Canadian Film Weekly (Feb 21, 1945)

Page scan 0006 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Feb 21, 1945
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Feb 21, 1945)
Leaf #:
0006
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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February 21, 1946 Fox to Mark 30th Anniversary (Continued from Page 1) joint setup. Twenty-five years ago Fox Movietone News, produced under the direction of Edmund Reek, was established. Ten years ago March of Time was organized and became affiliated with Twentieth Century-Fox. Exhibitors, whether circuit or Independent, are join the celebration by playing Fox product during the month. ' They are now booking anniver‘ Sary programs for April, whether regular customers. of the company or not. It happens that 20th-Fox has a magnificent lineup of pictures available, some of which are: Moss Hart’s “Winged Victory.” A spectacular Darryl F. Zanuck production of the _ sensational stage hit by eminent playwright Moss Hart, enacted by members of the U.S. Army Air Force, plus Hollywood personalities. A glorious musical, with a grand story, “Winged Victory” is to the American Air Force what ‘This Is The Army” was to the American Army. All the talent engaged would cost three million dollars, but in addition there are Jeanne Crain, Jo-Carroll Dennison, and Jane Ball. Another great event in 20thFox history is the picturization of Betty Smith’s immortal novel, “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” a tremendous emotional drama, with Dorothy McGuire, James Dunn, Peggy Ann Garner, Lloyd Nolan, James Gleason, B. S. Pully, and others. Other releases from 20th-Fox during 1945 will include: A. J. Cronin’s “The Keys of the Kingdom.” Produced on a gigantic scale from the all-time bestseller by A. J. Cronin, ‘‘'The Keys of the Kingdom”’ is certain to be one of the major boxoffice attractions of 1945. Its powerful and wonderful story will make it instantaneously appealing to every audience, while the huge cast boasts such top names as Gregory Peck, Thomas Mitchell, Vincent Price, Rose Stradner, Roddy McDowall, Edmund Gwenn, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Peggy Ann Garner, Irving Pichel, James Gleason, Anne Revere, Sara Allgood, Edith Barrett, Ruth Ford, and many, many others. “Hangover Square.” Great mystery-drama with an English setting and a most capable cast, including George Sanders, Linda Darnell, Laird Cregar, and others. “Sunday Dinner For A Soldier.” A tremendously human _ and heart-warming story of every-day family life. Anne Baxter co-stars with exciting new male star John Hodiak, Charles Winninger, Bob planning to' Canadian FILM WEEKLY | On The Sey are with Hye Bossin Good Luck, Steve Steve McManus, manager of the Elgin, Ottawa, and former president of the MPTAO group in the region, is leaving show business in favor of hotel management. He will manage the Mettawas Hotel, Kingsville, Ontario, and also oversee the S. S. Pelee, which sails from Leamington and Kingsville to Pelee Island, then to Sandusky, Ohio. The boat operates about eight months a year. This McManus lad is not only a bright one but one of the nicest in this business. There isn’t a more popular fellow with 20th Century Theatres and Ottawa folks who dropped into these offices always had a pleasant word for Steve. Everyone around here wishes him plenty of luck and you can bet that Steve will pop up one of these days as an exhibitor. by Driscoll, Anne Revere, Jane Darwell, Robert Bailey, and others. ‘Trish Eyes Are Smiling.” June Haver, Dick Haymes, Monty Woolley. A Technicolor musical of songs, charm and beauty. “Thunderhead, Son of Flicka,” in Technicolor. The picturization of Mary O’Hara’s tremendously popular sequel to “My Friend Flicka,” it contains every element which contributed to the huge success of the original. Roddy McDowall, Preston Foster, Rita Johnson, Diana Hale, James Bell, plus many others, are included in the cast. “The Fighting Lady.” A Technicolor drama of the Pacific thrillingly told by Lt. Robert Taylar. One of the greatest subjects of its kind to come out of the war. “Something for the Boys,’ in Technicolor. A sparkling, scintillating, musical extravaganza, crammed with gags, gals and stars. Based on the London and New York stage hit, it has a musical score by Cole Porter, plus original music and lyrics by Jimmy McHugh and Harold Adamson. Carmen Miranda, Vivian Blaine, Michael O’Shea, Sheila Ryan, Phil Silvers, Stanley Prager, and the sensational young singer, Perry Como, are said to assure the widest popular appeal. The Academy Award winner, Jennifer Jones, in “The Song of Bernadette,” will be seen for the first time in that great motion picture. The film, for showing at popular prices, will be available in April. . Happy Harvey Columbia’s Harvey Harnick is —as they say in our sneered-at set—"higher” than a Georgia pine right now. Bay Rum? Muggles? Nope, just a lovely film called “A song to Remember.” Mr. Harnick’s other and private title for it is “A Bag of Diamonds.” Catch him right and he'll lay the odds that it will run forever. I saw it the other afternoon. I’m not so sure it won’t. I am sure,’ though, that it will pile up the piastres wherever it plays, The film, starring Merle Ober-. on, Cornel Wilde and Paul Muni, is about the life and music of Frederic Chopin, the great Polish pianist. If Mr. Chopin were alive today and appearing in person he would probably do one night’s good business at Massey Hall... With the aid of some of the grandest Technicolor and the most superb sets I have seen since Hollywood went to war, Columbia will pass fistfuls of Chopin’s golden notes to the general public weeks at a stretch. Columbia is not MGM and Mr. Harnick, prejudiced though he is, would be the first to admit it. So when Columbia out-MGM’s MGM—as it has with “A Song to Remember’ —you must excuse Harvey and his company cohorts if they are walking around in a golden mist. Don’t get the idea that the film, featuring the music of a classic composer, is strictly for the knitted browsers. Chopin’s music is light and tuneful for the most part and any patron will recognize much of it. Even Barney Fox, EBA booker, admitted it was an “experience.” He admitted that—-imagine!—-before he even heard what Columbia's terms were. It must be some picture. Greed Greed, someone probably observed before, is a strait jacket with poekets. Chernoff Moves Another fellow whose hearty hellos won’t as handy around here as of yore is Jerry Chernoff, who used to handle Quebec for PRC until he came to head office in Toronto. Jerry has left PRC to take over Quebec and the Maritime districts for Alliance Films. Maybe he'll be happier around his old stamyping grounds but we won't be so happy to see him go. Page 7 T. J. Bragg Heads Royalties Board Tom J. Bragg, Odeon Theatres of Canada, was elected chairman of the board of directors of the Musical Protective Society~of Canada for 1945. Angus McCunn . of Famous Players Canadian Corporation became vice-president under Glen Bannerman of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters. Bannerman succeeded the late Jack W. Connell, who represented the Hotel Association of Canada. Secretary and treasurer of the Society is Colonel John A. Cooper, chairman of the Sixteen Millimetre Motion Picture Distributor’s Association and assistant secretary is Syd B. Taube, executive secretary’ of the Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario. Elections were held during the annual meeting, held at the King Edward Hotel, Toronto, last week. IODE Endorses Two Mrs. Grant Gordon, national film convenor of the IODE, sent the following wire to eight provincial convenors of the same organization: “Urge you strongly to see David Niven in ‘The Way Ahead’ which is being released next week by Empire-Universal. Also ‘The Gentler Sex’ which deals with the life of the ATS which is being released March First. Please rush information to your municipal convenors.”