Canadian Film Weekly (Jun 21, 1944)

Page scan 0006 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Jun 21, 1944
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Jun 21, 1944)
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 01, 2024
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i June 21, 1944 Esquire Offers Pair of Aces Esquire Films is offering two attractive boxoffice films, one a British film from the Ealing Studios, “San Demetrio, London,” and the other, “Taxi to Heaven,” a Soviet musical comedy. The Russian film opened last week at the Victory Theatre, Toronto, The straight-forward, unvarnished story of a single merchant navy ship, “San Demetrio, London,” is based on the actual experience of a British tanker, set on fire by the German raider Admiral Scheer in the famous action of November, 1940, with the ‘Jervis Bay” convoy in midAtlantic. The film follows the action of a gallant merchant marine crew who abandon their ship after she is set on fire by an enemy raider but reboard her two days later to bring her back to port. The British trade press has enthusiastically endorsed this Esquire film. The Daily Film Renter says, “No praise is too high for the magnificent qualities of Ealing’ Studio’s biggest venture to date—‘San Demeterio, London’.” Two members of the cast are Canadians. One of these, Robert Beatty, was born in Hamilton and educated in Toronto. Beatty was a newsreel announcer for the BBC's Canadian service and understudied Raymond Massey in British films before he got starring honors. Another Canadian in the cast is John Kannawin, born in Toronto and son of a well-known Hamilton clergyman. His wife and son live in Vancouver. One of the few films other than dramatic war documentaries turned out by the Soviet studios, “Taxi to Heaven,” is a gay, frothy musical relating the amorous complications between a commercial airline pilot and a young singer with operatic ambitions. There is a romantic triangle, excellent music and some fine singing by the star, Ludmila Tselikovakaya. H. MacNeil Passes In New Glasgow, NS Henry MacNeil, Nova Scotia movie pioneer, passed away in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia last month in his 74th year. In the early days of the movies he became associated with N. W. Mason. Their first house was in the MacNeil Building and later they ran the “Empire”. He constructed the Itzit and later built the newer Itzit. Mr, MacNeil also put up the Jubilee in Stellarton and the Crescent in Westville, the latter being destroyed by fire a few years before the Roxy was built. Canadian FILM WEEKLY Industry Checkup By IODE Convenors (Continued from Page 1) representatives of the people. In no other private industry is an outside body recognized or tolerated. There is no doubt that the industry welcomes the advice and interest of such bodies as the IODE, however. But some will look questioningly at outside opinion of a limited nature given force of law by the co-operation of a government official who represents both the public and that part of it which is the motion picture industry. According to Mrs, Osler: "As National Film Convenor, I have been invited to attend any screening of the Ontario Censor Board and on one occasion representatives of various organizations were asked to advise on the release of a certain picture in Ontario. Co-operation with the Censor Board should be sought in each province, and while it is not probable that we should be members of the Board, it is possible that we could attend any screenings desired and also become conversant with provincial censorship and theatre inspection laws.” Theatre and film men will find the following information and opinions interesting: “The Ontario convener reports an increase in the work done by the chapters in this department —more annual reports were forwarded and more letters received from Primary Film Conveners asking for information. The work undertaken in 1940 at the request of the Chairman of the Theatre Inspection Branch of visiting the theatre matrons, is still continuing. Every report states that matrons are present in Ontario theatres during the hours when children are legally present. The vigilance of our members in this respect has been of inestimable value on several occasions. Film Conveners are definitely trying to educate their chapter members that children in this province are forbidden by law to attend an evening screening or school-day matinee unaccompanied by an adult, and that they should not buy tickets when solicited by children outside the theatres. “The chapters in Ontario are very concerned about ‘horror’ pictures. In one case a chapter joined with other organizations in its vicinity in signing and sending a protest to the Provincial Government. Another chapter succeeded in having a news film depicting gross Japanese atrocities withdrawn and another film substituted. While this type of film was only two per cent of the total released in Ontario during the past year, the Censor Board of this province is giving the matter serious consideration. “From the reports sent in by Provincial Conveners it is most apparent that our chapters are showing a definite interest in the problem of films for children. Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick particularly stress the need for suitable films being shown at the Saturday matinees. “The fact is recognized that during these war years, due to shortages in film negative, ac~ tors, help of all kinds, plus increased boxoffice demand, the producers have difficulty in turning out a sufficient number of family or adult types of pictures. However, in spite of this, the question of movies for children is one we should all consider. Special food for children and special books for children are taken as a matter of course why not special movies for children? Other countries have accomplished this with success, why can not we? The considered appointment of a child psychologist to the Ontario Board of Censors to give expert advice on the suitability of movies being shown at Saturday matinees verifies our observations that present conditions are deplorable. “Canada today must find a solution to her juvenile delinquency problem,—since 1939 this has increased 54.4 per cent. Children are the product of environment rather than heredity and they should not be overlooked in the turmoil and stress of a country at war. The co-operation of parents is necessary and our members are continually being urged to supervise the films their children see, but this is not enough. “For many years past this Order and other women’s organizations have used their influence in procuring better types of pictures and their efforts have been successful to some degree, but there is still much to be done. We all know that youth is impressionable and must assimilate more than we realize of what is seen and heard. We must not delay in wakening the public conscience as to the psychological effect certain moving pictures have on young minds, Scenes of war are necessary for the realization that the benefits to be derived from a democratic way of life must not be extinguished, but many types of second-rate films could be eliminated. “There is no thought that all pictures should be seen by all people. Let us continue to have films for adults, films for the family, but also a decided increase in films for children,” Page 7 <6 0 ico sing , a len ee oe * pr oy Bsatlea Ph Ci [ |. J. 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