Canadian Film Weekly (Sep 20, 1944)

Page scan 0009 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Sep 20, 1944
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Sep 20, 1944)
Leaf #:
0009
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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Page 10 Enter Film Golf Tourney Now (Continued from Page 1) been competed for in some years. There will be team and in dividual play. The events are: ras Play — winning foursome i runner-up; Individual Play— ow Net, first runner-up, second oath Low Gross — first runner-up, second runner-up; Low Net, exhibitor; Low Gross, pass bitor; Most Bird ies; Best-Dresse< Golfer. Entry fee will be four dollars to golfers and the price to nongolfers who wish to attend the dinner and entertainment will be $2.50. An entry form will be found on page &. Much interest has already been shown and it is expected that there will be a large turnout. A dinner and entertainment will follow. The committee is comprised of Jack Arthur, Famous Players, chairman; Tom Daley, Imperial Theatre, secretary-treasurer; talph Dale, Odeon; Archie Laurie, Empire-Universal; Martin Bloom, Premier Operating; Sam Fine, B & F Theatres; Raoul Au 1erbach, Twentieth Century Theatres; Harry Lester, Bonita Theatre and Jack Hunter, Paramount. The committee is made up of distributors, circuit and Independent representatives. Get in on the fun. Enter now. Montreal Rodeo to Star Roy Rogers Roy Rogers, Republic’s cowboy king, is scheduled to appear at the Forum in Montreal from September 14 through the 21. Republic’s Montreal branch has set o a special campaign to help exhibitors to cash in on the tour. Film Boards Meet Elect Officers (Continued from Page 1) ‘esident and Dorothy WilRegal, honorary secretary. Harold Kay of Monogram is Fire Marshal and Ed Wells of the Janadian Motion Picture Producers and Distributors is secretar y. ceo Harry J. Bail ley of Twentieth vice-pr & C ps a On of . Century-Fox heads the arbitration and credit jase des the additional members of which are Harry Kohen of United Artists and Mark Pliottel. In Calges7. E. Dodderid REO v yas elected president local Film Board of Trade and will iam Guss of se al vicepresident. J. Reid is the honorary ‘etary and G. emdh Fire The Lyric Theatre, Brantford, Ontario, in 1909. When Karry built the Appolo which opened in October, 1910, it was also placed under Moule’s management. The Appolo had 368 seats and charged ten cents. It featured seven shows daily of vaudeville and pictures, with illustrated songs as part of the program. It closed in 1916. Bul Karry found that bowling alleys and shoeshine parlors were all he could handle and BEyrnie bought both theatres in 1911. In 1914 Brantford business men opened the city’s first de luxe house, the Brant, which had 1107 seats and featured four shows daily of vaudeville and pictures for 35 cents. Ernie accepted the offer to manage it for them and closed the Lyric. td 1915 the Brant was in financial trouble. It was a case of take over or close up and Ernie took over. In 1917 Moule remodelled the old Colonial Theatre, which had been an open air house, and changed the name to Rex. It had 850 seats Bag charged 25 cents for movies, vaudeville or stock. It was clos red and dismantled in 1922. Then, in 1919, the Capitol was opened at a cost of $387,000 by the Brant Amusement Company, formed by Moule, This house, Canadian FILM WEEKLY Manager Ernie Moule is second from the left and Joe Belinsky, now manager of the Imperial, Sarnia, Ontario, is shown second from the right. The standee on which Moule is leaning advertises ‘Latest Songs by Ernie Moule.” w.th 1618 seats, presented vaudeville from Keith and _ first-run films. The leading stage shows, among them Blossom Time, The Student Prince and My MaryJand, played there. The first attraction on December 22 was a Mary Pickford film. There was a Staff of 42, one of which was a page boy. That was really putting it on in those days. In 1921 the Paramount Brantford Theatres was organized and took operating control, in 1929 buying control of the company. It’s now a Famous Players house. Ernie was there as manager when if opened in 1919 as the Temple and he’s still there, though it .became the Capitol since. He is the managing director of the Para J mount Brantford Theatres. 1 Naga of the fun, Ernie says, was in those early ‘days when he had to do his share of everything from ushering to caretaking--with an odd shot at projecting. He came into his own when he got up there to accompany the slides with his voice. “ft remember singing 23 shows in one day,” he said, reaching for his throat, The ur sing was always strong in him. For years he led eo 7 September 20, 1944 Maritimes Co-op Coming Along (Continued from Page 1) inces in a plan for cheaper rentals and faster bookings. A. J. Mason, Springhill Capitol; A. A. Fielding, Bridgwater and Digby Capitols; M. E. Walker, Halifax Gaiety and Sackville Imperial; F. Sobey, Westville-StelJarton Roxy and Jubilee, were the organizers of this cooperative move, with Mason as president and Fielding as manager. Not only has this quartet worked together on supplies for their own theatres but they have penetrated the theatre operating field as partners. The first step was to take over the Star at Whitney Pier, Nova Scotia, situated at Sydney. Now the Indie four, under the title of Affiliated Theatres, are reported planning a theatre building for New Waterford, N.S.; one for Sackville, N.B.; one for Glasgow, N.S., with the possibility of opening’ in Charlottetown, P.E.L., Amherst, N.S., Fredericton, N.B. At New Waterford, F. M. Gregor is veteran owner-manaver of the Majestic. He, too, has been mulling over plans for a new theatre. The base for cooperative film distribution is St. John with Fielding in charge. For thirty yéars he was with F. G. Spencer until the two parted several years ago. At that time, Fielding was general manager of the Spencer circuit. His present office is diagonally opposite the Spencer offices where he spent so many years. The cooperative film plan is understood not to have won the cooperation of the Independents to the extent hoped for by its promoters. The greatest progress to date has been made in the exhibition field. Orpheus, Halifax To Be Enlarged Orpheus, Halifax, Nova Scotia, a Famous Players unit now seating 874, will be enlarged after the war to hold 1,200 petsons. It will be converted to stadium style. New features will include tiltback seats which will enable entrance and exit along the rows without those seated having to rise, indirect electronic-controlled lighting and provision for television. the Rotarians at their meetings. In 1912 he first met the singing team of Walter and June Kennedy. They played his theatre and have been firm friends ever since. Whenever he encounters Walter they automatically break into harmony, Harmony in all things comes easy for a fellow who likes people as much as Ernie Moule. ——_— ee Eee ee ee eee eee a 1 eens e = Bcc 28. ae Cee eeeeeeremens: