The Exhibitor (1957)

12 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR The International Scene Canada More Fight in Exhibs, Quebec TO A Told TORONTO — Summarizing his feelings about the success of the annual meeting of the Theatre Owners Association of Quebec, J. H. Strauss, Montreal independent, re¬ elected president, said theatre owners have more fight in them now than last year. The newspaper was likened to the motion pictures by G. L. Fitzgerald, columnist of the Montreal Gazette. Both have had competition from radio. Both have competition from TV today. And both have survived before and will do so in the future. Others elected were Ed Gauthier, Sorel, vice-president; Maurice Arpin, Pointe Claire, second vice-president; George Y. Hurteau, Ste. Genevieve De Pierre Fonds, secretary; Hertel Hotte, Cartierville, treasurer. Board members are Yvan Ruel, George Cote, Fran¬ cois Fortin, Gaston Theroux, Paul Gendron, Jean Theriault, Guy Bachand, A. Berthiaume, E. N. Tabah, A. Racette. Canadian Comment “The deplorable practice of shooting Cana¬ dian stories everywhere but in Canada” was condemned in a letter written by Michael Powell to Hye Bossin, Canadian Film Weekly. The letter is the result of a visit to this country by Powell in which he explored the possibilities of shooting a film here. Powell already shot one film here, “49th Parallel.” Powell in his letter explains he recognizes the dollar-shortage for eastern Hemisphere filmmakers, but he said he was giving con¬ sideration to a plan “to ensure that Cana¬ dian films shall be in the future as authentic as those of other nationalities.” Four managers in the Famous Players Canadian Cornoration circuit won $50 each for extra efforts they put behind certain projects. These included Bill Burke, Capitol, Brantford; Ivan Ackery, Orpheum, Van¬ couver; Murray Lynch, Paramount, Monc¬ ton; and Joe Leface, Capitol, Windsor. Two prizes of $35 each were given. These were won by Don Menzies, Palace, Calgary, and Don Edwards, Tivoli, Hamilton. Frank Sabatini picked up $30 while Charlie Doctor, Capitol, Vancouver; Martin Cave, Capitol, Vancouver; Hilary Howes, Capitol, Halifax, each picked up $25. Two prizes of $20 each were awarded, seven prizes of $15, and two prizes of $10. Without much encouragement from out¬ side the country, Canada has set up her own standards of motion picture art with the annual presentation of the Canadian Film Awards. This year, the ninth annual, the awards were given at the luncheon of the Association of Motion Picture Producers and Laboratories of Canada. Presiding at the award-giving was a man who provides the industry with stature and dignity in his position as president of Odeon Theatres of Canada, Ltd., Leonard W. Brockington, QC, CMG. Film competition was suspended for 1956 and awards limited to “distinguished contributions to Canadian film-making.” Cer¬ tificates were given to individuals and or¬ ganizations for significant contributions and Syd Mirkin, a prize-winning newsman, was recently named home office publicity coor¬ dinator in London for Columbia Pictures. whose current projects raise standards of production. The citations were read by W. R. Carroll, past president of the Canadian As¬ sociation for Adult Education. They went to Associated Screen News Limited, for its initiative in developing a program of training young personnel to meet the demands of Canada’s growing film industry; Crawley Films Limited, recognizing the company’s production program in the field of educational films; Yorkton Film Council, recognizing its contribution to the film council movement in Canada; Lew Parry, for his distinguished leadership in the development of a Canadian film industry; Roy Tash, for a quarter-cen¬ tury of photographing and editing Canadian newsreels and the only sustained project in theatrical film-making in Canada. Others were Don Mulholland, Rev. Anson C. Moorhouse, John Grierson, Frank Crawley and Judith Crawley, Harold P. Brown, E. Fred Holliday, and James R. Pollock. Negotiations for the purchase of two driveins in British Columbia were successfully completed for Odeon Theatres (Canada) Lim¬ ited by Gerry Sutherland, the British Colum¬ bia district manager. Odeon will take over the Skyview Drive-Ins at Kamloops and Vernon from Inland Industries, Ltd. Dan Krendel heads the committee for the sixth annual Canadian Picture Pioneer Golf Tournament being held at St. Andrews Golf and Country Club, Toronto, Aug. 22. With past years a complete sellout, Krendel ad A recent distinguished visitor to the UniversalInternational home office was Ambassador Renzo Swada, personal advisor to Premiere Nobusuke Kishi of Japan. He is seen here with Felix M. Sommer, right. Universal treasurer, and Ben M. Cohn, assistant foreign manager. Foreign Film Fair Postponed CHARLOTTE — The Foreign Film Fair will not be held this year in conjunction with the 1957 convention, as originally planned by the Theatre Owners of America, it was an¬ nounced last week by Ernest G. Stellings, president of TOA. “Because of the distance from the center of foreign film distribution, the heavy con¬ vention program, and in view of the difficul¬ ties in obtaining the proper facilities close to the convention area, it was deemed nec¬ essary to postpone the Film Fair to a later date. It is hoped that with a more central location and a more convenient time, the full cooperation and efforts of all segments of the industry, as well as the foreign producers, might be correlated so that the Fair could be sponsored as part of an all industry pro¬ motion and public relations campaign.” vises early purchase of tickets. Working with Krendel on the committee are A1 Perly, Joe Bermack, Archie Laurie, Cecil Black, Chet Friedman, Ferg Martin, Andy Rouse, Harry Sullivan and John Flanagan. CINE CHATTER: Famous Players Cana¬ dian Corporation declared a 37V2 cent divi¬ dend per share for the quarter ending June 30. . . . Feature films from 14 countries en¬ tered in the Stratford Film Festival, July 8 to July 20. The festival is part of the Shake¬ spearean Festival being held in Stratford at the same time. . . . The Ontario Board of Censors classified 10 films as adult entertain¬ ment during May. . . . The Motion Picture Theatre Association of Ontario is studying the matter of transporting films by bus. It has also decided to keep watching for an opportune time to present to the Provincial Government its case for a reduced Hospital Tax. A publicity committee has been set up by the Association in the meantime to work out plans to bolster interest in movies and increase boxoffice business. . . . Jerry Lewis was in Toronto July 9 as part of his tour in advance of his first solo picture. Also on the p.a. tour was Dr. Richard Gordon, who came into the city on behalf of the Rank film, “Doctor At Large.” . . . Harry Paynter, Jr., moved to Toronto from Calgary to be¬ come manager of the 16mm. department of International Films. Paynter is a former RKO branch manager at Calgary. He suc¬ ceeds Bill Smith. . . . Mrs. Lois Skinner, Paramount, was elected president of the Women of the Motion Picture Industry, Toronto branch. Also on the executive board are Audrey Duke of Odeon, Mrs. Jean Uttley, Jean MacLennan, Veronica Kiszkiel, Ruth Frankson, Gladys Rawnsley, Jessie Harkness, Mrs. Marion Kadey, and Mary Sasaki. Canadian Estimates of Entertainment films, known as the Blue Sheet, was dropped by the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors. It was felt not enough use was being made of the sheets by the various exhibitors. . . . Clare Appel, executive secretary of the CMPDA, is on the ailing list, as is Hillis Cass, general sales manager of MGM, in Canada. ... A 35,000 circulation is boasted by the Hamilton Labor Digest which carries a movie column by Hugh Usher, business manager of the Hamilton projectionists’ union. . . . Gurston Rosenfeld, Carlton Automatic Vendors, Ltd.; Jack Fitzgibbons, Jr., Theatre Confections, Ltd.; and Frank Strean, Canadian Automatic Confections, Ltd., were among those attend¬ ing the annual convention of the Canadian Automatic Merchandising Association. — HARRY ALLEN, JR. July 24, 19 57