Canadian Film Weekly (Oct 27, 1954)

Page scan 0003 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Oct 27, 1954
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Oct 27, 1954)
Leaf #:
0003
Language:
English
Collection:
Hollywood Studio System, Global Cinema, and Canada
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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Page 4 VARIETY CREW (Continued from Page 1) is known, when a successor to Chief Barker Wm. A. Summerville, retiring from office, will be elected. Some very important matters bearing on the future of the organization’s fund raising will be discussed at the meeting, which will take place in the clubrooms on October 26 between 5.30 and 7 p.m. Following are the names of the candidates standing for election for the 1955 term: Herbert Allen, Premier Operating Limited; George Altman, Mavety Film Delivery; Clare Appel, Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association; Joe Bermack, Peerless’ Films; Charles S. Chaplin, United Artists; Louis Davidson, Barnes & Davidson Theatres; Ed. Fitkin, CBL TV; J. J. Fitzgibbons Jr., Theatre Confections; Sam Glasier, 20th Century-Fox Films; David Griesdorf, Odeon Theatres; Monty Hall, Monty Hall Productions; Herman Heller, Can. Automatic Confections; Paul Johnston, Eaton Auditorium; Dan Krendel, Famous Players; Harry S. 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MGM's "Tender Trap’ Purchase of a new fall Broadway play, The Tender Trap, has been announced by MGM and Dore Schary, studio production head, has already assigned it to Lawrence Weingarten, who has signed a new long-term producer’s contract. Weingarten has been a member of the studio’s executive and production staff. "Bow Tamely To Me' Benedict Bogeaus has borrowed David Farrar from the J. Arthur Rank organization for one of the two starring male roles opposite Barbara Stanwyck in Bow Tamely To Me. RKO Radio will distribute the adventure romance set against the background of Burma jungles. MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS NOW! For the Annual Meeting and Luncheon of the MOTION PICTURE THEATRES ASSOCIATION of ONTARIO to be held THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25th, 1954 at the KING EDWARD HOTEL, TORONTO REGISTRATION 9.30 A.M. BUSINESS MEETING 10 A.M. LUNCHEON | P.M. ARTHUR L. MAYER, Guest Speaker Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario ARCH H. JOLLEY, Secretary 21 Dundas Square EM. 4-9630 Toronto, Ont. Be Sure to Visit the Movie Trade Show! October 27, 1954 25 YEAR CLUB (Continued from Page 1) headed by John J. Fitzgibbons, CBE, while those in the second category were presented with diamond studded membership pins by the president after being inducted by R. W. Bolstad, vicepresident. Bolstad, recalling that Famous Players had paid its first dividend in 1929, the year sound came in, noted that it was now one of the largest operators in the world. ‘Famous Players and Canada have succeeded together,” he said. “We hope that God will be good to you, so that you and Canada and Famous Players will go on successfully together.” Other speakers were Norman Robertson, QC, company counsel; Morris Stein, Eastern Division general manager; and Len Bishop, manager of Shea’s Toronto, who expressed the thanks of the new members. 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