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. . Miss
Quebec Co. Will Film
Famed Radio Story
MONTREAL—One of Canada's most popular
broadcast series, Un Homme et Son
Peche (A Man and His Sin), a homespun
drama about Quebec rural life that has been
keeping French-speaking listeners glued to
their radios five nights a week for over nine
years, is soon to be filmed in the Laurentians
with an all French-Canadian cast.
Film rights to the story have been bought
by Quebec Productions, and Rene Germain,
president, says shooting will start in June at
the St. Hyacinthe studios near Montreal.
Outdoor scenes will be made in the Laurentians
where conditions are much the same
as they were at the time of the story, which
takes place in the village in the 1890s. The
picture will have English subtitles.
Tlie author of Un Homme et Son Peche
is Claude Henri Grignon, mayor of the Laurentian
village of Ste. Adele, who is also editing
the film scenario. Ten years ago he
wrote a book of the same name, which won
the Quebec government's annual literary prize
and skyrocketed to such popularity that the
CBC engaged him to turn it into a radio
serial. Since then listeners have come to
know the residents of the little rural center
of St. Jerome, where the story is set, as well
as they know their next door neighbors. In
fact, some followers of Un Homme et Son
Peche are hard pressed to believe that the
people it depicts do not really exist, and
are eagerly looking forward to seeing them
on the screen.
It is expected that Hector Charland, who
plays the principal role of Seraphin Poudrier
on the air, will play Poudrier in the film
version, too, which will also include many
others from the original cast. In order to
spin out his yarn over its years on the air
Grignon has had to postpone some of its
crucial happenings again and again.
His fans are curious to see whether the
film will follow the pattern of the book, or
the slightly altered and developed plan of
the broadcast serial.
FORT WILLIAM
. . Gladys
H recent visitor was H. Bernstein, representative
from BOXOFFICE .
Hodge, cashier at the Capitol here the last
two years, resigned to marry Steve Poster.
Business at the Lakehead has been away
off owing to the playoff of hockey games.
Now that the games are over and the Port
Arthur Bruins have won the memorial cup
emblematic of the junior hockey championship,
it is hoped that theatre business will
pick up . G. Belanger has been added
to the ushering staff at the Capitol replacing
Doris Nichols, who has taken over cashier
duties.
Famous Players theatres here were all plugging
theatre gift tickets for Mother's day May
9th.
Editor's Daughter Makes Debut
Grace McCord, young daughter of film
editor Harold McCord, will make her debut
as a featured singer in Warners' "My Dream
Is "yours."
Ontario's First Quonset-Type Theatre
Exhibitors from all parts of Ontario made
a weekend visit to Brampton to look over the
new Roxy Theatre, first quonsst-type theatre
in the province, which opened April 13.
The National Theatre Sales Co., which built
the house, has another one ready to open in
Acton, Ont., early in May. The Roxy seats
618 and the Acton house will seat 420. Built
in 18 weeks, despite much adverse weather,
the Roxy has a spacious foyer and lounge,
VANCOUVER
lyjicky Goldin, former theatre manager, has
been named manager of the 'Winnipeg
. .
office of Astral Films, which services Manitoba
and Saskatchewan . The Strand Theatre
was away to a smash start on its new
first run policy, playing "Sitting Pretty" on
a single bill. Famous Players formerly used
Earl Lawson,
the Strand for double features . . .
president of Odeon Theatres of Canada,
is on the coast for a ten-day visit of inspection
and to look over the circuit's new
houses in 'Victoria and 'West 'Vancouver.
Cupid has been busy in
the show business
here. Emily Hartwig of the Hastings staff
will marry Byron Printup in July; Rhoda
Bradley, Orpheum cashier, will take the trip
to the alter in September: Lome Newton,
former Orpheum assistant manager, wall
marry Barbara Shearer, who resigned from
the Capitol recently, and Marjorie Hayter,
eldest daughter of Earl Hayter, Odeon's British
Columbia supervisor, will marry Dennis
Lane June 9.
. . .
The Celanese Corp. of New York has completed
arrangements for a $15,000,000 pulp
plant at Port Edward, near Pi-ince Rupert,
B. C. For Pi'ince Rupert, the deal means
escape from the doldrums that followed departure
of thousands of war workers and U.S.
army personnel. The plant will take two
years to complete. Famous Players operates
Port Edwards' only theatre, the Capitol, a
750-seater. Local interests are starting construction
of a 900-seat theatre there
Nitery business in 'Vancouver has risen about
25 per cent in the past two months. Ace film
and radio attractions brought in recently apparently
are paying off.
Perry Wright, who succeeded Leslie
Plottel
comfortable rest rooms, excellent soimd
equipment and a custom-built candy bar
which can be supervised by the cashier. The
building is insulated against subzero weather
and extreme heat. It has oil heating, a circulating
hot water system and an air cooling
system. Architects Molesworth, Secord and
Savage of Toronto designed a 12-foot front
on the steel building that is built of Georgetown
sandstone and fits in harmoniously
with the rest of the surroundings.
. . . Bill Turner,
as manager here for Empire-Universal, has
arrived from Toronto and is busy getting
acquainted with the trade
formerly with YMCA War Services and Canadian
Pacific Airlines, is the new assistant
manager at the Paradise where Bob Fraser
is his boss . . . "The Home Town Paper,"
filmed at Vernon, B. C, last summer by National
Film board for the Canada Carries On
series, was given its Canadian premiere at
the Capitol in 'Vernon this week . . . WUlard
Adamson, manager here for International
Film Distributors, lost his foot and
a part of his leg in an operation in a local
hospital. He is coming along nicely at last
reports and is expected to be home in about
two weeks.
Walter Dowhanuk has started building a
350-seat theatre in Two Hills, Alta. It will
cost an estimated $39,000 . . Construction
.
delays have hit the new- Studio Theatre
here. It is being built for 'Vested Estates,
Ltd., and will seat 449.
Johnny Stobbart, manager of the Plaza
Theatre in Victoria, is attracting capacity
houses with his Odeon Movie club each Saturday
morning. He has made numerous tieups
with merchants for giveaways . . . Mayor
Charles Jones of 'Vancouver was motion picture
censor of Vancouver in the silent picture
days. Reminiscing recently he told of
issuing the first license for theatres to Frank
Gow, now British Columbia district manager
for Famous Players, and Willis Dewees, now
a Famous Players partner in many British
Columbia theatres.
Famous Players is about ready to start construction
of new theatres in Chilliwack and
Kelowna, B. C. Both are closed towns.
COXOFFICE :
: May
15, 1948 109