Canadian Film Weekly (May 1, 1970)

Page scan 0004 from Canadian Film Weekly

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Film Weekly
Date:
May 1, 1970
Volume:
Canadian Film Weekly (May 1, 1970)
Leaf #:
0004
Language:
English
Collection:
Global Cinema, Canada, and Hollywood Studio System
Format:
periodicals
Contributor:
Media History Digital Library, Canadian Media Magazines Project, 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:
April 11, 2024
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May 1, 1970 CANADIAN FILM WEEKLY ~ Ss Page 5 GALA NIGHT — More than 3,000 people filled Toronto’s Imperial Theatre the night of April 20 for a silent film revival of Mary Pickford’s ‘’Follyanna’’, marking an official observance of Famous Players’ 50th anniversary. Tie-in was the fact that “Pollyanna” played Famous’ flagship theatre, the Regent (in Toronto), when the company was incorporated in 1920. Top two photos upper left: Buddy Rogers, husband of Mary Pickford and guest of honor at the special showing, arrives at the theatre in a vintage car and has a large crowd of young and old admirers waiting for him. Middle left, a lobby display showing scenes from “Pollyanna” and promotional copy for the added features — organ music by Horace Lapp and a special showing of pen and ink portraits of silent film stars by the outstanding Canadian artist, Harold Town. Two photos bottom left: Buddy Rogers presents cheques from Famous Flayers and from himself and wife, totalling more than $9,000, to Pauline Ashmeade representing the Canadian Arthritis and Rheumatism Society, in whose behalf the ‘Pollyanna’ showing was held; Rogers also goes backstage to cut a Famous anniversary cake during a post-presentation party. While in Toronto, Rogers worked a full day to help promote the benefit event, including radio interviews (one with CFRB’s Betty Kennedy, top right) and TV talk shows (middle right with Elvood Glover on CBC’s Luncheon Date). Bottom right shows Rogers at the backstage party flanked by (I. to r.) Jim Cameron, who helped organize the event for Famous; Horace Lapp, who had played organ in the Imperial in 1920 when it was the Fantages; Phil Traynor, manager of the Imperial, and, on the extreme right, Les Mitchell, Famous Players district manager. — Photos by Len Bishop. Elizabeth Hartman, whose first motion picture in 1965 won her an Academy Award nomination for best actress, has been signed to join Clint Eastwood and Geraldine daur, John Vernon and France Nuyen star in the feature produced xf by Robert Arthur. Andrew V. oo ing ea McLaglen directed from Dick Nelson’s screenplay. * oo * Page in Universal’s Beguiled, Civil War drama of the south now film Pieces of Dreams has been set ing on location in Baton Rouge, La. Don Siegel is directing. * * * Warren Beatty and Julie Christie will star in The Presbyterian Church Wager, a Robert Altman David Foster production for War ner Bros. Set in the western town of Presbyterian Church in the 1890s, it is the story of a _ small-time gambler, his love affair with the’ madam of a brothel and his battle to save the town from being taken over by the Eastern mining establishment. ; Filming is scheduled to begin in mid-October. * * * H. Fleet, Robber is announced by Universal as the new title for the western drama filmed under the working title of Hark. George. Peppard, Diana Mul as the new title for The Wine and the Music. Robert Blumofe produced and Daniel Haller directed the film for release by United Artists. Robert Forster and Lauren Hutton star in the story of a priest who falls in love.