What's New? (Nov 1966)

TRADE SHOW AND BUSINESS SESSIONS WERE A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS Toronto’s fabulous Inn On The Park was the scene of an all-industry four day convention and trade show. This ambitious combined convention and trade show was the result of the successful leadership of J. J. Fitzgibbons Jr. and H. C. D. Main. Gathered together for the first time under one roof in combined meetings were the Famous Players’ 25 Year Club, the National Association of Concessionaires, Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario, Motion Picture Theatre Associations of Canada, Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association, Canadian Picture Pioneers and the Famous Players’ Eastern Division Managers. Serious business sessions were combined with luncheons, dinners, screenings and cocktail parties in the vast hotel. All managers of Famous Players’ Eastern Division were registered in the hotel and attended all of the four-day sessions which began on November 7th. For the first time in Canada a trade show was included and with resounding success! 75 booths were set up for the exhibition and 75 booths were bought for the displays of equipment by concession operators in theatres. An NAC conference occupied much of Monday morning, November 7th, which was followed by the annual luncheon of the Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario when the guest speaker was Marshall H. Fine, 1966 president of the N.A.T.O. Following the afternoon session of the Canadian Picture Pioneers Richard Lederer, vice-president of Warner Brothers in New York, was the guest speaker and the Pioneers’ dinner and dance, a black-tie affair, closed the day. On Tuesday all the delegates were transported to the Odeon Theatre, Don Mills, where a special trade show screening was arranged by leading Canadian distributors. The afternoon was occupied with a merchandising forum by Gerry Dillon of Theatre Confections Ltd. and Martin Simpson of Twinex. The official Trade Show opened at 4.30 that afternoon. Wednesday featured all-day meetings of the Motion Picture Association of Canada and Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association followed by trade talks by a number of distinguished speakers, with the Trade Show still in session. On Thursday morning Famous Players’ managers from all over Ontario and visitors attended a business session presided over by William A. Summerville, vice-president Eastern Division theatres and James R. Nairn, director of publicity and advertising. In his opening remarks Nairn paid high tribute to his assistant, Norman Barker, Tom Chatfield art director, Jimmy Cameron, head of group sales and Tiff Cook, exploiteer. Speakers on the Famous Players’ managers session included Angus MacCunn, senior vice-president; Jim Cameron on Group Sales; Joseph P. Whyte on the handling of reserved seats; R. J. Widdicombe, real estate and Fred Morley on insurance. The afternoon session was devoted entirely to a session of questions and answers for Famous Players’ men arranged by Ben Geldsaler and presided over by the Company’s new executive vice-president, George Destounis. George spent the entire afternoon listening to complaints and suggestions from our men in the field — a most productive session AT FAMOUS PLAYERS LUNCH FOR DISTRIBUTORS George Destounis, executive vice-president for Famous Players; Doug Gow of British Columbia; Harvey Harnick, Canadian general manager for Columbia Pictures and John Ferguson, Prairie Province supervisor for Famous. F. Gordon Spencer turns over the presidency of the new Motion Picture Theatre Associations of Canada to Gaston H. Theroux of Montreal who is also president of the Association des Proprietaires de Cinemas du Quebec.