Canadian Film Weekly (Dec 20, 1944)

Page scan 00026 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Dec 20, 1944
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Dec 20, 1944)
Leaf #:
00026
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 01, 2024
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From CANADIAN FILM WEEKLY — 1943-44 — JANUARY 12—USA film dis howing f W tributors begin to worry abou RI Vi I J Arthur Rank’s plans ind Snowden Theatre, 1 ire warned by Harold Hopper isement init Kent vernment motion picture priority chief, that they would face Fan Piaye t-war battle to retail iy partner il the St ternational markets iver, W K. D Leo M. Devaney, RKO gen Theatr: cral manager in Canada, suc ors t t M ceeds the late James P. 0’ Re Loghlin as president of the t tioy for Ont ‘ Canadian Motion Picture Dis FEBRUARY 16—Kent tributors Association. ins s« ' try WN ANUARY 19 Ben Freedmar ivainst prior ruyr f VW J re-elected president of the In! luct Dy Sr ler M ependent Motion Picture E> Verdun rheatre, Verdun hibitors Association of Ontari Quebec, charged with violating R. G. McMullen withdraws law banning admission of per as director of Theatre and Film sons under 16, challenges prov Section, WPTB, but remains as incial jurisdiction and claims adviser to M. W. McCutcheon, it should be federal respon administrator of services, on sibility. industry matters. Proje John Grierson relinquish: 101 f fil LEO M. DEVANEY his post as general manager of FEBRUARY 23 — St RKO general manager in the War Information Board t autre nerators protest ft ‘ Canada, he succeeded the late confine his activities to the tawa against tvn< f theat James P. O'’Loghlin as presNational Film Board hich pay no amu ident of the Canadian Motion JANUARY 26—Dayid H. Coplan, Theatre n in Re Picture Distributors Associageneral manager of United Drive under C Cooy tion. Artists in Canada, is appointed pointed the managing director for Great Canadian Motion Pi W 1943 Britain, succeeding ) BE. ; H. Services Comn ittes | (Teddy) Carr, who left to join Obituaris Edga Se v1 DECEMBER J. Arthur Rank’s growing orNe Yor James R. Joy, T DECEMBER 22 Jerry Shea ganization. He was succeeded nte Harry Keele, NFB, T veteran theatre operator, pasin Canada by A. J. Jeffery. ol ses in Toronto RCO CY COURS . Warr MARCH DECEMBER 29 — Theatre mer theatres 4: MARCH 1D about overcroy g feel that the monthly paper FEBRUARY Toronto by Working ration of 25 pounds is_ toc FEBRUARY 2—Filn mitte< te f ( ‘ severe of the National Council fo national scak P. D. Egan succeeds Roy Soviet Canadian Friendship Arthur W. Kelley, he Chown as president of the Calmeets in Toront Eavle-Liotr Distributor gary Motion Picture Exhibitors Copyright Appea ] Board T 4. Rank ty ture Association postpones decision in appeal of USA istribut B&L Theatres acquire the Musical Protective Associatior that 31 new exchanges Roseland and Academy theiwainst mnnual increase of nened nd eight atres, New Glasgow, Nova Sco rovalties by entry of Ame! fuced in partnershit th Bi tia, from the veteran showman, ican Performing Right Society VA fils are Norman W. Mason, who retires. into Canadian field as comps x A T First-run houses in large! titor f Canadian Performing suire tock interest in PR cities are having advertising Society Ascap repre f Cana space restricted DY newspa ive MARCH 8 pers First yearly report f the struction, Departm« f M 1944 Royal Canadian Nay Fil nitions and Supplies Society shows that average at pair limit from $500 $15 JANUARY tendance weekly n seagoing Incre ‘ JANUARY 5-—Paper administ: circuit is 27,000 weekly ed tor revises application of regu FEBRUARY 9% All-rour I MARCH 15—Greer Garson wins lations to theatres t illow ference betweer Indies irboth boxoffice and film critics’ wider use of poundage, heralds cuits nd exchanges n trad poll in annual Ten Bests of one-sheets, et being kaved practices vields n ncret Canadian Film Weekly. Exhi Clair Hague re-elected pre result bitors pick “Yankee Doodk ident of Canadian Picture S. A. Doane appointed chair Dandy” as year’s best BO film Pioneers ind Svwd B Taube man of the Nova Scotia Board while critics select “In Which becomes vice-president of Censors, succeeding the late We Serve” as best picture Steve McManus heads Otta Cc. H, Bennett Wa division of Motion Pictur Kent Tr I I ‘ \ y A Theatres Associatiol I ) M | I | The News Roundup DAVID H. COPLAN Appointed managing dire tor of Great Britain for United Artists, he was succeeded by A. J Jeffrey, Ontario branch manager, as Canadian general manager MARCH 2 Hon. J. Earl Lawson, K.¢ and George Beeston elected to boards of directors of Odeon Theatres and FEmpire-Univer aal MARCH 20—Kent vs. Warners and United Amusements r SUMmEeS in Vontreal courts Kent Theatres claims that Warners and tUnited Anrus ments are wm illeg~al combin under the Criminal Code. Hear ing proceeds on claim of in teriocutory injunction