Canadian Film Weekly (May 12, 1943)

Page scan 0003 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
May 12, 1943
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (May 12, 1943)
Leaf #:
0003
Language:
English
Subjects:
Motion Pictures, Film Industry Trade Magazine",Canad
Collection:
Hollywood Studio System, Global Cinema, and Canada
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 01, 2024
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Page 4 Citizens Ask For More Theatres (Continued from Page 1) necessary. Ottawa has made liberal allowances for renovation and the rebuilding of burned out theatres in defence areas. The newest request for a motion picture theatre comes from the citizens of Brighton, Ontario. Meeting in the Town Hall, all present pledged their support. Abe Rappaport, well-known Ontario exhibitor, purchased a site some time ago with the intention of building a theatre. The meeting conveyed a motion to him asking that he meet with prominent citizens shortly with a view to speeding the construction of the theatre and promising full support. Several weeks ago the citizens of New Waterford, Nova Scotia, a mining town, met to discuss the possibility of a second theatre there. It was contended that the town was large enough to support another theatre beside the 500seat Majestic, operated by Fred Gregor, which serves the population of 8,000. The success of the National Film Board 16 mm. circuit is proof of the hunger of rural areas for more motion pictures. In 1941, according to the most recent report of the Bureau of Statistics, 12 theatres were added to Canada’s 1,232. Many more were renovated and enlarged. Several new theatres sprang up along the Alaska road. It is also evident that local pride calls for a theatre in every growing community. Gasoline rationing has made it difficult for people to travel to theatres from communities without them and those affected miss their motion picture entertainment. GWTW Still Popular Four years after its first release “Gone With the Wind” reopened in New York for week-end showings and is lining them up. Canadian FILM WEEKLY ware 1 0nTheSq with hye oq SF ae as Thelma “Ol to Chicago Sad is the song of the Spring breeze as it skips through Dundas Square these days. Even the wide open smile of summer will have an undertone of grief. Why? Because Paramount’s Thelma Golden is about to leave our neighborhood. Paramount's Thelma? Not just Paramount’s but everyone's. For years the shapely strikeout queen has adorned our native diamonds and made them gleam with great lustre. Thelma has been whipping them over with a velocity so fierce that the trip to the plate is strictly a round trip in a hurry for the batter. That right arm of hers has whittled out nine no-hit no-run games, two of them in a row. Her average is 18 strikeouts per game and she holds the single game record of 28. It’s the same under anybody’s skies. In 1941 she pitched a no-hit game in the world’s softball championships at Detroit and another at Cleveland last year. Thelma’ pitched all winter at Manning Depot to provide diversion for the ROAF. Her team won the league. Now she is about to check out for Chicago, where they have a professional ladies’ softball league. “For better or worse,” sighed Thelma, “I've given the best part of my softball years for the pleasure of the fans and now that I have a chance to get a little something out of the game, I feel I should take it.” So she should. And she will at 100 bucks per week. The green should harmonize with the heaps of trophies she holds now. None deserves our best wishes more than Thelma, who has brought many honors to Toronto and the Dominion. Film folks love Paramount’s Golden girl and it’s mutual. Her presence was always greeted gladly at film affairs, where she contributed plentifully to the fun. She’s as right as rain. Paramount won’t be unrepresented, however. Shirley Smith and Teresa Capelbo of the home office will continue their capering on the diamond. Just the same, Thelma will be missed by all and sundry. * o Fast Changeovers William Burnside of the National Film Board was married in Philadelphia to Betty Jane Smith Booth, widow of the late Col. John Randolph Booth of Ottawa. Burnside is army Haison officer for NFB. . .. Some criticisms of ‘Desert Victory” have been heard from those who think that something should have been said about Canada’s contribution to the victory. The Dominion contributed 200,000 vehicles to the campaign. The Standard-Freeholder of Cornwall, Ont., says: “Smart exhibitors in Canada may correct the omission by inserting a few extra feet of soundtrack to cover it.” It isn’t that easy. ... NFB is said to be photographing the bombing of Kiska by RCAF planes. May 12, 1948 Sunday Service Shows Success (Continued from Page 1) and films were provided without cost by the distributors. In Toronto 2,500 men and women in uniform enjoyed Paramount’s “Star Spangled Rhythm’ at the great Imperial Theatre. Other theatres busy at the same time were the Capitol, Halifax; Capitol, Edmonton; Capitol, Victoria; and the Capitol, Prince Rupert. All were well attended. The Sunday shows were undertaken at the request of Canada’s minister of national defence, the Hon. J. L. Ralston and the plans were worked out at a meeting of industry and army representatives. Theatre men were reticent about undertaking Sunday shows even for so worthy a cause without an official request from Ottawa, although they have been asked to do so by many responsible citizens and organizations. It is the common experience of the industry to have its motives questioned and industry representatives wanted direct protection. The government will review the results of the Sunday shows in June and perhaps expand them. Several other Canadian cities have asked that the soldiers in their midst be given the same privilege. Attendance is confined to service men and women on leave away from their home towns. They are admitted without charge. The shows must be over by six p.m. Famous Players and other Dominion exhibitors are on record against Sunday shows and British Columbia members of the IATSE have put up a vigorous fight against those of the present type. Theatre men doubt that even action at the request from Ottawa will cause any less sniping at them. Swartz Resigns Samuel Swartz has resigned | from the Winnipeg office of Es‘quire Films Ltd. CONSERVE YOUR EQUIPMENT with Regular Service! Your sound equipment is a vital part of your War Effort... take good care of it. A regular check-up by our specially trained inspectors breakdowns. will wom or defective paris and help prevent costly detect LIMITED Head Office: Branches ot Dominion Sound Equipments 1620 Notre Dame Street West, Montreal — HALIFAX TORONTO WINNIPEG REGINA CALGARY VANCOUVER