Canadian Film Weekly (Dec 31, 1947)

Page scan 0003 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Dec 31, 1947
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Dec 31, 1947)
Leaf #:
0003
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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Page 4 Ottawa's Control Of Construction * (Continued from Page 1) an .order-in-council by Construction. Minister Howe. The order-in-council also plac— ed projection ‘equipment . and other things necessary to theatres in the permit class. These were banned by the tariff regulations. High rionity, permits would be given to low-cost housing and industrial. projects capable of earning USA dollars. “Much of our current investment for commercial, office, service and amusement purposes can and must be deferred,” Howe stated. Information regarding the use of the article desired must be included with the application for an import permit. Howe’s department will judge each project individually. It is possible that local needs will be taken into account and. unanimous support for a theatre as a& means of employment and future service to a community will cause requests for permits not to be turned down as a mat ter of course. 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The real spirit of each had been affected by the actions of practical men who were motivated honestly. This.newest order to confer an honorary degree upset him, however. This time a horse was to be the recipient—Mrs. Van Doodle’s horse. Mrs. Van Doodle, a rich and generous eccentric; loved this horse and being an admirer of higher education, had asked that it be adorned with the wreath of erudition. — The fact that Mrs. Van Doodle had suggested at the same time that she might be induced to contribute one million dollars to the university had no doubt influenced the board of governors. For that much money they were willing to: chance ridicule..Oh well, the dean thought, he would do ne aes peas he would not like it. The day of the ceremony arrived. The fannite and the board of governors were in their accustomed places on the platform |. and the student body looked on. Mrs. Van Doodle’s horse stood. ready and so did the dean. And so did Mrs. Van Doodle, who beamed. “Ladies and gentlemen,” the dean said in a manner that was a mixture of apology and defiance, “this is an unique occa sion. This is the first time we have ever conferred an honorary, degree on a full horse!” * Cites ; * Will-o'-the Whispers There’s a Links & Winks Social Club on Queen West and a Ye Classe Barber Shop further along....Jack Nelson of the Capitol, North Bay, is now an alderman. ... Friend of ours was puzzled about the complicated reasons for the shortage of concrete so he asked a construction foreman for the answer. It was simple. “Too many people using it,” he said.... Abe Fox is in the hospital and Frank Vaughan is about over his virus pneu, as is Larry Bearg.... Whatever became of Buck Rogers?. Good old Sid Taube was here from Los Angeles, his boy Irwin having been operated on....The Royal York, they say, accepted reservations for the James Masons but refused to house their cats so they were left in NY. He was here to record dramas: for “London Playhouse,’ a radio program. Someone either swiped or made off absent-mindedly with Beatrice Heatherington’s fur coat at the United Artists’ party. Perhaps that person’s action was inspired by the spirits of the occasion, in which case all will be forgiven and overlooked if he quietly makes up for his error by returning the coat. Miss Heatherington is at Famous Players. The erring gentleman can call her there or get in touch with United Artists or this office. A bad penning always turns up. We had Bob Maynard managing the Capitol, Hamilton, instead of the Palace in the head of the story in the last issue, although the text was correct. It’s so much easier to overlook the obvious, in this case the larger type. . . . Bill Dineen of the Tiv heads the ‘stagehands’ local. . . . Frank Paul is managing the Victoria, Ottawa, for 20th. . . . 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