Boxoffice-October.01.1955

I
EXPERT
. . . The
. . Clara
. . The
. . Paul
. .
i
'Summerlime' Scores
Top Toronto Gross
TORONTO—It was the sixth week for
•Were No Angels" at the University and
Eglinton and for "Not As a Stranger" at
Loew's, with "To Catch a Thief" holding at
the Imperial for a fifth week, and it was a
tossup for best grosses. The edge, otherwise,
was with "Summertime" in its second week
at the Odeon.
(Average Is 100)
Eglinton, University We're No Angels (Para),
6th wk 90
Hyland The Browning Version (JARO) 100
Impcriol To Catch o Thief (Para), 5th wk 95
Loew's Not As o Stronger (UA), 6th wk 90
Nortown House of Bamboo '20th-Fox), 2nd wk.. . 95
Odeon, Fairlown— Summertime (UA), 2nd wk 115
Shea's Lady ond the Tramp (BV), 4th wk 110
Towne—The Bed (Italion) 115
Uptown—One Desire (U-l) 105
Holdover Weeks of 'Roberts,'
'Stranger' Tops in Winnipeg
WINNIPEG — This week's laurels are
equally divided between two holdovers which
do not show any signs of lessening in
their appeal to Winnipeg audiences. "Not As
a Stranger" after doing three weeks of
excellent business at the Odeon was held over
by Tom Pacey for a fourth week. At the
Capitol "Mister Roberts" rolled up impressive
attendance for two solid weeks and entered
its third week for Manager Bill Novak.
Running close to these two was "Dam
Busters," which after a very good first week
was held over at the Met by Eddie Newman.
Copitol Mister Roberts (WB), 2nd wk Excellent
Gaiety The Man Who Loved Redheads (U-l)... Good
Garrick Toll Man Riding (WB) Good
Lyceum Wichita (AA), Hell Divers
of the Deep (AA) Good
Met Dam Busters (WB) Very Good
Odeon Not As o Stranger (UA), 3rd wk.. .Very Good
Osborne Neorer to Heoven (JARO) Fair
'Thief Rates 'Excellent'
In
Third Vancouver Week
VANCOUVER—Business showed improvement
at the downtown houses with cooler
weather and little outside competition. The
topper was "To Catch a Thief." still solid
on its third week; it could stay, but has to
make room for "Mister Roberts."
Capitol—To Cotch o Thief :Para), 3rd wk .. Excellent
Cmemo Sonto Fe Possoge (Rep); Yellow Neck
(Rep)
Good
Orpheum The Virgin Queen (20th-Fox) Fair
Parodise Street Corner (SR), 2nd wk. ...... .Good
Plazo The Naked Street (UA) Good
Strand Lady and the Tramp (Buena Vista),
3rd wk Good
Studio— Nearer to Heaven (JARO), 2nd wk Fair
Vogue—Not As a Stronger (UA), 2nd wk Foir
EVERYTHING FOR THE THEATRE
MOTIOGRAPH Equipment
Complete lino factory ports
REPAIRS ^JX^?!?!
|
Wo Sell and Service
Thcotrc Chairs, Rcctlflcn, Arc Lamps,
Sound Equipment, 16mm and 3Smm Prelectors
SHARP'S THEATRE SUPPLIES, Ltd.
Phones: 2-4076 and 2-7266
Film Exchange BIdg. Calgary, Alto.
APPELTON AIR-CONDITIONING, LTD.
(Appflton Engincorino Company)
ENGINEERS AND CONTRACTORS
REFRIGERUION AIR C0NDITI0NIH6 VEmiLATION
H. APPELTON, (l.A.Sc.— P. Eng.
KEnwood 27SS—KEnwood 3783
1541 Dovcnport Rd. Toronto, 4
MONTREAL
r\ne of Canada's largest department and
mail order stores, the T. Eaton Co.. as
part of its Big Week festivities here showed
the development of motion picture equipment,
both commercial and amateur. The
exhibit illustrated 33 years of progress in
motion pictures. There was a 35mm model
with a hand-cranked wooden case built around
1907. as well as the first motion picture
camera ever built . . . Arthur Bell, film booker
in the RKO office for the past five years, is
leaving the company this month to reside in
New York City. He will study drama at
Columbia University.
Tommy Conway, longtime theatreman, has
been appointed house treasurer for "This is
Cinerama" at the Imperial Theatre. The
film is now in its tenth month at the Imperial,
and going strong . Palace had a
good attraction with "The Seven Year Itch"
Seville Theatre, with a policy of
stage and motion picture shows, amiounced
the Four Aces as headline attraction . . .
Loew's Theatre, in special advertising, called
attention to forthcoming showing of "Mister
Roberts."
'
The Montreal presbytery of the United
Church of Canada decided to show "Martin
Luther" as part of regular church services.
Norman Rawson of the St. James United
Church said the film would be shown as an
educational venture and "not in the spirit
of controversy." About two years ago commercial
showings of "Martin Luther" were
banned by the Quebec Board of Censors. The
Montreal presbytery of the Presbyterian
Church, meeting a week or so ago. took a
similar stand to that now taken by the
United Church.
Morris Diamond, Toronto assistant to the
general manager of IFD. conferred here with
Jo Oupcher, local manager, on his way to
the maritimes provinces . . . Morey Hamat,
UA salesman, returned from a vacation motor
trip to Toronto, where he visited the Canadian
National Exhibition, Niagara Falls and
Buffalo . Daly is replacing Mrs.
Alwyn Crowsen at RKO ... At UA Jacqueline
Osher, cashier, is sporting a new Chevrolet
convertible: while Edwin Gro.ssman. head
booker, made the acquisition of a Ford Customline
. . . Beryl Light, secretary to Sam
Kunitsky of UA. was holidaying in California.
Lome Etienne, United Amusement art department
head, and his wife were in a motor
accident which fortunately cost him only his
automobile. Their car skidded and turned
over near St. Eustache. Quebec. Etienne
traded the wreck for a new Studebaker .
Bill Robinson, assistant booker at UAC. was
on vacation at Miami, Fla . Vanier.
Warner Bros. 16mm salesman, returned from
a two-weeks business trip to Abitibi . . . Mrs.
Michelle Pelletier-Roche of Warners .sent
postcards to the office staff while on her
wedding trip to Miami.
Exhibitors on Filmrow included Jules
Boire of the Bijou at Napierville; Gaston
Theroux, Asbestos at Asbestos: Claude Charbonneau
of the Madelon. Cap-de-la-Made-
Icine; A. Sicard. the Acton. Acton Vale: Marcel
Bellerive, Alamo. Chateauguay: Mrs.
Roger Lalonde, Colonial. Plesslsville. and
Chester Rugh, Met. Greenfield Park.
Hugh Vassos' Paragon
Is Hailed in Melville
MELVILLE, SASK.—Hugh Vassos' Paragon.
Melville's new de luxe theatre, made its
debut to a capacity crowd Labor Day evening
when hundreds of town and district residents
packed the new $125,000 structure.
Weeks of hurried preparation transformed
a former used car lot into a modern, spacious
entertainment center that marked another
milestone in this city's steady growth.
Mayor W. R. Bailey, addressing the enthusiastic
opening-night audience, said:
"This happy occasion will go down as a memorable
one. The citizens of Melville and
district are very fortunate in having a promoter
such as Hugh Vassos who has brought
us a valued medium in the field of entertainment,
and also a decided asset to the
town."
The Melville town band heralded the opening
by forming before the brilliant canopy of
the building and entertaining an expectant
crowd waiting for the doors to open. Representatives
of the province, local officials and
industry figures from Winnipeg were among
the special guests taking part in the opening
program.
Attending were D. Williams, chief inspector
for theatres of Saskatchewan; M. Tallant,
president of the Melville Board of Trade: Mr.
and Mrs. Joe Harris. Paragon Theatres of
Winnipeg: Abe Feinstein. United Artists;
Bernie Penny. Service Confections: Mr. and
Mrs. Joe Hersac of Roblin; Mi-, and Mrs.
Han-y Mytrega of Strathclair; Bill Welykholowa
of Kamsack: Mr. and Mrs. Loussas
and Lome Cogger of Dominion Sound.
Construction began last March 21 and work
was rushed on a 24-hour basis to meet the
Labor Day deadline.
Boothmen Dispute Goes
To Conciliation Board
VANCOUVER—A British Columbia conciliation
board will hear the wage dispute
between about 200 projectionists and the FPC
and Odeon circuit.s. FPC has 25 houses now
operating and Odeon. 18.
The dispute hinges around the BC Projectionists
Union (AFL) demand for a 5 per
cent wage increase and a pension plan, with
exhibitors claiming that they must cut projection
staffs by half and reduce pay scales.
The two chains have closed 14 BC houses
during the summer, claiming high overhead,
TV and bingo competition made operations
unprofitable, particularly in the Vancouver
area and on Vancouver Island.
The companies are proposing quick conversion
of all theatres to one-man operation
and a reduction in the present wage scales.
The conciliation board award is not binding
on either party, but the union cannot call
a strike until the decision of the three-man
board is given.
The union at present has 29 junior members
unemployed in the BC area. A union
bulletin advised the younger members to
seek other employment in industries which
"offer far more in future economic .security."
'Raising Riot' in Third Week
TORONTO—Principal pictures for the week
at specialty theata-es here were "Raising B
Riot" in its third week at the International
Cinema and "Assunta Spina" at the Pylon.
102
BOXOFFICE :: October 1. 1955