What's New? (September / October 1969)

MAURICE PHANEUF G.M.UNITED AMUSEMENT CORP. Maurice Phaneuf with a background of thirty six years in theatre management and administration has been named by George Destounis to the position of general manager of the United Amusement Corporation in Montreal. Since May of 1968 Maurice has been assistant general manager of the company’s theatres in the province of Quebec. He succeeds Les Mitchell who has been assigned to new duties: in Toronto. Maurice managed several theatres in the Montreal area and until his appointment as assistant general manager was a district manager covering a large group of theatres in the east end of Montreal. In 1967 he was granted a leave of absence to take on an executive position with EXPO ‘67 as supervisor of the magnificent EXPO theatre. Good luck with your new assignment Maurice, and best wishes for your continued success from all of us in the Famous Family. ARNOLD FISHMAN Borrowing from an old cliche, the | term ‘Human Computer’ most aptly describes Arnie Fishman, Director of Research for Paramount Pictures in New York. On one of his frequent trips to Toronto | interviewed Arnie, and while admittedly some segments ‘ of our conversation left me completely _ befuddled, from a technical stand point, | came up with a most interest ing profile on this gentleman with the precise, scientific mind and instantaneous reflexes of a modern computer. Prior to joining Paramount Arnie Fishman was manager of operations research for Miles Laboratories in Elkhart, Indiana ... Analytical Consultant for Group Staff at 1.B.M., and manager of Applications Services for Service Bureau Corporation where his main function was conceiving of ways and means in which the computer could be utilized to help decision making in marketing, merchandising and management. In the course of his research Arnie helped to develop some of the pioneering services in this context. His present studies are aimed at trying to achieve the same gains within Paramount as a leisure time complex as with previous assignments, that is, to get useful, reliable: information from the marketplace early enough to be useful to management in both long term planning and shorter term decisions relating to merchandising operations and marketing. Arnie is presently finalizing the structurifg of a new and radical adjunct to our business based on the results of his studies of the past few months. His academic background in social research and economics includes a B.A. degree from Queen's College, an M.A. from Columbia and an M.B.A. in business .administration from N.Y.U. _ He has almost completed work on his doctorate. Arnie and his wife Grace have two children, son George aged 6 and daughter Hilary who is one year old. They make their home at Dix Hills on: Long Island in New York. W.E. ROBINSON HEADS BUYING BOOKING George P. Destounis has announced the appointment of Bill Robinson as head booker and buyer for our company with direct supervision over film buying and booking for all of our theatres from coast to coast. For the past year Bill has been head booker of our Quebec operations, and for several years previously had booked our Montreal theatres from the United _Amusement offices in Montreal. Bill has made a study of our booking problems across the country and has spent several weeks visiting theatres in the Atlantic region as well as locally, to prepare him for this important assignment. Bill, a native Torontonian moved with his family to Montreal at an early age where he began his career as an usher at the Westmount theatre, graduating to the head office accounting department and later joined the ° booking staff. He moved to Toronto about a year ago where he, wife Jean and daughter Pamela Lynn enjoy suburban living in their new home in the _Islington area of the city. Bonne chance Bill from all of us at Famous.