Canadian Film Weekly (Dec 6, 1944)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Dec 6, 1944
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Dec 6, 1944)
Leaf #:
0000
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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S| DP | 7 4 -— , et q' -. 1LAAYLS A a a. \ VOICE of the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY id Vol. 9, No. 49 TORONTO, DECEMBER 6, 1944 $2.00 Per Annum Too Many Post-War Theatres? B&L, Mason Deal eee Behe cin Ranks Ad-Pub Hq Held Up by Courts The announcement of Paul L. Nathanson and J. Arthur To Be in Toronto Rank that they had formed a partnership that will lead Transfer of the Academy and _ to the building of theatres in the principal cities of Canada Toronto will be the headquar meee pia ae Sry id had industry folk counting on their fingers—and running baht F “smtagreres srpiencardrte: Nova Scotia te) e a Sritis ilms, to be created in ) f rs. s circuit by Norman W. Mason, ut of fingers. Asked to : OP jee special offices established by the their operator for many years, FP Toronto Staffs ee the cities, John Davis, J. Arthur Rank production inhas been held up by litigation. Plan Joint Spree managing director of Odeon terests when the war is over. Mason sold the theatres in Deof Britain, quoted from the USA offices will be established cember, 1943, to Joe Leiberman Toronto theatre employees press handout, ‘the principal jn New York. iContiased ou Page’l1) of Famous Players will hold a cities of Canada.” (Continued on Page 2) collective Christmas party at Taking into account Odeon’s ° the Victoria Theatre, Toronto, 100-or-so present theatres in p G B h O Exhibs Hooked after show hours on December Canada, one industry veteran & oug t ut 16. Managers of Toronto housnamed 20 cities where Odeon was es will act as hosts. not well represented or represenni St In Many Ways A committee made up of ted at all. Toronto could sinh five y evenson f, Troubles that go with being an representative aene? is sia Wapeaapobars a nae Princess and Strand theatres, ee exhibitor these days were relooking after things. Tom feaxgie ond homepwebs amare Prince George, British Columbia, Daley, Imperial, is chairman, over 30. Odeon is strong in Briand the members are Fred tish Columbia, having some 30 Trebileock, Len Bishop, Charhouses there. vealed to the general public last week by Roly Young, screen critic of the Toronto Globe and have been acquired by H. G. Stevenson, Alberta exhibitor, from Prince George Theatres, Limited, Mail. In the past Young has on ie Querrie, George Morrell, am he there hed i 1,269 mowhich company is owned by Levi oceasion expressed his columnisMorris Doyle and Mort Mae Wom picture theatres in the DoGraham, veteran theatre oper tic opinion on matters considered golius. Dan Krendell represents minion—six in Prince Edward ator, J. C. McKenzie and Hon. (Continued on Page 2) head office, (Continued on Page 11) (Continued on Page 11) Supervision of 16s UK Pix-For-Kids Said Disorganized Policy Here? There are almost 50 Ontario towns in which 16 mm. Films produced in the Dominion exclusively for chilfilms are shown one or more days each week in fixed locadren may become a possibility after the war. Mary Field, tions, many of which are advertised as “theatres” and have director of Gaumont-British Instructional Films, recently local halls under lease. A number of other towns see the visited Canada to see what prospect there is of having chilsmall-guage movies once disse lee & Sah a: Camden every two weeks. VIEWS ON background made here. A chaotic situation has Reporters at the recent arisen from the removal of CANADIAN PRODUCTION press conference announcing authority over local hall licences the Rank-Nathanson partnership from the Theatre Inspection By Stephen Leacock, Jr. were interested in their possibilbranch of Ontario. Outside of ity and asked John Davis a num censorship, 16 mm. exhibitors HERE is a character in one of Charles Dickens’ novels ber of questions about the Briare not required to meet the who, because of partial insanity, could never leave his _tish plan. safety standards stipulated by one pet conversational theme — King Charles The Under a scheme of organized the Theatre Inspection arene. First’s head. A modern King Charles’ head is at present reate So a ie ee ee , 3e Ye , ‘f yr. voy . . : are see +) nade espec " but only those demanded locally ceiving a good deal of attention from various characters in penile a APN Theatre safety is a field of its : ’ iid 5 te th ton of feature for them, every Saturday mornown which reached its present the motion picture in ustry .. . 1 is the ques ing. This program started besafety level after years of study length production in Canada, ; it fore the war, was discontinued and experience, Even though 16 A number of articles have been written about it im reduring the blitz, but has been (Continued on Page 4) (Continued on Page 2) (Continued on Page 4) Mystery fiction’s most lovable rogue on the screen nter Ar sone upin at last! When UNIVERSAL’S exciting new heart menace Charles Koryin meets that sensational “Phantom Lady,” Ella Raines it’s the year's T. N, Treat: Available now, Book this hit through EMPIRE-UNIVERSAL,