Canadian Film Weekly (Oct 16, 1946)

Page scan 0002 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Oct 16, 1946
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Oct 16, 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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October 16, 1946 Famous Players Chiefs Huddle (Continued from Page 1) S. Roddick of Halifax; Ray Tubman of Ottawa; and Dan Krende], Jack Arthur and Bob Evcs of Toronto. The district managers faced a crowded agenda which kept them busy at the round-table conferences from morning until evening for three days. The discussions were led by Morris Stein and L. I. Bearg, eastern and western division managers respectively. At the opening session the district managers were addressed by J. J. Fitzgibbons, president of Famous Players, and R. W. Bolstad, vice-president, and then went into conference with head office executives and department heads. In the morning they dealt with maintenance, purchasing construction, sound and projection, with talks by Jules Wolfe, Peter Brown, George Cuthbert and Charlie Dentlebeck. The next morning’s’ session was devoted to discussion on the sale of confections in theatres and the installation of candy bars. In the afternoon advertising and publicity was the subject of a talk led by James R. Nairn with James Cameron speaking on exploitation and Victor Growe on radio. The afternoon session was also devoted to considering the newest developments in the sale of gift tickets and the organization of children’s shows. A. E. Brown led these discussions. Booking was the subject of the final morning’s session headed by Ben Geldsaler and many phases of head office and general operation were dealt with by R. W. Bolstad and department heads Angus MacCunn, R. G. Darby, W. E. Kerr, Cliff Yonson, J. A. Troyer and Frank Justin. On the concluding evening the district managers and the general managers of the motion picture companies were guests of Famous Players at a dinner in the Royal York Hotel. Plans are now being made for a series of regional meetings for managers in both the eastern and western divisions. Farnum Cast In Pic William Farnum, star of silent films, has been cast in Columbia’s “They Walk Alone.” Three Dimensional A report from Moscow states that the first stereoscopic (threedimensional) film has been completed. Title of the movie is “Robinson Crusoe.” Canadian FILM WEEKLY WPTB Approves Fox And Emp-U Groups (Continued from Page 1) part in approving the groupings submitted to date. Croft was borrowed by the WPTB in 1941 from Traders Finance Corporation, where he is vice-president and assistant general manager. He succeeded M. W. McCutcheon as administrator in 1944, who assumed charge of theatre and film controls when R. C. McMullen, in charge since their establishment in 1941, returned at the end of 1943 to E. P. Taylor Enterprises. The list of approved groupings for Empire-Universal and 20th Century-Fox are as follows: 20th Century-Fox 7 Specials, (including MauZan Production); 14 Group A, (including 2 Litvak Productions) ; 14 Group B; Group C, balance. Empire-Universal (a) Universal Product: 2 Specials; 11 Supers, (including three outside productions). (b) International Product: 6 to 8 feature pictures which may be sold as specials on individual. contracts subject to the conditions that the first picture in order of release must be offered to basic contract holders of Universal products, and subsequent pictures as long as that exhibitor continues to buy in order of release. (c) Republic Product: 12 Specials (of which four in color). 4 Group A in color. When sold flat rental 25% in excess of NFB's "Guilty Men’ Being Reissued “Guilty Men,” the Canadian film made by the World In Action unit of the National Film Board to explain the complicated trial procedure at Nuernberg, is being reissued to first-run theatres across the Dominion. The short was first released in December, 1945. After a brief review of postwar efforts at justice, many of which became violent attempts at vengeance, the film documents the formation of the international military tribunal and its aims and operations. “Poisons,”’ the commentator declares, “that infect the state can only be purged by painful surgery.” The film concludes with the prophetic words, “Those who bring tragedy to the peoples of the world must suffer the peoples’ justice.” It is being distributed by United Artists, the corresponding flat rentals in basic contracts for the class of feature formerly known as Republic DeLuxe may be charged. 8 Group B, corresponding to the product formerly known as Anniversary. 8 Group C, corresponding to the product formerly known as Jubilee. Westerns: 12 Group A Rogers or Autry to be offered on the same terms as Westerns featuring these stars have been hitherto offered. 8 Group B Red Ryder productions to be offered on the same terms as were formerly charged for Wild Bill Elliott productions. Republic Profits For Three Month Period Republic Pictures Corporation and subsidiaries reported net profit for the 13-week period ending July 27, 1946, of $717,659.67 before provision for Federal taxes. Estimated taxes are $272,710.67, leaving a net after taxes of $444,949. Page 3 LEON C. SHELLY Head of Shelly Films, Toronto, who represented the Film Producers Association of Canada at the meeting of the Advertising & Sales Club, which he addressed on “The Selling Power of the Movies.” Shelly discussed revolutionary developments in the use of commercial and industrial films. In "Love And Learn’ Otto Kruger has been assigned to WB's “Love and Learn.” MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS NOW! For the Annual MEETING and LUNCHEON of the MOTION PICTURE THEATRES ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO To be held TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22nd, 1946 at the KING EDWARD HOTEL, TORONTO (Vanity Fair) Business Meeting 11 A.M. Luncheon 1 P.M. MOTION PICTURE 'THEATRES ASS’N OF ONTARIO ARCH, H. JOLLEY, Secretary 21 Dundas Square ELgin 9630 Toronto, Ont.