored by an industry or nonGovernment agency. This was. surprising, for it had a film considered to be of considerable excellence, the 45-minute Jamboree, shot in color by Chetwynd Films for Eaton’s of Canada. It was one of two that got Special Mention, the other being Crawley’s The Revolution Is Now, made for Weekend Magazine. Ahead of these films were Carey Studio’s Miracle of the Bees, for Carlings Breweries, and Crawley’s Sibling Relations and Personality. Both got Honorable Mention.