Boxoffice-December.02.1950

Vancouver Theatres
Shun Blue Law Test
VANCOUVER—Theatremen in Vancouver
this week refused to take any stand either
for or against the "wide-open Sunday" plebiscite
which will come before voters here
at the December 13 municipal elections.
"We didn't instigate the plebiscite," said
Frank Gow, provincial manager for Famous
Players Canadian. "We prefer to have nothing
to do with it."
J. Howard Boothe, district manager for
Odeon Theatres, said: "Like Will Rogers, I
don't know anything about it except what
I read in the papers.
"We have taken no part in formation of
the plebiscite. We were never consulted on
the matter. We have never passed an opinion.
I would like to tell you what I think
of the plebiscite, but that is impossible."
Meanwhile, other amusements groups
came out strongly in opposition to the
plebiscite as it now appears. It reads;
"Are you in favor of theatres, cabarets,
dance halls, musical concerts, bowling alleys,
billiard and pool halls, commercial spots,
provincial licensed clubs, horse racing and
other forms of commercial, public recreation
all
and entertainment on Sundays?" The
voter must answer yes or no to the entire
plebiscite. There is no middle course.
Virtually all cabarets, horse racing groups,
dance hall operators, licensed clybs and
other amusements groups opposed the bill,
but many added they were for a modified
open Sunday.
It was believed here that the bill would
not be passed and that its presentation is an
effort on the part of the city council to
kill for once and all demands for a modified
open Sunday.
Mitchell Franklin Wins
In Quest for Electricity
ST. JOHN—Mitchell Franklin, vice-president
of the Franklin & Herschorn circuit,
single-handedly has waged a campaign for
the last six years to have the provincial
electricity distribution extended to Tynemouth
Creek and vicinity, where he has his
summer home, and recently his efforts met
with success. Electric current now is available
to the fishermen, farmers, loggers and
other dwellers in the area, and oil lamps at
last have been discarded.
Franklin has operated a private power
plant for his Tynemouth lodge, and his lone
drive was purely to benefit his neighbors.
For six years he buttonholed politicians and
used the telephone, telegraph and maU until
his persistence was rewarded. Tynemouth
Creek is 23 miles east of here.
Glace Bay Turns Down
Chance to Buy Big Site
GLACE BAY, N. S.—An offer by the
Odeon chain to sell land to the town of
Glace Bay for $25,000 has been rejected
by the town council, which claimed the
price asked by the theatre circuit was "ex-
'cessive."
The land is at Senator's Corner, one of the
busiest sections of town and had been assembled
originally from three owners as a
theatre site. The city was one of the owners
which sold part of the site to Odeon six
years ago. Some council members favored
purchase of the land for a smaller prico
and members discussed use of the site for
a bus terminal or public parking lot.
Odeon does not have a theatre here. Famous
Players is affiliated with the John
Connor estate in operation of the Savoy.
Weiner & Green operate the Russell.
Filmack Trailers Names
Canadian Distributor
TORONTO—Entering the Canadian field
Improve Windsor Capitol
WINDSOR—Under the general supervision
of Gene Fitzgibbons, zone manager of Famous
Players Canadian Corp., the Capitol here,
has been remodeled and new seats were
added. R. E. Knevels is the manager.
New Montreal Firm
Offers French Films
By HELENE BOULERICE
MONTREAL—Serge J. Goutman, for 16
years connected with American film companies
in France
and her north African
Serge J. Goutman
colonies, and for 12 of
those years with the
RKO as director of
that company's Lyons
agency and seven years
with Paris sales office,
has started a distribution
business here,
handling French film
productions.
Goutman is managing
director of Paris-
Canada Filnas, Ltd., at
1520 Mountain St. The company, with a list
already counting some 50 newly produced
features, has made favorable impression in
Quebec's cinemas. In Montreal, for instance,
the company's product has been appearing
for the first time in its 32-year history, the on the screen of the renovated and modernized
Filmack Trailer Co. has appointed Film Art
Trailer Service of Toronto, Ont., as Canadian Canadien.
Goutman said his firm is associated with
distributors. The deal was recently completed one of France's most important film producers,
by Irving Mack, head of the Filmack firm,
M. E. Tenoudji of Paris whose or-
and S. L. Vinsen, president of the Film Art ganization distributes in France and north
Trailer firm. Offices of the Canadian firm Africa and operates a chain of theatres in
will be located at 455 Spadina Ave. in Toronto.
French North Africa.
His company, Goutman declared, is marketing
all newly produced films, and has
assured itself, through able buyers well
Nine Get Adult Rating
versed in Canadian taste, of a long list of
TORONTO—Nine more features have been French film successes.
given the grading of adult entertainment Among them are such prize-winners as
by the Ontario censor board, these being "Le Grand Rendezvous," the only motion
"Alcatraz Island," "Breaking Point," "Kiss picture film show this year at the Opera
Tomorrow Goodbye," "San Quentin," "Chain de Paris; "Entre Onze Heures et Minuit,"
Gang," "Dial 1119," "Lonely Heart Bandits," which had long rims in four of Paris cinemas;
"Underworld Story" and "Three Secrets."
"Gigi." based on Colette's novel, which
is associated with the Grand Prix de Cinemonde
1950 and which earned for Daniele
Delorme the Grand Prix of motion picture
directors; "L'Homme aux Mains d'Argile" in
which the late Marcel Cerdan is featured;
"Envoi de Fleurs," with Tino Rossi, and
"Mademoiselle S'Amuse," a musical featuring
Ray Ventura.
St. John Houses Checked
ST. JOHN—A daily inspection of all theatres
in St. John is now being made by the
local fire department. Once a night a member
of the department, in uniform, visits each
theatre, and looks over the exits, emergency
hose available, projection facilities, basements,
regulation of patrons, etc. For a week,
a fireman in uniform, was stationed at each
theatre while it was in operation, afternoon
and night.
kBOXOFFICE December 2, 1950
V - r '-
MONTREAL BOWLERS START SEASON—Above photo was taken at
the inaugural
gathering of the Motion Picture Bowling league of Montreal showing the majority
of the 60 members ready to start the season. President of the league is Gratton
Kiely, district manager of Warner Bros., who is shown seventh from the right in
the back row.
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