The Exhibitor (1956)

26 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR The International Scene Canada Business Looking Up , Indie Exhib Declares Toronto — Business in the motion pic¬ ture industry in Canada is looking up, Owen Bird, independent exhibitor from British Columbia, told the National Com¬ mittee of Motion Picture Exhibitors As¬ sociations of Canada. Bird took exception to statements by important industry figures predicting a radical reduction in the number of the¬ atres. He said these gentlemen could speak for their own companies, but should not make blanket predictions that in¬ cluded the enterprises of others. He admitted: “We’ve pretty well hit the bottom of business, and there is no direc¬ tion for us to go now — but up.” The meeting was one of three key meetings in this city in four days. The first was that of the Motion Picture Ex¬ hibitors Association of Ontario, followed by the NCMPEAC, and then two days of the Motion Picture Industry Council of Canada. It was at the latter that the industry decided to appoint H. C. D. Dick Main, Sutton West, Ont., exhibitor, coordinator of the coming year’s Oscar contest in Canada. This will be conducted inde¬ pendently of the U. S. Last year, sparked by Charles Chaplin, UA general manager in Canada, the con¬ test included some 400 exhibitors. This year, 1,000 exhibitors will pay one cent a seat toward participation in the con¬ test. Main begins his paid work Dec. 1, and will open an office with paid assist¬ ants. The first day’s meeting of the MPTAO returned the whole incumbent board of directors. Lionel Lester continues as president; Russell Simpson, vice-presi¬ dent; Angus Jewell, secretary; and Jack Clarke, treasurer. Arch H. Jolley remains as executive secretary. Russell Simpson, head of the member¬ ship committee, reported there were 349 member theatres compared with 346 last year, although 31 had joined. The num¬ ber lost through closings was 24, and this year there were 108 independents com¬ pared with 117 last year. He said there would be a membership drive. Douglas Miller of Alberta complained at the National Exhibitors meeting of the complete absence of selling and exploita¬ tion ideas of the sort that used to ac¬ company each picture from its distributor. Chairman Morris Stein agreed that this was the situation. “We’ve got a lot of big advertising minds in our business, but they can’t seem to get out of the old habits,” said Stein. The question was raised during the meeting of the Motion Picture Indus¬ try Council next day. Provincial governments across the country will be approached by the pro¬ vincial associations of exhibitors on the question of amusement tax. All were agreed that something will have to be done on the matter. Raul Manlapuz, Philippine undersecretary of for¬ eign affairs, right, recently accepted Columbia's "The Silent World" as an entry in the Manila Film Festival from Aaron Pines, Coumbia man¬ ager in the area. Each exhibitors association also will take briefs to the Fowler Royal Com¬ mission on Broadcasting on the question of toll-TV. Thus far, both the Ontario group and the Quebec groups have pre¬ sented briefs. Good feeling between distributors and exhibitors was commented upon by ex¬ ecutives of exhibitors associations at their own meetings and at the MPIC meeting. J. Duane McKenzie, president of the Saskatchewan association, said that dis¬ tributor-exhibitor relations had improved greatly in his province. He said adjust¬ ments had been made in many cases. Stein, eastern general manager of Famous Players, spoke also of the obvious good feeling now predominent in the industry. His statement hearkened to last year’s meeting when exhibitors complained at the treatment received from distributors. Today, the distributor is attempting to help the exhibitor, Stein said. Distributors were asked to stop supply¬ ing film to a Winnipeg drive-in which refused to charge admission. Max Schnier, operator, Circus Drive In, had made his profit on the operation of the snack bar, and his lead was followed by other oper¬ ators. The distributors said there was nothing they could do toward refusing to supply Schnier film. Most of the major distributors have eliminated all their acetate film, Clare Appel, executive secretary, Motion Pic¬ ture Distributors Association of Canada, told the MPIC. He said that there were still some who did have some film on the old stock, but because of the investment, they couldn’t be asked to reprint. On the social side of the four days, Tent 28, Variety Club, Toronto, held an¬ nual elections, while the Canadian Pic¬ ture Pioneers held their annual award dinner. Two new faces were elected canvasmen. They were Chet Friedman and Ralph Dale. Reelected were Herb Allen, George Altman, Clare Appel, Joe Bermack, Jack Fitzgibbons, Jr., A1 Troyer, N. A. Taylor, Dan Krendel, and Ernest Rawley. Five persons were inducted into the club dur¬ ing the meeting. They were J. Duane McKenzie, Harry Hurwitz, Andy Rouse, Bob Stern and F. Gordon Spencer. Oscar Hanson was presented with the Pioneer of the Year Award, top honor of the Canadian Picture Pioneers. He was honored for his work with the Pioneers’ Benevolent Fund. Hanson is the only living founder of the Canadian Picture Pioneers. His award was presented by Premier Leslie Frost of Ontario. First member of a craft in the industry to be honored was James A. Whitebone, a projectionist of Saint John, NB, who re¬ ceived an award presented by John J. Fitzgibbons. The Winnipeg branch was given a special award for its contribution to the work of the Pioneers. Hye Swartz, presi¬ dent, received the award on behalf of the branch before the 400 persons who at¬ tended the dinner. Canadian Comment Exception to toll-TV in Canada was taken by the Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario in a letter-brief to R. M. Fowler, chairman, Royal Commis¬ sion on Broadcasting. The association, of which Famous Players is a member, fol¬ lowed the lead set earlier by the Theatre Owners Association of Quebec. Famous Players, which has the Telemeter fran¬ chise, supported toll-TV before the Royal Commission. The Ontario group listed seven points of exception, toll-TV will provide little opportunity for Canadian talent; it will concentrate feature ex¬ hibition in a few hands; it will eliminate service to minority audiences; because of toll-TV’s failure to make headway in the U. S.; Canada will be the ground of demonstration for the dollar potential; it will “destroy the relationship between talent and audience” by eliminating studio guests; there is a lack of demand for toll-TV; and lastly, toll-TV would eventually accept advertising and thus affect the CBS and other non-fee opera¬ tions adversely. CINE CHATTER: Romeo Goudreau, salesman, Montreal branch of Paramount Film Service, becomes manager of the branch. Bob Murphy, former manager, transfers to the management of the Saint John, N.B., branch following the retire¬ ment of veteran Pat Hogan. . . . Odeon Theatres (Canada), Ltd., Mercier, Mon¬ treal, is carrying a policy of vaudeville along with its regular film program. , . , The Globe, Ottawa, owned by Hyman Bessin, is closed for renovations. . . . James Cameron, Lakehead supervisor for Famous Players, speaking to the Saska¬ toon Kiwanis Club, said that a movie theatre is an essential part of the business life of a community. . . . Annual meetings of the Quebec division of the Canadian Picture Pioneers will be held Nov. 27, the day before the annual meeting of the Quebec Allied Theatrical Industries. . . . Male heirs apparent were delivered to the Irving Hermans, Toronto, and the Tom Clearys, Montreal. Herman is pub¬ licity director for Warners in Canada, while Cleary handles like chores for Con¬ solidated Theatres, Montreal. . . . An original member of the Dumbells, James Allan Goode, for 20 years manager of Famous Players’ ticket control and ship¬ ping department until leaving that com¬ pany in 1949, died in Sunnybrook Hos¬ pital, Toronto. Recently he had been on his own in the sign and poster business. — Harry Allen, Jr. December 5, 195(1