Canadian Film Weekly (Apr 19, 1961)

April 19, 1961 QUOTA PITCH (Continued from Page 1) affiliate), a general committee was being organized to further the idea. Representatives of production, talent and the cinematographers met to organize the general committee and discuss the next move with Local 873’s committee. The letter to the MP’s, bearing the IA crest and signed by Wm. F, White as business agent, said: “For the past two years film production in Canada has_ been almost nil and up to this time the small amount involved makes Canada’s effort look rather insignicant. Canada is a rapidly growing country but as far as the film industry is concerned, we are being left behind. “Most other countries operate on a quota system whereby a percentage of the gross box office receipts must be ploughed back to film production while others stipulate that for a certain number of foreign films shown in theatres, and on TV networks, a percentage must be home-produced. It is not by accident that in those countries film production is at an all-time high.”’ Examples offered are Italy, Japan, Hong Kong, Finland, Mexico and Australia. Finland, the letter says, produced 12 feature films last year, though its population is 4,000,000. Canada? “Present production NIL. Total production to date of feature films and TV series combined does not equal Finland’s 12-month production.” It adds that Britain, France, Spain, Brazil also have restrictions. Canada, ‘‘with every facility available for the manufacture of motion pictures,’ is doing nothing to help production ‘‘while over $100,000,000 (sic) from film rentals’’ is leaving the country. “Even laboratories where the printing and processing of films for the theatres is done are hardly moving while this printing and processing is being done elsewhere and being shipped into Canada.” The $100,000,000 figure for film and TV remittances is wrong. The most recent figure issued by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics is for 1959, when rentals from all sources (theatres, halls, TV) came to $33,406,495. Perhaps $20,000,000 was remitted to countries in which the films originated. The letter asked “‘earnest consideration” and the necessary action and asked the MP’s to contact Local 873 for further information. MGM's ‘Bachelor In Paradise’ Bob Hope and Lana Turner will star in MGM’s Bachelor in Paradise. Paramount Changes Title Hawaii Beach Boy, Hal WallisParamount Elvis Presley starrer now before the cameras, has been retitled Blue Hawaii. CANADIAN FILM WEEKLY n The SQUARE A SENSE OF HISTORY made many of the people who attended the first live Telemeter telecast of a Broadway show feel special. I was at this interesting occasion in NY, which brought Carol Channing’s Show Girl from the Eugene O’Neill Theatre to Etobicoke. Lee Tracy, Faye Emerson, Lou Novans, Barney Balaban and Jerome Pickman were among the players and executives for this “Historical Theatrical ‘First’” and I heard someone say to Leland Hayward: “Hello, Leland, are you here to see a moment of history?’ Channing, in a curtain speech, recalled the epochal debut of The Jazz Singer and how it changed Show Business, observing that ‘‘This is the first time, so no matter how good, no matter what happened, it’s still history’ and that ““There is so much at stake.’’ As Lou Novins told me, with a shrug: “You know how it is; we’ll try everything.” TV techniques were ignored and signs in the lobby and auditorium asked the people not to look at the cameras around them so that “the flavor of the Legitimate Theatre” could be captured. I was glad to hear that it was well enough received in Etobicoke to warrant being held over. | On RANK NOT INTERESTED in TV in Canada? A check of those associated with licence applications will reveal otherwise, Norman R. Burns writes in reference to a recent comment here ... Both our printer and our photo engraver have notified us of price hikes, so what can we do but raise our own? Truth is that both our subscription and ad rates are just about a steal for readers and advertisers and whatever we are forced to add won’t change that situation much . . . San Francisco columnist Herb Caen has ex-jockey Billy Pearson, who was in Toronto recently, being ungallant to a cocktail party hostess who suggested that his hotel was not a very good address. Caen’s Pearson punchline: “Madam,” ans’d Billy with a courtly bow, “neither is Toronto!” ... “Attention, major studios:” writes Hank Grant in his Hollywood Reporter column, On the Air, ‘sic your bloodhounds onto Canada’s Joan Fairfax, not only a fine singer but she has a lovely cameo face that shows up with nary the slightest flaw even on the extremest of closeups, as witnessed the other night on the Paar show!” ... Man, late for work, explained to his boss: “I was driving behind a Brinks’ truck and I didn’t want to lose my place in line” ... Herb Whittaker, Globe drama critic, has been nominated for New York’s The Players, which Edwin Booth founded, at the suggestion of Brooks Atkinson . . . 20th-Fox’ Jerry Wald will star Cam2lot’s Bob Goulet in a NY-made film. HILDEGARDE, Lorne Greene, Don Harron and Florence Henderson sure generated bright talk on Larry Mann’s Midnight Zone. Greene, who had played Brutus at our Stratford, was asked by Mann: “What are the bridges from Stratford to Bonanza?’ Greene: “There has been much water under the bridges.” Harron: “That’s another series.” Announcer Alan Hamil is a bright lad and I’m surprised that he’s kept offcamera except for the bow and blowoff ... You heard that they now have Metrecal in nosedrops? For fatheads ... Theatre Confections will service all the parks on the St. Lawrence Seaway ... Mr. and Mrs. Bill Gladish, celebrating their 50th anni, got 11 gold sovereigns from friends in Ottawa Valley, which Bill covers for The Citizen—one for each grandchild. Bill is a pioneer film tradepaper correspondent .. . George Koppleman, once of IFD sales, is back in the trade as an NTA Telefilm Ontario rep .. . Famous Players will play the 30-minute film Jack Chisholm made for Algoma Steel, Adventure in Steel, in its theatres and TV stations . . . Ron Taylor, formerly with Twinex and 20th Century Theatres, is on the way to becoming a gifted actor after a year’s study in New York. Reviewing his performance in Wm. Saroyan’s The Cave Dwellers at the York Community Theatre the veteran critic, Rose MacDonald of The Telegram, refers to “‘the presence of: an actor who stands over all the rest of the well-chosen cast. Ronald Taylor plays the worn-out clown, called The King. Mr. Taylor has a splendid address, a fine sense of ‘presence’ and a fine and flexible speaking voice.” Page 3 HE REALLY TRIES (Continued from Page 1) He attributes his success in keeping his theatre alive and healthy in the face of these adverse conditions to the fact that he works at selling, not only his programs, but his theatre on a year-around basis. Burns believes a big factor in getting people back into the moviegoing habit is his “Family Night” campaign. On _ certain nights when suitable entertainment is available he runs these special shows and admits the whole family for $1. He says this gives him a chance to meet and talk to the patrons and it also gives him an opportunity to interest them in his upcoming pictures through trailers and other advertising in his theatre. He feels that exhibitors should give more consideration to children, both through the ‘‘Family Night’’ and through special matinees where they will get something a little extra because, as he puts it, they will be the ‘future adult audience.’ In a town where the population has dropped from 1,500 to 500 the importance of catering to the children cannot be stressed enough, he maintains. He has instituted special bus service at cost to bring kids in from the surrounding area and nearby communities like Massey to his matinees. Burns also runs ‘“Two-for-One”’ nights when he allows two adults in for the price of one. A recent article in The Espanola Times lauded the efforts of the North Theatre, saying it is better to have a full house at half price than only a few patrons at full price ‘because you are doing the patrons a favor economically and building up the movie habit.” The editorial, titled Rhyme ’n Reason, mentioned the blizzard of a certain night, with accompanying driving wind, snow and sleet and went on to state ‘But it didn’t deter a few dozen Massey residents from travelling to the theatre in Spanish.’”’ It went on to praise the programs with ‘“‘the management of the North Theatre there makes a real effort to obtain top pictures.” Other things Burns thinks are helpful are talking movies all the time; co-operating with the local newspaper and advertising the theatre in it every issue; using the slogan ‘‘Movies Are Better Than Ever’ on all his advertising and stationery; and keeping active in the community. He says that those who do less shouldn’t consider themselves showmen and are doing ‘“‘a very grave injustice to the industry.” A. G. Capandritis, 75, Passes Antonio George Capandritis, 75, owner of the Cameo in Montreal and a veteran of more than 50 years in film exhibition, died recently in that city.