Boxoffice-December.20.1952

. . . The
I
ARITIMES
ntUntic Films, Ltd., which recently opened
a studio at St. John's, Nfld., plan.s to
widen its scope from production of commercial,
educational and industrial shorts and
documentaries to include feature films for
theatres, starting with .shorts with the accent
on Newfoundland topics. Albert Jekste, general
manager, says he has designed film
studios and theatres in his native Latvia.
He said Canada is in a very difficult spot
for home film production because most of
the theatres are linked by ownership and contracts
with U.S. theatre operation and film
production. He maintains the U.S. releases
must be used almost wholly in the Canadian
theatres.
A linking of "The Body Snatcher"' and
"I Walked With a Zombie" at the Majestic
in New Waterford was billed as "the most
daring shriek, shudder and shock" tieup ever
brought to the screen. Appropriately, the
opening was at a Sunday midnight show.
Fred Gregor heads the Majestic and allied
Paramount ... A one-day hookup of outdoor
films was screened at the Russell in
Glace Bay; namely, "Cattle Drive" and
Yukon Manhunt." Saturday morning shows
for children there open at 10 o'clock.
Some members of the London Theatre Co.,
booked into school auditoria in the maritimes
so far this winter season on a play-a-week
plan, have backgrounds of screen, stage and
television-radio experience in their native
England. In the troupe are Leslie Yeo,
David Morrell, Charles Mardel, AiUhony
Newlands, Richard Easthan. Hilary Vernon,
Roma Haycock, Avis Lennard, Jacqueline
Lacey and Ruth Perkins. The group offered
stock in an auditorium in St. John's, Nfld.,
last winter and returned in the fall of 1952
for a limited run, thence transferring to a
school building at Halifax.
A fire which destroyed a dozen commercial
buildings at Corner Brook, Nfld., was
close to the Regent and Palace theatres. A
concrete wall prevented the spread of the
flames to the Regent and adjoining buildings.
The Regent is owned and operated by
Coombs & Coleman ... A stock issue of
$425,000 was recently made in behalf of W. J.
Kent & Co., Bathurst. The Kent Theatre is
being operated in partnership with Famous
Players.
Leading a delegation from St. John to
Ottawa to protest against political strings
being pulled for replacement of St. John by
Fredericton for location of an army camp,
meant a return to an old home-town by
Mitchell Franklin. He spent considerable of
his youth in Ottawa, and was a pupil at St.
Patrick's college there . . . Bills change at the
York and Nickel at St. Johns, Nfld., on Saturday
afternoons. Double bills are played at
the York and singles at the Nickel. Both
theatres are managed by Mike Fewer, exhibitor
veteran of the Atlantic provinces.
Thus far this season, hockey is providing
weaker competition for theatres than in
previous seasons in the maritimes. The socalled
maritime .setup started out with St.
John and Moncton dropping out owing to
big financial deficits for the 1951-52 season.
Cnnt!n>iing in the loop, most formidable by a
wide margin in the Atlantic region were
'r.'.ilfpx, Charlottetown, Sydney and Glace
Bay, with the latter, both on Cape Breton
Island, quickly developing financial difficulties.
There is talk of Glace Bay folding completely
and Sydney being transferred to New
Glasgow. In the New- Brunswick league, the
backers have tossed in the sponge, and the
players w^ho are practically all localities, have
taken over the management. Local attendance
has been very much down. Elsewhere
the attendances have ranged from poor to
fair.
F. Harrison Howe, manager of the Paramount,
St. John, singled out "The Snows of
Kilimanjaro" for personal commendation . . .
The lobbies of the Strand in Sydney Mines
and the Odeon in North Sydney are being
used to advertise the merchandise offered in
connection with the Foto-Nite cash prizes
L. J. Aprils of St. John became
parents of a baby son named Michael Francis.
Rains and Shopping
Hurl at Vancouver
VANCOUVER—Heavy weekend Christmas
shopping hurt most situations.
(Average Is 100)
Capitol Everything I Have Is Yours (MGM) Fair
Cinema You for Me (MGM), The Merry Widow
(MGM), 2nd d. t. wl< Fair
Dominion The Story of Will Rogers (WB);
Les Miserobles (20th-Fox), 2nd d. t. wk Fair
Orpheum The Crimson Pirate (WB) Good
Ploza The Roiders (U-l); The Lady Says No.
(UA)
Fair
Strand The Devil Mokes Three (MGM); Words
and Music (MGM) Good
Studio Reluctant Heroes (JARO) Fair
Vogue Meet Me Tonight (JARO) Fair
"Limelight' Only Above 100
Grosser at Toronto
TORONTO—A weak week went into the
records for Toronto theatres with delayed
winter weather bringing a rush of Christmas
shopping. Only two theatres had entirely
new programs, "Hurricane Smith" being
shown at the Imperial and "Som.ething
for the Birds" at Shea's. "Limelight," moved
from the Odeon, was the only picture to
gross above average, and it was helped by
advanced prices.
Eglinton Operation Secret (WB), 2nd wk 90
Hyland Limelight (UA), 2nd wl< 105
Imperial Hurricane Smith (Para) 95
Loew's The Prisoner of Zenda (MGM), 4th wk. . . 80
Nortown The Quiet Man (Rep), 8ttl d. t. wk... 80
Odeon Bloodhounds of Broadway (20th-Fox), 2nd
wk 85
Shea's Something for the Birds (20th-Fox) 90
Tivoli, Capitol What Price Glory (20th-Fox); Park
Row (UA) 85
University The Snows of Kilimanjaro {20th-Fox),
4th wk 85
Uptown Because of You (U-l), 3rd wk 80
Victoria Don't Bother to Knock (20th-Fox); Lure
of the Wilderness (20th-Fox) 80
Odeon Unites Advertising
In Hamilton and Toronto
TORONTO—Odeon Theatres has consolidated
.some of its theatre advertising in Toronto
and Hamilton.
In Hamilton, the display announcements
of five theatres have been combined under
such .slogan lines as "Odeon Entertainment
Where Something Big Is Always Going On."
In this plan, the Windsor and York advertising,
previously in a separate column, has
been placed with the displays for the Palace,
Capitol and Savoy,
At Toronto, the suburban Paradise and
Colony have joined with six theatres in the
combination ads. These are the Odeon. Hyland,
Danforth, Humber, Pairlawn and
Christie.
Canada Will Remove
Controls on Steel
OTTAWA—The government, in a surprise
announcement December 12, revealed controls
prohibiting the use of steel for so-called nonessential
purposes would be lifted December
31.
The development will enable theatre companies
to proceed with the construction of
long-delayed projects, particularly in expanding
communities.
The announcement was qualified by the
statement that the government would continue
to dii'ect the distribution of steel, the
aim being to spread its use.
Speaking in the Commons for Defense Production
Minister C. D. Howe, John Dickey
said improvement in Canada's steel position
made the move possible but warned thati
ample supplies would not be immediately
available for all purposes.
Osborne in Winnipeg
Shifts to Art Poicy
[Xl
WINNIPEG—Workmen are busy at theA, Xm
i*
Osborne, reseating the de luxe neighborhood!
house in the Famous Players circuit, erecting]
a new marquee and giving the place a general
facelifting. It will be reopened on Boxing da;
with an art policy. Manager Dave Robertsoni
at home recuperating after a hospitali
now is
t
All
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Jfil
sene «o
altiie
lojatani
iiaioriyt
;tieasi Bi b
i! tie liEM
iFNita.
!. ihicli 1
D
[dyouliad
< rig«. II
Walter.
Oil
!.»m and 1
teller, Hea
tf a doiiMe
stay, and Basil Belvie of the Metropolitan is
C
acting manager until Robertson returns
Harold Bishop, Manitoba district manageriBi«« Com
for Famous Players, was enthusiastic about ''"?'"
^^
ill
the Osborne Cinema's affiliation with the
,'«!
International Cinema Guild of Canada, whicl
Its.
organization selects motion pictures with
artistic merit and offbeat films which de^
serve the attention of the discriminatingj
There will be two performances each eveningj
with matinees on Wednesdays, Saturdays^
and holidays.
Although the crackling of popcorn and the
crunchmg of peanut brittle will be absent
patrons will be permitted to partake of more
Weatlier:
Tmit. C
irjal patona
Califomi
tie lover
Played S
.-G.J. Fork
Snall-toini
imGliJiCo
discreet and silent confections while thi
the
view the carefully selected screen fare.
The opening attraction will be "Hawks it
Sail
We.Elleo
aiid t!
the Sky," a British drama starring Jacl^soiedot
'
lie
Hawkins and Michael Dennison. Hawkins ii
Scot!
currently winning new friends as the good-,
«: Coxi,-
*y. Ik
hearted but belligerent doctor in "Tlie Story
of Mandy," which won a gi'eat favor witt'
Winnipeggers at the Odeon Other picturef^
irihiir
t o[ laiish
Rather;
Blaki
irllieatre.
Co
fflil rural c;
1
to follow are "Outcasts of the Islands,'
"Castles in the Air," "Gift Horse of thi ^IfetisL
Sea" and Greta Garbo in "Camille." Eai,cl
'*» Pram
program will also have a special
„.
selection o:
! 3iII
He
suitable shorts as well as a first run newsreel
tiitli'Do,
Winnipeg welcomes a second art house. Tbt f^^
other is the Cohen Bros.' Valour. Winnipei
6e:Vi[f_
film critics were rhapsodic in praising thi Mo.
forthcoming opening of the city's second ar
house.
Drive-In Owners Restless
TORONTO — The prevalence of "Jun<
weather" in December (up to the time o
IfPEBI
this writing, at least) encouraged a fe\^fci::
fei'
operators of drive-in theatres in Ontario t W.f
consider reopening for New Year's eve show.'i
There were inquiries at exchanges regarding
films available for the occasion
Producer Sam Katzman has signed Johii]^ m u,
Ireland to star in Columbia's "49 Men."
Hull Jmti,
JofncEj,
BOXOFFICE December 20, ~ ,
1961