Canadian Film Weekly (May 25, 1955)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
May 25, 1955
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (May 25, 1955)
Leaf #:
0000
Language:
English
Collection:
Global Cinema, Canada, and Hollywood Studio System
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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VOL. 20, No. 21 PAA VOICE of the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY TORONTO, MAY 25, 1955 $3.00 Per Annum $10 MILLION INTO CANADIAN STUDIOS ELASTIC COMES OFF THE B-ROLL FOR BRICKS & MACHINES There’s work to be done and money to be made in the Canadian motion picture production industry which, stimulated by TV possibilities and the growing use of films for sales promotion and public relations, is prepping for a big 13 Gs To VV Via Formby s Show Variety Village got $13,000 from a $40,230.50 gross rung up by George Formby in a one-week six-city tour, for which he came from Britain and donated his services. The lovable Lancashireman, topping a great vaudeville show emceed by Monty (Continued on Page 6) Para Has Strong Short Subject List Fifty-two one-reel subjects, five VistaVision two-reelers in Technicolor and 52 issues of Canadian Paramount News will make up the Paramount Pictures short subjects’ release schedule for the 1955-56 season, @®scar A. Morgan, the depart (Continued on Page 3) UA's Marty, NFB Cartoon Win At Cannes Festival United Artists’ feature, Marty, won the Golden Palm grand prize at the 1955 Cannes International Film Festival, while Norman Mclaren of Canada’s National Film Board took first in the animated cartoon class with Blinkity Blank. WB's East of Eden was the best dramatic film, with Elia Kazan getting special mention for its direction, and Spencer Tracy took the male acting honor for Bad Day at Black Rock. Best actress was Haya Hararit, Israeli star, for Hill 24 Doesn't Answer. Lost Continent, an Italian feature documentary in CinemaScope, won a special jury prize for its beauty and its remarkable use of sound. Two prizes for direction went to Jules Dassin for his work on a@ French picture, Du Rififi Chez Les Hommes, and (Continued on Page 6) Empire-U's U-I Lineup Geared For Big BO Returning from the mid-year sales executive conference of Universal Pictures Company in Hollywood, A. W. Perry and Mark Plottel, respectively president and general man ager of Empire-Universal Films Limited, expressed great enthusiasm about the films they saw and others on the way to Canadian exhibitors. Universal’s top executives, among them Milton R. Rackmil, N. J. Blumberg, Alfred E. Daff, Charles J. Feldman and Edward A. Muhl, welcomed the Canadians to the “sales executives preview” of films to be released between now and the end of the year — films they believe (Continued on Page 7) UA's 'The Indian Fighter’ Elsa Martinelli, fashion model, has been signed to star opposite Kirk Douglas in UA’s The Indian Fighter. UNVEIL PARAMOUNT'S Several thousands guests were present at a Vi demons_ NISTAVISION SCREEN __ AT FPCC'S IMPERIAL Owen Bird Heads BC Exhibitors Assoc'n New president of the British Columbia Exhibitors Association is Owen Bird of the Yoho Theatre, Golden, who stepped up from v-p to succeed Len B. Johnson. Max Chechick took over from Maynard Joiner as _ vicepresident. K. E. Hayter is now treasurer and was succeeded as secretary by G. A. Sutherland. Johnson was named chairman of the committee to look into the support and financing of the proposed MPICC motion picture public relations institute. tration of the new VistaVision screen at the imperial, Toronto — the first in Canada and the second on the continent. The 54’x30’ image of Strategic Air Command drew expres future. To those made for such uses must be added the considerable output of the National Film Board, Provincial Government picture departments and even such semiGovernment setups as the film unit of the Ontario Hydro-Electric Commission. Money talks in this matter of betting on the future of this type of production, with some companies investing additionally to make room for feature films for theatre exhibition. How much money? Hold your breath (Continued on Page 3) 20 In 20 Weeks From Republic Twénty pictures in the 20 weeks beginning early in May is the delivery schedule of Republic product, it was stated in New York by Richard W. Altschuler, director of world-wide sales. This schedule, one of the heaviest in recent film history, (Continued on Page 15) Emp-U, Repub Quits? Strong rumour has it that Empire-Universal won't be handling Republic product after July 31. Emp-U has been releasing the Disney product, which has more on the way. Confirmation is not obtainable as we go to press. The rumour isn’t new. MATHERS UP: GARFIN TO TORONTO A. W. (Alf) Perry, president of Empire-Universal Films Limited, announced several promotions in the company’s sales organization last week in Toronto. In line with Empire-Universal policy, all promotions are from the ranks and take effect June 1. The appointments follow: Herb Mathers, manager of the Toronto branch, moves up to assistant to Mark Plottel, sales manager. Joe Garfin, who joined the company late in 1936, succeeds Mathers as head of the Toronto office, He was Calgary branch manager. Cy Brown, with Empire-Universal since November, 1947, and formerly salesman in Calgary, follows Garfin as supervisor of the office in that city. Mike Brager, formerly booker, takes over as salesman in Calgary. NO CBC TOLL-TV, STATES DUNTON Toll-TV could not be applied in Canada by the CBC, A. Davidson Dunton, chairman of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, told the special Commons Committee in Ottawa last week in reply to a question by W. G. Dinsdale, Progressive-Conservative from Manitoba. He explained that it was neither technically nor financially practical. Another committee member, I. W. Studer, Saskatchewan Liberal, made an interesting observation. “Since the CBC is publicly financed,” he said, “it would be double payas-you-see television.” Nothing was said that indicated a ban on the use of toll TV by private stations, which the CBC licenses and which are subject to its rulings at any time, It should also be noted that stations or enterprises using wire or co-axial cable to transmit TV are outside CBC authority, which extends only to the airwaves. sions of surprise and appreciation and the film, with unprecedented photographic clarity and unusual depth, won applause at its conclusion. It had many scenes that helped VistaVision prove its great value in improving film presentation.