Canadian Film Weekly (Apr 22, 1942)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Apr 22, 1942
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Apr 22, 1942)
Leaf #:
0000
Language:
English
Subjects:
Motion Pictures, Film Industry Trade Magazine",Canad
Collection:
Canada, Hollywood Studio System, and Global Cinema
Format:
periodicals
Contributor:
Media History Digital Library, Canadian Picture Pioneers, Paul Moore and Jessica Whitehead
Coordinator:
Media History Digital Library
Description:

Canadian Film Weekly

  • Editor: Hye Bossin (1942-64)
  • Renamed Canadian Film & TV Bi-Weekly (1965-69, editor: Stan Helleur)
  • Renamed Candian Film Weekly(1970, editor: Ed Hocura)

Canadian Film Weekly (1942-70) was edited by Hye Bossin and published by Film Publications of Canada, Ltd., wholly owned by leading exhibitor, Nat Taylor. In the late 1930s, Taylor was head of the Independent Theatre Association and his Toronto-based chain, Twinex-Century (Twentieth Century), was the largest independent circuit in the country. In 1941, however, he negotiated for chain affiliation with upstart Canadian Odeon before leveraging a better deal and greater booking control with nationally-dominant Famous Players Canada, Ltd. No longer independent, he took ownership of the Independent Theatre Association’s semi-monthly magazine, The Canadian Motion Picture Exhibitor (1940-41), installed Hye Bossin as editor, and laid plans to relaunch in January 1942 under a new name, Canadian Film Weekly. This enduring key publication was no longer solely focused on independent exhibitors but instead covered the entire industry on a national scale–exhibition, distribution and production–with some attention given to studio news from New York and Hollywood.

Bossin was a vibrant writer with a canny way with words, admired in the industry in the United States as well as Canada. He was one of a large family who lived above their father’s secondhand shop in the Jewish “ward” downtown in Toronto. His older brother was a bookie with ties to the underground; his younger brother was a famous journalist, protégé of Walter Winchell, and Hollywood screenwriter. In contrast, Hye spent nearly two decades learning the publishing trade in a printers’ shop before trying a stint as a Hollywood publicist, then writing a column for the Toronto Star Weekly before taking Taylor’s offer to edit the Film Weekly. Bossin was central to the creation of the Canadian Film Archive, the Canadian Film Awards, and he wrote some of the first histories of early cinema in Canada, published in the first volumes of the annual Canadian Film Weekly Year Book (1951-70).

In 1957, the Film Weekly had incorporated the rival Canadian Moving Picture Digest (1917-57), and began dating its start to that paper’s earlier start as the Canadian Universal Bulletin (1915-18). Subsequent variants of the Canadian Film Weekly and its yearbooks always claimed their roots all the way back to 1915 and the origins of the film industry trade press in Canada. After Bossin died in 1964, the Weekly’s new editor, Stan Helleur, renamed the magazine Canadian Film & TV Bi-Weekly, scaling back the pace of publishing but adding a purview for television and broadcasting. The annual was renamed similarly, its subtitle amended to “Year Book of the Canadian Entertainment Industry.” An attempted renewal to weekly format in 1970, edited by Ed Hocura, was short-lived and Nat Taylor decided instead to relaunch under an entirely new title, Canadian Film Digest (1971-77) and Canadian Film Digest Yearbook (1971-86).

– Paul Moore, March 2024

Further Reading

  • Bossin, Hye. “Canada and the Film: The Story of the Canadian Motion Picture Industry.” In Canadian Film Weekly Year Book of the Canadian Motion Picture Industry, 21-41. Toronto: Film Publications of Canada, 1951.
  • Moore, Paul. “Chronicling a National History: Hye Bossin’s Canadian Film Weekly and Year Book.” In Eric Hoyt and Kelley Conway, eds., Global Movie Magazines. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2024.

Date Added:
August 08, 2024
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? VOIGE of the CANAD IAN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY Vol. 8, No. 17 TORONTO, APRIL 22nd, 1942 $2.00 Per Annum Hutchinson, 20th-Fox, Passes Red Cross Film Committee The motion picture in behalf of the Red Cross, which is being completed by Associated Screen News and is yet untitled, will have a thorough presentation in Canada. A sub-committee on motion picture publicity has been formed to help the film reach the greatest number of people possible and have the widest effect. It is thought that 150 prints in English and French will be made available for showings from May 1st to May 23rd. Canada’s leading film people in every field have become members of the committee, which is headed by J. Earl Lawson, well-known attorney in film matters. Col. John A. Cooper of the Motion Picture Distributors Association is vice (Continued on Page 3) Smith Resigns Lou Smith, head of Columbia publicity, has resigned. He will be replaced temporarily by his assitant, Lance Heath. PRC Becomes Pathe? It is said that the name of Producers Releasing Corporation will be changed to Pathe, which company recently acquired PRC, at the forthcoming Hollywood convention. Sell "Fantasia‘’ With New Idea RKO has instituted an advance sales system for blocks of tickets for Walt Disney’s ‘Fantasia,” by offering special group prices to student bodies, art leagues, music, civil and social clubs, religious, fraternal and patriotic societies and other similar organizations. Following its one-year Broadway run. ‘Fantasia’ will have its first popular priced showings. GOLDWYN RENEWS WITH RKO Much Canadian Fox Foreign Sales Head Had Background Walter J. Hutchinson, director of foreign distribution for 20th Century-Fox, died in New York last week after a long illness. post for eight years, was 49. SS A Lucky Lad Was George George Altman, Vitagraph salesman, has been alternately weeping with joy and gnashing his teeth since the day of the recent storm. In the worst of the storm George was trapped in his car on one of the highways. The dauntless Altman had no desire to be buried under a blanket of snow so he kept right on driving. He got off the road a few times and missed a couple of collisions. Once he was ditched but got out and continued on his way. Afters hours of almost blind battling George was overjoyed at reaching Toronto. He lit a cigarette, settled back with relief and headed for the office. Within a few blocks a cyclist got trapped between George’s car and a TTC charot. The cyclist, a boy, finished right under George’s wheels. The stricken salesman extricated him. Through a lucky quirk the kid didn’t even have a scratch. Just the bike, which George repaired for him. Ah, says George, give me the good old summer time every time. Van Paasen Speaks Pierre van Paasen, well-known Canadian correspondent, was the chief speaker at the installation of the new officers of New York's Cinema Lodge of B’nai B'rith. Hutchinson, who occupied the foreign sales His death was the second such blow to the executive ranks of the company recently. It followed the passing of Sidney Kent, who was president at the time. Hutchinson was well-known in the Canadian field, not just through the requirements of his job, but through a period of service in Canadian territory. He was at one time Fox branch manager in St. John, New Brunswick. Later he was made special home office representative in Canada, spend (Continued on Page 3) Skouras Heads 20th-Fox Spyros P. Skouras is now president of 20th Century-Fox and Wendell L. Wilkie has assumed the duties of chairman of the board. Ever since the death death on March 19 a Sidney R. Kent, former 20th Century-Fox president, Skouras’ name has been the most frequently mentioned to fill the vacancy. This former Greek immigrant has been continuously associated with the motion picture industry since 1912, when he and his two brothers opened a nickelodeon in St. Louis. Their one the atre grew to a chain, important (Continued on Page 2) PERSONALITY SIDELIGHTS (Reprinted from the Toronto Board of Trade Journal, “Chairman of Trade Branches” series.) N. A. TAYLOR General Manager, Twentieth Century Theatres Chairman, Motion Picture Branch The members of this Branch have rendered invaluable service to Canada in the promotion of the war programme. During the whole period of the war, the “silver screens” have been almost constantly available to the Government and national organizations for War Loans, War Savings Certificates, National War Services, Red Cross and other war appeals. The Branch, organized in 1926, is representative of the leading Distributors and Exhibitors. Matters affecting the industry are continually receiving attention, such as Amusement Taxes, Express Rates, Regulations affecting Admission Charges and Wages, etc. A number of adjustments of value to the industry have been obtained. The Branch recently took an active part in the organization of an advisory Committee representative of the industry throughout the Dominian to act in an advisory capacity to the Administrator of Services of the Wartime Prices and Trade Board with respect to the | exhibition of motion pictures. RKO-Radio, as in the past, will distribute Sam Goldwyn’s product for the coming year. Rumors had him switching. Goldwyn has several important film being planned or in production.