Motion Picture Herald (1954)

ROUND TABLE in TORONTO Viewing Canada V rent Circuit Headquarters The occasion of the Round Table meeting in Toronto was Odeon’s “Big Show’’ — and the presentation of prizes at a luncheon at the Royal York Hotel — which is covered elsewhere as a news story. But with 45 Odeon managers in town, and two days (and nights !) in which to cover Toronto in a continuous series of meetings and greetings with old and new friends, we encountered many who are well known to this international association of showmen. They Put Over the “Show” Wannie Tyers, director of advertising, and Jim Hardiman, his assistant, both of the Odeon home office, were responsible for the “Big Show” contest, and the results obtained, in the stimulation of good showmanship for proper recognition and rewards. The pictures below show these energetic executives as the photographer caught them, in action. Wannie is having his good fortune told by Madame Zaza (we met her again the next day without her black wig at the Odeon office — and found that she was Jim Hardiman’s secretary) and there is Jim himself, in costume as the Ringmaster, who directed the “Big Show.” David Griesdorf, general manager of the circuit was absent because of illness, and we regret not having seen him, since he attended our Quigley Awards judgings in New York. The presentations were made by E. G. Forsyth, assistant general manager. Jim Hardiman had invited us to a massed band concert on Sunday evening, which alone was worth the trip to Toronto — 170 pipers, 150 bugles, 150 trumpets and 400 drums, playing for an audience of 20,000 on the Exposition grounds. Jim Hardiman looked fine in his uniform as a reserve officer in the Toronto Scottish Regiment. We met so many at the luncheon, and through the two-day meeting, that any list would include all Odeon Ontario managers, and of course, the prize winners who were honored. We again met Steve McManus and John Printz, who were recent visitors at the Round Table in New York, and the reunion was appropriately celebrated, far into the night. Those Odeon boys keep late hours, beyond our bedtime. Calling on the Home Offices And came the dawn, we went out exploring for other friends. There’s a bank on every corner in Toronto, and in the Royal Bank building is Famous Players-Canadian — our objective. But J. J. Fitzgibbons, president, and Jimmie Nairn, advertising and publicity director, whom we hoped to see, were both in Vancouver, where they are holding one of their own managers’ meetings, this being the occasion for the presentation of the 1953 Quigley Grand Award plaque to Charlie Doctor, for his second time. Now, with Ivan Ackery, Famous Players hold four Grand Awards in COMPETENT CANADA We've often said, in these Round Table meetings, that business is good in Canada — because they make it good. But a visit to Toronto and the chance to mix with sixty or more representative managers and Round Table members across that friendly border, convinces us that there is more to the statement of fact. Business is good in Canada because they are better showmen, in the aggregate — and because they work harder, under superior direction. Outstanding in our opportunity to be present at the Toronto meeting of Odeon Theatres (Canada) Limited, was the privilege of meeting Mr. L. W. Brockington, president of the circuit, director of many Canadian and British corporations, international lawyer with many clients on this side of the border, and one of the most colorful and courageous personalities we have ever known. Mr. Brockington has the eloquence of Sir Winston Churchill and the knowledge of motion pictures of his late and good friend, Terry Ramsaye. Vancouver — and no other city or circuit in the world can make that statement ! When the delegation arrives back in Toronto, we expect to have photographs of the ceremonies, with proper fanfare. We did see Morris Stein, general division manager, whom we greatly admire as a theatre executive, and Tiff Cook, exploitation manager, but we missed Dan Krendel, who was out of the office and we never caught up with him. However, we’ll see him in New York in the near future — that’s a promise. We had dinner with Tiff Cook and Arch Laurie, formerly with Odeon and now with United Artists, as press representative for Canada. Then, we went to the Variety Club, and to meet Len Bishop, capable manager of Shea’s theatre, where Paramount’s “Sabrina” is doing marvelous business. Len is a Round Table member, since 1949, and a popular toastmaster and speaker for industry and public relations. In his office, we encountered Chet Friedman, our predecessor at this desk, now MGM’s field exploitation man for all of Canada, and Sally Walton Friedman, also well known to Round Table correspondents. Toronto’s friendly Russ McKibbin is manager of Famous Players’ Imperial theatre and J. H. Clarke is at Loew’s. TV Will Be a Partner Tiff Cook has a picture on the opposite page, and we have new copies of “What’s COOKing?” which will be regularly reported in the Round Table. Famous Players-Canadian have good reason to be proud of ninety new members of their “25 Year Club” — across Canada, which spells good organization and good morale. Incidentally, while TV is not yet a problem in Canada, it will be cooperative rather than competitive. Famous has just acquired an interest in the first privately-owned bi-lingual television station in the world — in Quebec. Following our nose, in the wind, to find the source of a wonderful odor, we came to O’Keefe’s Brewery, and across the street, was the Film Center Building. We chatted with Sam Glaser, who is proud of his new miniature CinemaScope projection room, at 20th Century-Fox. In case the wind changes, there is also Moulson’s Brewery, on the other side of town. Toronto is a wonderful city — so clean, so fine, so rich, in so many ways. We traveled on the new Toronto subway — and while it has only seven stations, we’d be willing to trade all of the subways in New York for this new and shining example, with trains that are red, and stations in all different colors. We know the Russians invented the subway, but the Canadians have perfected the service, style and beauty of underground railways. It was a pleasure — and a privilege to be in Toronto. — IV. B. Wannie Tyers, director of advertising for Odeon Theatres of Canada, with Madame Zaza, one of the circus characters on the set — and at right, Jim Hardiman, assistant director, in his costume as the "Circus Boss" — with two midway girls who added to the atmosphere of Odeon's "Big Show" prize presentation luncheon in Toronto. MANAGERS' ROUND TABLE SECTION, OCTOBER 2, 1954 45