Boxoffice-March.06.1948

. . Every
. . Daniel
: March
Motion Pictures Hit
By Winnipeg Sources
WINNIPEG— Shan: attacks on motion pictures
were launched here last week from two
quarters, lashing out in particular at the
supposed effects on young people.
Mrs. G. R. Lennox, a former member of
the Manitoba censor board, warned a home
and school association meeting that certain
pictures have given children the impression
life consists of smoking cigarets and drinking
cocktails. She called the psychological effect
of these films on children a crime. Mrs. Lennox
blamed parents who let their children
go to the show without bothering to find out
about their plots or dialog.
She said films in Manitoba were classified
by the censor board as either "adult" or
"general" but that no provision is made for
the immature minds of children between
7 and 10 years of age. "Films classified as
'adult' are of no interest to the child." she
said. "Those classified as 'general' should be
considered by the parent before the child
is allowed to attend."
Parents choose their children's schools,
food and clothing, "but they do not always
see to the danger of not selecting proper
films for their children to attend," Mj-s. Lennox
pointed out. She deplored the growing
tendency of parents to park their children
in a movie whenever they had something
they wanted to do.
The other blast against pictures came from
the Rev. Wat.son Argue, pastor of Calvai-y
Temple, who denounced films, along with
dance halls, as "part of the devil's business."
CALGARY
•Phe Parnell brothers, operating theatres in
Blairmore, Bellevue and Coleman in the
Crow's Nest Pass, were in the city on business
pertaining to their theatre in Coleman,
which was destroyed recently by fire . . .
Booth Film Service, now located in a new
office in the basement of the Film Exchange
Bldg. annex, has been appointed representatives
for Granada 16mm film, a subsidiary
of H. J.
Allen.
While the winter season slowed down renovations,
there has been some activity this
month. The New Theatre in Edson is being
reseated. Refurnishing and reseating of the
Roxy in Stettler also is proceeding.
A weekend Chinook so cleared up the main
highways that mercantile and film salesmen
took to the road in all directions last week
, . , Reports from country points, meanwhile,
state that winter storms closed roads into
many country towns, limiting theatre attendance
to local residents and causing delay
in film deliveries.
Royal Shots to Hinterland
OTTAWA—After purchasing a number of
prints of the royal family on the South
African tour, the Imperial Order, Daughters
of the Empire, has bought similar prints from
the Gaumont-British color film of the royal
wedding, and made all available to the National
Film Board for distribution throughout
its rural circuit organization in the Dominion.
ST. JOHN
n fter deciding to boycott theatres that "persist
in showing objectionable movies, and
stores displaying and selling the same type
of books," the Halifax St. Thomas Aquinas
parish branch of the Catholic Women's
league urged the provincial CWL coimcil to
make the dual ban province-wide . . . The
Empire, Kentville, which is substituting for
the burned Capitol, is only about 100 yards
from the debris. It had been operating irregularly
in recent months.
George MacKenzie, projectionist at the
York in Hantsport, makes it a point to study
the reactions of the York patrons to films he
screens . item of equipment in the
Kentville fire department was used in the
fire in the Capitol, which lasted four hours
in a subzero temperature.
While John Fitzpatrick of Halifax was taking
a snooze at an army film show there, his
watch was stolen from a wrist ... At the
Halifax Capitol advance bookings were linked
up in an advertising bulletin as a panacea
for winter discomforts . Morgan,
35-year-old truck driver recently sent to
prison for two years after conviction for
throwing acid at girls, chiefly their legs, was
a member of a Sydney church choii'. Some
of the acid showering had been in theatres,
but chiefly in stores.
The stork is coming to the household of
Doug Williams, a member of the staff of the
Mayfair here, and Williams feels he may be
getting the bird for the last time. With this
addition, he will have eight offspring. Wallie
Himiby, chief projectionist at the Mayfair, is
also heading into parenthood—for the fourth
time. Franklin & Herschorn, amateur statisticians,
report every married employe of
the circuit has at least one child. When asked
what the name the eighth blessed event would
bring, Williams said, "Period."
Efforts to obtain a permit to build a theatre
in Rothesay, N. B., have failed so far-. The
committee governing this ritzy village, nine
miles east of here, have turned thumbs down
on a public picture center. The Community
Theatre, opened last sunmier. is about two
miles east.
High school pupils of Fredericton are seeking
a special reduced rate at the local theatres.
Children's matinees admissions here
have been increased from 12 to 14 cents, except
on Saturday, when the 12-cent fare
continues.
Art Fielding will retiu-n to Halifax following
the sale of his home at Ea,st Riverside,
eight miles east of here. He owns the Capitols
at Bridgewater and Digby, N. S., and has
a new theatre in the works at Bridgewater,
where his son Ron is manager. The senior
Fielding was general manager for SpeiTCer
chain for about a decade, and was on the
Spencer staff about 30 years. He originated
at Truro, N. S.
AH local theatres are donating free tickets
to student nurses. For a start, each house
will hand out 18 doubles. The action was
taken because of the low training pay at
hospitals.
Guests at a cocktail party held in Miami,
Fla„ for Gene Autry to signalize the premiere
of his first film for Columbia were
Joe and Mitch Franklin, father and son of
St. John. The latter will return to St. John
the last of February. While the Franklins
were partying with Autry, "Sioux City Sue,"
one of his final Republics, was being routed
through their theatre chain.
Bob Roddick, maritime chief for FPC,
went to bat for patronage, personally, in the
case of "Green Dolphin Street" at the Halifax
Capitol. He issued an advance boost for
the picture over his own name.
Sees Vast Video Web
Within Three Years
MONTREAL—Television will exist on a
coast-to-coast basis covering 36 American
states and two Canadian provinces within
the next thi-ee years. Such was the optimistic
outlook for this new medium predicted by
Eugene S. Thomas, president of the Advertising
Club of New York in addressing the
Montreal Advertising and Sales Executives
club. As sales manager of the Bamberger
Broadcasting Service, Thomas is directly connected
with television in New York.
At present, he said, there are 250,000 television
sets in use, a figure that is expected
to reach the million mark by Christmas.
There are actually 18 television stations
broadcasting regularly and plans are already
in progress to have 193 stations operating in
78 cities as soon as the factors of production
permit, he said.
The price of new sets now ranges from
$175 to $2,500, but Thomas said he believed
that eventually the price of an ordinary set
will fluctuate somewhere aromid $150.
Telecasting is particularly adapted to major
news events, films and plays, he explained.
All the baseball games in New
York will be telecast this season. He claimed
that in his New York home he saw Barbara
Ann Scott win the Olympic skating championship.
"Eventually, television will have a profound
influence in unifying the peoples of the
world." the speaker concluded.
Pioneer Executives Meet,
Plan Social Activities
TORONTO—J. Earl Lawson, president of
Odeon Theatres, was in the chair for the
first meeting of the 1948 executive of the
Canadian Picture Pioneers in his office here.
Preliminary arrangements were made for a
series of entertainments and social nights
to be climaxed by the Pioneers ball in the
autumn, which is expected to be a costume
affair.
The following standing committees were
appointed: Membership, Ben Cronk, L. M.
Devaney, Sam Sternberg and C. J. Appel;
entertainment, Len Bishop, Joseph Garbarino,
Walter Kennedy, Morris Doyle and
O. R. Hanson; publicity, C. J. Appel, A, J.
Laurie, Ben Cronk and Walter Kennedy;
sick committee, William Reeves and W. J.
O'Neill.
The benevolent fund trustees are Charlie
Mavety, Ray Lewis, O. R. Hanson and G. H.
Beeston. The solicitor is David Ongley.
J. J. Fitzgibbons was reappointed public relations
officer.
102 BOXOFFICE :
6, 1948