Canadian Film Weekly (Jun 23, 1948)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Jun 23, 1948
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Jun 23, 1948)
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 21, 2025
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Vol. 18, No. 25 Exhibs Keep Up Tax Opposition There are theatre men who feel that public opposition to the provincial amusement tax was one of the factors which contributed to the defeat of the government candidates in certain ridings during the recent election campaign. Ontario exhibitors (Continued on Page 17) Gordon Honored At NY Luncheon International co-operation is more effective than legal restriction in the case of Canada and the American film industry, Donald Gordon, deputy governor of the Bank of Canada, told executives of the Motion Picture Association of America at a luncheon (Continued on Page 3) VOICE of the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE TORONTO, JUNE 23, 1948 Will Movie Biz Be Boosted Or Hurt By New Development? Television, not too far off now and coming closer every day, will be a boon to theatres rather than a barrier, according to important opinion. With technical problems just about solved, the obstacles now are financing and program Radio Vs. Press At Variety Ball Game Toronto sports writers will play radio stars.in a three-inning game before the Leafs take on Jersey City at the baseball stadium on Variety Night, June 21st. Jim Coleman, Ted Reeve, Bunny Morganson, Red Burnett, Joe Perlove and other scribes will wrap their typewriter fingers around the bats and balls. Horace Lapp, Dennis Stone, Gordon Sinclair and Joe Crysdale will be among those on the radio team and Wayne & Schuster will umpire. ‘ "48-49 Eagle-Lion List Picked From 60 Pix With 60 films to be distributed by the J. Arthur Rank Studios for 1948-49, a selective releasing policy will be followed carefully in this country by Eagle-Lion Films of Can ada, stated Frank Fisher, company. The total offered by Rank last year was 26 but the increased ability of British theatres to handle domestic product led to a greater production program, which was made possible by better use-of space. Studio factors were improved co-ordination, earlier scripting and tighter budgeting. (Continued on Page 3) De Wolfe Repacted Billy De Wolfe has been signed to a new five-year contract by Paramount. His film debut was in 1942 in ‘‘Dixie.” Made by that “I-MEN” team -— It’s general manager of the latter Canuck Pix Entered In Two Festivals Seventeen Canadian-made motion pictures in two languages have been entered in the International Film Festival at Locarno, Switzerland, and in _ the Edinburgh Festival. Both competitions are open to films from any part of the world. All films entered are National Film Board shorts and those for the Edinburgh Festival include one picture in English and two in French, while those for Locarno contain 11 in English and three in French. EDWARD ming. Earlier this year the Canadian Broadcasting . Corporation stated that it was ready to go ahead with television when government authorities give the signal to spend $250,000 for each station and $25,000 per camera. The CBC, under government authority, has jurisdiction over television of any kind in this country. (Continued on Page 7) A, a INDUSTRY $2.00 Per Annum Differ On Effect OF Television Paramount Sales Talks In Toronto The two-day annual Paramount Canadian sales meeting was held last week in the King Edward Hotel, Toronto, with Gordon Lightstone, general manager in the Dominion for the company, acting ws chairman. Attending the sessions were the (Continued on Page 3) Piers Being Poured Piers are being poured for the Rex Theatre in Flin Flon, Manitoba, completely destroyed in a recent fire. TRADE AIDS FLOOD SUFFERERS British Columbia theatres raised $10,000 for aid to those affected adversely by the floods with Sunday night shows for ad mission of one dollar each. The industry is also considering other use of theatres for the purpose of raising funds. NEW RECORD FOR UJA FILM DIV The Film Division of the United Jewish Appeal in Toronto just concluded its drive and it was found that its 200 subscribers had raised $100,000, a 50 per cent increase in the average contribution of last year. If was the second largest in fund-raising among the various groups in the campaign. The co-chairmen of the Film Division were Morris Stein, Famous Players; Harry S. Mandell, 20th Century Theatres; and Douglas V. Rosen, United Artists. This year the motion picture industry in Toronto was honored by the selection of Gurston Allen of Premier Operating Corporation to head the general UJA campaign in the city. Two Get Important Roles In "Wrangler' Two top featured roles in Columbia’s Cinecolor superWestern, “The Wrangler,’”’ were filled with the signing of Joe Sawyer and Gordon Jones for the parts of Hoy and Happy Keegan respectively. Sonny Tufts and Barbara Britton costar. Harry Joe Brown is the producer and Randolph Scott associate producer. Charles Lamont is direct ing. Australian Award To "Bush Christmas’ J. Arthur Rank’s “Bush Christmas,” starring Chips Rafferty, was recently given the Australian award for the best feature film. The same company’s “Land Short of People,” an issue in the This Modern Age series, was given the Oscar for the best short. Award takes the form of a bronze statuette of a horseman on a marble base with an inscribed plate. ALL’S smashing follow-up to ‘T-MEN” ‘RAW DEAL’ with Dennis O’KEEFE Marsha HUNT Claire TREVOR Another EAGLE LION (Hollywood) HIT coming SOON from INTERNATIONAL FILM DI UTORS Limited