Boxoffice-May.03.1952

. . . Jack
. . Guy
. .
MONTREAL
A new ijO-M-at Mel-O-Dee, owned by M. L.
F>revost. will open around May 1 in St.
Blaise-de-Barraute in northern Quebec . . .
George S. Moss. Toronto, president of Arrow
Films, stopped here on his way to Germany
by plane to confer with John Filion. local
manager . Cadieux, salesman for Arrow
Films, motored to the martimes on business
Roher. president of Peerless Films,
to Toronto to visit the head office . . .
went
Mrs. P. Sourkes. president of Confidential Re-
. . . International
ports, and her grandson took a plane trip to
New York City to visit her son
Films added Mrs. Jeanine Guzik.
French stenographer, who arrived in Canada
last spring.
Exhibitors on Filmrow recently: E. Gauthier
of the Drummond, Drummondville: Romeo
Grenier, the Meteor. Dolbeau, who was accompanied
by his son, and T. E. Beaudin,
Bijou. Napierville ... A Royal Victoria hospital
patient had the unique experience of
viewing a film in which a surgeon operated
on his heart. He is C. A. Annand of Truro,
N. S., and he commented, "It is the most
fascinating film I ever saw" . . "Newfoundland
.
Scene," which shows a sealing expedi-
tion, and "Jack Pine Journey." a documentary
on timber, were shown in color at the Museum
of Fine Arts . . . Ginette Letondal. young
Montreal film actress, has gone to Paris with
her husband and will stay several months,
during which she will visit French studios.
In Canada, she made three French-Canadian
films. "Le Pere Chopin." "Le Gros Bill" and
"Etienne Brule."
Alfred Hitchcock halted here on his way to
Quebec and rather startled the local film
community and the critics by liinting that
he might shoot a picture in the ancient capital.
"It all depends on whether I find the
right conditions and locations," he said.
"Maybe I will." He has a story in mind about
a priest, called "I Confess." for which Montgomery
Clift has been signed to star. There
will t>e .some famed Hitchcock suspense in
the story. "I'll u.se some local actors and try
to discover local talent if I proceed with it,"
he said.
Paul Dupuis, French-Canadian film and
radio star, was guest at a reception In CKAC
studios of Rejane des Rameaux. He entertained
his audience and radio listeners with
a broadcast of "Ma Revue." including the
principal roles he has played since his return
to Canada from London.
. . .
"Long Is the Road," a multilingual Jew'ish
film, is showing at His Majesty's. Yiddish.
German. Pohsh and English are on its sound
track. On the same program, for the first
time in Canada, is the featurette. "Song of
Tel Aviv" Four 16mm films were previewed
by the Montreal Film Council. English
section, at the National Film Board studio
on Atwater avenue. They were "Playtown
U.S.A.." "Payoff in Pain." "Welcome. Neighbor"
and "The Man in the Peace Tower."
'Manon' Ends 8th Week
TORONTO—A local record has been set for
a French-language feature by "Manon,"
which has completed eight weeks at the 700-
seat Astor on Upper Yonge street.
Two Holdovers Rate
Lead at Vancouver
VANCOUVER— Bu.sine.ss at first runs generally
was dull last week. Holdovers of "With
a Song in My Heart" at the Orpheum. and
"The Belle of New York" at the Capitol were
the leaders.
Capitol The Belle of New York (MGM) Good
Cinema Toast ot New Orleans (MGM); Midnight
Kiss (MGM), revivals . . Foir
Dominion— Phono Call From o Stronger (20th-
Fox); Death ot a Salcsmon (Col) Average
Orpheum With o Song in My Heart (20fh-Fox),
2nd wk Good
Plaza Flome ot Araby (U-l), 2nd wk Fair
State Buccaneer Girl (U-l), plus stoge
show
Fair
Strand Double Dynamite (RKO); On Dangerous
Ground (RKO) Fair
Studio Galloping Major (JARO) Fair
Vogue The Mon in the White Suit (JARO),
2nd wk Fair
Top Grosser in Toronto
Is 'African Queen'
TORONTO—Business was good enough for
holdovers at five theatres. "Five Fingers"
rounded out a fifth week at the Eglinton.
Good for a third week were "With a Song
in My Heai-t," "Encore" and "Sailor Beware,"
the latter at two theatres. Top grosser was
"The African Queen."
(Average Is 100)
Eglinton Five Fingers (20th-Fox), 5th wk 85
Hyland Encore (Poro), 3rd wk 105
Imperial, Nortown The Big Trees (WB) 110
Loew's The African Queen (UA) 125
Odeon Return of the Texan (20th-Fox) 95
Shea's With o Song in My Heart (20th-Fox),
3rd wk 100
University, Tivoli Sailor Beware (Para), 3rd wk.. . 95
Uptown The Battle ot Apache Pass (U-l) 100
Victorio, Capitol Hong Kong (Para); A Girl in
Every Port (RKO) 95
TORONTO
. .
f^ordon Lightstone, Canadian Paramount
general manager, and wife went to Montreal
for the wedding of their niece Maxine,
daughter ot Robert Lightstone, to Roy Fleishman
. Jack Arthur of Famous Players and
producer of the Canadian National exhibition
grandstand show, will crown the Queen of
the Byline ball at the Toronto Press club
annual dance May 3. Preliminary judging of
aspirants took place at the FPC Palace, Capitol,
Runnymede and Alhatnbra theatres during
the past week.
In Toronto for a round of film exchanges,
Floyd Rumford, proprietor of the Kineto at
Forest, announced he had resigned as president
of the Blue Water Highway Ass'n, his
job done. He is a veteran director of the
Motion Picture Theatres Ass'n of Ontario .
Jack Musclow, manager of the Capitol at
Kitchener, was a visitor here, his schedule
including a conference at the Allen's Premier
Theatres head office.
Eileen Pratt, secretary-assistant to Win
Barron of Paramount here, is on an exten-
.sive tour of Europe, including a month's stay
. . . John Goldie Cochrane,
in London, from which she is expected to return
in September. Kathleen O'Neill, who
came from England a year ago, is pinch-hitting
for Eileen
former manager of the E.xeter. Ont.. theatre
and a former famous hockey player, died Saturday
at Exeter after a year's illness. W. G.
Cochrane, a son, is mayor of that town.
For several years an employe of Canadian
Odeon Theatres, Samuel Rainbow, 67, died
at Toronto General hospital a short time
after he had arrived for a medical checkup.
M ARITIMES
, ,
finder an amendment to tlie New Brunswick
theatres act, provision has been made for
a fine ranging from $200 to $500 and one
year in jail upon conviction of possessing any
vile-smelling liquid at or near any indoor or
outdoor theatre. If a fine is unpaid, the imprisonment
can be extended six months .
The first ozoner in the maritimes to get going
this year is expected to be that of Ashley
Burnett at Springhill, N. B. It has been under
way for several weeks. The Burnett home adjoins
the drive-in, which is about five miles
above Fredericton on the St. John river road.
Burnett is a dairyman and farmer there.
, . After
During the recent hockey .season what was
described as a "transportation charge" of ten
cents was added to the price of all tickets to
hockey games. Without the "transportation
charge" the ticket prices were 90 cents to
$1.40, a record high for Glace Bay .
returning from a trip to Montreal and
Toronto, Malcolm Walker of Halifax made a
tour of the Walker chain.
'Wallie Humby, projectionist at the Mayfair,
St. John, does electrical work on the side . . .
A new regulation of the New Brunswick censor
board prohibits all cities, towns and villages
from charging a license fee for a theatre
higher than set by the province. Another
new regulatioii calls for licensing of all amusement
devices before they can be used.
The Capitol, St. John, was on a Little Theatre
diet April 28-May 3 for the dominion
drama festival. Ticket booits for the week of
the amateurs were priced at $13 and $16 each.
The Capitol is New Brunswick's largest theatre
and second largest in the maritimes . . .
Installation of a screen tower is under way at
a new drive-in now being prepared for opening
at Grand Bay, N. B., ten miles up the
St. John river road irom St. John. Present
indications are that this new alrer will open
about mid-May. Work on the combination
projection booth and refreshment center is
progressing.
The Community, Yarmouth, N. S., has been
used as a base for Sunday rallies under the
auspices of the Alcoholics Anonymous ... In
advance of their approaching marriage. Reta
Sara Gold and Sidney Tobin, both of St. John,
have been guests at a number of receptions.
Tobin is booker at RKO ... A screening of
"A Streetcar Named Desii-e" at the Halifax
Capitol, was interrupted on Saturday afternoon
for a showing of "Penrod and Sam" for
the children.
Ninety at E-U Conference
TORONTO—Ninety persons attended the
sales conference of Empire-Universal Filni:^
at the King Edward. Alfred Daff, vice-president
and director of world sales for U-I,
spoke, as did J. J. Fitzgibbons of Famous
Players and L. W. Brockington of Canadian
Odeon. The chairman was A. W. Perry,
president of Empire-Universal.
Murray Lynch to Moncton
MONCTON, N. B.—Murray Lynch has been
transferred to the Moncton Paramount, newest
unit in the Famous Players circuit as manager.
He had been manager at the Halifax
Capitol, largest maritime theatre. He succeeds
Bill Gates in Moncton, where Famous
Players also has the Imperial.
104 BOXOFFICE :: May 3, 1952