Canadian Film Weekly (May 22, 1946)

Page scan 0002 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
May 22, 1946
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (May 22, 1946)
Leaf #:
0002
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 14, 2025
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May 22, 1946 Eight 100G Films On Domn Sked (Continued from Page 1) Pathe Eagle-Lion as production chief on June 1. Art Hammond, who was in charge of production on PRC’s prize moneymaker, “Enchanted Forest,’ will be assistant director. Also coming to Canada from Hollywood to lend their services to the production, which will be cut and scored in the Montreal studios of Associated Screen News, are Jack Ogilvie, veteran film editor, and Steve Clenso, makeup expert. American and Canadian cameramen will work together and, like prop men and others, will have IA approval. Financing of the company is Canadian and through a group headed by Geoffrey H. Wood of G. H. Wood & Company. Limited, Toronto, dealers in sanitary products. He is president of the film company. Secretary-treasurer is L. L. (Larry) Cromien, for six years prior to his discharge a wing commander in the RCAF, who has theatre experience. Vicepresidents are Willis, casting director, and Campbell, who came to Canada from Hollywood in 1939 to join the RCAF. Shooting will take 12 days. Negotiations are on for distribution by a leading exchange and a Johnston Office seal will be sought. ‘Bush Pilot’’ will be the first real effort in years to turn out a general boxoffice feature in Canada. Toronto House Uses Both 16 And 35 Mm. First 16 mm. projector doing a 35 mm. job in Canada is an Ampro Suprex hooked up by Al Hope at the 605-seat Internationul Cinema, Toronto, for foreign, documentary, art and kodachrome shorts. One of three machines— the others are 35 mm.—it throws a 15-foot image 95 feet and works over the main amplifier system. Light and sound are excellent, according to those who should know. THEATRE WANTED Responsible company wishes to purchase either motion picture theatre lease or theatre building. Only worthwhile proposition considered. Replies confidential. BOX 14 CANADIAN FILM WEEKLY Canadian FILM WEEKLY Ontario To Grade New Pictures (Continued from Page 1) cases. Features not classified for adult exhibition need no identification of any kind. Purpose of the grading is to provide guidance for exhibitors, distributors, parents and all others interested in the character of entertainment which might be seen by juveniles. Moving pictures have become the business Oo. J. SILVERTHORNE Chief Ontario censor, who has announced the grading of motion pictures in his annual report. of more persons and organizations than at any time in their history and agitation arising from their alleged relationship . to juvenile delinquency has reached new heights. These may now show their sincerity by organizing means of informing parents which films are fit only for adults, according to the censors. At the end of the specified time the results will be examined and their effect on the question of suitable entertainment for juveniles discussed with the board’s senior officer. the Hon. L. M. Frost, KC., Provincial treasurer, and community groups interested. Pointing out that approximate ly 15 per cent of all films produced yearly are of a type that can affect juvenile behavior under certain conditions, Silverthorne stated that it was only fair to observe that cases of juvenile delinquency in the Toronto court were the lowest recorded for 25 years. This reduction took place at the time of the greatest agitation against the motion picture as a contributor to juvenile delinquency. The Ontario Home and School Federation Associations section of the Ontario Educational Association, during the recent Toronto convention, asked that Ontario film censorship be placed under the Provincial department of education and that one educator be added to the board of censors. Reaction being proportionate to action, this type of agitation in the United States recently led to clerical and other associations and individuals going on record against any kind of censorship and have expressed their willingness to test the question in the USA Supreme Court. The Manitoba and Alberta censorship boards classify films into adult and universal entertainment, “A” and “U” being the respective symbols. Grading is also practised in Great Britain. In none of the places mentioned is there a penalty for the exhibitor who prefers to ignore classification nor will Ontario enforce one. In a small British town an exhibitor refused admittance to children when showing an “A” film and citizens protested vigorously against his action until he had to be satisfied with mere identification. Ontario has experimented with grading before, certain recent films having been barred to children by order of the board. Biltmore Contract To W. B. Sullivan Biltmore Theatres, Limited, has awardea the contract for the construction of its $200,000 theatre at 317 Yonge Street, Toronto, to the W. B. Sullivan Construction, Limited, Toronto. Vol li, No. 21, HYE BOSSIN, Managing Editor May 22, 1946 Address all communications—The Managing Editor, Canadian Film Weekly, 25 Dundas Square, Toronto, Canada, Published by Film Publications of Canada, Ltd., 25 Dundas Square, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Phone ADelaide 4317. Price 5 cents each or $2.00 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter, Page 3 Toronto Salesmen SwitchCompanies (Continued from Page 1) the former. Successor to Myers at United Artists is Joe Bermac, until several months ago with RKO. Altman was with Warners since 1940 and Paramount before that. He left Warners to open Hygiene Productions of Canada and will sell and exhibit “the world’s most amazing attraction,” the VD film, “Mom and Dad,” which was produced in Hollywood. It is one of a series, presented as attractions and calling for special promotion. Myers returned to United Artists in February after serving in the RCAF since 1942. He first came to UA in 1935. Joe Bermac, from Winnipeg, was connected with the Toronto branch of RKO under Mark Plottel until transferred to the Calgary branch. He _ resigned several months ago and returned to Toronto, occupying himself outside the film field. Canadian Gets Test Suzanne Cloutier of Ottawa, daughter of the King’s Printer, Edmond Cloutier, has gone to Hollywood for a screen test by Warners. The NATIONAL e2 te FILM BOARD ‘CANADA CARRIES ON’ RELEASE y6e. j MAY SCIENCE GOES FISHING