Canadian Film Weekly (Aug 5, 1942)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Aug 5, 1942
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Aug 5, 1942)
Leaf #:
0000
Language:
English
Subjects:
Motion Pictures, Film Industry Trade Magazine",Canad
Collection:
Global Cinema, Canada, and Hollywood Studio System
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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VOICE of the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY Voy. 8, No. 32 Gurston Allen is Busy These Days Popular query around the film section during the last while has been “Where’s Gurston Allen?’’ The folks have missed the wellknown executive of Premier Theatres and Columbia Pictures from the haunts of film men. The answer is that Gurston has changed his stamping grounds to Ottawa. (Continued on Page 4) RKO to Offer A5 Features From the i1ith annual sales meeting of RKO-Radio in New York comes word from the president, Ned Depinet, that the company will offer 45 features and 185 shorts for the 1942-43 season. Besides those pictures to be made at the Hollywood and Cul-|; ver City plants of the company under the supervision of Charles}; (Continued on Page 4) Wm. Fox Solvent William Fox, former movie magnate, formally was discharged from bankruptcy by Federal Referee Allen B. Endicott, Jr. The case was opened in 1936 when Fox filed a petition listing liabilities of $9,535,000 and since then has been the center of financial litigations. Total claims against him aggregated $55,000,000. Perly to Midtown Al Perly, formerly manager of the Kenwood, Toronto, has been transferred by 20th Century Theatres to take over the Midtown, replacing Ernie Warren, now in the RCAF. Allen Smith has replaced Gordon Shea as assistant manager of the same house, the latter now being in the army. WILLIAM F. ROGERS BACK WITH MGM TORONTO, AUGUST Sth, 1942 Esling, B.C., Claims Tax on Outgoing Rentals Too Light The Hon. J. L. Ilsley, Minister of Finance, replying to a charge in the House of Commons by W. E. Esling, member for Kootenay West, British Columbia, that the ten per cent tax on Canadian film rentals being sent to the United States At Ottawa Allen of Premier Theatres and Columbia Pictures, who is now stationed at Ottawa with the Directorate Lieut. Gurston S. of Special Services, National Defence Headquarters. Congratulations Irwin Frohman, assistant manager of the Doric, Toronto, a Firestone house, was married on July 31st to Miss Anne Zarestsky. Goldsmith to Pioneer Booker Ed Goldsmith has left Exhibitors Booking Association to join Pioneer Films. Vic Rackow, who was moved to Toronto by United Artists, then returned to Winnipeg for PRC, is now branch manager in the latter city for Pioneer Films. come, Nicholas Schenck announces. was too light, expressed himself as believing the tax was just. At the same time he explained to Mr. Esling and the House that the $10,000,000 left of the $12,600,000 annual rental returns, after an allowed deduction of. nearly $3,000,000 for distribution expenses, was not net earnings but gross income remitted. The Finance Minister also pointed out that “the real costs are in connection with manufacturing the films in the United States.” The law quoted by Mr. Esling (Continued on Page 2) $2.00 Per Annum Iisley Stands Off Beef im House Indies Beet at Freeze Prospect Not so long ago Independent exhibitors were asking the Theatre and Film section of the Wartime Prices and Trade Board, through director R. C. McMullen, to enact a ruling that would guarantee them continued product from distributors. Now a proposed ruling by the director would freeze contracts and prevent the distributors from selling away from (Continued on Page 2) King to Cinema Harold S. King is the new manager of the Cinema, Yonge street, Toronto, replacing Mel Jolley, who pinch-hit for Bob Martin when he left to handle the Avalon, Ottawa. Abuse o£ Movie Pass Big From Tax Standpoint — R. B. Hanson An amendment to the control of Amusement Tax is being discussed at Ottawa currently, the Hon. Mr. Gibson, Minister of National Reve nue stated in the House of Commons last week. It was intended to check evasions in houses of amusement. Answering a question from the Hon. R. B. Hanson, Mr. Gibson said, “The change of method in regulating this tax was brought about because there are different regulations ‘in the various provinces. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police were checking theatres in some of the provinces by counting the patrons entering, but found that that was not a satisfactory check because some of the patrons were entering free, on passes. This provision is intended purely to assist in checking evasion of the tax in places of amusement.” ‘ In asking the history of the act, Mr. Hanson said, “Talk about the abuse of the pass system on the railways—the abuse of the pass was rumored to be heading RKO while at odds with Metro. system in motion picture houses is tremendous. How much is the country losing by means of this free pass system in connection with picture shows?” Mr. Gibson was unable to supply the information, saying that there was no check on it. The amendment, intended to provide uniform regulations for the Dominion, requires that paying patrons be given half of the torn stub, retaining this until they leave as a token of their right to a seat. This is a common practice now. Famous Players Meet Here on Aug. 12, 13 Famous Players associates will meet in the Royal York Hotel, Toronto, on August 12 and 13th. General sessions will start at 12.30 noon both days. The annual picnic of Head Office will coincide with the meeting. It will be held at Rouge Hills on August 14th. The vice-president and general manager of MGM, William F. Rogers, who resigned last week after 18 years with company, has returned under a new deal dated for some years to Selling policy was said to have caused the break. He