Boxoffice-January.24.1953

. . Eloi
. . Engagement
. . Norman
. . . Harsh
. . Douglas
MONTREAL
rimile Ruffo, owner of the Dieppe Theatre,
Montreal South, has purchased from A.
Schhtz the Venus Theatre at St. Jean d'lberville.
The house, being extensively remodeled
by its new owner, is scheduled to
reopen the first week of March ... In Joliette,
the new Cinema Joliette, owned by L.
Venne, was opened recently . . Phil Matte
.
of Buckingham visited Pilmrow, making arrangements
for the opening of his new theatre,
the Cinema Buckingham.
Peter Myers, Toronto, Canadian division
manager of 20th-Pox. visited the Montreal
office .... Other Filmrow visitors included
Helen Tapley, cashier for RKO, St. John
branch, and Marie Hanlin. formerly of the
same branch, and now the DVA department
in New Brunswick.
.
Tom Dowbiggin, manager of Paramount,
and wife are holidaying at Fort Lauderdale,
Guy Bachand, owner of the Rex,
Fla. . . .
Shcrbrooke, is holidaying. After a brief
visit to Montreal, he entrained to New York,
then embarked on a plane cruise to Havana,
Haiti and West Indies resorts Cormier,
salesman for Peerless Films, resigned
to join International Films in the same capacity
Marcel Orphanos, shipper for the
. . . same company, also has resigned.
. . .
As part of its Canada Carries On, the Nat
onal Film Board will illustrate life in a
small Quebec town by shooting a ten-minute
documentary at St. Louis de Finance near
Three Rivers Jack Roher, president of
EN AVANT CANADA
presente
ILES DE LA MADELEINE
De vaillants pecheurs livrenl- une lutte sans
fin contre la mcr
COUP D'OEIL
(no 46)
present-c
Lc radar au service des pecheurs
Des soldats canadiens revoienf la
Normandie
La ronde des sports au Maple Leaf
Gardens
Retenez choque mois
EN AVANT CANADA et
COUP D OEIL
Realisation: OFFICE NATIONAL DU FILM
Distribution: COLUMBIA PICTURES
Peerless, left Montreal to spend a fortnight
at his Toronto office.
John Levitt, Columbia, spent Christmas
week in New York with his wife and daughter.
On his return he resumed his duties
as salesman and visited the eastern townships
. . . Ted Atkinson, manager of Cardinal
Films, and wife were hosts at a luncheon at
their home for the personnel of International
Films, Cardinal's Filmrow neighbor.
Edgar Hamel, office manager at Quebec
Cinema Booking, and w'ife have announced
the engagement of their daughter Carmen,
cashier at International Films, to Jean Guy
Tremblay . is announced of
Lois Currie, stenographer at Columbia, to
Peter Moore . . . Charle.s Madison, booker at
International Films, attended the silver wedding
anniversary celebration at Ottawa of
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Stuart.
Larry Stephens, Toronto, who a few years
ago was manager of the Snowdon, United
Amusement theatre. Montreal, was host at a
press preview of the British picture, "Breaking
the Sound Barrier." Larry is now public
relations manager of International-Lion Pictures
Famous Players Canadian Corp.
. . . enjoyed record business during 1952, according
to R. W. Bolstead, vice-president and
treasurer, and the strong trend continued
right to the end of the year.
Two British films, a comedy, "Go Away Mr.
Stowaway." and a drama, "Flesh and Blood,"
formed the latest double bill at Montreal's
farthest west theatre, the Kent. British
films have been doing well in the west end
theatres, especially at the Kent and the
Avenue.
Exhibitors in town were Mr. and Mrs.
Nat Cohen. the Crown. Brownsburg:
Octave Bisson. Royal, St. Andre d'Avellin;
Leo Pion, Opera House, Coaticook; Guy
Bachand. Rex Sherbrooke; Gaston Theroux,
partner with Quebec Cinema Booking in the
Asbestos, Asbestos. Que . McLaren.
National Film Board producer, has been
awarded the best creative films prize at the
Festival of Experimental and Art Films at
Caracas, Venezuela. He received a prize of
$280 for his three films entitled "Begone Dull
Care," "Pen Point Percussion" and "Loops
and Dots."
CIO Affiliate Is Named
Bargaining Agent for TV
OTTAWA—The Department of Labor announced
last week (15 1 that the National
Ass'n of Broadcast Engineers and Technicians,
an affiliate of the Canadian Congress
of Labor and the CIO, has been certified
as bargaining agent for the radio and television
employes of the Canadian Broadcasting
Corp. Some 400 workers are affected, according
to federal sources.
When TV was getting under way at
Toronto, last fall, a jurisdictional occiuTed
between representatives of the CIO and of
the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage
Employes. Tlie climax came when stagehands
threatened a walkout after a CBS crewset
up TV equipment for the televising of
a theati-ical performance. The cameras were
not used.
The Hitch Hiker" is the title for the RKO
film previously called "The Persuader."
WINNIPEG
Daoul Auerback, of Toronto, vice-president
and general manager of 20th Century
Theatres, was here a few days conferring with
the manager of the Osborne Cinema, which
is being operated by 20th Century and Famous
Players. Auerbach flew from here to other
western key points to check on similar projects
for the special branch of 20th Century
Theatres which deals with specialty houses
W'intry weather finally has set in
in this area, causing a substantial drop in
attendance in most houses.
The Elm in suburban Elmwood was sold
by Cy Brownstone to Joe Karaz, former
exhibitor in Langruth who will now center
his operations in Winnipeg . V.
Rosen, general manager for International
Film Distributors, has been conferring with
branch managers in the west on new product
and policy. IPD's picture with the greatest
potential is the celebrated "Breaking the
Sound Barrier," which will open in FPC key
houses across the nation in February, after
a Canadian premiere at the Imperial in
Toronto.
Max Heppner, Colonial impresario, was to
leave on his customary three-month trip south
to gather a tan and a well-earned rest . . .
Visitors doing the usual rounds at the film
exchanges: Nate Bresver. Oak. Brandon; Sam
Karby and Phil Bodnoff. Regina; Tom Metcalfe,
Soo and Hi-Aj-t. Weyburn: Garnet
Wright, Keewatin, Ont.; Marcus Bloom, Sunset
Drive-In, Regina. and Mel Dalseg, Sioux
Lookout. Ont.
Exhibitors are complaining about the high
cost of theatre advertising in the local dailies
and are threatening to take drastic measures
by condensing their ads or completely
eliminating them on certain days . . . Rumors
are rampant that two more drive-ins will be
erected in the Saskatoon area in the spring,
making a total for that city of four.
Jimmy Biggerstatf, union busine.ss manager,
will sail for England to attend the coronation
later this year ... It is expected that Cy
Brownstone, former owner of the Elm, again
will manage the Northmain Drive-In this
summer.
'Bali' Smashes Record
In Vancouver Capitol
VANCOUVER^"Road to Bali" smashed a
22-year attendance record at the Capitol.
"The Lusty Men" at the Orpheum, "Stars
and Stripes Forever" at the Vogue and "The
Miracle of Fatima" at the Strand all did
better than average business.
Capitol— Rood to Boli (Para) Excellent
Cinema—Apache Wor Smoke (MGM), Everything
I Hove is Yours (MGM) Good
Dominion— Big Jim McLain (WB), My Wife's
Best Friend :20th-Fox), 2nd wk Good
Orpheum—The Lusty Men (RKO) Very Good
Plaza—Yankee Bucconecr (U-l) Fair
Strand—The Mirocle of Fotimo (WB) Good
Studio—The Four Poster ,Col), 2nd wk Fair
Vogue—Stors ond Stripes Forever (20th-Fox). . Good
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CONFECTIONS, LTD.
243 Liloc Street Winnipeg
88 BOXOFnCE January 24, 1953