Canadian Film Weekly (Nov 21, 1945)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Nov 21, 1945
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Nov 21, 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 22, 2024
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VOICE of the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY Vol 10, No. 47 David Bernstein Passes in NY David Bernstein, vice president, treasurer and director of Loew’s, Inc., which company operates MGM studios and is engaged in exhibition and distribution in Canada, the latter through Regal, passed away last week in his home in New York (Continued on Page 6) Quebec Censors Now in Power Appointment of Lucien Desbiens of Montreal as chairman of the new Board of Cinema Censors, succeeding Elzear Beauregard, has been announced in Quebec City by Premier Duplessis following a meeting of the Provincial Cabinet. The Board is in (Continued on Page 3) TORONTO, NOVEMBER 21, 1945 O’Byrne Heads Rank-Nathanson All-Round Production Setup Sound production of theatrical, educational and industrial films, the first in an Ontario studio, will begin on an ample scale in the not-too-distant future under the supervision of Frank O’Byrne, technical head of the company Quebec Allied Asks Juve Ban Change Following the appointment of the new Quebec Board of Cinema Censors, Quebec Allied Theatrical Industries’ spokesmen are asking that the law prohibiting children under 16 from attending performances in moticn picture theatres be medified and the age be reduced to 12. The law was enacted in 1928, not for purposes of censorship but for increased safety. It followed a tragic fire in which many children lost their lives and, despite changed conditions, has remained in force. PQ Allied Sizes Up Taxes, Controls Sixteen millimetre encroachment, too many amusement taxes and prolonging of price contr ol were the subjects of resolutions passed by the Quebec Allied Theatrical Industries during its annual meeting last week in the Mount Royal Hotel, Montreal. Because of accommodation difficulties activities were confined to a luncheon followed by the business meeting. Nearly 100 exhibitors and executives of exhibition companies representing more than 150 theatres were on hand. J. Arthur Hirsch was returned tu the presidency, George Ganetakos to the vice-presidency and Eugene Beulac remains as secretary. William Lester replaced N. 8. Tabah, who resigned as treasurer when he withdrew from (Continued on Page 3) BILLERS NOT FILLERS! New Indie Theatre Planned for Ottawa Plans have been completed by IKXaplan and Sprachman, Toronto architects, for a 1,000-seat theatre to be built in Ottawa by Morris Berlin and his father and application for building permits has been made to federal and civic authorities. Morris Berlin already operates one theatre in Ottawa, the Somerset, seating 729. Biltmore Theatres recently announced a new house for Ottawa, one of several. BOOK UNIVERSAL’S ‘GREATER VALUE SHORTS presently operating as Instructional & Sales Productions Limited. It is expected that from 40 to 50 technicians will be employed in the two-storey steel and concrete studio structure in the midst of 15 acres of landscape on the Middle Road, in the Islington area, scme ten miles from Toronto. Operation of the enterprise (Continued on Page 3) Chenges Hands Wilmarie Enterprises has acquired the Pape, 419-seat Toronto house, from Isidore Stern. It will be supervised by United Exhibitors Booking Service, Toronto, under Sam Collis. $2.00 Per Annum New Ont. Studio Rolls Shortly Proj s Society Plans Quarters A social -and cultural club is being organized by the Toronto Projectionists Society, branch of the American Projectionists Society, and a campaign is being conducted to raise $10,000 with which to open club quarters. All members of the motion pic (Continued on Page 12) NFB Thanks to John Grierson John Grierson’s retirement as government film commissioner was accorded official cognisance on October 31st, it was announced by the Honorable Brooke . Claxton, chairman of the National Film Board, at a recent meeting of the Board. (Continued on Page 6) I. Tt. & T. of Canada In 16 Mm. Field Of major importance in the Canadian 16 mm. distribution field is the establishment in Toronto of an exchange by International Theatrical & Television Corporation, the organization of which Harry Allen, veteran film figure, is PRC Exec Offices Move Across Way Executive offices of PRC have moved from the Film Exchange Building at 277 Victoria Street to the fourth floor of 21 Dundas Square. That’s where you'll find Harry Allen and Dave Griesdorf when in town. The Toronto branch office remains in the Film Exchange Building. PRC also distributes Screen Guild and Film Classics. “The True Glory,” D-day to VE-day war film record, is its current top release. president. He also heads PRC of Canada. Ray Hague, formerly of Sovereign Films, has joined I.T.&T. of Canada to take charge of its theatre division and Blake Smale, recently of the army, will supervise the distribution of educational films for classroom and assembly, as well as individual use. The latter type of product will be available at all film rental libraries or stores handling photographic supplies. Centre of I. T. & T. operations will be the fourth floor of 21 (Continued on Page 3) UNIVERSAL SHORT SUBJECTS ARE IMPORTANT BUILDS IMPORTANCE INTO EACH BECAUSE UNIVERSAL INDIVIDUALIZED PRODUCTION