Canadian Film Weekly (Sep 29, 1954)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Sep 29, 1954
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Sep 29, 1954)
Leaf #:
0000
Language:
English
Collection:
Canada, Hollywood Studio System, and Global Cinema
Format:
periodicals
Contributor:
Media History Digital Library, Greig Dymond in memory of David Dymond, 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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—— mony 7? VOICE of the CANADfAN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY Vol. 19, No. 37 RKO LISTS STRONG FEATURE PROGRAM 63 New Cinemas Since January | Opening of two standard theatres recently brought the number of new ones of that type commencing operations since the beginning of the year to 21, while the addition of a drive-in brings this year’s total of new ones so far to 42, with 224 now (Continued on Page 3) Trade Fair Dates Nov. 23-24-25 Motion Picture Industry Council sponsorship of the Trade Show, to be produced by Gerald FitzGerald during the week when the delegates of two national industry associations gather in Toronto, should provide a treat for theatre operators. That same (Continued on Page 6) 7 A TORONTO, SEPTEMBER 29, 1954 CANADIAN OFFICE OPTIMISTIC RE "54-55 BOXOFFICE POTENTIAL Prophets of gloom in the motion picture business won’t find much to please them through RKO’s 1954-55 lineup, which has a strong array of boxoffice attractions beside the guaranteed bumper grosses of films from Walt Disney, Chief Barker Summerville Declines Second Term Sixteen Variety members were nominated to run for office by the committee which met under the chairmanship of Morris Stein. Notably absent was the name of Chief Barker Wm. Summerville, Jr. of B & F Theatres, who found that pressure of business wouldn’t permit him to yield to entreaties that he serve a second term, In addition to the ten remaining members of The Crew the nominees were C, $. Chaplin, Hum Heller, Sam Glasier, Ed Fitkin, Paul Johnston and Frank Fisher, Fisher declined to stand. Only one candidate resulted from floor nominations—Joe Bermack. Those who served on the nominating committee with Stein were Abe Cass, Jim Eastwood, Frank Goldhar, Hye Bossin and Bill Redpath. Elections will take place at the October meeting and installations at the November one. Barkers are urged to turn out for the elections next month. More Regular-Priced Pix Asked By Sask. Assn. The number of road show pictures at advanced prices and the alleged unwillingness of distributors to provide regular-priced films unless the road-show type was booked brought resolutions of protest at the recent annual meeting of the Saskatchewan Motion Picture Exhibitors Association in Regina. Its delegates had brought the matter before the Motion Picture Industry Council of Canada last year and will do so again when it meets in Toronto in November. J. D. McKenzie, Estevan, was elected to fill the presidency left vacant by the retirement of W. E. Winterton of Saskatoon. J. (Continued on Page 2) McPherson To Sovereign Until his resignation recently JARO Toronto branch manager, Joe McPherson has joined Sovereign Films. ODEON MANAGERS IN QUEBEC MEET ON OCTOBER 4-5 Ralph Ellis To USA As Johnston Aide The National Film Board has appointed Ralph C. Ellis, 30, sales and theatrical representative for the United States and assistant to T. L. Johnston chief representative in that country. Ellis, who starts October 1, will handle both 16-and 35 mm. He was distribution promotion officer in Ottawa and before that theatrical sales representative stationed in Toronto. Born in Milton, NS, he joined the NF'B in 1946 after service in the RCAF, Samuel Goldwyn, King Bros. and others, said Jack Labow, Canadian general manager of the company. Labow pointed to the current boxoffice topper, Susan Slept Here, which stars Dick. Powell and Debbie Reynolds in Technicolor, as an indication of the attraction qualities of RKO product, regardless of type. He gave as forthcoming attractions: This Is My Love, in color with Linda Darnell, Dan Duryea, Faith Domergue and Rich Jason, the last named having starred in (Continued on Page 3) Aa $3.00 Per Annum Odeon, Distribs Honor Winners With distribution executives and members of the trade press as guests, Odeon Theatres (Canada) Limited marked the end of its recent 13-week showmanship contest at a luncheon in the Roof Garden of the Royal York Hotel, Toronto by presentation of prizes (Continued on Page 2) Peterboro's Boost Representing theatre managers of Peterborough, Ontario, Art Cauley and George Sheppard presented a cheque, representing the proceeds of a recent benefit show, to Variety Village at the last Variety Club meeting. Quebec regional managers meeting of Odeon Theatres (Canada) Limited will be held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Montreal on October 4 and 5, it, was announced by David Griesdorf, general manager of the national circuit. Griesdort and E. G. Forsyth, assistant general manager, are expected to join Arthur P. Bahen, Quebec supervisor, and his men. The Ontario regional meeting took place in Toronto last week, ‘What in the Sam Hill Is the Matter With Us?’ In The Packsack, a regular column by Gregory Clark syndicated to many Canadian newspapers by Canada-Wide Features, the above question was asked in connection with the lack of Canadian feature production. Wrote Clark: The Kidnappers, in my humble and non-professional opinion, is by long odds the best movie of 1954. And 1954 is only half over. Let it stand. It is a British movie, as so many of the best have been in recent years. Its setting is Nova Scotia around 1900, and there are details about it that Nova Scotians could take exception to. The trees are too Scottish—for it was filmed in Scotland—and the posses in search of kidnapped children did not, even in 1900, go hunting on horseback. But there is so much really in it, so much tenderness and human understanding, and so much for all Canadians to ponder, of tolerance and racial sympathy, that I was out in the lobby, eyes still wet with tears of all the emotions that can be mixed, before I was struck with a sudden, angry surmise. Why was this picture made in Britain? Why was it not made in Canada? We have the cameras, the cameramen. We have writers, actors. We have technicians, directors, producers. Then why does this beautiful picture about Canada have to be made in a far country? What is it we lack in Canada? Is it money? Are there no rich men ready to gamble on a thing as lovely as The Kidnappers? Somewhere along the line we Canadians are sadly wanting. If you asked us, offhand, what was lacking in us, we would be offended. Yet we swallow the literature of the world and offer nothing in return. We consume the music of the world, and give nothing back. We respond, as fully as any other section of the continent, to the first in movies. But it never occurs to us, when we see a movie like The Kidnappers, to feel a little guilty that strangers had to make it, about us. What the Sam Hill is the matter with us?