The Exhibitor (1961)

CANADIAN Highlights By Harry Alien, Jr. A COUNTDOWN of theatre chairs in Canada by the Canadian Film Weekly indicates a two-year drop of more than 50,000. At the end of 1960, there were 781,082 chairs in 1,451 theatres representing a reduction of 25,545 in chairs and 72 in theatres during the year. The number of same in 1960 as in 1959, 231, because two closed and two opened. The new ones had slightly greater car capacities than the closed ones and during the year several expanded, so that the national car capacity rose by 1,354 to 90,486. Since some provincial licensing departments count each car as two-and-a-half seats, this would mean that the total car capacity is equivalent to 226,215 chairs. To this figure must be added 1,590 walk-ln seats (the number was the same in 1960 as in 1959), so that Canada’s drive-ins could accommodate 227,805. If the 781,082 auditorium figure is joined to the 227,805 drive-in total, the national accommodation would be 1,008,887, or about one seat for every 18 people. This is a decrease in accommodation of 33,750 in 1960. Since the drop in 1959 was 34,339, the two-year decline is 68,089. What is the comparison to pre-TV days? In 1953, when TV first began to be felt in this country, the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association listed 1,924 35mm. standard houses with 963,914 seats — greater than the Dec. 31, 1960, count by 473 theatres and 182,832 chairs. IF A REQUEST by the Catholic Boys’ Service in Quebec is acted upon, the most radical change in 20 years in that province’s laws affecting theatres will come about. The director of the group commented at the annual dinner: “The motion picture has come to stay, and since it is both recreational and educational, it is imperative that we use it in so far as it will help our youth.” His organization will ask for an amendment that would permit chil¬ dren of nine years and over to see specially selected movies on Saturday and certain holi¬ days, Quebec law now bans anyone under 16 from attending movie theatres. It had its origin in a fire that cost many children their lives in 1927. Theatre owners have tried for its re¬ moval for many years without success. The majority of homes today were not equipped to provide recreational facilities for the entire family, and the motion picture act of 1928 was detrimental to family recreation and deprived children of “enjoyable recreation and whole¬ some education, and encourages disrespect for civil law,” the speaker told the dinner. “Many of our halls and basements in which movies were shown lacked proper supervision and proper safeguards, thus endangering the lives of youth. The theatres are provided with every facility for safeguarding the lives of those who attend them, and are rigidly inspected by the govern¬ ment,” he added. REEL CLIPS: With the belief that EngUsh-language films can assist Italians to be absorbed into Canadian life, Steve Carenza, who with lus brother, Frank, has an Italian -language radio program, boosts the films to his listeners. The Carenza brothers specialize in promotion of the films to Toronto’s 125,000 Italians. They even import Italian-language press books. Heart of their work is the radio program. Songs of Sunny Italy, over CHVC, Niagara Falls . . . With British Columbia theatre in a “near desperate” position, removal of the amusement tax on admission prices up to $1 has been asked by the British Columbia Exhibitors Associa¬ tion. The Association submitted a brief to the Provincial Government through a delegation headed by Myron C. McLeod of Powell River, president. He said 35 per cent of BC theatres have closed. The tax is often “the difference between survival or failure.” . . . Joan Black¬ man, who stars in Universal’s “The Great Impostor” was in Toronto for a cocktail party hosted by Empire Universal when film had world premiere in city at Odeon Carlton . . . Teresa Stratas was another bright one in the city for an opening. This was in connection with her role in “The Canadians,” a 20th Century-Fox release made in the Province of Saskatchewan, and opened simultaneously in 150 Canadian houses. . . . Bob Newhart is booked for personal appearances on Famous Players theatre stages. W.B. -Fairchild Tieup Launches Talent Hunt PHILADELPHIA — One of the biggest pro¬ motional tie-ups ever made for a motion picture, involving more than $500,000 in ad¬ vertising and merchandising expenditures, has been consummated with the Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation by Warner Bros, in connection with the forth¬ coming release of “Parrish” and the introduc¬ tion of Fairchild’s new Cinephonic 8mm. home sound movie camera. The tie-up will take the form of a Warner Bros. -Fairchild talent search, inspired by the young stars of “Parrish,” Troy Donahue, Con¬ nie Stevens, Diane McBain, and Sharon Hugueny. The campaign was launched with a press conference and cocktail party at the Sheraton Hotel here, featuring an appear¬ ance by Miss Stevens, who came from Holly¬ wood for the event. Any man, woman or child in the United States may enter the search by bmitting 50 to 100 feet of Cinephonic Sound Color film showing a brief performance by the participant. The grand prize will be a 10week Warner Bros, contract and guaranteed appearance in a Warner Bros, feature or TV film. Second and third prizes Will each be a free trip to Hollywood and appearance in a Warner Bros. TV production. Twenty-two other contestants will win Cinephonic 8 Cameras and Projectors. Final judges in the talent search, which will begin April 1, will be Solly Baiano, Warner Bros, casting director; Harry Mayer, Warner Bros, talent and story executive; and Delmer Daves, writer-producer-director of “Parrish.” Backing up the talent search will be a huge promotional campaign that will be high¬ lighted by advertisements in Life, Look, Seventeen, and leading newspapers through¬ out the nation. Astor Names Josephs To Top Sales Post NEW YORK — George M. Josephs has been appointed as vice-president of Astor Pictures, Inc., it was announced by Franklin F. Bruder, chairman of the board. Josephs’ immediate responsibility will be the launching of “La Dolce Vita” and “Rocco and His Brothers” and the distribution of these productions in the key market areas of the United States. Josephs was previ¬ ously with Columbia as a home office sales ex¬ ecutive, and prior to his resignation from that company, was director of domestic sales of “Porgy and Bess.” Bruder announced that Astor’s acquisition of these major pictures has required that a major executive be responsible for their proper release and exploitation and pointed out that Josephs will also be responsible for the other major products which Astor will announce in the second half of 1961 and 1962. "Jane" Now "Twinkle" NEW YORK — In an unusual move, Colum¬ bia has announced that it will reissue a major release of two years ago with not only a new title, but with additional musical numbers and scenes fashioned for the production. The film, previously titled “It Happened to Jane,” stars Doris Day, Jack Lemmon, and Ernie Kovacs, with guest-stars including Bill Cullen, Dave Garroway, Jayne Meadows, Garry Moore, Henry Morgan, Betsy Palmer, and Bob Paige. The new title will be “Twinkle and Shine,” for which Doris Day will record the title song. Columbia pointed out that “Twinkle and Shine” will be backed with an entirely new advertising and merchandising approach de¬ signed to take full advantage of the tremen¬ dous popularity of Doris Day, Jack Lemmon, and Ernie Kovacs. In making the decision, the company feels that there is a large mar¬ ket at this time eager for this type of comedy-story performed by actors of the box-office appeal of these stars. Charles Einfeld, 20th-Fox vice-president, launches the "total merchandising" plan for the company's new release, "The Trapp Family," at a New York home office conference attended by Gil Golden, seated center, 20thFox special executive representative for the film, who demonstrated the community rela¬ tions job he executed in the Wisconsin-Michigan area where the film met with outstanding success. JOSEPHS 16 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR March 22, 1961