Canadian Film Weekly (Jan 31, 1945)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Jan 31, 1945
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Jan 31, 1945)
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 15, 2024
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SD $9) Vol. 10, No. 5 NFB Calls Back Balkan Short “Balkan Powder Keg,” a National Film Board short in the “World in Action” series, distributed internationally by United Artists, has been withdrawn after its initial playdate at the Uptown, Toronto. The two-reeler was erased from (Continued on Page 2) VOICE of the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE TORONTO, JANUARY 31, 1945 Toronto Meeting Lays Plans For Organizing Opposition Ontario exhibitors from many communities met in the Victoria. Theatre, Toronto, last Wednesday afternoon to determine a course of action in case it is revealed that it is the government’s intention to cause a collection of a 5 : 10 per cent tax on all who Kirby Burns, Fireman, wish to purchase admission Back From Overseas tickets to motion picture theatres. Kirby Burns, formerly of The meeting decided to appoint Famous Players, is back after (Continued on Page 8) INDUSTRY $2.00 Per Annum Exhibs Fight ‘Nuisance Tax’ M. S. Ferris Buys Alcan 16 Mm. Circ Nipigon, Red Bank and Schreiber, Ontario, 16 mm. situations, have been acquired from Premier Operating by Ferris Theatres Limited for a reported price of $4,000. S. M. Ferris, president of the company which bears his name, negotiated the purchase. (Continued on Page 2) more than two years of fighting fires in Britain. Kirby, a volunteer fireman in Streetsville, went into that branch of the service when the navy turned him down after a low medical category. He and his dad, Paramount’s popular Hugh Burns, around saying hello the other afternoon. Ask him enough questions about what he’s seen and the answers will make your hair stand up. Sunday Shows Target in Que. Stricter enforcement of Sunday entertainment in Quebec may be made in the future if the present controversy continues. The Quebec Government issued an order recently cancelling Sunday stage performances and Montreal amusements were affected. (Continued on Page 8) Zukor Thanks FPCC 25-Year Veterans Adolph Zukor, founder of Famous Players, chairman of its present board of directors and a distinguished and historic personage in the motion picture industry, delivered a personal and heart-warming acknowledgement of their services to charter members of Famous Players Canadian Corporation’s 25-Year Club at their first dinner held in the Royal York Hotel, Toronto, last week. He was introduced by J. J. Fitzgibbons, president of the Canadian wing of Famous Players, who stated that Mr. Zukor’s determination to bring to the screen the quality of entertainment the public was entitled to Cohen Succeeded By Babe Coval When Babe Coval left the Montreal branch management of Warners to take charge of Trinidad, he replaced Lester Cohen, who had been transferred to Panama. were . THE INDUSTRY STAND The special meeting of Ontario exhibitors was called at the urgent request of many who live in small Ontario communities. These members had been inspired to request a general meeting because rumors of imposition of the amusement tax had alarmed their fellow-citizens and attracted, vigorous expressions of opposition. The exhibitor of motion pictures in Ontario is well aware of the public's dislike of this type of tax, referred to usually as a “nuisance tax,” no matter under what guise, and sympathizes with it because films, being the cheapest and most popular form of en ertainment, draw their main patronage from those who earn ordinary salaries. It is they who can least afford an increase in the price of admission to their favorite theatres and it is they who will be forced to pay it. Trade union organizations have already made known their disapproval of this rumored measure. The chief purpose of the meeting was to give leadership to such public opinion as is opposed to the return of the amusement tax in Ontario in the considered belief that such opinion expresses the will of the people. We feel that it is our duty to use our own medium to make known our position and that of the public, as well as to provide facilities through which those who do not speak through organized groups may join in the opposition. A summary of organized and unorganized opinion will do much to enlighten the Ontario Government had placed that medium in competition with the stage and changed the character of films. “Tonight I feel a rebirth,” Mr, (Continued on Page 8) WL GL Levey’'s Big Plans Jules Levey will spend $2,300,000 for two pictures if he can get studio space. UA will distribute if and when pix are finished. 7] a9 If ev Sip pig Le er a ay picture completely’ vindicated Itself as a story of the ae Gentle Sex -_war-winning gentle sex and as boxoffice entertainment — this is — BE I tei ae Piha it, It’s EMPIRE-UNIVERSAL. Book this boxoffice booster.now! as to the wishes of those it represents. —N. A. Taylor, president, Motion Picture . Theatres Association of Ontario.