Boxoffice-August.19.1950

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Revival of War Taxes
Feared in Canada
OTTAWA—The film industry here expects
Parliament, in its special session next month
to deal with the international situation, to
approve a revival of wartime taxation. There
already is a hint that personal income taxes
will be boosted for all persons receiving more
than $750 in net revenue.
It is expected that Commons will support
a new and expensive defense program which
may run into billions of dollars, causing
a return of wartime controls and restrictions
as well as special levies.
Some regulations may hit theatre attendance
and operation with quotas on materials
and supplies, the stabilization of jobs and
freezing wages. Theatre admission prices
were frozen and a clamp was put on construction
so that steel and other essential
products could be diverted to munitions.
Mountie Films Planned
By Several Producers
OTTAWA—Plans for making feature films
dealing with the Canadian Mounted Police
apparently are under way again, with several
Hollywood studios showing renewed interest.
Lindsley Parsons, Monogram producer, was
to arrive from California to discuss details
with Crawley Films and government officials
for making of "The Ottawa Story," with a
mountie theme. Production would be financed
partly by Monogram funds in Canada.
Producer Max King also is said to be ready
to cany out plans for making a mountie picture
with the cooperation of local authorities.
This project was discussed a year ago. Another
RCMP production is on tap by 20th-
Fox but work may not get under way until
next year. Dana Andrews is scheduled for
the star role.
Neil Main Is Appointed
Manager in Hamilton
TORONTO—A native of Scotland and a
Canadian war veteran. Neil Main has been
appointed manager of the Savoy at Hamilton,
Ont., by C. J. Appel, eastern division
manager of Odeon Theatres. The 30-yearold
Main was with Associated Theatres, Toronto,
before enlisting in 1940 for service in
Europe where he won the Military medal.
On his return to Canada he was assistant
manager at Odeon theatres in Niagara Falls
and St. Catharines, later being Odeon manager
at Sturgeon Falls. He was manager
of the Odeon Palace at Gait for the last
18 months. Main succeeds Sam Hebscher,
who has been transferred to the Palace in
Hamilton.
Variety Gets $31,000
TORONTO—The latest check on the returns
for the recent benefit baseball game
sponsored by Toronto Variety Tent 28 for its
vocational .school for crippled boys indicated
that the club will clear $31,000 even though
rain spoiled attendance. The objective was
$60,000.
Toronto Tent Prepares
Grid Game and Dinner
Storm at Winnipeg
Halts Owl Shows
WINNIPEG—A hurricane swept over Winnipeg
Sunday midnight just as thousands
of Winnipeggers were settling back to enjoy
midnight shows either in enclosed houses or
the city's three ozoners. Several theatres,
losing their power, refunded admissions,
others gave passout checks, especially the
ozoners, and one cast. Oak Theatre patrons
were marched over to the Colonial.
Capitol—Our Very Own (RKO)
Very good
Metropolitan Duchess of Idaho (MGM) Excellent
Gaiety—Falher of the Bride (MGM),
4th wk Very good
Odeon—The Blue Lamp (EL) Excellent
Garrick The Sxindowmers (EL) Good
Grand Lives of a Bengal Lancer (Para);
Beau Geste (Para), reissues Very good
Lyceum The Lawrless (Para) Good
Cool Weather Helps
Grosses in Toronto
TORONTO—Nice summer business was
registered by practically all Toronto theatres,
as cool weather prevailed. The best of five
holdovers was "Annie Get Your Gun" in its
third week at Loew's.
(Average Is 100)
Biltmore Wolf Hunters (Mono); Hell Below
(MGM), reissue 95
Fairlawn—The Blue Lamp (EL) 95
Hylcmd—Kind Hearts and Coronets (EL), 9th wk... 80
Imperial—Panic in the Streets (20th-Fox), 2nd wk.. 95
Loew's—Annie Gel Your Gun (MGM), 3rd wk 100
Odeon Rogues of Sherwood Forest (Col) 100
Shea's—Our Very Own (RKO), 2nd wk 90
Tivoli and Capitol—The Damned Don't Cry (WB),
2nd d. t. wk.; Claudia and David (20th-Fox),
reissue 100
University and Nortown—Stella (20th-Fox) 105
Uptown Abbott and Costello in the Foreign
Legion (U-I), 2nd wk
Victoria and Eglinton—The Great Jewel Robber
90
(WB) - 1C5
Heat Wave Lowers Grosses
At Vancouver Houses
VANCOUVER—Sweltering weather did not
bring patrons into air conditioned first runs
and sunny weekend weather made the
beaches and resorts the big attractions. The
tourist trade has not been much help this
summer.
Capitol Duchess of Idaho (MGM), Znd wk Good
Cinema—Bacldire (WB); The Danmed Don't
Cry (WB) Fair
Dominion Wagonmaster (RKO); Kill the Umpire
(Col) Moderate
Orpheum—Cariboo Trail (20th-Fox) Fair
Paradise—Bob and Sally (IFD), 3 shows daily. Good
Plaia and Eraser Spy Hunt (U-I); liggs and
Maggie Out West (Mono) Fair
Strand—Bright Leaf (WB) Fair
Studio The Lady Vanishes (Astral), reissue Fair
Vogue Blossoms in the Dust (MGM), reissue,
2nd wk Fair
"Father of Bride' Stands Out
As Leader in Calgary
CALGARY—Strength was noted at all
first
run theatres. "Father of the Bride" took top
spot at the Capitol. "Kill the Umpire" at
the Strand and "Not Wanted" pulled close
seconds.
Capitol—Father of tho Bride (MGM) Outstanding
Grand—Not Wanted (FC)
Very good
Strand—Kill tho Umpire (Col) Very good
TORONTO—Variety Tent 28 has been
humming with activity as members prepare
for sponsorship of the season's opening football
game August 26 at the 27,000-seat Varsity
stadium and the big black-tie dinner September
14 in the concert hall of the Royal York
hotel at which the tent will receive the international
citation for its Variety Village
accomplishment.
Chief Barker Morris Stein said that J. J.
Fitzgibbons, first chief barker of the Toronto
Tent, will be toastmaster for the September
function when the award will be given by
International Chief Barker Marc Wolf of Indianapolis
before an expected 500 guests,
GRID GAME CHAIRMAN
The committee appointed for the dinner
includes chairman, F. C. Dillon; vice-chairman.
Arch H. Jolley, and members, Clare
Appel, Larry Graburn and James Cowan of
the J. Arthur Rank group. Walter Murdoch
of the musicians' union, O. J. Silverthorne,
Ontario chief censor, and Norman Robertson,
director of Famous Players Canadian Corp.
The following subcommittees are at work:
hotel, J. J. Chisholm, chairman; entertainment.
Jack Arthur; decorations, Paul Johnston,
and reception committee, Morris Stein.
Among head table guests invited are Leonward
W. Brockington, president of Canadian
Odeon; D. G. Ross, president. Toronto Baseball
club; Conny Smythe, president, Toronto
Maple Leaf Hockey club, and Robert B.
Moran, president. Argonaut Football club, all
of whom have cooperated with the tent.
VARIETY LEADERS TO ATTEND
It also is expected that practically all of
the International Variety officers will be
present, along with the chief barkers of the
Detroit and Buffalo tents; Pi-incipal William
Bennett of Variety Village; Dr. Sidney E.
Smith of the University of Toronto; Premier
Leslie M. Frost and cabinet members; Paul
Martin, representing Prime Minister Louis St.
Laurent of the Dominion government; Mayor
Hiram E. McCallum of Toronto; Pi-esident
T. W. Baker of the Ontario Society for Crippled
Children; Ray Lawson, lieutenant governor
of Ontario; President William A.
Wecker of General Motors; John D. Eaton
of the T. Eaton department store; Edgar G.
Burton of the Robert Simpson department
store, and the boys of Variety Village.
A number of clergymen are expected to attend,
including those who have been active
in connection with the Variety school.
Fall Fatal to Cashier
TORONTO—Mrs. A. E. Weston, 50-year-old
cashier at the Capitol in Listowel, was injured
fatally in a fall at the theatre just
prior to the start of the Saturday matinee.
Carrying a supply of admission tickets, Mrs.
Weston fell headlong down a flight of iron
stairs to the cement floor 12 feet below. Her
skull was fractured and she never regained
consciousness. Manager of the theatre is
Peggy Francis. Owner is H. C. D. Main, past
president of the Motion Picture Theatres
Ass'n of Ontario.
BOXOFFICE :: August 19, 1950 K 91