Boxoffice-December.25.1948

Taxation Bill Fight
Urged in Maritimes
ST. JOHN—The public relations committee
of the Maritime Allied Exhibitors Ass'n
recently advised New Brunswick exhibitors
to urge each member of the provincial assembly
to fight proposed bills aimed at giving
town and city councils authority to impose
a special tax on theatre tickets. The
legislature at Fredericton will open its annual
session in Febiuary and already Sackville
and Fredericton are seeking the right
to establish such a tax.
The MAEA committee also has suggested
that theatremen contact local merchants and
labor unions to ask support in opposing the
levy. The committee claims that the tax is
discriminatory, inasmuch as it is directed
against one kind of business. It points out
that now, when boxoffices are affected by
high living costs, another increase in theatre
prices necessitated by local tax«s, would
react unfavorably at the boxoffice.
It is maintained that theatres are paying
more in taxes than any other form of business
and each exhibitor is urged to show the
assemblyman from his respective district just
how much the individual theatre owner paid
for the year in income, provincial, civic and
municipal taxes.
Mrs. Fred G. Spencer Dies
In St. John Suddenly
ST. JOHN—Mrs. Helen Spencer, wife of
Fred G. Spencer, founder and president of
the F. G. Spencer Co., died at her home
here. Surviving besides the husband are two
sons, six grandchildren and one sister. The
sons are P. Gordon, general manager of the
Spencer chain, and Gerald, manager of the
Strand. Mrs. Spencer had not been ill and
death came suddenly.
She had been active as a concert and choir
singer for many years. She was a member of
Centenary United church and a member of
the choir there. At her summer home at
Westfield about 17 miles from St. John, she
was engaged in flower and fruit growing each
season. The Spencers were married 52 years
ago here.
Paramount Smoking Ban
Hearing Is Postponed
ST. JOHN—A one-week postponement was
given in county court here on a hearing of an
appeal against a smoking ban placed on the
new Paramount Theatre by the provincial
fire marshal. Affidavits will be presented by
both sides arguing the interpretation of the
law under which the ban was imposed.
One versions of the act is that a county
court judge alone can affirm or deny the
action of the marshal and that appeal to the
provincial and dominion courts is not provided
for. The outlook is that judgment will
not be given until some time after the end
of the hearing.
Frank Marshall Cited
VANCOUVER—Frank Marshall, manager
of the Marpole, is making a name for himself
as a community booster in his district
for his work with youngsters. He has a topflight
girls basketball team as well as a
junior soccer team.
Montreal Bars Owl Shows
On Big Year-End Holiday
BARBARA IN NEW YORK—Barbara
Ann Scott, Canada's triple crown skating
champion, is shown above with motion
picture executives on the eve of
starting her professional career at the
Roxy in New York. With Miss Scott are
A. J. Balaban (left), managing director
of the Roxy, and Charles Schlaifer, retiring
advertising and publicity director
for 20th Century-Fox.
Increased Capac Tariffs
Into Effect January 1
TORONTO— Subject to the approval of the
copyright appeal board of the Dominion government,
the new performing rights tariff
for Canadian theatres of the Composers,
Authors and Publishers Ass'n of Canada,
Ltd., will go into effect January 1 for a
period of three years.
The schedule calls for increases in different
theatre groups, the rates scaling from
10 cents a seat yearly for theatres with 499
seats or less, to 20 cents per seat for houses
with a capacity of 1,600 or over.
Paul L. Nathanson Buys
Into National Drug Co.
TORONTO—Paul L. Nathanson, prominent
in film circles here, is reported to have
purchased a substantial block of common
stock of the National Drug & Chemical Co.
of Canada. The amount of stock bought
does not represent control of the company
and is said to be regarded as a straight investment.
Nathanson's film interests include
Theatre Properties of Hamilton, Empire-Universal
Fihns and General Theatre
Investment Co.
Cuts to Four Nights a Week
TORONTO—Manager Dewey McCourt has
announced that the Brock at Niagara-on-the-
Lake is operating four nights each week for
the winter, the shows on Tuesday and Thursday
having been eliminated because of the
reduced local population during the cold
weather.
MONTREAL—Midnight shows and other
theatrical offerings were bamied for Christmas
eve and New Year's eve by local pohce
authorities. Director J. Albert Langlois of
the city police force notified district inspectors
to tell managers and owners of theatres
and other show places that the 25-
year-old bylaw, closing amusement centers
at midnight every night, will be put into
effect.
Despite the police department edict. Consolidated
Theatres, owner and operator of
first run houses on St. Catharine street,
revealed that it planned bigger and better
New Year's eve celebrations. At Loew's, the
Palace, Capitol, Princess, Orpheum and Imperial,
arrangements are under way for the
big celebration. In addition to a specially
selected feature, there will be community
singing and favors at all theatres.
This police action, however, will affect a
large number of east and west end theatres
which already have made arrangements for
midnight shows on the holidays. One west
end chain is reported to have signed contracts
with a theatrical agency and to have
purchased streamers and other holidays decorations
for the occasion.
A north end theatre was reported to have
sold 1,000 tickets for a midnight show on
New Year's eve, which the management will
have to reclaim. The move by city police
authorities has no connection with the curtailments
imposed by Premier Maurice Duplessis
on liquor selling establishments, which
have been warned to stop serving liquor at
11 o'clock on Christmas eve and at 2 o'clock
on New Year's morning.
The city bylaw brought in play warns
that any manager or owner of a showplace
who does not conform to the law is liable
to a $200 fine and court costs. An unofficial
source said that theatres stand to
lose $25,000 on the unexpected reapplication
of the bylaw. The money is lost in theatre
tickets printed and the booking of acts for
shows.
Arthur Gottlieb Marries
Gladys Glad at Ottawa
OTTA'WA—Arthur Gottlieb, film industry
executive here and at New York, was married
at a private ceremony here to Gladys Glad,
former Ziegfeld Follies star and widow of
Mark Hellinger, the writer.
Miss Glad became Mrs. Gottlieb at a midnight
ceremony at the residence of Dr. and
Mrs. Charles E. Shapiro, 221 O'Connor St..
at the expiration of the waiting-out period
prescribed by Ontario law following their
application for a marriage license at the
Ottawa city hall. The bride was given in
marriage by Dr. Shapiro and she was attended
by Mrs. Shapiro, with Miss Lee
Baughman, social secretary to Miss Glad, also
in attendance. Following a reception, Mr.
and Mrs. Gottlieb left on a wedding trip
to California.
Gottlieb is the president of Audio Pictures,
Ltd., and Film Laboratories of Canada,
Ltd., both of which are located in a
new studio plant at Toronto.
BOXOFFICE December 25, 194« K 95