Boxoffice-January.08.1955

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OTT AV\/ A
IWTanager Walter Lackenbauer of the Soper
at Smiths Falls attracted much attention
by presenting a double pass, good for
one month, to the parents of the first baby
born after the stroke of midnight at New
Year's in the Ottawa Valley community .
Pierrette Paquin, daughter of Donat Paquin,
owner of the Laurier, had the misfortune of
being the season's first skiing casualty when
she suffered a broken ankle while essaying
a tricky slope. The injury will keep Pierrette
out of figure skating. She is the star performer
of the Minto Skating Club.
Alex Dixon has resigned from his executive
post in the National Film Board to return to
Toronto Monday (101 to join the Dunlop
Tire sales staff . . . Manager Ray Tubman
of the Capitol Theatre had a holdover at the
turn of the year when big grosses caused a
carry-over of "There's No Business Like Show
Business" for a second week. The run had
one break when "Three Ring Circus" took
the screen for the New Year's Eve midnight
show.
For the last day of 1954. Morris Berlin of
the Somerset had a gift for the ladies who
took in the program topped by "Living It
Up." The New Year's present was a comb
novelty . in Hull, Que., across
the river from Ottawa, conducted late shows
Sunday night (2) to round out the holiday
season. The features included "Beau Brummell"
at the Cartler, "Knock on Wood" at
the Montcalm and "Stranger on the Prowl"
at the Laurier.
Manager Fred Leavens passed up a midnight
show for New Year's Eve at the Elm-
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PLAY SAFE...
NEXT TINE VSE
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467 SPADINA AVE.
TORONTO, ONTARIO
"Eieluslve Canadian Dislribulor For Filmack"
dale, although other theatres featured a special
attraction for the traditional frolic.
Manager Frank Gallop of the Centre brought
in "Ricochet Romance," Ernie Warren gave
an advance screening of "Tonight's the Night"
at the Elgin while Jim Chalmers, manager
of the Odeon, got a good crowd with "The
Purple Plain" . . . The first stage presentation
of 1955 at the local Capitol is the concert
engagement of Leon Fleisher, pianist,
Monday night (lOi, which comes as a break
film policy.
in
FPC Head Cites Strong
Paramount Position
TORONTO—In his message to the 5,500
shareholders of Famous Players Canadian
Corp. at the end of 1954, President J. J.
Fitzgibbons pointed to the extensive technical
developments which had provided wide diversification
for Paramount Pictures Corp.
"By taking an active part in the development
of these and other inventions," Fitzgibbons
stated, "your company will be in a
position to take full advantage of whatever
competitive effects these devices may have
upon theatres."
The Famous Players president listed a number
of features now available for theatre entertainment
which bore his personal recommendation.
These included: "White Christmas,"
"Three Ring Circus," "The Last Time I
Saw Pai^s," "A Star Is Born," "Deep in My
Heart," "Young at Heart," "Desiree," "There's
No Business Like Show Business" and "20,000
Leagues Under the Sea."
Fitzgibbons referred to the final quarterly
dividend of 37^2 cents on the Famous Players
Canadian shares, to which had been added
an extra 10 cents per share.
Many New Art Films Open
At Toronto Theatres
TORONTO—Seekers of
the unusual had a
field day with a wide variety of special offerings
for the week, topped by "The Belles of
St. Trinians" in its second week at the International
Cinema. The Studio tm-ned up with
"Onore e Sacrificio" and the Pylon featured
"Torna a Sorrento."
Following a Canadian premiere of "Up to
His Neck," a British pictiu-e, the Hollywood
had another Canadian first run in "Children
of Love." The Melody presented the German
feature, "The Colored Dream."
HANDY