Canadian Film Weekly (May 14, 1947)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
May 14, 1947
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (May 14, 1947)
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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VOICE of —o_ Vol. 12, No. 20 — ToR Plan Four More Movie Houses Four new theatres were projected for different parts of Canada last week and it begins to appear that Canada will have almost 200 additional situations when the construction program which began with the lifting of restrictions is completed. In ad (Continued on Page 3) Boost UK Films On 30 Stations Biggest British-Canadian commercial radio deal to date and one of the most extensive station line-ups in the Dominion involving a film tie-up, was set this week for a 30-minute weekly broadcast, London Playhouse. The program, which is expect~ (Continued on Page 3) A the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY TORONTO, MAY 14, 1947 Silverthorne, Board Chairman, Makes Public Annual Report A complete revision of Ontario regulations passed under the Theatres and Cinematographs Act will be attempted during next year, it was stated in the annual report of O. J. Silverthorne, chairman of the Motion Picture Censorship Warner To Produce Film In Canada A major production teaturing Canadian-born talent will be made in Canada by Warner Brothers as part of a good neighbor policy, it has been an Mounced in Hollywood. Manito ba Will be the locale. To be titled “All My Harvests,” it wull be based on @ book by Alan Jamieson, Canadian author. it is Ukely that Jack Carson and Alexis Smith will De starred, with Lois Maxwell of ‘Loronto a feature player. Carson is from Carmen, Manitoba, and Miss Smith trom Penticton, British Columbia. Government Will Tax Non-Profit’ 16 Mm. __ Many Canadian 16 mm. situations which have provided difficult competition for standard 35 mm. theatres because a non-profit classification enabled them to charge lower prices will be affected by the Minister of Finance’s announc ed intention of imposing an excise tax on their performances. In his recent budget the Honourable D. C. Abbott, MP, included a resolution which calls for the application of an excise tax on “any performance, exhibition or contest that includes professional performances, horse races or motion pictures” operated hy certain institutions, (Continued on Page 8) Final Title Picked “Key Witness’ is the release title for the Columbia film formerly labelled “Destiny.” ee Mimnmrmmnsnnetsen renner) oh ee : Bailey Prexy j retary, Irvin Coval, Warners, Russ Simpson, I Royal Performance This year’s Command Performance is slated for London’s Odeon Theatre, Leicester Square, on November 25th. Manager Granted Leave Of Absence John W. Farr, manager of the Odeon Theatre in North Sydney, NS, has been granted six months leave of absence by the circuit. Arthur Whittle, formerly manager of the Rivoli Theatre, will be acting manager of the Odeon until Farr’s return. >. + + and Theatre branch Treasury. Senior officer of the branch is the Honourable L. M. Frost, KC, Provincial minister of finance. This has been made necessary by the continual changes in building design and construction materials and equipment, plus the advent of drive-in theatres. At present there are 45 new the (Continued on Page 3) Inspection of the Provincial ° $2.00 Per Annum evise Ontario Regulations Hollyw d Greets Variety Barkers Greetings were extended to the 1,200 Variety Clubs. delegates who are attending the 11th annual convention in Los Angeles, May 13 to 17, by studio production heads. They unanimously lauded the charitable works of the clubs and stressed the importance of (Continued on Page 8) Eagle-Lion Film “Clemmy’”’ is the final title for the Hollywood Eagle-Lion’s film known in work as “Clementine,” which stars 14-year-old Lois Butler. Welcome Laura Wells Scene at the press and radio luncheon for Miss Laura Wells of Enterprise Pictures at the Barclay Hotel, Toronto. Miss Wells, a platinum-haired beauty travelling about the continent to Stimulate interest in “Arch of Triumph” and “Lhe Other Love,” is shown with (I. to r.) Larry Stephens, United Artists; Jay Smith, Canadian Moving Picture Digest; Hye Bossin, Canadian um Weekly; and Charles Chaplin, United Artists. Miss Wells’ junket is only one of the means being used by Enterprise’s exploitation department to increase public interest and boxoffice potential in its films. Harry J. Bailey, 20th Century-Fox, was elected president of the Toronto Film Board of Trade for the new term, succeeding Abe Cass of Columbia. Vicepresident is Garfield Cass, Regal, and Ed. H. Wells remains executive sec‘sramount, and G. P. Wright, Empire-Universal, are on the credit committee,