Boxoffice-February.26.1973

Sunday—which means a no-go Monday to
Wednesday. The programs have three features,
which more or less equalizes the
booking process. The weather this season
has been dismal, what with occasional blizzards,
rain, sleet and varied temperatures,
thus providing a problem for all concerned.
Our town still has one outdoor theatre, the
20th Century circuit's Britannia, in regular
use. Come spring there will be six in operation.
Canadian Cablesystems, which owns
48.8 per cent of Famous Players' theatre
circuit, reported earnings at $788,615. representing
a 17.5 per cent increase for the
\ latest three-month business period to equal
10.1 cents per outstanding share. The company's
vice-president and general manager is
Eugen.^ E. Fitzgibbons. son of the late J. J.
FitzgibbLr-s, for many years president of the
former con^ij;iny. Famous Players Canadian
Corp.
Two theatre circuits were represented in
local newspaper promotional contests. The
Rideau and Britannia of 20th Century Theatres
sponsored a "Number Please" feature
in the Journal, for which 28 prizes were
donated. The Citizen ran a "Who's Who?"
contest based on store slogans, for which
the Famous Players Place de 'Ville cinemas
provided a similar number of awards for
correct listings.
Manager Pat Cross of the Odeon Elmdale
has had continued success with his Sunday
matinee revivals under the heading of "Film
Classics," with one feature being shown at
each performance and no seats reserved.
Following the presentation of "War and
Peace," next to come is the Marx Brothers
series scheduled for ten Sundays.
"Man of La Manclia," reserved-seat attraction,
made its debut Thursday (8) at
Place de Ville Cinema One, managed by
Romeo Cronier, who staged an extensive
campaign for the engagement, admission
prices being $3.50 and $3. It was announced
that all passes and senior citizen privileges
were canceled. This city has two other
. .
special features, "The Great Waltz." in its
ninth week at the Nelson, and "Young
Winston," at the Odeon St. Laurent for an
eighth week . The Sunday club show of
the National Film Theatre had features
from three countries: "USA 1971," "Two
Gentlemen Sharing," from Britain, and
"Metropolis," from Germany.
CALGARY
]y|an of La Mancha," starring Peter
O'Toole and Sophia Loren, opened in
the Varscona Theatre, Edmonton, Wednesday
(7). This United Artists roadshow followed
"Fiddler on the Roof" . . The Curtis
.
Mayfield concert scheduled for the Jubilee
Auditorium — and widely advertised — was
canceled, reportedly due to lack of ticket
sales.
(Continued on page K-4)
BOXOFFICE :: February 26, 1973
TORONTO
Qerald Pratley, head of the Ontario Film
Theatre, is conducting a three-month
course on Canadian feature films at the
Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology.
. . . Speaking of the
Variety notes: The first 1973 meeting of
Variety Club Women was held Wednesday
(7) at the clubrooms
clubrooms, more than 100 members and
guests enjoyed themselves there Saturday
evening (10) and the clubrooms were the
scene of a Valentine party Friday (16) . . .
Garth Drabinsky. Stephen Chesley. Boris
Zerafas and Henry Thomas Blumson have
been proposed for membership in Tent 28.
Vera Phillips, Boxoffice correspondent
for Detroit and the state of Michigan, sends
along an item from the Windsor Star. Written
by entertainment editor Jack Meredith,
the item concerns K. C. "Casey" Wong,
said to be the first Chinese-born theatre
manager in Canada. Recently Casey was
posted at the Centre in that border city.
"People in Hong Kong are real movie buffs
and the theatres are always full," Casey said
in the article. "There are no restricted
movies but each film has a rating and a
description of its contents. Then it is up to
parents to say whether their children should
see it or not." The best seats in a Hong
Kong cinema are in the balcony and they
cost $4.
A new by-product of the industry has
been developed by film compilers Don
Thompson and Jim Hanley of this city. The
Hanley-Thompson mini-movies, as described
by Clyde Gilmour in a pagewide Star
article, are not intended as digests of original
feature films but instead are streamlined
15-minute segments which skillfully pinpoint
a specific moral or emotional problem
for educational purposes. These minimovies
are quickly being acclaimed by
schools and colleges, both here and in the
U.S. In Canada they will be distributed by
Marlin Motion Pictures in this city and in
the U.S. by Learning Corp. of America,
New York.
Harry Gulkin, co-producer of the Canadian
feature film "Lies My Father Told Me,"
was in town discussing his first film venture,
just now completed after 13 weeks before
the cameras. Oscar-winning Jan Kadar of
Montreal was the director. "Sure, we've
taken longer to shoot this picture than the
average Canadian film," Gulkin told the
press. "But we didn't start out to make an
average Canadian film. Kadar has never
entered a 100-yard dash in filmmaking nor
does he intend to." Gulkin spent a total of
28 months endeavoring to raise money for
the project, all the while having support
from the Canadian Film Development Corp.
The CFDC put $200,000 towards the
$800,000 budget and Gulkin secured $396,-
000 from private investors and $200,000
from the bank. He plans a screening of
"Lies" at this year's Cannes Film Festival
and a general release for the motion picture
by early July. " 'Lies' has a better chance of
making money than a film which cost
$200,000." Gulkin said. "I don't believe in
making low-budget films."
The local WOMPI Club will be holding a
St. Patrick's wine-and-cheese party in the
Variety clubrooms here Wednesday evening.
March 14. Entertainment will be provided
by the Butler Academy of Irish Dancing,
the only one of its kind in this city.
Tickets may be obtained from any WOMPI
member.
"Fiddler on the Roof opened a multiple
run at the Cedarbrae, Skyline, Golden Mile
and others. "Vanishing Wilderness" also
opened a single-week engagement at the
Westwood, Danforth, Fairview, Mount
Pleasant and others . . . New bookings included
"Avanti!" at the Hyland One, "Dirty
Little Billy" at the York One and "The
Mind Snatchers" paired with "The Checkered
Flag" at the Capri and two drive-ins.
Kalvex Relinquishing
Control of Cinepix
NEW YORK—The directors of Kalvex
have approved the sale of 51 per cent of
the capital stock of Cinepix, a subsidiary
company, to two officers of the firm who
originally owned two-thirds of the enterprise.
Cinepix is a Canadian-based producer
and distributor of motion pictures. The
value of the transaction was not revealed.
According to Kalvex. the reduction of its
majority interest in Cinepix is consistent
with the Kalvex goal of "concentrating its
activities in the manufacture of motor
homes and consumer-product marketing."
A spokesman said that Cinepix earnings
represented less than 5 per cent of Kalvex's
pretax operating income in fiscal 1972.
A one-third interest in Cinepix was acquired
in 1969 by Kalvex. The company
then purchased the remaining two-thirds interest
from the two officers in 1970. Under
terms to the new agreement, the Cinepix
officers will return securities issued when
Kalvex purchased Cinepix and will give up
their rights to receive additional securities
under terms of that original agreement.
Goldie Hawn plays the wife of fugitive
William Atherton in the Texas-locale film,
"The Sugerland Express" (Univ).
K-3