Canadian Film Weekly (Oct 18, 1944)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Oct 18, 1944
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Oct 18, 1944)
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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t ; ¢ 7 ss. y S . é' “ee < aw Z Vol, 9, No, 42 VOICE of the A CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE TORONTO, OCTOBER 18, 1944 "he as INDUSTRY $2.00 Per Annum Conciliation Soon in Ontario? Exhibitor Associations Work Out New Draft Conciliation for Ontario made considerable progress in the last week, both Ontario exhibitor organizations, the Motion Picture Theatres Association and the Independent Theatre Owners Association, having reached preliminary Columnist Pans Censor Board The Ontario Board of Censors suffered a lashing from Roly Young, motion picture columnist of the Toronto Globe and Mail, in a recent issue. Young, aroused because the Board had permitted the showing’ of MGM’s “Seventh Cross,” a film that he and other (Continued on Page 15) Esquire Reveals 1944-45 Groups For their 1944-45 schedule, Esquire Films Ltd., is offering two groups of productions. 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The subject was debated at considerable length during the national meeting in Toronto of the National Council of Independents, of which the ITOA. is a branch. Representatives of the companies and sections interested have presented the new draft to their offices for approval with the Farewell Dinner To Wolfe Cohen Sparked by the provocative wit of Leo Devaney, who acted as toastmaster, the dinner in honor of Wolfe Cohen, held at the King Edward Hotel, Toronto, was a gay but sentimental affair. Cohen, formerly Canadian general manager for Warners, has been pro (Continued on Page 14) WB Films CASF Warners are shooting a Technicolor short of the Canadian army (Continued on Page 2) in all its aspects. 2 | It’s Far From Over ITH Allied victories occupying Page Il, the nation , y is rapidly developing a “we've won the war’ complex. We haven't won the war—yet—and the Canadian pub lic must not be let assume that it's all over but the shouting. Supporting the Seventh Victory Loan will be the most vital job the Canadian Motion Picture Industry has undertaken since the war began. Huge sums are needed NOW and will be needed even if defeat comes to Germany before the Seventh Victory Loan campaign is over. Members of the Canadian Motion Picture War Services Committee must use all the showmanship and organizing powers at their command to sustain our forces abroad. Once again the War Activities Committee Motion Picture Industry in the United States has responded generously to Canadian showmen’s request for co-operation and MetroGoldwyn-Mayer has produced a superb short subject to be shown in all theatres in support of the Seventh Victory Loan. “Tomorrow, John Jones!” is a fine dramatic appeal for the Loan with Spencer Tracey giving an outstanding performance supported by Fay Holden, Phyllis Thaxer and Hank Daniels. Carey Wilson, one of Hollywood's great writers, prepared the original screen story and Harry Beaumont, who directed many great Metro productions, directed Spencer Tracy in this Canadian story. The picture was produced by Academy Award winner, Jerry Bresler. Production executives, the star and supporting players and all studio personnel gave their services, their only com(Continued on Page 2) Donald O'Connor, Peggy Ryan, Jack Oakie and Ann Blyth are the merriest, maddest, lovin’est gang that ever hoofed and spoofed iheir way to the big time and into your patrons’ hearts, Nothing tops EMPIRE-UNIVERSAL’s “THE MERRY MONAHANS", 7