. . Gustave . . Norman . . Lou . . . . . H. . . . Exhibitors . . "Black . . Ben TORONTO n number of managerial changes have taken paign. Also coming up is "Whispering City," which was made in Canada by Quebec Productions Corp. J. Arthur Rank has the world distribution rights. After a lengthy visit with her son, Len Bishop, manager of the Tivoli, and his family, Mrs. Bishop sr., returned to her home in California. Another son, Harold, is the Famous Players district manager in Winnipeg . R. Demery, projectionist at the Tivoli and a member of the Famous Players 25-Year club, is a patient in Toronto General hospital . . . Sydney Blumenstock of 20th-Fox, New York, was here to arrange for the Canadian premiere of "Gentleman's Agreement." He brought word to Toronto friends from his brother Mort who is with United Artists. Ken Holland's Amateurs, who have become a weekly stage fixture at several Toronto theatres, have added the Family to their bookings Allin, former head office booker for Odeon, has been appointed booker in Cleveland for the Co-Operative Circuit of Ohio, taking over his duties February 2. Mrs. Allin will follow from Toronto when he gets settled. The Mayfair was sold out for a one-night showing of "Song of the South," sponsored by the Humbercrest Home and School Ass'n in cooperation with Manager M. White. For the first run of "The Burning Cross," Manager Ralph Wilson of the Circle placed an illuminated display on the theatre's stage. In cooperation with the Ace and Kenwood theatres, he has been distributing book matches . Michelson, who resigned as salesman here for United Artists, has succeeded Joe Plottel as Winnipeg manager of Selznlck Releasing Organization . . . Manager Al Sedgwick of the Palace, St. Catharines, picked a cold Saturday morning for the free distribution of ice cream to patrons of the Odeon Movie club show, but the many juveniles disregarded the temperature. The Brant in Brantford had good attendance for a Circus day program for its Famous Players Movie club performance, all the short subjects dealing with the big top . . . The Esquire, also in Brantford, played up the western angle for a Saturday matinee in featuring "Hollywood Cowboys," a Screen Snapshots short, and other appropriate pictures. Fan photos of Roy Rogers were distributed. Dave Gordon, supervisor here for Biltmore Theatres, had a spell in the hospital but his condition is not serious . . . Manager Ken Johnston of the new Odeon at Guelph has introduced the Odeon Movie club plan to the juveniles of the Royal city . . . Dewey D. Bloom, MGM explolteer, returned with his wife after a cruise to the West Indies. place in the 20th Century Theatres following the resignation of Nat Bresver from the Belsize. He is moving to Brandon, Man. Aubrey Lent was transferred from the Community to the Belsize and Tom Montagu has Famous Players 25-Year club, A. E. Cauley, In connection with his election to the taken charge of the Commimity. Fred C. manager of the Capitol in Peterborough, drew Leavens has gone from the Family to the a lengthy personal boost in the Daily Examiner in that city, the write-up giving de- Grand in Sudbury, Dave Robinson becoming manager of the Family. Ed Hubbard has tails of his long career as a showman . moved from the Mountain in Hamilton to the "Damaged Goods" played a week's engagement at regular prices at the Savoy in Ham- Community in that city and Tom Gallagher to the Century at Trenton. George McEwen ilton . . . R. W. Bolstad, vice-president of has become manager of the Manor here. Famous Players, and Mrs. Bolstad have a 25-Year club of their own. They've just celebrated a quarter century of happy marriage. Howard Elliott returned to managerial duties at the pairlawn after three weeks in a hospital, and jumped into preparations for the early opening of "So Well Remembered," for which he has laid out an extensive cam- Film About Mounties Given Big Buildup CALGARY—Extensive free publicity was developed by Pete Egan, manager of the Palace, for the National Film board's 35-minute pictm-e, "R.C.M.P. File 1365," which was booked as part of a double feature. The film board sent a man here from Winnipeg to work on exploitation with Egan for nine days. Advance stories broke in the news sections of both dailies, something imusual in this city. A special window was put in by the Hudson's Bay Co. department store, and a red-coated Mountie and police dog were lined up for a stage appearance at a Saturday morning kiddy show. On the morning the show opened, a preview was held for the city's cliief constable, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police inspector of the district, several legal lights and judges, and, as a speaker, Lucien Maynard, attorney general of the province. Maynard came all the way from Edmonton for the occasion. This also was good for free publicity for the booking. The picture deals with an authentic police case in the neighboring province of Saskatchewan, showing how the Mounties put together slender clues that led to the arrest of a murderer on the docks of Halifax. He was later hanged in Regina. Jack Johnson Opens First Theatre in Windthorst WINDTHORST, SASK.—This farm community's first theatre, the 325-seat Windthorst, was opened recently by Jack Johnson. It operates on two changes of program a week. Will Compose Score Hugo Friedhofer has been engaged to compose a supplementary score for Goldwyn's Technicolor comedy, "A Song Is Born." Dollar Economy Cuts Vacations in U.S. Toronto—Canada's dollar-economy restrictions apparently are discouraging winter vacations in Florida or California by Toronto film executives. There has been little talk here of plans for a lengthy stay in the south or on the coast. L. M. Devaney, Canadian district manager for RKO, and his wife are on a vacation cruise in the West Indies where the use of Canadian dollars does not come under restrictive regulations of the Dominion government. MONTREAL The outstanding social function since New Year's in Filmrow circles was a cocktail party given by Eagle Lion for Mr. and Mi-s. James Mason, the film stars. Mrs. Mason (Pamela Kelloi is author of a best-selling novel, and she and her husband autographed copies in a local department store. Filmrow folk present at the party included Bob Johnson, Eagle Lion, and his wife; George Ganetakos, president and managing director of United Amusement Corp.; H. Ciles and Mel Johnston, also of United; Allan Spencer, director of advertising of Confederation Amusement; Gordon Dann, general supervisor for General Theatres, and Mrs. Dann; W. Singleton, general sales manager of Associated Screen News; S. Jacobs, district manager of Monogram; Hector Hurteau, booker at Monogram; Eddy Schrider, salesman for Eagle Lion-Monogram; Mort Pi-evost, G. Destonis, manager of the Strand Theatre; G. Panos, manager of the System Theatre; Alfred Goulet, Art Bahan, Mr. and Mrs. Phil Maurice, H. Curtin, Les Reynolds, M. Norris,. Miss B. Meyohlan and Miss Kay Sheehy, secretary to Grattan Kiely, Montreal manager for Warner Bros. "Wings of the Morning," a Cardinal Film production, was held a second week at the Imperial ... A new theatre is being constructed in Cowansville, Que. Carl Brock and his partner, Leo Choquette, are the proprietors . . . Allied Artists "It Happened on Fifth Avenue" moved to the Strand after five weeks at the Snowdon . Gold," another AA picture, will open at the Imperial in mid-February. Teddy Atkinson, booker at RKO, has resigned . . . Paramount gave a cocktail party for Joan Caulfield in the new "skylight roof" at Ruby Foo's . . . Bill Lester is sick. John Levitt, Colimibia salesman, was on a selling trip in Gaspe peninsula . . . Ai-thur Hirscli, head of Consolidated Theatres, returned from New York . Cronk, Toronto, handled Fi-ench publicity here for Empire-Universal. Jason Cohen, salesman for Empire-Universal, has left for Gand Mere and La Tuque B. Miller, salesman for MGM., has returned from an eastern townships selling trip . . . Miss Belle Corber, office manager and booker at MGM, was in a hospital . . . Miss Jeanne Paquin, manager for Hanson 16mm, left for the hospital. Mrs. K. Bonnell, formerly of 20th-Fox, Toronto, is now cashier with Eagle Lion here in town: Gonzague Ti-emblay, Chicoutimi, owner of the Capitol there and the Palace, Arvida; Roger Lalonde, owner of the Colonial, Plessisville; D. St. Jacques, proprietor of the Capitol, Thurso, and Paul Lafontaine, manager of the Laurier, Hull, Que. Eugene Marquis, Liberal member of parliament for Kamouraska, Quebec, advocated tightening of censorship of literature and motion pictures and a closer scrutiny by parliament of applications for divorce. Marquis said it was not surprising that juvenile delinquency was increasing when magazines and motion pictures depicted free love as an ideal life and concubinage as an attribute of liberty. 42 BOXOFFICE :: February 7, 1948
pURE CHART • REVIEW DIGEST • SHORTS CHART -.^bRTS REVIEWS • FEATURE REVIEWS • EXPLOITIPS BookinGuidc BOXOFFICE FIRST RUN REPORTS This chart shows the records made by pictures in five or more of the 21 key cities checked. As new runs are reported, ratings are added and averages revised. BAROMETER TOP HITS OF THE WEEK * Gentleman's Agreement— San Francisco 500 Cass Timberlane San Francisco 160 r Computed in terms of percentage in [relation to normal grosses. With 100 cent as "normal," the figures sw the percentage above or below mark. Iways Together (WB) 110 80 100 Black Narcissus (U-I) Timberlane (MGMi 190 110 115 sy Kenyon (20th-Fox) 110 116 90 150 120 100 130 90 100 100 175 100 110 80 105 170 100 114 100 100 105 125 95 fht to Nowhere ( SG) itleman's Agreement (20th-Fox) 120 100 90 100 115 100 70 125 100~ 95 160 95 100 100 75 95 10 100 Iden Earrings (Para) 120 112 95 120 95 Heading for Heaven (ED 9 5 105 100 115 150 150 110 110 105 80 110 90 190 95 114 150 140 150 100 125 115 122 115 110 160 125 124
Change language