The Exhibitor (1952)

18 EXHIBITOR The International Scene Canada Leading exhibition executives in On¬ tario are being asked by O. J. Silverthorne, chairman, Motion Picture Censor¬ ship and Theatre Inspection branch, Provincial Treasurer’s Department, to make suggestions toward the improve¬ ment of the theatres and Cinematographs Act of Ontario. According to Silverthorne, the whole act is to be rewritten immedi¬ ately. He pointed out in a letter which asked for suggested changes, “It is our hope to draft a model act which will undoubtedly be useful in other jurisdic¬ tions. I thought it would be helpful to the industry and ourselves if you would have one or two of your officials study a copy of the present Act.” Silverthorne sent letters to J. J. Fitzgibbons, Famous Play¬ ers; L. W. Brockington, Odeon Theatres; Sam Fingold, National Theatre Services; Nat Taylor, Twinex Century Theatres; A. H. Jolley, Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario, and Clare Appel, Motion Picture Distributors Association. Much of the old Act, last revised in 1944 and first introduced in 1927, has been out¬ moded by the technical advances in ex¬ hibition. Among those advances are the drive-ins, safety motion picture film, 16mm. situations, and the materials now used in the construction of theatres. One area of change seen is in the problem of censorship, which came to the fore in Canada with the introduction of TV. The CBC TV unit has begun exhibition of feature and other motion pictures over TV without a by-your-leave or payment of examination fees to the Ontario censor board. The government agency takes the position that federal authority overrides provincial authority in this field, appar¬ ently a sound one, but it makes censorship fees for theatre films seem discriminatory. Hye Bossin will open the course on motion pictures being offered this winter by the extension department of the Uni¬ versity of Toronto. Lecturers are being recruited from the industry for the course, and all aspects of the industry will be discussed with the use of film. Among the aspects to be discussed will be the busi¬ ness side, music, production, and exhibi¬ tion. It will be under the direction of Albert A. Shea, a student for a number of years of mass communications. A strong defense of motion pictures is made by The Timmins Daily Press. The editorial is titled “Investigator Says Youth Not Damaged By Movies.” The editorial goes on to remark: “Most have heard a great deal about the damage certain types of motion pictures are supposed to do to the minds of children . . . someone familiar with the ways of children rises up and says it isn’t so . . . Newspaper readers whose memories go back 50 or 60 years ago can remember when the dime novel, instead of moving pictures, was the scapegoat; . . . the current charge against the movies is only an adaptation of that old complaint . . . we managed to escape the pitfall that was laid for us. Lionel Soodeon, one of the partners in the Roodal Circuit, which comprises 17 of the largest theatres in Trinidad and British Guiana, recently visited the U-l home office, New York, and was greeted by Ben Cohn, foreign department. The chances are that the same thing is true of children today. They take their lurid movies just as we took those old dime novels — with a grain or two of salt.” Harold E. Roberts has been named by Famous Players as manager of its real estate department, succeeding Angus MacCunn, appointed secretary of the com¬ pany. Roberts has been in the field of real estate for 18 years. From 1928 on, he was associated with the National Trust Company Limited, in the trust and real estate departments, dealing particularly with commercial properties. More re¬ cently, he has been with the legal de¬ partment of the Toronto Transportation Commission negotiating the settlements of various properties required for the sub¬ way right-of-way. Born in Hamilton, he is a graduate of Osgood Hall, Toronto, in law. Montreal will repeat its Film Festival next year, states J. P. LePailleur, presi¬ dent, Canadian Federation of Film Clubs. The Federation organized open-air film showings on Monday nights in August in the Molson Stadium at the suggestion of Montreal Festivals. Voted as the best film was the Italian “To Live In Peace.” ... A story on the front page of The Ottawa Citizen which detailed the near¬ hanging of a boy playing a game which was suggested by a movie was doubted by Morris Berlin, manager, Somerset, Ottawa, and a director of the Motion Pictures of Ontario. His opinions were given good space. . . . Harvey Harnick, president, Canadian Motion Picture Dis¬ tributors’ Association of Canada, was able to settle the strike against a number of branch exchanges in Vancouver by both front-office locals and back-room locals. The strike went on for a period of nearly four weeks. Annual meeting and election of officers of the Maritimes Motion Picture Exhibi¬ tors Association will take place in St. John, N. B., on Oct. 8. A. J. Mason, Springhill, N. S., head of the organization, will preside, and delegates will be named to the MPIC meeting in Ottawa. The Maritimes District of the Canadian Motion Picture Pioneers will meet the night be¬ fore under the chairmanship of President R. G. March. Harry Mandell, president, Motion Pic¬ ture Theatres Association of Ontario, and Morris Stein, director, MPTAO, have been appointed delegates to represent the Association at the annual meeting of the Motion Picture Industry Council of Canada at Ottawa on Oct. 27-29. Stein and Dick Main are delegates to the annual meeting of the National Committee of Motion Picture Exhibitors Associations of Canada to meet in Ottawa on Oct. 27. Steps are being taken by the directors of the MPTAO to seek a revision of the cost of advertising accessories. There is a trend in Canada towards night shopping, which will be of some considerable benefit to the industry. Fri¬ day nights seem to be the popular night of the week, particularly in the suburban outlets. A survey in one city has shown that 70 per cent of the town’s citizenry are interested in this type of shopping. The idea sprang into prominence in Canada in London, Ont., when large de¬ partment stores decided to stay open until 9 p. m. on Fridays, and close all day Monday. This was followed in Hamilton, with all large department stores partici¬ pating. One large store opened at Friday noon, closing at 9 p. m. Three of Mon¬ treal’s big department stores are open Fri¬ day nights, and in St. John, N. B., the same is true. Only in Toronto and Van¬ couver, are large downtown stores staying aloof, though the suburban stores are keeping their doors open. Meantime, the¬ atre associations all across the country are doing as much as possible to encourage these openings, which can provide an answer to TV, getting the people out of their homes and into the shopping district. One district where managers have done much towards getting the stores open in the evening is the London, Essex, and Windsor Theatre Managers Association. This district had been hit hard by the numerous TV programs from Detroit. , . . Audio Pictures, Ltd., exclusive Canadian distributor for Alexander Film Company, began its first annual sales drive, known as the “President’s Sales Contest” honoring President Arthur Gottlieb, and slated to run through Dec. 11. It will set as its goal a quota of $150,000 in screen adver ( Continued on page 28) This church, with beautiful colonial facade, was recently converted into a motion picture theatre in Potosi, Bolivia, S.A., site of the once famous Potosi silver mine. The town now has a church for each 1,000 inhabitants, and one other has also been converted into a film house in the city. October 1, 1952