Canadian Film Weekly (Sep 28, 1955)

Page scan 0005 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Sep 28, 1955
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Sep 28, 1955)
Leaf #:
0005
Language:
English
Subjects:
Motion Pictures, Film Industry Trade Magazine",Canad
Collection:
Canada, Hollywood Studio System, and Global Cinema
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 08, 2024
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Page 6 FILM DELIVERY (Continued from Page 1) exchange along major provincial highways to pick up and deliver films and advertising from theatres along the route. Carbons and tickets will be delivered to exhibitors requiring them at no extra charge. Incorporated under the name of Paragon Theatre Services Limited, the delivery service will operate out of 310 Colony St. on Filmrow in Winnipeg and is a subsidiary of Paragon Theatres Company Limited, whose officers are Joe Harris and Hugh Vassos. Submission of a preliminary brief as well as three hearings were required by the Motor Carrier Branch of the Manitoba Public Utility Board before the film delivery was granted PSV rights in the province and classified as a federal carrier. Trucking and railroad association representatives took an active interest and participated in the hearings. The Saskatchewan Highway Traffic Board also granted equal rights to Paragon after the presentation of an extensive brief and questioning in Regina. Letters from circuit and independent exhibitors of both provinces were filed with the respective boards to prove the service was desired by theatre owners for reasons other than economic ones, Exhibitors who have always deplored their excessive express charges because of their distance from Winnipeg will finally receive relief through the reduced flat monthly rates to be charged by the new company. John Ferguson, Famous Players’ Western supervisor, said in his letter: “We are pleased to hear that finally something concrete is being done about film delivery service in Western Canada. We approve 100 per cent the plan of Paragon to inaugurate a country-wide film delivery service from the Winnipeg film exchange.” Equal support came from Odeon-Morton Theatres’ general manager, H. W. Hurwitz: “Of all the problems of theatre management, never has there been a greater need for a better country film delivery service.” To go into operation shortly is the Winnipeg-Regina-Moose Jaw-Souris route, servicing all theatres along Highway No. 1, Sask. Nos. 33, 13 and Man. No. 2. Other routes to be successively established are to Saskatoon; through southern Manitoba Saskatchewan; the north run through Dauphin-Yorkton-Melville; and other tributaries where the boards have granted the rights to Paragon. Ben Sommers, appointed manager of the Paragon film delivery, made these comments about the new service: “The entire project will be geared to CANADIAN FILM WEEKLY Ea} & THE MOVIES 100% oe te AF * 3 oe suey aaa . One of the Floats in Ottawa 'Movie Month’ Parade This float in the great parade celebrating Ottawa’s ‘Movie Month" was created by the Ottawa Theatre Managers Association. It recalls the progress of the movies for the viewer. the traditional motto ... ‘the show must go on.’ Drivers will be bonded, uniformed, drive the latest equipment and be devoted exclusively to the fast, courteous delivery of film and advertising. Regardless of weather or other handicaps, Paragon intends to fulfill its obligations to the exhibitor by whatever physical means exist under the circumstances.” The formation of this film de livery project is a direct result of incessant demands by Western exhibitors at annual association meetings that something be done about existing express rates, which may spiral. As president of the Manitoba Motion Picture Exhibitors Association, Sommers has been fully aware of this unsatisfactory situation and together with Harris and Vassos formed the new outfit to solve the problem. WESTREXS ——— “PENTHOUSE” REPRODUCER Call it a ‘penthouse’, ‘sandwich’ or ‘buttonon’ reproducer, the Westrex is the simplest and cheapest way to get stereophonic sound reproduction from a complete print. It can be used with any modern projector or soundhead., It is small and does not interfere with operation of projection equipment. Replaceable magnetic pick-up tracks—a Westrex exclusive feature. Westrex is film-pulled and re guires no special lubrication or maintenance. Write or ask for complete details; DOMINION SOUND Equipments Limited HEAD OFFICE: BRANCHES AT: 4040 St. Catherine Street West, Montreal. Halifax, Saint John, Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa; Toronto, Hamilton, London, North Bay, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, DS-55-22 September 28, 1955 | News Clips Canadian actress Suzanne Cloutier of Ottawa won praise for her role of Desdemona in Othello, in which Orson Welles stars, at the New York preem of the film... Jacques Saurio], « member of the Quebec Board of Cinema Censors and one of the staff of the tabloid, Nouvelles et Potins, was one of those charged with libel and obscene publication in Montreal Mayor Jean Drapeau’s crackdown on scandal sheets for attacks on Pacifique Plante, assistant director of police. Sauriol opposed Drapeau in the last election . . . First commercial TV programs in the UK were presented on September 22. Saskatoon’s crown attorney has launched an appeal against the decision dismissing the charges that Foto-Nite is a lottery... Intensified all-media backing will be given UA’s Gentlemen Marry Brunettes in each key opening with the allocation of a $500,000 promotion budget . . . Robert Gordon Edwards has left Italian Films Export to become director of the newly-created public relations department of Titanus Films, Italy’s largest and oldest production outfit. The company plans a big foreign expansion program .. . Special programs at the Glebe, Ottawa, , include Richard Dyer-Bennett and Marcel Marceau. Dividend of 371, cents payable on September 28 for the quarter ending September 30 has been declared by Famous Players Canadian Corporation ... Transmitter tests are under way for Canada’s newest TV _ station, CKBB-TV, Barrie. Experiments show that the new Channel 3 station does not interfere with reception from the two Buffalo stations on Channels 2 and 4. Construction is under way for Lethbridge’s TV station and it is expected to go into operation this year. Westinghouse is supplying the equipment. Walt Disney’s latest True Life Adventure feature, The African Lion, is breaking house records in its first engagements in the USA ... Sale of the Orpheum in Fort William, Ontario, by Famous Players was commented on in a nostalgic editorial in the Fort William Daily Times Journal . . . Ralph Budd, personnel director for Warners, will make 30 speeches in and around NY to service organizations on “What Is a Motion Picture”... The Chatham, NB, Commercial World reprimanded editorially children and their parents for wanton damaging of theatre property.