Canadian Film Weekly (Jun 20, 1945)

Page scan 0007 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Jun 20, 1945
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Jun 20, 1945)
Leaf #:
0007
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 15, 2024
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Page 8 GORDON LIGHTSTONE Paramount’s Canadian general manager, who will preside over the 1945-46 Dominion convention of the company, to be held in Montreal on June 27th and 28th. Hope's Next Pic Bob Hope will star in Paramount’s ‘Monsieur Beaucaire,” the famous Booth Tarkington story which Rudolph Valentino did 20 years ago. "Amerk Guerillas' Fred MacMurray and William Bendix will have starring roles in the 20th-Fox film “American Guerillas in the Philippines.” 20% Fed Impost Stays Right On There is no likelihood of elimination or reduction of the 20 per cent amusement tax now or in the near future, it was learned in Ottawa, despite the fact that cessation of hostilities in Europe has brought revision of a number of imposts. Other taxes, 2s yet unrevised, will be lowered or crossed off when studies are completed. An official of the Treasury Department said that careful examination of the wartime tax structure, inspired by Finance Minister J. L. Isley, had led to the revisions but the possibility of removing or changing the amusement tax had not been discussed. The 20 per cent federal amusement tax, levied first on motion pictures and begun in May, 1941, has yielded some $20 millions, a rough estimate. It was considered when the tax was inaugurated that it was discriminatory in that it was confined to motion picture theatres and it was protested vigorously. In July, 1941, the tax was extended to include other forms of amusement, such as sporting events and horse racing. ! June 20, 1945 _ Canadian FILM WEEKLY ————— Important Shifts At Paramount (Continued from Page 1) has been transferred to Toronto in another capacity. Syl Gunn, born in Winnipeg, entered theatre business in 1927 as an usher in the Capitol Theatre of that city, being subsequently made head usher, then manager. He resigned to manage one of the three theatres owned in Winnipeg by Universal, then became supervisor of the group. In 1935 Gunn returned to Famous Players as manager’ of the Royal, Fort William, and shortly after went to the circuit's Winnipeg office as booker, from which post he was loaned to Western Theatres as booker. In 1940 he became manager of the Metropolitan, Winnipeg, and in 1941 came to Toronto as Western division booker. His appointment becomes effective on June 23rd. Russell Simpson, New Toronto branch manager, joined Para SYL GUNN Who has resigned as Western division booker for Famous Players to assume management of the Winnipeg branch office of Paramount. mount in January, 192), as ad sales manager of the Winnipeg office, becoming a booker in 1930 and a salesman in 1937. In October, 1940, he was made assistant to the late William Mansher, Vancouver manager, and 4assumed charge during the latter’s Lowe Plays Magic'n Edmund Lowe will play 4 magician and hypnotist in the leading role in “Gregory,” 4 murder mystery drama, This will be the first picture to be produced by Louis Berkoff for Monogram release. It will be directed by Phil Rosen. 4 illness. He was appointed to management of the Vancouver branch when Mr. Hansher passed on. Bob Murphy, Simpson’s successor, joined -Paramount’s Toronto booking department in 1933 and became head booker in 1939. Each of those affected by the changes will attend the Paramount Canadian sales convention, to be held in Montreal on June 27th and 28th, in his new capacity. Charles M. Reagan, vice-president in charge of distribution, will discuss product and general matters and Gordon Lightstone will make known the company’s Dominion sales policy to managers and executives. Denies Clime NG For Can. Prod n The statement of Ross McLean, deputy national film commissioner, to a representative of the Hollywood Reporter, that “Climatic conditions are a bar to production in Canada” brought disagreement from D. A. McLean of Vancouver, president of International Artists’ Film Corporation Ltd. States D. A. McLean: “Mr. Ross McLean of the National Film Board, during his stay in San Francisco, to a representative of the Hollywood Reporter, regarding motion picture production in Canada, stated that due to climatic conditions in Canada motion pictures cannot be produced. I find it very amusing that Ross McLean would make such a statement. “T would like to point out that several pictures have been made across Canada by the National Film Board, and several major companies have made pictures on Vancouver Island. The summer of ’44 ‘Son of Lassie’ was produced in Victoria. During the early years of the depression— 1932 — several productions were made in Victoria and released through companies in Hollywood. ‘We in the western part of Canada would like the rest of the world to know that the climatic conditions here are very similar to Washington, Oregon and northern California, and ideal for motion picture production, for we have here scenery settings suitable for almost any type of picture — ‘natural settings’ of any part of the world.” JACK HUNTER After 24 years with Paramount, Jack Hunter, Toronto branch manager has resigned to assume the management of the three Hamilton, Ontario, theatres formerly operated by the late Morris Milligan. Cn'dn Background For Para 2-Reeler “Kid Sister,” a Paramount Technicolor Musical Parade short about to go into production, has a colorful Canadian background. Bob Graham, Dorothy Porter and Miriam Franklin will form a starring trio in this two-reeler which will have George Templeton as directorproducer. United Artists Board Re-elected All the officers of United Artists Corporation were re-elected for the coming year at a recent meeting of the corporation’s board of directors. Edward C. Rattery was returned to office as president along with Gradwell L. Sears as vicepresident in charge of distribution and George L. Bagnall as vicepresident in charge of production. Also re-elected were: Harry J. Muller, treasurer; Lloyd Wright, secretary; Charles E. Millikan, Paul D. O’Brien, Harry D. Buckley and Harry J. Muller, assistant secretaries; and Herbert A. Weimar, assistant treasurer. At the stockholders meeting held immediately before the directors meeting, the following were elected directors of the company for the ensuing year: Edward cC. Raftery, Franklin Cole, Isaac A. Pennypacker, Neil KF. Agnew, Milton A. Kramer, Phillip F. Siff, Sydney Chaplin, E. Claude Mills and Rex Dennant.