Boxoffice-May.29.1948

. . The
. . The
. . . Manager
. . The
TORONTO Rank Plans Sludio Site
Joseph Marks has been appointed Canadian
manager for Selznick Releasing Organization
to succeed Cliarles M. Weiner, who organized
tlie Canadian branch and handled
the release of "Duel in the Sun" and other
productions. Marks came from England
where he had been sales manager with Pathe.
Weiner is returning to the U.S.
This column recently identified James A.
Davidson as a native of Edinburgh, Scotland,
and as the new assistant manager of
the Hume Theatre in Burlington, Ont. He
is, rather, a native of Glasgow and new manager,
not assistant, of the Hume.
The Capitol at St. Thomas cooperated
with the local Canadian Legion branch in its
drive for funds for a memorial arena by
staging a "Punzafizzin" vaudeville show for
which many prizes were donated by local
stores. The admission was $1 . . Famous
.
Players, in association with Sam Korman,
has taken over the Malartic, a 450-seat theatre
in the mining town of Malartic, from
Charles Magnan who will shortly open his
theatre at Victoriaville. Benny Lehoux of
Noranda will manage tne Malartic.
Charles S. Chaplin, Canadian manager for
United Artists, was in Montreal for the presentation
of the Grad Sears trophy to George
Heiber, branch manager, whose unit won the
recent sales drive. Chicago was the winner
last year . Capitol Movie club at
Peterboro staged a contest last Saturday for
all first prize winners of previous amateur
shows during the winter months. A large
crowd turned out for the all-star program.
Jerry Campbell, who opened the Skyway at
Stoney Creek, Ont., the first drive-in for
Ontario, has been appointed manager of the
latest theatre of this type, the Sunset at
Brantford.
Mark Berman resigned as UA Montreal
booker and joined Independent Poster and
Supply Co. here in an executive capacity . . .
Lloyd Mills, former manager of the Bedford
Theatre here, who now is manager of the
Midtown in Buffalo, won a safety citation
there "for the most outstanding efforts in
promoting safety" in his community during
1947 . Community in East York,
recently taken over from 20th Century Theatres
by B&F, held a gala midnight show
May 23. offering "Variety Girl." The Northeast
Drive-In started Sunday midnighters
for the duration of the season.
Arthur Silverstone, 20th-Fox Canadian
sales manager, attended a dinner in New
York Friday i28i honoring General Sales
Manager Andy W. Smith jr. . . . Warners
Canadian exchanges have joined American
branches in a 14-week sales drive, May 23
to August 28. Last year was the first time
since the war that Canada was able to participate.
Confectionary counters and stands have
been installed in 11 B&F theatres by Theatre
Confections, Ltd., a Famous Players subsidiary
. . . B&F Theatres will hold its annual
party for managers and the head office
staff Sunday i30i at Chudleigh House. Sam
Bloom, Sam Fine and other executives will
host the dinner following which there will
be dancing.
In British Columbia
VICTORIA, B. C.~The J. Ai-thur Rank
organization is eyeing coastal British Columbia
as a film producing area, but Britain's
dollar shortage blocks immediate plans.
J. Earl Lawson, president and general manager
of Odeon Theatres of Canada, said
during a recent visit here that either Victoria
or Vancouver may be considered as a
studio site as soon as Britain's exchange position
eases. It is almost certain that a producing
unit will be located on the west coast
eventually, he said.
"It is one of Rank's objectives to make
films in every part of the British empire and
distribute them throughout the empire so
as to interpret the lives, habits and people
of each part to every other."
Another Rank objective, Lawson said, is to
develop children's film clubs throughout the
empire and to proauce special children's films.
"You have to be more careful in technical
direction for a children's film than for adult
entertainment film," Lawson said. Keen-eyed
youngsters soon spot minor mistakes.
Children's film clubs elect their own officers
and offer frank criticism of films, he
said. Most popular films feature sports, competition
and children using their ingenuity
to get out of difficult situations.
Although Odeon's four-year plan to build
64 theatres throughout Canada is behina
schedule for various reasons, Lawson said, 12
new theatres have been completed and ten
more are slated for completion in 1948.
VICTORIA
. . .
nttendance at the Dominion was boosted
when Manager Martin Cave featui-ed the
newsreel of the recent golf tournament here
Manager Shelia Bejay of the Rio invited
the cooperation of dancing studios and
the Pro-Recs for the showing of "The Russian
Ballerina" . Plaza and the York
have cut out Sunday midnight shows, leaving
the Rio the only theatre in town with a midnight
show.
Hymie Singer plans to put the Rio up for
sale because he plans to move to Los Angeles
where he will continue in show business.
Manager Shelia Bejay may continue as a
business associate of Singer's in California
Johnny Stobart of the Plaza
has attracted a lot of interest in his newspaper
ads for the Odeon Movie club by running
group pictures of the previous weeks
attendance. One person in the picture is
circled and is the winner of the week's prize.
. . For advance exploitation
Pete Frumento has started showings in the
new community hall at Honeymoon Bay. He
also operates a 16mm circuit in the logging
towns of Hillcrest, Gordon River Camp and
Port Renfrew
of "T-Men" at
.
the Capitol, Manager John
Robertson issued specialty dodgers and distributed
them around town and in the lobby.
One side of the dodgers was a facsimile of
a treasui-e note. The reverse side carried advertising
copy about the coming attraction
"T-Men."
Manager Al Davidson of the Odeon strung
a banner across the main street to advertise
"A Double Life." Display cards were featured
prominently all over the city and a
lobby display featured a huge Oscar.
MONTREAL It
Dob Middleton, salesman for RKO in New
Brunswick, will be transferred soon to
Toronto ... An RKO staff party was given
at the home of Mrs. Eileen Chalifour, bookersecretary,
for Arthur Elliott, salesman, who
left for Calgary to be branch manager. He
was the recipient of a marble inkstand and
pen. Those present included Murray Devaney,
Montreal branch manager, and Mrs. Devaney,
who were host and hostess; Adele Greene,
cashier and escort; Harry Decker, salesman,
and Mrs. Decker; Mr. and Mrs. Norman
Rajesky; Devaney 's secretary, Mary de
Ti-emiolles, who just left for a tour of France
and who was presented with a gift at the
party, and Mrs. Eunice Richardson who has
replaced Miss de TremioUes.
Visitors to Filmrow: I. H. Allen, president
of Astral Film, Toronto, who looked in at the
local office; Mark Stevens, film actor, from
20th-Fox, Hollywood; Mel Lodge, proprietor
of the Myra in Richmond and Town Hall in
Danville; P. Senecal of the George in Ste.
Therese; B. Hall, partner in the Imperial in
Chicoutimi, and George Beaulieu of East Angus,
former owner of the Royal Theatre in
East Angus.
Mrs. I. Mullins, stenographer at RKO, has
resigned. Her successor is Miss Frankie
Sewell . . . Ruby Lemire, secretary to W. Elman,
branch manager of Columbia, holidayed
at St. Sauveur des Monts with the Newman
alumni society . . . Miss Mildred Rosenberg,
secretary to Larry Druxerman, manager of
Selznick Releasing Organization, will be mar-
. . . Bessie
Gertrude Chorlton, cashier
ried Jime 24 . . .
at United Artists, has resigned
Herman of Quebec General Theatres has returned
from a trip to New York City.
Screened in Fredericton
FREDERICTON, N. B.—As a followup to
campaign among children for fire
a
and panic
protection and safety, the Fredericton fire
department and W. W. O. Fenety, owner of
the Gaiety and Capitol, have prepared rules
for adults. These are being screened at the
start of each show. A copy has also been
placed at the projection booth in each theatre
and in each lobby. Fire Chief Hal
Doherty has been promoting the safety drive.
CALGARY
. . Cal-
T loyd, Muir, RKO publicity man for the
prau-ies and west coast, came to town for
three days to plug "Fort Apache" .
gary is awaiting the Warner Bros, short,
"The Calgary Stampede," and the Eagle Lion
production, "Northwest Stampede." Both contain
shots of home folks and places. In Edmonton
the picture most eagerly awaited is
"The Emperor Waltz." Much of it was made
at nearby Jasper. Bing Crosby made a real
hit with citizens of Alberta's capitol city.
Red Doddridge, a veteran of the film distribution
industry, has resigned from the
local RKO branch. Leo Carey, assistant to
Leo Devaney, Canadian general manager at
Toronto, will take charge of the branch.
Doddridge has been in film sales work since
World War I, starting with the old Selznick
company.
98 BOXOFFICE
:
: May
29, 1948