Canadian Film Weekly (Dec 26, 1945)

Page scan 00034 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Dec 26, 1945
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Dec 26, 1945)
Leaf #:
00034
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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December 26, 1945 MALCOLM E. WALKER Reelected president of Allied Exhibitors of Nova Scotia. The 16 mm. Producers Association of America is organized in Hollywood along the lines of the Hays office. Canadian Picture Pioneers announce plans for Clair Hague memorial fund. May Twentieth Century Theatres takes over operation of five additional houses in Ontario, formerly under Famous Players. An order from the Provincial Theatre Inspection branch compels every theatre in Ontario to have a Hydro inspection. V-E day—May 8th—War ends in Europe. Most Canadian theatres remain open throughout celebrations, except those in Halifax. Earnings of Paramount Pictures in 1944 totalled $16,488,106 according to the annual report. NFB’s Ralph Foster sent to Australia to open a branch office for the Canadian film body. Rise of British film to prominence on Canadian screen is most important development in 25 years of motion pictures, according to the annual report of Ontario chief censor, O.J. Silverthorne. During the fiscal year 1944-45 361 feature 35 mm. films were Passed by the Ontario censors, 117 were altered, one was rejected and three were still under Consideration at the time of the report. : “Wherever there is scope for it, there we will go,” said J. Arthur Rank in discussing distribution of the British film at his first North American press conference in the Royal York Hotel, Toronto. Morris Milligan, veteran showMan and Hamilton exhibitor, Passes away in Toronto. Quebec’s Legislative Council Canadian FILM WEEKLY Roundup OF THE NEWS kills the six per cent so-called “luxury tax’’ which brought wide opposition from the film industry and the entire community when it was passed by the assembly. June James Cowan of Editorial Services Limited is appointed public relations counsel in Canada for the Rank interests. Theatre Holding Corporation plans to introduce dual operation plan at the Hollywood Theatre, Toronto, through erection of annex theatre. United Artists resigns from MPPDA to become a member of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers. Paul L. Nathanson and J. Arthur Rank open the first Odeon Movie Club for Young Canadians at the Colony Theatre, Toronto. Donald M. Nelson, former chairman of the United States War Production Board, named president of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers. Larry Stephens is appointed publicity and advertising representative for United Artists in Eastern Canada. Empire-Universal’s Republic franchise for Canada is renewed. Paramount’s Charles M. Reagan, vice-president in charge of distribution, honored with a luncheon on occasion of his 25th year with the company. Paramount and PRC groupings for 1945-46 approved by J.R. Croft, WPTB administrator. Central phone service for theatre information, inaugurated by Famous Players in September, 1944 is considered as fulfilling a necessary service and will be continued. Albert J. Jeffery, United Artists’ Canadian division manager, passes away in Toronto and is buried in Boston. Jack Hunter, Toronto branch manager of Paramount Film Service, resigns after 24 years with the company to take over operation of the Milligan theatres in Hamilton. : Charles S. Chaplin, UA’s Montreal branch manager, promoted to head the company’s Canadian division, succeeding the late: AJ. Jeffery. George Heiber moves from Saint John to succeed Chaplin in Montreal and Sam Kunitsky takes Heiber’s post. Loew’s Winter Garden, Toronto, will be altered and reopened after the removal of building restrictions. Famous Players announce plans to re-open the Victoria Theatre aS a movie house. John Ganetakos becomes general supervisor of Confederation Amusements, Montreal, assuming duties of E.N. Tabah, who resigned as general manager to enter the export business. Paramount announces changes: Russell Simpson transferred from Vancouver to Toronto as branch manager, succeeding Jack Hunter; Bob Murphy, head booker at Toronto, succeeds Simpson in charge of Vancouver branch; Syl ROSS McLEAN Deputy national film commissioner, who has been in charge of the National Film Board since the departure of John Grierson. Gunn becomes a Winnipeg branch manager, resigning as Western booker for Famous Players. Robert J. O’Donnell, National Chief Barker of the Variety Clubs of America, is guest speaker at a dinner in Toronto launching the first Variety tent in Canada. Republic Productions, Incorporated, celebrates its tenth anniversary. Columbia Pictures’ foursome again wins N.L. Nathanson challenge trophy for Low Gross with a score of 371, at the second annual Canadian Motion Picture Golf Championships, sponsored by the Canadian Film Weekly at the Oakdale Golf and Country Club on June 26. Record crowd attends tourney on the finest day of the season. FRANK O’BYRNE Resigned as Ontario manager for Associated Screen News to head new Rank-Nathanson preduction unit, Instructional & Sales Productions Ltd. July Interests of partners in eight 20th Century Theatres are acquired by N.A. Taylor, for himself and Famous Players, through United Century Theatres, a jointIy-owned company organized for that purpose. H. Freedman, Sam Ulster, Ben Ulster and Abe Polakoff dispose of their intersts in Taylor theatre enterprises. Famous Players donates a completely equipped 500-seat theatre to the Hospital for Sick Children. Wartime Prices and ‘Trade Board lifts ban on giving of premiums at theatres (ceramics excepted) and conducting of Bank-Nite and Foto-Nite. Canadian Performing Right Society renamed the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association of Canada and reorganized with a board of directors of 12 members, comprised of ten from the Dominion, one from Britain and one from the USA. Raymond Allen retains Famous Players challenge trophy for individual low gross, which he won at the Motion Picture Golf Championships, in a_ replay against Martin Bloom. Manufacture and sale of prefabricated theatres by a new company, announced by Charles P. Skouras, president of National Theatres Amusement Company in California. PRC announces 50 pictures to be released in 1945-46. Snowdon Investors, in which Morris Weiss and Jules Levey have interests, announces a building program calling for 25 theatres across Canada, some in association with Odeon. WPTB administrator approves Columbia groupings for 1945-46 season,