Canadian Film Weekly (Jul 13, 1960)

July 13, 1960 CANADIAN FILM WEEKLY Page 3 Incorporating the Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Founded 1915) Vol. 25, No. 28 July 13, 1960 HYE BOSSIN, Editor Assistant Editor . . .... Ben Halter Office Manager ..... Esther Silver CANADIAN FILM WEEKLY 175 Bloor St. East, Toronto 5, Canada Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Department, Ottawa Published by Film Publications of Canada, Limited 175 Bloor St. East, Toronto 5, Ontario Canada e Phone WAlnut 4-3707 Price $5.00 per year $60,000 TO VC (Continued from Page 1) vention Committees’’ one, saw Chief Barker J. J. Fitzgibbons, Jr., convention chairman, presented with a diamond tiepin by Bolstad for Tent 28 and heard him praised for the ‘“‘effective leadership’ that led to success. “TI came here to praise others and here I am going home with the loot,’’ said Fitzgibbons, after a standing ovation. Recalling that illness had caused him to miss the closing dinner, he praised Win Barron, ceremonial barker, for the gracious excellence with which he had carried out his duties as toastmaster, at the same time undertaking matters that would have been handled by Fitzgibbons. Fitzgibbons saluted all the sponsors and committee chairmen by name, as well as the Variety Women’s Committee and the helpers from the WOMPI organization. He stated regretfully that he could not read off all the ones who had contributed to the success of the convention but did mention some who did outstanding jobs, among them motion picture cameramen and photographers. Roy Tash presented the tent with newsreel clips of 35 mm. film of the doings. In the absence of Dan Krendel, registration committee head, Fitzgibbons gave the number of registrants at the convention as 785 and pointed out that those from Toronto totalled the highest number ever to attend from one tent. Fitzgibbons announced that over 80 letters and telegrams had been received from visitors attending the convention praising it as the “‘ereatest ever’? and these would be photostatted and put in a special scrapbook, along with newspaper clippings and photographs. This special convention exhibit would be kept permanently in the clubrooms for all to examine. The Chief Barker stated that a regular meeting would be held Tuesday, July 26, the first time for one in either July or August, in order to give impetus to the annual Variety Baseball Game, scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 10. He announced that a 3,000-foot, 16 mm. color film af the convention would be ghown at the meeting. Astral Growing (Continued from Page 1) Perry, former president and general manager of Empire-Universal Films, for years Canada’s largest distributor, in World International Productions Ltd. In London several weeks ago Jack Labow, former Canadian general manager of RKO, opened an office for Granada International Films Ltd., an Astral associate, An associate little known to the trade is Jack Cowan, who is interested with Astral in Trans Europa, a company which has the Artkino franchise. What made the difference for Astral was the rise of foreign films in the Canadian market, a situation predicted by Astral long before it became marked. He _ believed so strongly in this possibility that he approached various industry personalities to consider joining forces but got little response. He went ahead, strongly supported by Solway. This year Astral will have 36 features from the USA, Russia, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Japan and other countries. It has such varied films in the theatres right now as. American-International’s The House of Usher, the NY longrun feature Rosemary from Germany and Russia’s And Quiet Flows the Don. The Russian films, in particular, have been great grossers for Astral, among them Swan Lake Ballet, The Idiot, Fate of a Man, Othello and Don Quixote. Coming up are First Day of Peace, Sampo, White Nights and others. Still in active distribution is Astral’s backlog, in which there are 60 A-1 features, 40 sub-titled Soviet ones, 40 French natives, 60 Italian CONGRATULATIONS, REV. RAY! dubs and from 25 to 30 German productions dubbed, sub-titled or native. Astral has also taken over world distribution rights to two Canadian features, Ivy League Killers and Now That April’s Here. Ivy League Killers, produced by Norman Klenman and directed by Wm. Davidson, has never been distributed. Astral and its principals are interested in other phases of entertainment, including a portion of the new Peterborough radio station. The TV_ sales subsidiary, Telefilm of Canada, is active under Dick Rosenberg. Another Astral wing, Maple Productions, has just acquired world rights to Riverbank Productions’ 15-minute series, Tales of the River Bank, which has_ been shown in Britain by the BBC. This company, which Solway manages, also converts foreign footage for use on Canadian TV, editing it and applying English sound tracks. Right now it is doing that for a series of acts to be called Circus Time. It recently placed two Ulanova dancing subjects on TV that were edited in this way. Today Astral, the only small independent that grew instead of fading out, has resident representatives in Paris, London, Rome, Tokyo and Munich. It not only distributes in Canada but buys world rights. With so many connections, types pictures and kinds of activities it is certainly an unusual operation. But, thanks to Allen’s good instincts about the future of foreign films and Solway’s executive ability, it is not only unusual but successful. People in the Canadian enter tainment industry will be happy to hear of the honor that has come to one of the chaplains of the Variety Club of Ontario, the Rev. Ray McCleary, MBE, BD, DD. The popular Ray, who brightens almost all of the Tent 28 meetings with his wit and geniality, has been appointed General Secretary of the Missionary Funds of the United Church of Canada. In that capacity he will be travelling through all parts of Canada and there’s no more enjoyable way to exercise the famed fraternal spirit of Show Business and the Sports World, which are combined in Variety, than to welcome Ray McCleary. just phone him. If you hear he’s in town, A heartier and better human being than Ray McCleary is hard to find. People have their favorites and he’s a favorite of the favorites. In Toronto, where his own parish is the centre of one of the finest juvenile projects anywhere because of his leadership, Ray McCleary is pointed to as one of the community’s finest ornaments. Woodgreen Community Centre, which he brought about through enlisting the public, means much in many lives. Our Business SPRUCE UP NOW ‘THIS is the time of year when many theatres throughout our country expect a large increase in attendance, for reasons it arouls be redundant to cite. In this period many patrons will be attracted who have not been in the habit of coming for some time. For the past six months business has been abnormally poor for many theatres. A combination of attractions which failed to draw at the boxoffice and bad weather conspired to reduce grosses to a point that made many theatre owners and circuit operators attempt to pare expenses in the extreme. Under such circumstances theatre operation is likely to become somewhat sloppy. Lack of the use of paint may become visibly annoying here and there. Some theatres probably fell into the trap of becoming understaffed or poorly staffed. The calibre of employee who meets the public may have been lowered because of the desire for economy or through sheer neglect. First-run theatres throughout the country expect to show some very fine product this summer and should be able to attract a great many people who have not been inside a theatre for a very long time. With this upsurge in business it is important to make a fine impression; to have them greeted by a friendly and charming cashier, a courteous doorman, an attentive manager, a helpful usher. The extra patronage we expect to lure will be drawn from that large group who are not regular theatregoers. To these people we now have our annual opportunity to prove how much better it is to see a fine movie on a large screen in a well operated theatre than it is to sit at home night after night watching TV. Only the right type of comfort and service and the best possible attractions will enable us to accentuate this. We have heard some very uncomplimentary remarks about the operation of certain theatres and their manner of treatment of patrons. This should never be countenanced at any time but to permit it in this present summer period is seer suicide.