Canadian Film Weekly (Nov 27, 1946)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Nov 27, 1946
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Nov 27, 1946)
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 14, 2025
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Vol. 11, No. 48 VOICE of the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE TORONTO, NOVEMBER 27, 1946 INDUSTRY 2.00 Per Annus Many Theatres Change Hands Most Transfers Affeet TwoAnd Three-Day Rural Situations There have been about 75 changes in the operating rights to Canadian motion picture theatres during the past six months and the figure for the calendar year will likely be well over a hundred. In some instances ownership of the CAPAC Fee Set On Drive-Ins The seating capacity of drivein theatres shall be three times the maximum number of automobiles which may be accommodated at any one time, according to the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association of Canada. The association, with (Continued on Page 3) ~ FPCC Meeting In Montreal NOTE: Distributors Explain Clause 18 In This Issue An explanation of the revised Clause 18 of the Canadian License Agreement, basis of vigorous opposition by exhibitors, has been received by the editor of this paper from the Canadian Motion Picture property was the basis of the deal but in most the lease was transferred. The major circuits contributed very few to the six-months figure. The smaller circuits were much more active in acquiring property or leases. Vast majority of the houses which changed hands were in small rural communities, where such a deal is possible through (Continued on Page 10) FPA Film Night Serves Purpose Importance of motion pictures in business, industry and education was emphasized by O. H. Coelln, Jr., editor of Business Screen, before several hundred members and guests of the Canadian Association of Advertisers at a dinner in the Convention (Continued on Page 3) Songstress Cast Pearl Bailey, sensational Negro songstress, will do several numbers in Paramount’s “Varjety Girl.” Distributors Association through its president, Leo M. Devaney of RKO. The statement is reproduced verbatim in this issue and begins in the next column. »—> Conclusion of a two-day conference of Famous Players from eastern Ontario and Quebec was marked by a dinner in the Mount Royal Hotel, Montreal, on November 14th, at which Ray Tubman of Ottawa was toastmaster. } Leading figures in the Quebec (Continued on Page 3) ~ Paul Nathanson Ends \ Odeon Connection Paul Nathanson, former president of Odeon Theatres of Canada, has submitted his resignation from the board of directors of Odeon Theatres of Canada. In April of this year, after a long illness, he retired from the presidency and was succeeded by the Honoroe Stars ee able J. Earl Lawson, KC. "Catalina’ Set Odeon of Canada became Paramount's Technicolor ‘“Cat alina” is set to roll in December. linked with Odeon of Britain Shareholders Okay when J. Arthur Rank purchased a half interest in the company. ‘Sale Of Theatre Shareholders of the Casino Although no official statement of Rank having acquired Nath Company Limited, at a recent general meeting, approved the anson’s share of Odeon of Can ada has ever been issued, British press reports ey ie Rese time price of $125,000 for the sale of Sechaba ria h: the Casino Theatre and building , ° ° on Gottingen Street in Halifax ) Bill Kerr Sick to General Theatres (Maritime) Limited, a subsidiary of Odeon William Kerr, assistant secretary of Famous Players, is ill Theatres. The former company has been renting the premises. The Dark Mirror HAVILLAND in a dual role, it is a daring double thrill hit! Book now from EMPIRE-UNIVERSAL FILMS LIMITED, POSITION OF DISTRIBUTORS Dear Mr. Bossin: In view of the numerous discussions with regard to Clause No. 18 in the Canadian License Agreement ‘and because it would appear that the Clause may have been wrongly construed or generally misinterpreted, the Board of Directors of the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association believe that the following information may clarify some of the points under discussion: 1. It is not the intention of the distributors, nor was it ever the intention of the distributors to share in any form or to participate in any manner in the profits from the sale of candy, pop-corn, chewing gum or any other merchandise sold in theatre lobbies or on theatre premises. 2. That the right to audit the books or check the records of percentage engagements will only extend over the period of years that the Federal and various provincial governments require that the records must be kept or maintained. 3. That the right to audit the books or records on the engagement of any percentage picture is restricted to the percentage picture involved or to any other expense which may enter into the final computation of results based upon contract requirements. The clause in question, or a clause similarly worded or phrased, has been in effect in the U.S. contracts (Continued on Page 3) the most unusual picture of the year. Starring OLIVIA DE Now in its THIRD BIG WEEK at the UPTOWN, TORONTO, Nunnally Johnston’s THE DARK MIRROR is proving itself —ey Ee eee pS ee ee