Canadian Film Weekly (Mar 7, 1956)

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Mar 7, 1956
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Mar 7, 1956)
Leaf #:
0004
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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* March 7, 1956 CANADIAN FILM WEEKLY Observanda WE OF THE Society For the Return of Legal Government to the 13 Colonies (Ken Johnson, president) would like to disavow any connection with the recent “raid” on four USA towns ‘near Kingston, from whence came the Queen’s U students who hoisted the Union Jack and reclaimed the territory for George III. Their proclamation described George Washington as a “rebel without cause” — which is the name of a Warner Bros. picture. Irving Herman, where were you on the night of February 22?. . . Subpoena that man! In Maclean’s Bruce Hutchison refers to “organized crime and commercialized vice’ in Toronto . .. The first annual stockholders’ meeting of Loew’s was held at 10 a.m. in Loew’s State, NYC, with floor mikes for the : stockholders. Would be an interesting thing for Famous Players to do here . . . Joe Franklin’s friend, Carl Alpert, tells about the two Miami visitors who had met first in the Fontainebleau last year. One of the ladies was staying in a newly-opened > hotel and the other asked why she hadn’t stayed at the Fontainebleau again. Answered the lady: “I don’t go to used hotels”... Dave Griesdorf, Chief Barker of the Variety Club here, belonged to the LA tent when he was there with UA. He has a desk set with this on it: “Sincerest best wishes—Variety Club of Los Angeles—December 1, 1941.” He was leaving tthe city. THE RISE OF PRM from $19 to $41 per share in a week was due, I hear, to the buy of the Warner TV lot of films by Lou Chesler, board chairman, and associates. Two of three more films being bid for are Going My Way and Bells of St. Mary’s. Elliot Hyman of NY is in the deal too .. . Mrs. Helen Langham, film officer for the Stratford Festival, was in town and talked with Clyde Gilmour, Gerald Pratley, Dr. Roby Kidd and yours truly, among others, about what ought to be shown this summer. | suggested that a selection committee be formed from representatives delegated by organizations that reflect our knowledge of and interest in the film as art and entertainment. There are in Canada men who are widely known here and abroad as critics and commentators and these could also help. In that way Canadians who give much time and thought to tne film would have a stake in the Stratford Film Festival, which would be benefitted by the official approval of their organizations ... A gem from MGM is Meet Me In Las Vegas, in which Cyd Charisse proves herself an actress with a real flair for comedy. It’s light, bright and fresh . . . Yourll see a great revival in just the right atmosphere when The Great Waltz follows The Rose Tattoo into the University . . . Don't Remember ever seeing those fine human interests events, baby shows and dog shows, on TV. They could get a certain sponsor and call it The Gillette Cavalcade of Spurts . . . CBC-TV’s Folio will do The Face of Canada on March 25. Leading photogs will provide their favorite shots and Harry Boyle will do the narration. $ $ POPCORN MACHINES SNACK BAR EQUIPMENT MONEY MAKING MACHINES PRICED FOR QUICK SALE You Will Be Glad You Noticed This Ad DEMONSTRATORS SAMPLES TRADE-INS PRICED AMAZINGLY Low WRITE WIRE OR PHONE SUPER PUFFT POPCORN LTD. 97 Duke St. EM. 3-1081 Toronto WESTERN SUPER PUFFT POPCORN LTD. 243 Lilac St. 47433 Winnipeg $. Page 5 V ariviews THEY WANTED a cartoon for the Saturday matinee of Hill 24, the Israeli feature at the Vaughan. When Aldo Maggiorotti, WB booker, was told the one asked for, he suggested gently that perhaps a Jewish audience, especially on the Sabbath, might not be entertained by—Porky Pig... The Dutchies, our Olympic hockey team, are from Kitchener-Waterloo, a German, not a Dutch, area. Reminds me that German-dialect laughgetters were known as “Dutch comics” in the old days . . . On Tabloid the lofty-domed Lister Sinclair, discussing the origin of St. Valentine’s Day with an interviewer, explained blithely that the elimination of Dutch Schultz by Baby Face Nelson in Chicago on that loving day is how the “St. Valentine’s Massacre” got its name. Where yuh been, man! Five Capones bumped off seven O’Banions . . . /t isn’t true that the musical version of The Bottom of the Bottle will be called The Rock and Rye Waltz... Bill Corum, in the NY Journal-American, wrote about what hard work writing is and how most people think that it’s the greatest cinch in the world. Every writer will understand this: “When folks come to me in the interest of fine causes, as most causes are, and-say: ‘Just dash off about a thousand words for our program,’ I’ve left blood on my tongue more times than once to keep from saying: “Why don’t you sit down some time and just DASH OFF a thousand words?’” Bravo, Bill! . .. The sign of Hollywood success is when a person is paying his psychoanalyst more than he used to earn... Industry romance: Les Hawley, Kenwood manager, is marrying Verna Robb of 20th-Fox. Congrats . . . The Imperial preem of Carousel has hit some boulders and will not go ahead. It’s been dropped . . . Horse player: “I had a sure thing but nothing to bet with. My wife blew all our money on the rent.” EXCLUSIVE CANADIAN DISTRIBUTORS FOR PROJECTION & SOUND EQUIPMENT CENTURY is a name that is solidly established through years of theatre experience —it assures you of the finest quality projection and sound equipment. DSEL stands for service that keeps your box office always open for business. : DSEL is also headquarters for Altec Stereophonic Sound—Wide Screen Equipment— Generators and Rectifiers—All Projection Requirements —(ycloramic Screens. DOMINION SOUND Equipments Limited HEAD OFFICE: 4040 St. Catherine Street West, Montreal. BRANCHES AT: Halifax, Saint John, Quebec, Montreal, : Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, London, North Bay, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver. DS-55-23