Canadian Film Weekly (Jul 13, 1960)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
Jul 13, 1960
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (Jul 13, 1960)
Leaf #:
0000
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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Vol. 25, No. 28 VOICE of the CANADIAN MOTION PICTURE Incorporating the CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST (Founded !|915) INDUSTRY TORONTO, July 13, 1960 ASTRAL: MAKING IT THE HARD WAY HOW TO GROW IN BAD TIMES; OFFERING 36 FEATURES The phenomenon of growth during a period of great contraction in the motion picture industry has no better example than that of Astral Films Ltd., Toronto, which is headed by I. H. (Izzy) Allen and which has Jerry Solway as its general TV Hurt Films? On The Contrary Television has not curtailed or diminished the showings of the National Film Board in non-ITV areas in any way but “is an incentive and serves to accelerate them,”’ the Hon. Ellen Fairclough, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, told the House of Com (Continued on Page 6) The Jule Allens Mark 50th Anni Fiftieth wedding anniversary celebration of Mr. and Mrs. Jule Allen in Toronto recently brought to mind the contribution of the Allens and Louis Rosenfeld to the development of the Canadian motion picture industry. Sara Rosenfeld, who — said The Brantford (Continued on Page 6) Ottawa TV To Bushnell, NTA, Caldwell Et Al Recommendation that the TV licence for Ottawa's third station (the CBC operates English and French-language stations there) be awarded to the E. L. Bushnell Television Co. Ltd. was made after its capital city hearings by the Board of Broadcast Governors. The Bushnell group, which won out over four applicants, has 37 shareholders, among them NTA _ Telefilm (Canada) Ltd., an N. A. Taylor Associates company headed by David Griesdorf in which NTA of the USA is a partner; Granada TV Network of the UK, subsidiary of a theatre circuit; and Spence Caldwell, Toronto film studio owner and TV sales-and-service operator. Bushnell is also a director of another successful company, to be incorporated by E. G. Archibald of station CHOV, Pembroke, the BBG favoring its appli (Continued on Page 6) No Production Letup By United Artists With seven major productions starting in July, United Artists will have the largest number of new films to go before the cameras in one month this year of any motion picture company. The features for UA release will be made in Holly wood; Reno, Nev.; St. Louis, Mo.; New York City; and overseas in Spain. They will represent a wide range of motion picture entertainment. The films include The Misfits, starring Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, Montgomery Clift, Eli Wallach and Thelma Ritter, and directed by John Huston, Arthur Miller wrote the original screenplay and Frank Taylor will produce the Seven Arts Production, (Continued on Page 5) Foy's "Big Boston Robbery’ Jerry Hopper has been signed by Bryan Foy to direct his The Big Boston Robbery at Paramount. 7c Bob Mockie (ee Jack Byrne At MGM Spiegel NAC Director & Region 7 Special Rep Sydney Speigel of Toronto, vicechairman of the Canadian Region of the National Association of Concessionaires and manager of Super Pufft Popcorn Ltd., has been appointed NAC vice-president for Region No. 7. He will therefore be v-p for his own group and a director on the board of the parent organization. Chairman of the Canadian Region, which is No. 7, is J. J. Fitzgibbons, Jr., general manager of Theatre Confections Ltd., Toronto. NAC bylaws now call for seven such y-p’s. manager. Allen has just been elected president of the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association. Not too many years ago Astral was one of the small Canadian independent distributors in a field dominated by very large companies. Today it often racks up more in a week in key cities than those companies. And some of the leading figures in the past operations of those firms are Astral associates. Astral is associated with A. W. (Continued on Page 3) 20th-Fox Pacts Ina Balin As a result of work in From the Terrace, In alin has been signed to a long-term contract by 20th-Fox. Toronto Tent Got 60 Gs Via VCI The sum of $60,000 came to the Variety Club of Toronto for Variety Village as the profit of the recent International convention, it was revealed by R. W. Bolstad, finance chairman, at the regular monthly meeting. The meeting, designated a ‘‘Salute to the Con (Continued on Page 3) Shelly To Reorganize? Reorganization of Shelly Films Ltd., Toronto lab and rental studio, is being negotiated by Leon Shelly, president, following reported financial difficulties. The negotiations, if successful, will bring in new principals. Shelly services Fox’ Canadian Movietone News, with Charlie Quick the lenser. Successor to John P. Byrne, who resigned as MGM's general sales manager recently in a surprise move, is Robert Mochrie, with the company for the past three years. Mochrie, an industry veterar. has been working TORONTO CHANGES OF RUN A number of changes of run have been announced in the Famous Players, B & F and 20th Century Theatres groups in Toronto. Commencing July 15 the Palace and Parkdale theatres will join the Nortown group which, also, presently comprises the Birchcliff and Westwood in playing day-and-date on a direct or delayed moveover run from first run. On July 11 the Runnymede, College and Beach theatres will join the 20th Century Theatres’ Downtown group of theatres in a day-anddate combination. On July 18 the State, Kingsway and Scarboro theatres, presently in the 20th Century Theatres group and B & F Theatres’ Donlands, Eastwood and Parliament theatres will join the Famous Players’ “Show of the Week.” VANCOUVER PIONEERS’ PICNIC Vancouver branch of the Canadian Picture Pioneers has arranged “a picnic for everybody in the industry within driving, boating or flying distance of the city” on Sunday, July 31 at Birch Bay, Washington, USA. Harry Woolfe and Art Graburn represent the exchanges, Frank Marshall and Bob Kelly Odeon Theatres and Dick Letts and his assistant at the Strand Theatre Famous Players. President of the branch is Donn G. Foli. All theatres within two hours of Birch Bay by the new Vancouver Island ferry service have been invited. “The Pioneers will pick up the tabs, aided we hope by small donations from the two circuits, but either way we figure that this, the first industry get-together in years, is a morale builder,” says Foli. “It will be something to convince the youngsters, and some of the oldsters too, that this industry is very much alive and far from moribund.” on Ben-Hur for the past year. The assistant general sales manager is Herman Ripps, formerly Western Div sales manager. Maurice Lefko, who joined MGM in July, will handle Ben-Hur domestically. He was with 80 Days. ips