Canadian Film Weekly (Feb 20, 1957)

Page scan 0002 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Feb 20, 1957
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Feb 20, 1957)
Leaf #:
0002
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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| ; | | f | | February 20, 1957 NON-TH. VS. TV (Continued from Page 1) tion agency, is shipping a record number of subjects. Chatwin does have a reservation. “I don’t wish to give the impression that television has had no effect on our non-theatrical distribution, for most certainly it has had an effect,” he wrote to Fraser when the latter was president of the Association of Canadian Motion Picture Producers and Laboratories of Canada. ‘‘We note, for example, that community film showings are declining in those areas well covered by television, such as Southern Ontario. We find, however, that in most areas the decline in general interest showing is more than offset by an increase in more specialized showings. Nontheatrical films are being used for more specific purposes—as instructional and informational material, or as discussion starters.”’ One thing that isn’t quite clear about the National Film Board and television: if, as estimated, the government agency now spends more than half its $3,000,000-plus budget on TV, how does it manage to keep up its pre-TV standards in the non-TV field? Do the films it makes for CBC telecasting—at apparently no cost to the federal radio-TV subsidiary—get the same number of non-theatrical showings afterwards as they would have gotten had they been kept off TV? The NFB-CBC picture is a puzzling one anyway: the NFB is shooting the pilot film for the CBC-TV series, Jake and the Kid. Has some mutual working agreement been developed which hasn’t been made public? To return to TV and non-theatrical showing. Chatwin gives figures for non-theatrical exhibition during the five years that TV has grown into its present place. In 1951-52 there were 151,196 showings for 11,610,232 viewers. These grew to 205,985 showings for 14,469,686 viewers in 1955-56. Distribution went up 12.4 per cent in terms of showings and attendance 9.2, says Chatwin, and sale of 16 mm. prints to non-government purchasers increased by 24.2. Charles Topshee, director of the Canadian Film Institute, says that its distribution of non-theatrical films went up by 12 per cent last year. Fraser says Crawley’s is making as many non-TV films as ever and those being made for TV are in addition. “Indeed, there is some reason to believe that television has stimulated the non-theatrical use of 16 mm. films by creating a widespread interest in visual media,’’ says Chatwin. Bob Hope, Fernandel Teamed Bob Hope-and Fernandel will be teamed in an original comedy, Trouble in Paris, to be filmed in the French capital and released by United Artists. CANADIAN FILM WEEKLY Kenneth Winckles, TRO, Welcomed to Toronto Press and motion picture industry folk joined Odeon executives in the University Room of the Park Plaza, Toronto, to chat with Kenneth Winckles, joint assistant managing director of The Rank Organization. In the top photo are Frank Fisher, L. W. Brockington, Winckles and C. R. B. Salmon—top: Rank officers in Canada. The bottom photo, from the left, shows well-known members of the general and trade press: Jay Smith, Clyde Gilmour, Steve York, Winckles, Jack Karr and Hye Bossin. Looking for a Real Bargain in Theatre Seating? We have 500 USED PUSH BACK chairs, thoroughly reconditioned with new upholstery, new baked enamel finish, new wood arms. TRULY A WONDERFUL BUY. Write today. Terms available. CANADIAN SEATING CO. LTD. 40 ST. PATRICK ST. TORONTO CANADA Page 3 HONOR HOGAN (Continued from Page 1) hibitor. With F. Gordon Spencer in the chair, many of the guests rose to pay tribute to Hogan for his fine character, this being climaxed by the presentation of a typewriter to the guest of honor by Reginald G. March, who retired from the industry in 1956, in behalf of the gathering. The dinner was sponsored by the Maritime Allied Exhibitors Association in conjunction with the Motion Picture Pioneers and the Film Board of Trade. Spencer is the NB vice-president of the firstnamed body. . Pat, described as “Mr. Newfoundland’”’ on the invitations, expressed his thanks in the quiet and sincere manner with which his personality has been identified by two generations of show people. Others speaking at the gathering included I. J. Davis, on behalf of the Maritime Film Board; Leslie A. Sprague, president of the Maritime Motion Picture Pioneers; F. Harrison Howe, James Mitchell, Joshua Lieberman, S. A. Babb, L. J. April, and A. A. Fielding, all speaking for the exhibitors; and Joseph LeBlanc, Shediac, for Independent exhibitors. A native of Carbonneur, Newfoundland, Hogan left his birthplace at an early age to follow special training in the film industry in New York, where he became affiliated with Paramount. After acquiring experience, he came to Saint John where he has remained since that time. At present Hogan is also an associate of a Famous Players enterprise located at St. John’s, Newfoundland. Nominate Ten Shorts For Oscar Contest Short subject nominations for the Academy Awards, selected by a special committee, are: Cartoons: The Jaywalker, Gerald McBoing-Boing on Planet Moo, Mister Magoo’s Puddle Jumper. One-reel live short subjects: I Never Forget a Face, Crashing the Water Barrier, Time Stood Still. Two-reel: Cow Dog, The Bespoke Overcoat, The Dark Wave, Samoa. REESE, OUR BUSINESS (Continued from Page 2) seems clearer for the survival of certain theatres, even though the die has been cast for the demise of others. The biggest problem continues to be the lethargy of the public —its lack of urge to regularly leave home and visit a theatre. We know that despite the showing of old movies on TV or the presentation of live TV shows, good motion pictures in theatres offer better opportunity for enjoyment. The problem remains to get the public out.