Canadian Film Weekly (Dec 30, 1942)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Dec 30, 1942
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Dec 30, 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 $2.00 Per Annum Vol. 9, No. L TORONTO, DECEMBER 30th, 1942 “he Commandos...’ Cheered ‘The Commandos Strike at Dawn” ~———— Te Epic of Canadian Army in Action Press Chops “The Commandos Strike at Dawn,’ Columbia’s story of| Pat Drohan |that branch of Canada’s armed forces, which deals y ** Theatre Space A. P. (Pat) Drohan, manager of | the Dominion’s first exploit, the raiding of Norway, has the Capitol Theatre, Chatham, | caused explosions of praise everywhere it has already been —_—_—_——_—————— ynreeled. A number of special Chatham Honors Dissatisfaction with the manner in which the Toronto Daily Star has restricted readers in connec recipient of much ‘ Lady Ass't-Manager the} Ontario, was the r Jocal fuss during December. The popular Pat has been handing Chatham folks their entertainment for spars now and when the anniversary of his first quartercentury of service sneaked up, the citizens seized on it as a chance (Continued on Page 4.) Biggest Money Year for H wood The most direct evidence of the} increase in public spending and | popularity | proof of the movies’ when the income allows it is the news that, Hollywood’s 1942 oper ating profits will be 60 per cen and more than those of the pre vious year. This, of course, is before the terrific taxes are changed } | | | | | off. Though some companies show (Continued on Page 2.) Guelph, Ont. House Fined for Crowding Overcrowding at the Guelph, Ont., brought a and costs to its man Capitol permitting persons to 1 stairways and aisles durtheatre performanc Two rs from the Fire Marshal's visited the theatre. nt any tragedy here in Boston and St. hn’s, Nfid., where hundreds lost li when exits in public sb clogged,” stated Fire Chief Charles Vince. guilty stand ing inspec Departn “We didn’t we occurred prep so a = me Hazel Quirt, attached to Capito], North Bay, for five years, | n promoted to the post of| has ‘IN THE REAR OF THE ENEMY’ War Worker sons Jack Nelson, manager of the Capitol, North Bay, Ontario, who is chairman of the Nipissing District Citizens Committee for entertaining the troops. This committee has done great work and won much praise from military authorities. Since they opened their Hostess Room, 18 months ago over 25,000 servicemen haye visited it. .Once a month Jack throws a free show for the servicemen and those who miss it are given a pass for a future showing. Theatre Note Jack Lait, pinch-hitting for Walter Winchell, points out that/ there is still a Laval Theatre in| | Montreal, This great Russian film, which ran for 16 WEEKS in London's West End and currently clogging lobbies | showings have taken place tion with theatre ads has been and those attended by the] expressed in the industry's adverAmerican trade press have| tising circles. In keeping with the restriction of paper, the newspaper has decided to drop readers and statements of coming attracIt was noticed, however, the large theatres received (Continued on Page 4.) brought forth comments about the splendid quality of the film and praise for Canada’s tough soldiery. Canadians who have seen it are very proud and have described it (Continued on Page 2.) tions. that A Time to Remember This New Year is the most joyous one since the beginning of the war. From thousands of miles away, coming closer and growing stronger, one hears distinctly the drums of victory. Proud banners that have Jain in the dust have once again been raised in places which the tyrant thought were forever his. Others, torn through with shot and shell and stained with the blood of their bearers, remained bravely aloft through everything to fly victoriously in the end while the symbols of the enemy have been abandoned in flight. In faroff fields there lies many a Canadian whose family will never again enjoy his Jove in person on the year’s most festive occasion. His life he gladly gave to the cause of freedom for those who, during the Christmas week, gathered for the first time without his message of cheer. But he will be there and each will know it more clearly than anything he ever knew before. This is a time to remember many things. Of those who died that we might live, the great words of Rupert Brooke, the young English poet who died of wounds received during the last war, tell what we feel as a nation and as individuals: “Blow out, you bugles, over the rich Dead! There's none of these But, dying, has ma These laid the world away; poured out the Sweet wine of youth; « up the ye Of work and joy, and that unhc That men call a Their sons, they ge so lonely and poor of ol e us rarer gifts than gole to ts in the USA, ts the first Soviet war film with ENGLISH DIA LOGUE, It is the thrilling story of three ski troopers and was filmed under fire. This ts an Esquire release. (advt.)