Canadian Film Weekly (Dec 9, 1942)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Dec 9, 1942
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Dec 9, 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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{, Vol. 8, No. 50 VOICE of the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY 2 TORONTO, DECEMBER 9, 1942 $2.00 Per Annum Double Bills Win Support: New Ontario Exhib Body OLf to Strong Beginning — More than 50 exhibitors and representatives of exhibition companies of various classifications met at the King Just when theatre men were| Edward Hotel, Toronto, on Tuesday, December Ist, to provide prepared to hear about the official death of the double bill by government decree is the USA, an upsurge of protest has made itself felt throughout the country. It seems that Lowell Mellett, Washington’s’ motion picture power, didn’t strike a popular note at all (Continued on Page 3) Warners First Canadian Drive For the first time in the history of Warner Bros. a special Canadian sales drive has been formulated exclusively for the Canadian branches, according to Wolfe Cohen, vice-president of Vitagraph, Ltd. Titled the “Second Annual Drive of Champions,” the campaign starts on December 20 (Continued on Page 3) Two Specials in Monogram Group Monogram is offering two specials in its 1942-43 grouping, “Silver Skates” and “Trail of the Yukon.” Beside the specials the grouping is made up of 10. pictures in Group A; 10 pictures in Group B; 12 pictures in Group C; and 8 Westerns. These have been approv (Continued on Page 7) Weighty Problem In San Francisco a 285-pound woman crashed through a theatre ‘seat and the result was a first class Jaw suit that ended up in the United States Court of Appeals. The court held the theatre re sponsible—because it had a chance to look her over when she was| | from 50 to 60 seats damaged. sold a ticket. ROY ROGERS an enthusiastic launching for the newly-formed Motion Picae aT UULemeL ned ures ASSOCIALIONNOL Ontario. The meeting, with N. A. Taylor presiding as temporary chairman, elected 10 members of the 25, absent and present, directors. Those elected will meet next week to appoint the officers of the organization. Those favored on the ballots were Harry Alexander, Lansdowne Theatre, Toronto; Herb Allen, Premier Theatre Corporation; Sam Fine, B & F Theatres; (Continued on Pago 2) Ernie Smithies' Broken Handwriting Jim Nairn of Famous Players got a puzzling wire from Ernie Smithies of the Capitol, Kingston. Ernie demanded to know what became of his advertising for “Four Strangers.” James was somewhat befuddled at this obvious reflection on his well-known efficiency. “Four Strangers,” he kept muttering. But no such picture came to mind. After investigation it was revealed that Ernie meant “Forest Rangers”! It sounds the same if you say it fast—and if you write it that way. terrible fire there. burned in the disaster. Tore Theatre Seats Fined in Court William Matheson and Vincent as a board of MPTA Meets, Elects Directors Movie Men Help ‘Aid to Russia Motion picture men, through their own and other committees, will play an important part in the Canadian Aid to Russia fund, very important at this time to help the Russians keep up their victorious march towards Berlin. A committee of film men served during the drive of the Red Cross for Russian aid last year. The Motion Picture Pioneers (Continued on Page 5) Court Upholds Ban On Hamilton 12.05's Validity of Hamilton Police Com ; mission’s by-law having the effect Masters’ Sad Journey | or pronipiting midnight theatre Haskell Masters visited Boston! shows on Sundays, except where to attend the funerals of three | yfonday comes on a public holiday, friends who lost their lives in the Buck Jones, famed Western star, was fatally} Ontario Court of Appeal at Os was upheld unanimously by the goode Hall. Pix Pioneers Hold Annual Session "King of the Cowboys sessed an added $3.50 to pay for repairs to seats damaged by them at the Midtown: Theatre, Toronto. The case was heard before Magistrate Gullen at the Toronto Police Court. Manager Lloyd Smith caught them at it and held them at the theatre until the police arrived. The damage was done in. the loges during a matinee performance. Smith had been keeping a close check after repeated acts of vandalism of a similar sort. The boys claimed that the seats were that way before their arrival but an examination revealed them to be newly torn, with rubbed and other material strewn on the floor. During the summer there were Giglio were fined $10 each and ql |. . Scores a hit in “Heart of the Golden West,’ with Smiley BURNETTE—the first Rogers from Republic for 1942-48. The NUMBER ONE WESTERN STAR is your No. 1 feature for weekend playdates. Watch Republic for 1942-48, The Canadian Picture Pioneers are making plans for a benevolent fund. Means of financing it were discussed at the third annual meeting on December ist, held in the King Edward Hotel, Toronto. Several contributions have been : made by prominent film men Loew's Theatres, Inc. |294 it was generally agreed A that a Movie Ball would help Shows Profit Gain the purpose. President Oscar Moderate improvement shows in| Hanson presided. the earning position of Marcus) To identify the organization Loew’s Theatres, Ltd., during the| more closely with the industry war fiscal period ending with August,| effort, it was decided that the with sufficient profit to permit the| committee now known as the company to clear up dividends 0n| Canadian Motion Picture War the preferred until June 30 and still} services Committee should hereadd substantially to surplus. Net operating profit from the| Motion Picture Pioneers War SerUptown is reported at $240,191,| vices. This committee, which has compared with $227,993 a year)steered the -industry war effort, (Continued on Page 2) previous. (Advt.) after be known as the Canadian. a % 5