Canadian Film Weekly (Sep 12, 1945)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Sep 12, 1945
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Sep 12, 1945)
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 15, 2024
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Vol 10, No. 37 VOICE of 7% the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE TORONTO, SEPTEMBER 12, 1945 AVA INDUSTRY $2.00 Per Annum Toronto Gets Variety Charter First Step to International Scope, Says O’Dcnnell A charter has been granted Toronto for a Variety Club by unanimous vote of national officers and canvasmen of Variety Clubs of America. R. J. O’Donnell, National ‘Chief John Farr Quits After 37 Years . “Johnnie” Farr recently Rei ‘from the theatrical business after 37 years, when his resignation as manager of the Rivoli Theatre, North Sydney, NS, went into effect. He has been succeeded by Arthur Whittle, a former employee of the Rivoli (Continued on Page 12) Theatres Get Set For Clothes Drive Once again Canadian theatres, through the Canadian Motion Picture War Servies Committee, will be privileged to aid suffering men, women and children of Europe and China—this time by assisting in the collection of used clothing for free distribu (Continued on Page 12) Manager Appointed Robert Bone has been appointed manager of the Stanley Theatre, Stouffville, Ontario, replacing Mrs. Ken Cockerill. The Stanley was _ recently leased by Barnes & Davidson. No Replacement For Weiss at Odeon Don Guald, recently transferred from Montreal to Toronto by Clare Appel, eastern division chief for Odeon Theatres of Canada, will be supervisor of theatres in eastern Ontario, Torcnto and north. Harry Dahn handles Hamilton, Western Ontario and Niagara Peninsula. William Weiss, who resigned as supervisor of theatres in Toronto and Northern Ontario to head the newly-organized Allied Co-Op Theatres, has not been replaced, his former territory now being in Gauld’s charge. Barker of the Variety Clubs of America, JOE PLOTTEL Industry veteran and formerly Toronto branch manager for Warner Brothers, who has be come general sales manager of Foto-Nite. NS House Sold Roxy, Kingston, Nova Scotia, has been sold by James Slater to Reginald D. Melvin and George Morse, who had been associated with Slater, now becomes operating manager. New Asst. Manager At Rex, Regina Rubie Westvelt, secretarytreasurer of the Rex Theatre, Regina, Saskatchewan, for a number of years, has now been appointed assistant manager and treasurer. He replaces C. Horning, who has returned to the Capitol, Regina, as _ assistant manager. Both theatres Players houses. are Famous informed the organizing committee by wire that its application had been met with favor and a letter to J. J. Fitzgibbons, Chief Barker, followed. ‘l'oronto is now Tent No. 28. “You well realize that this is a happy moment for Variety,” wrote O’Donnell, “for it is the fulfillment of a dream that Variety should be international.” The National Chief Barker recently addressed a dinner gathering of (Continued on Page 6) Another New House A 400-seat theatre will’ be erected in Burford, Ontario, by J. Vesci, Courtland, through Kaplan & Sprachman. Joe Plottel Now With Foto-Nite Joe Plottel, who resigned ag Toronto branch manager for Warner Brothers in July, has been appointed Canadian general sales manager for Foto-Nite Amateur Shows, Ltd., it has been announced by Oscar Hanson, Acceptance of the Foto-Nite (Continued on Page 6) MGM Will Offer 54 Short Subs MGM will increase its short subjects program for 1945-46 to 54, including four two-reel specials, it was announced recently by William F. Rodgers, sales chief. Specials will include Crime Does Not Pay subjects and the (Continued on Page 14) Universal Skeds 55 Here Via Emp-U Six specials and 49 features from Universal will be distributed in Canada for the 1945-46 season by Empire Universal, the Dominion’s leading distribution organiza tion, it was made known last week by A. W. Perry, pres Fred W. Scholes Is New Inspector Returning after two and a half years overseas with the RCAF, Fred W. Scholes, who obtained a first-class projectionist’s license at. the Ontario Government school in 1941, has been appointed an inspector of theatres in Ontario. He handled Radar while overseas. Scholes succeeds Bill Forward, resigned to join General Theatre Supply Co. in Western Canada. WATCH UNIVERSAL! 1945 1946 . ident and general manager. The rest of the Universal program is made up of seven westerns, four serials, 58 short subjects and 104 issues of Universal Newsreel. Perry, accompanied by Frank Vaughan, assistant general manager; and Mickey Isman, Montreal branch manager, were present at the Universal sales sessions at the Waldorf-Astoria, New York, and expressed themselves enthusiastically about the quality and diversity of the Universal product for this season. (Continuer on Page 11)