158 and Counting

The British North American Act, enacted March 29, 1867 by the British Parliament, provided for Confederation of the three British North American colonies, Canada (Upper and Lower), Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Now much amended as the Constitution Act, 1867, it was proclaimed into law on July 1, 1867 and Canada was born. The first official birthday celebration was in 1868, July 1 being named Dominion Day in 1879 and Canada Day in 1982.

The Star Weekly was published by the Toronto Star from April 9, 1910 until July 1968, then by Southam Press until December 29, 1973. Here we return to 1966 Canada with the May 14, 1966 issue; 100 pages for 20 cents or free with your Saturday newspaper in selected cities.

Star Weekly (40 pages). The cover story is about a different kind of threat to Canadian sovereignty than we see now. It focuses on Canadian corporations sold to foreign ones. An interested reader could also find an article about treasure hunting in the waters off Cape Breton and a column by Wayne and Shuster. Short fiction, recipes, gardening tips and a crossword puzzle are included.

The Canadian (28 pages) Volume 2, number 19. An article on Toronto's first modern skyscraper, the Toronto Dominion Bank Tower, is followed by Barbara Frum's "Pretty Hip Dames", about mothers earning PhDs.

Novel (12 pages). The Baron and the Chinese Puzzle by Anthony Morton (John Creasey) (1908-1973). Illustrated by Colette McNeil. Like many of the Star Weekly novels this is promoted as "First Publication Anywhere".

Comics (20 pages). Twenty comics including Dick Tracy, Popeye, Prince Valiant, Steve Canyon, Blondie plus other features.

Star Weekly May 14, 1966

Star Weekly The Canadian May 14, 1966

Star Weekly Novel May 14, 1966

Star Weekly Comics May 14, 1966

Star Weekly Novel Part XIII

Continuing my discussion of the artists who worked on the Star Weekly Novel from 1938 to 1973. I have identified the artist for 700 of the approximately 1900 issues. There are 99 artists who worked on these 700 issues, 86 with less than 10. Three have more than 50 issues, including William Book (1906-1966) who did 107 of them from 1941 to 1956. Only information on Book I can find is that he was born in North Bay, Ontario.

Here are three of his covers.

January 28, 1950 - Image of a Murder by Paul Capon (1912-1969), T. V. Boardman, 1949. Two illustrations.

July 26, 1952 - Having No Heart by Elisabeth Margetson (1898-?), Ward Lock, 1952. One illustration.

July 7, 1945 - Short Leash by Bertrand Shurtleff (1897-1967), Bobbs-Merrill, 1945. Two illustrations.

Star Weekly Complete Novel January 28, 1950

Star Weekly Complete Novel July 26, 1952

Star Weekly Complete Novel July 7, 1945

Star Weekly Novel Part XII

Virtually all of the nearly 1900 issues of the Star Weekly Novel published between 1938 and 1973 had at least one illustration. So far I have identified the artist for 320 of the issues with illustrations by 63 artists. Here I'll highlight three of the artists seen on the 64 (76 issues) Erle Stanley Gardner titles published from 1942 to 1973.

October 16, 1943 - The Case of the Buried Clock, two illustrations by Eloise Noel Smith. I can find no information about her.

February 2, 1946 - The Case of the Half-Wakened Wife, two illustrations by Elsie Julia Miller. Here is a short biography.

June 12, 1954 - The Case of the Green Eyed Sister, one illustration by Mabel McDermott. I have found a 1936 Chatelaine cover by McDermott.

Star Weekly Complete Novel June 12, 1954

Star Weekly Complete Novel February 2, 1946

Star Weekly Complete Novel October 16, 1943

Star Weekly Novel Part XI

Between 1938 and 1973 Star Weekly published (I estimate) 1700 titles as inserts in the Saturday edition of the Toronto Star and other papers. I have identified about 1325 of those titles by 660 different authors.

Here are three from the last five years of the run when many of the titles were published over two or three weeks. All are 12 pages.

April 12, 1969 (part 2) - The Astrid Factor by Douglas Orgill (1922-1984), Peter Davies, 1968.

February 12, 1972 (part 2) - The Freedom Trap by Desmond Bagley (1923-1983), Wm. Collins, 1971. Filmed in 1973 as The Mackintosh Man with Paul Newman.

July 21, 1973 (part 2) - Decked With Flowers by Elizabeth Cadell (1903-1989), Hodder & Stoughton, 1973. Advertised as "First Publication Anywhere". When published as a book the title changed to Deck With Flowers.

Star Weekly - April 12, 1969

Star Weekly - February 12 1972

Star Weekly - July 21, 1973

Canadian Quick Readers Part III

Continuing this series of posts on the Quick Reader imprint published in Canada in 1944 and 1945. Here and here is the background.

One unanswered question is how may of the 49 titles published in the US were published in Canada? A list at the back of #105 (Laugh Your Head Off!) has 25 books from #104 to #133. Note that while this is an early number, titles with much later numbers are listed for sale. The books were either published out of sequence in Canada or reprinted. Also note the new price - 10 cents - down from 15 cents.

Here are two more titles, both anonymously edited original collections.

105  Laugh Your Head Off!. A collection of six stories.

127 Celebrated Stories Made Into Movies. A collection of four stories.

Quick Reader 105

Quick Reader 127

Quick Reader 105