Canadian Film Weekly (Oct 14, 1942)

Page scan 0004 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Oct 14, 1942
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Oct 14, 1942)
Leaf #:
0004
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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October 14th, 1942 Canadian FILM WEEKLY Page 5 Disappowusted at No. A-396-Quebec eS Revivals in Gunga New York Arise My Love—1940 farce comedy; Colbert, R. Milland. Beachcomber, The—1938 drama of the Dutch East Indies; C. Laughton, E. Lanchester. Blockade—1938 Spanish war melodrama; H. Fonda, M. Carroll. Cat and the Canary—1939 comedy-mystery; B. Hope, P. Goddard. Crime and Punishment — 1936 psychological melodrama; Peter Lorre. Farewell to Arms—1932 revival of Hemingway’s famous story; G. Cooper, H. Hayes. Foreign Correspondent — 1940 melodrama; J. McCrea, A. Basserman. General Died at Dawn—1936. Exciting melodrama in China; G. Cooper, M. Carroll. Ghost Breakers—1940 comedy; B. Hope, P. Goddard. Great Victor Herbert—1939 musical; W. Connolly, M. Martin, A. Jones, Mea! ce Din—1939 melodrama of British India; D. Fairbanks, Jr., V. McLagilen, C. Grant. Hearts of the World—1918 dnama; L. and D. Gish, N. Coward. His Girl Friday—1940 comedy; C. Grant, R. Russell. Intermezzo—1939 drama; L. Howard, I. Bergman. / Letter, The—1940 drama; B. Davis, H. Marshall, J. Stephenson. Meet John Doe—1941 drama; G. Cooper, B. Stanwyck. Northwest Passage—1940 technicolor adventure tale; S. Tracy, Robt. Young, W. Brennan. Only Angels Have Wings — 1939 aviation melodrama. C. Grant, J. Arthur. Our Town — 1940 drama from Wilder’s play; F. Craven, M. Scott. Philadelphia Story—1940 comedy from. the B’way play; K. Hepburn, J. Stewart, C. Grant. So Ends Our Night—1941 drama; from Remarque’s novel; F. March, M. Sullavan. Three Cornered Moon—1933 comedy; C. Golbert. Top Hat—1935 musical; taire, G. Rogers. Vivacious Lady—1938 romantic comedy; G. Rogers, J. Stewart. EF. As Flower Girl Canada’s Alexis Smith has had a dahlia named after her by the USA National Association of Flower Growers. Voted her to be the girl they’d like to dig with. Who wouldn’t? Steady Rise of Film ? Allied Theatrical Industries, Quebec, Claims { Rentals in Relation to Theatre Receipts in Past Year In a strongly-worded resolution passed at its annual meeting in Montreal, the Quebec Allied Theatrical Industries expressed itself as being deeply disappointed at the “total indefinite and inadequate terms” contained in Order No. A 398 in respect to film rentals.¢ Meeting in the Mount Royal Hotel, Montreal, the Quebec body, which contains exhibitors of all classifications, listened to spokesmen for and against higher rentals, then addressed the negative resolution to the chairman of the Wartime Prices and Trade Board. The resolution claimed that “the proof of the inefficiency of the Administration is a steady rise of the cost of film rentals in its percentage relation to theatre receipts which rise has been experienced during the past year by the overwhelming majority of our member-theatres.” The resolution in its entirety will be found at the end of this article. Officers elected at the meeting were honorary president, B. E. Norrish; president, J. Arthur Hirsch; vice-president, George Ganetakos; treasurer, E. N. Tabah; secretary, Eugene Beaulac. The executive committee, headed by J. Arthur Hirsch, consists of George Ganetakos, J. A. De Seve, N. W. Lawand, William Lester, B. C. Salamis, T. H. Trow and B. A. Garson. Elected directors of the association were A. Adilmen, Albert Bey, C. H. Brock, Leo Choquette, J. A. De Seve, George Ganetakos, Edouard Gauthier, J. A. Hirsch, William Lester, B. A. Garson, N. W. Lawand, E. N. Tabah, T. H. Trow, George Rotsky, B. C. Salamis and Eugene Beaulac. Following is the resolution referred to above: WHEREAS the Theatre Owners of the Province of Quebec have repeatedly shown their eagerness to assist the war effort of their Government in every way within their power; and, WHEREAS they have enthusi -astically welcomed the Wartime Prices and Trade Board Regulations as an important part of that effort and have completely cooperated with the Administrator of Services in respect of the ceiling of admission prices to their theatres and with all other regulations that he has imposed; and, WHEREAS in return for this compliance they did expect that a ceiling on Motion Picture Rentals, the principal item of expense in the maintenance of their businesses, would be imposed by the Administrator of Services; and, WHEREAS after waiting approximately one year for a definite ruling as to the imposition of this ceiling there has now been issued an order No. A-398 “respecting the rental and exhibition of moving picture films”; BE IT NOW RESOLVED that this Association, representing the Theatre Owners of the Province, in annual meeting assembled do hereby express its deep disappointment at the total indefinite and inadequate terms contained in this order as in respect to film rentals; and be it FURTHER RESOLVED that while the regulations as regarding theatre admissions are clear-cut and severe, those respecting film rentals only cover such minor matters as run, clearance, priority, or zone allotment, leaving the all important subject of Price Control with no definite standards and subject solely to individual cases being brought to the Administrator for decision, putting the onus on the theatre owner to so bring this action and thereby incur the condemnation of the distributors whose goodwill is a necessary adjunct of his business; and be it FURTHER RESOLVED that the proof of the inefficiency of the Administration is a steady rise of the cost of film rentals in its percentage relation to theatre receipts which rise has been experienced during the past year by the overwhelming majority of our member-theatres; and be it lastly RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Chairman of the Wartime Prices and Trade Board and to the Administrator of Services. Para Prints Paper For the Services Paramount men in the active forces will get a special paper printed for them by the studio. It’s called “The Servicemen’s Edition of Paramount Parade.” The studio has 235 men fighting and the sheet will be paid for by the Studio Club, which has 1700 members. Picnics, dances, etc., have been passed up for the duration and the dues go to helping the boys be more comfortable. Indians Will Shoot Hitler Brantford theatre managers have put on a War Savings Stamps campaign worth studying throughout the country. Highly plete co-operation of and associations, the campaign won great interest on all sides. For the campaign the Brantford Theatres Association was organized. Its personnel consists of the managers of Brantford’s theatres —Hamilton Bowes, Brant; Ernest Moule, Capitol; Ben Schacker, College, and Harry Solman, Esquire. A contest is being run in connection with the campaign. All buyers of stamps will get a chance to win $25, $15 or $10, as well as one of the 100 consolation prizes. The prizes will be doubled if the rules laid down are followed. The draw will take place in the town square. The local War Savings Committee is backing up the scheme. . The awarding of prizes will be done in a novel way. A group of Indians from the nearby reservation, dressed in full regalia, will shoot out the lucky numbers on a large head of Hitler. The weapons will be bows and arrows and the head of Hitler will hang from the City Hall. Forms have been distributed, posters put everywhere, ads placed in the paper and much general publicity has been gathered. The campaign lasts two-and-a-half weeks. The idea has captured the imagination of Brantford and is worth imitating. EDISON MAZDA LONGER.. BRIGHTER LIGHT MADE IN CANADA CANADIAN GENERAL ELECTRIC