Canadian Film Weekly (Apr 7, 1943)

Page scan 0006 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Apr 7, 1943
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Apr 7, 1943)
Leaf #:
0006
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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' ] April 7, 1943 BY CANADIAN SHOWMEIN FOR CANADIAN SHOWMEN OR ‘Commandos Strike at Dawn” Harland Rankin, Centre, Chatham, Ont., put on a real patriotic campaign that’ won the approval and interest of the patrons. Harland distributed Commando daggers made of paper and imprinted, teaser cards and heralds. He created a special radio tieup with officers from the nearby training centre. Four city bands played on alternate nights. He presented a prologue to the picture on the stage in which girls paraded the flags of the United Nations. It kept him hopping but the results were gratifying. # * * ALPH TEIDE, Community, Welland, got over the problem of introducing a new serial to the kids in a smart way. He handed out small membership cards, proclaiming the youngsters members of the Community Theatre Secret Code Club, which meets every Saturday afternoon— in the theatre. The kids loved it. * * * Bee BROWN, Vanity, Windsor, gave “The Scarlet Pimpernel” a touch of horror by putting a large guillotine in the lobby in advance of the picture. During the run he had it transferred to a downtown store window, where the noggin-chopper stopped traffic. % x * L PERLY, Midtown, Toronto, likes to do things in dressy fashion, taking advantage of the beauty of his usherettes to boost coming attractions. For “In Which We Serve” he has the girls wearing sailor hats, silk sashes and an armband featuring the title. He contacted the neighborhood clergymen and suggested they mention this fine drama, which is a tribute to the British Navy, to their congregations. Al likes to touch all the bases. He placed display cards in factories, barracks and schools. Russ Aid Rentals Reach $3,400 Esquire Films has handed the Aid to Russia Fund a cheque for $3,400, the total kicked back by exhibitors as rental for “Children at Wer,” the one-reeler donated by Aickino and distributed gratis by the first-mentioned company. To Film Canadian FILM WEEKLY Canueks In Action _ Canadian motion picture cameramen will be on hand and in action when the Dominion’s soldiers swing into the longawaited attack on enemy territory. They will be the official photographers of all military activity involving Canadians Forever Helps Canadian Causes (Continued from Page 1) Dominion circles. In the United States several channels, turning back all profits to designated charities in every country shown. More than 70 outstanding stars and feature players, many of them English, seven directors and 21 leading writers gave their services gratis to the making of ‘Forever and a Day,” which has been pronounced an exceptionally fine film by critics who caught it at early screenings. It is the story of a number of generations of an English family with American branches, moving against the background of an ancient house built in Wellington’s day and still defying the blitz. The intended recipients of the Canadian profits were made known by the Governor General, who was presented with the film by C. Aubrey Smith and Sir Cedric Hardwicke at a ceremony in Ottawa last week. Prime Minister Mackenzie King and the Minister of War Services, General LaF leche, were present. In England His Majesty, King George, will name the charities to benefit from showings in the British Isles. President Roosevelt’s pet charity, the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, will get 75 per cent of USA profits, the other 25 going to the Los Angeles Community Chest. A ceremony similar ‘to the Ottawa one was held in Washington, at which the president accepted the offer. Wings and Stripes For Murray Sherman Murray Sherman, formerly of Premier Operating and son of Dave Sherman of the Casino Set. Murray Sherman Theatre, won his wings and stripes at Mont Joli, Quebec. He’s now a sergeant of the RCAF, ®and the results of their work will be shown to the theatregoing public, as well as military men interested in furthering the technique of war. The films will be made ready for the screen in England, then flown to Canada by bomber. Two negatives, one stored in England in case of mishap to the other, will be made. In charge of the work are Captain Laurie Audrie of Winnipeg, head of the photographic section, and Lieut. Jack McDougall of Montreal, chief of the film unit, who was formerly with the Associated Screen News. Both men took part in discussions with high army officers, out of which the present program came. Lieut. George Noble, an Englishman, is head cameraman in the film unit, and Lieut. Alex Thom of Montreal, a former Associated Screen News man, is in charge of cutting and editing. Staff Sergt. Mitre Spencer, formerly with the national film board in Ottawa, is a cameraman and also assists in the cutting and editing. Other members of the film unit are Pte. Alan Grayston of Montreal, former Associated Screen News employee, and Cpl. George Cooper of Ottawa. Lieut. Frank Royal of Winnipeg is second in command to Capt. Audrie in the still unit. Others are Lieut. Jack Smith of Toronto, Lieut. Alex Stirton of Calgary, Lieut. F. G. Whitcombe of Sarnia and Sergt. Bud Nye of Winnipeg. The cameramen will work in conjunction with the press correspondents when action starts. Red Cross Drive Nears Finish With the Red Cross campaign officially over, those theatre men who haven't cleaned up their end are still busy. The film end of the drive, which is headed by Colonel Cooper, may yield something like 25 per cent more than last year’s campaign. Officials of the Red Cross in various parts of the Dominion have praised the efforts of the industry. The Hon. E. W. Hamber, formerly Lieut.-Governor of British Columbia, was impressed with the effort of theatre men and praised the newsclips. He led the drive in the coastal province. H. C. Murphy, head of the Nova Scotia Red Cross, wrote that the work of the theatre men there couldn’t be improved on. Page 7 OF CANADA LTD. 277 Victoria St. Toronto Make way for Monogram the fastest growing company in the industry releasing one box-office hit after another. SILVER SKATES tops all ice revues, booked by all leading circuits and theatres DAWN ON THE GREAT DIVIDE made big—it is big, the screen’s thundering covered-wagon epic RHYTHM PARADE a musical cocktail with the most gorgeous girls in the world—tt is box-office—music with the Mills Brothers, Ted Fio Rito and his orchestra, and the entire Earl Carroll Hollywood Revue Four East Side Kid Productions definitely box-office dynamite, a perfect week-end attraction * Coming Soon sensation of the year | ESCAPED FROM THE GESTAPO Mary Brian, Dean Jagger, John Carradine SARONG GIRL Ann Corlo, Johnny (Scat) Davis and his band, Tim and Irene, radio favorites. MONOGRAM PICTURES Toronto, Montreal, St. John W innipeg, Calgary, Vancouver