Canadian Film Weekly (Aug 31, 1949)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Aug 31, 1949
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Aug 31, 1949)
Leaf #:
0000
Language:
English
Subjects:
Motion Pictures, Film Industry Trade Magazine",Canad
Collection:
Hollywood Studio System, Global Cinema, and Canada
Format:
periodicals
Contributor:
Media History Digital Library, Canadian Media Magazines Project; 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:
May 23, 2024
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24 . Vol. 14, No. 33 VOICE of A the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE TORONTO, AUGUST 31, 1949 7 INDUSTRY $2.00 Per Annum Royal Comm’n Gets NFB Brief Ask Place In TV, More Scope; Tells O£ Film Trade Amity Consideration “directly in relation to those of any other agencies which may be charged with responsibility for the development of television programs in Canada” was asked by the National Film. Board in its brief to the Royal Com MPTAO Reports On Screen Ads “Most exhibitors are opposed to screen advertising agreements, according to leaders in our industry and those exhibitors having the best interests of our industry at heart,” says the latest bulletin of the Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario. (Continued on Page 3) Dillon, Fitzg bons To Chi PR Talks Fred Dillon, executive director of the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association, will attend the joint exploratory meeting for an _ all-industry co-operative public relations program, to be held in the Drake Hotel in Chicago August (Continued on Page 3) N. A. Taylor Now IFD President Announcement was made in Toronto last week that N. A. Taylor has been appointed president and general manager of International Film Distributors. The company will continue with the distribution of the product of Associated BritishPathe Ltd. Hughes Keeps Stock Howard Hughes RKO theatre stock, which comes to him when divorcement takes effect, is not up for sale at present. He must, however, sell before Nov. 8th or it will be put in a trustee’s hands. Famous Players Inks Big UK Film Deal Millions of Canadian theatregoers will see a regular flow of British films as a result of the signing of a contract by Famous Players Canadian Corporation, by far this country’s leading circuit, with Eagle-Lion Films of Canada. Famous Players has acquired exhibition rights to 19 features, described by President John J. Fitzgibbons as “a _ selection of the finest British films ever made.” “We felt that if we could get the better pictures to play, we should do so,’ Fitzgibbons told the Canadian Film Weekly. ‘Not ‘only because we wish to give our patrons the opportunity of seeing (Continued on Page 18) British Star Signed Stewart Granger has_ been signed by MGM to star opposite Deborah Kerr in King Solomon’s Mines. mission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences, now sitting in Ottawa. NFB production facilities have proved capable of high standard output for televiSion use, as demonstrated by the use of its productions by UK and USA TV agencies, it claims. The National Film Board, the Royal Commission was also informed, “requires an increased budget to discharge the responsibilities entrusted to it by Parliament in serving the national needs and aspirations and con (Continued on Page 3) e Warner Title Change Locked In is the title for Warners’ Eleanor Parker starrer formerly known as The Cage. No Golf Tourney For This Year There will be no Canadian Film Weekly motion picture industry golf tournament this year, it was announced by, Tom S. Daley, chairman of the committee. Inability to obtain satisfactory accommodations for several hundred golfers and non-golfers who (Continued on Page 18) Fox Sales Drive. For Branch Men The launching of an 18-week 20th Century-Fox branch managers testimonial drive starting August 28th through December 31st was announced recently by Andy W. Smith, Jr., vice-president and general sales manager. Keynote of the drive, accord (Continued on Page 18) Chernoff Named Fox Montreal Manager Successor to Ed English, Canadian film industry veteran, as Montreal branch manager for Twentieth CenturyFox will be Gerald (Gerry) L. Chernoff, it was announced jointly by Andy W. Smith, Jr., vice-president and general NEWS OF THEATRE BUILDING A number of theatres have opened and several have reopened to highlight current news of industry building in Canada. Others under way and planned were also reported. One of these in work is a new house to replace one recently destroyed in a fire. Theatres open include: Swan River, Man. Conrad Auguston’s 400-seat Crescent. Only other house here is J. Bierwirth’s 295-seat Palace. Enderby, BC. K. Samol and S. Abramenko’s 375-seat Mon arch. First here. Montreal. Emil Ruffo’s 400-seat, Quonset-type Dieppe on St. Helene Street, near Victoria. Theatres reopened after complete renovations include: Winnipeg. Odeon Theatres’ Garrick. Seating raised from 1,107 to 1,125. Vancouver. Odeon Theatres’ Fraser. Seating increased from (Continued on Page 6) sales manager, and Arthur Silverstone, general manager for Canada. The appointment is effective September 12, by which time Chernoff will have left his present post, that of Montreal manager for International Film Distributors. Chernoff, whose genial personality is well known to Quebec exhibitors, enjoys their affection and trust. Thirty-two years old, (Continued on Page 6) U-I Casts Peggy Dow Peggy Dow will have the starring role opposite Scott Brady and John Russell in U-I’s Frame Up.