Boxoffice-July.01/1950

MPTO Direciors Plan
Conclave at Toronto
TORONTO—Directors of the Motion Picture
Theatres Ass'n of Ontario at their June
meeting discussed preliminary plans for the
annual conclave of the organization October
31 at the King Edward hotel here. It was
the consensus that the 1950 gathering would
be the most impcrtant in the nine-year history
of the organization.
Directors considered complaints of exhibitors
about distributor rulings that films
world be shipped only on a collect-on-delivery
basis and the imposing of rental fe;s
on films intended for charity purposes.
It was pointed out that film rental charges
had provided difficulty in holding benefit
sho'.vs for flood victims in Manitoba and
fire victims at Rimouski and Cabano. Que.
The subject was tabled for consideration at
the next meeting.
Vice-President Stan Gosnell of Toronto
presided, although President Roy Miller of St.
Catharines was present. Others in attendance
were Raymond Allen, C. J.
ris Berlin, Sam Fine. Harry S. Mandell, Ben
Ulster and Executive Secretary Arch H.
Jolley.
Appel, Mor-
Showman Urges Publicity
For Reversing Falls
ST. JOHN—Better publicity for the reversing
falls here is urged by F. Gordon
Spencer, general manager of the F. G. Spencer
Co., who urges that a chain of signs
notifying motorists of the falls should be
placed along the road leading from the
border at St. Stephen-Calais to St. John.
He cites that even at the falls there is
little notice given motorists. Spencer contends
a real effort should be made to hold
tourists in St. John for a couple of days instead
of letting them hurry through to Nova
Scotia and Prince Edward Island, spending
only minutes here.
FPC Will Start Theatre
In Moncton. N. B„ This Year
MONCTON, N. B.—The building in which
the Imperial Theatre has been located for
about 45 years is reported sold or leased to
the Metropolitan Stores, a variety chain.
Jack Butler's lease expires in about a year.
Famous Players has been affiliated with
Butler at the Imperial for about eight years.
Butler is reported planning to retire from
the theatre field. FPC will start building a
1.200-seat theatre here this year.
$1,000 for Flood Relief
From Simcoe, Ont„ Show
TORONTO—A Sunday benefit show at the
Strand in Simcoe, Ont.. a unit of Premier
Theatres, brought in $1,000 for the Manitoba
Flood Relief fund, according to Manager
M. D. McPhee's report to the headquarter.-;
of Arch H. Jolley here.
The performance was conducted under the
au.'^pices of the Simcoe Kinsmen club, the
president of which gave the contribution to
the mayor of Simcoe. Tickets were sold in
advance by the Kinsmen on the basis of a
donation of $i or more.
Switch in Conttol of NFB
Proposed to Commons
MONTREAL—The dominion cabinet will
step out of the field of direct control of the
National Film Board under provisions of a
bill introduced in the House of Commons by
Robert Winters, minister of resources and
chairman of the NFB. The measures introduced
by Winters would provide the first
overhaul of the NFB setup in 11 years.
Under terms cf the measure Winters would
leave the NFB as would J. J. McCann, minister
of revenue. Arthur Irwin, board commissioner,
would take over as chairman.
Winters, in introducing the bills before the
lawmakers, explained that the present method
of operation of the NFB had grown up
piecemeal and has "given rise to difficulties
and certain weaknesses in its structure."
The Winters recommendations would implement
some of the recommendations of the
recent Gordon report, a study by a Toronto
firm of business experts of the board's practices
and organization.
The bills also would establish a revolving
capital fund of $700,000 to make the board's
financial structure more flexible and more
sound. The measures would give appropriate
power to staff the board and to place board
employes under the civil service superannuation
act. Employes now work on the basis
of three-month certificates.
The measures also would more clearly define
and somewhat broaden the powers of
Irwin, former magazine editor brought in to
overhaul and improve the NFB after Parliamentary
criticism.
They would define the functions of the
board conforming with its actual operations
and reconstitute the board on a basis which
would make it possible to carry out the functions
efficiently. Powers appropriate to the
functions of
the board and the board's responsibility to
Parliament would be established through a
the NFB would be conferred on
designated minister of the crown.
The board would be allowed to acquire personal
property, patents and copyrights and
enter into contracts for personal services for
any pi rpose necessary for the production, distribution,
projection or exhibition of films
pursuant to the new act.
While Winters was making his recommendations
to the House of Commons, that body
a!;o heard charges raised by Allistair Stewart,
member for Winnipeg, that the NFB
had been the victim of a smear campaign by
Hollywood interests because of the board's
competition with the commercial film industry.
Stewart said it was easy to rai^e the accusation
of Communist when there was opposition
to the NFB by "commercial interests."
Foreign Films Held Over
TORONTO—In spite of the heat. "The
Last Stop" held for a second week at the
foreign-language King, while "Quartet." in
its revival engagement at the International
Cinema, also continued for a second stanza.
The Australian feature, "The Rugged
O'Riordans," played four 20th Century theatres,
the Midtown. Odeon, Esquire and Circle,
on a double bill. Allen's ace unit, the Hollywood,
had a nice opening with the Canadian
premiere of "Bless 'Em All."
Banff Parley Called Off
VANCOUVER—The convention of the Motion
Picture Exhibitors of Canada, scheduled
for Banff August 12-14. has been canceled
because some member organizations reported
they could not send delegates at that time.
Local theatremen understand the convention
will be held later in the year.
CANADIAN FILM PIONEERS—Among: those attending the annual meeting of the
Canadian Picture Pioneers, Quebec division, at the Mount Royal hotel, Montreal, recently,
were, standing left to right: John Ganctakos, Confederation Theatres; William
Elman, Columbia Pictures; William Singleton. .Associated Screen News, past president;
Frank Hanley. city councilman, representing Mayor Houde, and William Lester.
United Amusements, past vice-president. Seated, left to right, J. M. DeRoussy. France
Films, first vice-president; George Ganetakos. United .Amusements; Tom Cleary. Consolidated
Theatres, president, and Ernest Ouimet, honorary president.
BOXOFFICE :: July 1. 1950 K 103