Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Apr-Sep 1918)

Page scan 000134 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Apr-Sep 1918
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Apr-Sep 1918)
Leaf #:
000134
Language:
English
Collection:
Hollywood Studio System, Global Cinema, Early Cinema, and Canada
Format:
periodicals
Contributor:
New York Public Library
Sponsor:
Google Books
Coordinator:
Media History Digital Library
Description:

Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Editors: Merrick R. Nutting (1917-18), Raymond S. Peck (1918), Ray Lewis (1918-19 and 1920-54), Walter Greene (1919-20), Jay Smith (1954-57)

Canadian Moving Picture Digest (1917-57) was initially a Montréal-based rival of the first film paper in Canada, Toronto-based Canadian Universal Bulletin (1915-18, edited by W.A. Bach 1915-17, J.W. Cambridge 1917-18, Raymond S. Peck 1918). The two periodicals were combined in 1918, keeping the Digest name, but moving production to Toronto with Peck as editor. Canadian Moving Picture Digest assumed The Bulletin’s volume numbering and always claimed 1915 as its year of origin. Ray Lewis (née Rae Levinsky) was a writer and playwright, who spent time in early Hollywood’s publicity departments. She briefly took the Digest helm in 1918, then long-term editor, later owner and publisher, from 1920 until her death in 1954. Under Lewis’s leadership, the trade paper claimed to serve as a voice for independent exhibitors and advocated for a Canadian cultural presence in cinema, particularly emphasizing British films as a way to keep a distance from Hollywood. Lewis's editorials were notable for their advocacy, wit, and critique of American dominance in the Canadian film market. While initially positioning herself as an outsider, she became integrated within the industry and a true insider. She even had an ongoing correspondence with Canadian Prime Minister R. B. Bennett, advocating for the industry as a whole and supporting British film imports. She was well-known at Toronto’s Dundas Square film row as well as in New York and Hollywood. Variety’s Sime Silverman called her “the Girl Friend in Canada,” and she delighted when U.S. writers not “in the know” presumed “Ray” was a man’s name. Lewis was later an inaugural member of the Canadian Picture Pioneers, eventually the group’s first female president and Pioneer of the Year. After she died in 1954, her son Jay Smith took over editorial duties until Canadian Moving Picture Digest was bought by Nat Taylor’s Film Publications of Canada in 1957. Taylor incorporated the legacy journal into a joint masthead for Canadian Film Weekly (1942-70), which subsequently dated its roots back to the 1915 origins of the film press in Canada.

– Jessica Whitehead and Paul Moore, March 2024

Further Reading

  • Whitehead, Jessica, Louis Pelletier and Paul Moore, “‘The Girl Friend in Canada’: Ray Lewis and Canadian Moving Picture Digest (1915–1957).” In Daniel Biltereyst and Lies Van de Vijver, eds., Mapping Movie Magazines: Digitization, Periodicals and Cinema History, 127-52. London: Pagrave-Macmillan, 2021.

Date Added:
June 13, 2024
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THE CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST. in “WID'S" Last Issue REAL SERVICE” Page Five It Was Fun to Say ‘‘No.’’ Mv work has brought me many offers at handsome salaries, I had the extreme pleasure recently of refusing an offer of $50,000 a year. I prefer to remain my own boss. Generally Skim Ads. First. Everyone everywhere said that in reading the present day trade papers they skim through the ads. first. It was generally agreed that an ideal sorvice for the busy man would be a combination of accurate, honest reviews, condensed news without any press agent bunk, and official announcements by the mannfacturers—aceurate because they are paid for. Good Morey Wasted. Everywhere I found the exhibitors complaining over the advertising money being wasted by the distributing companies in tha various trade papers. They all said: worn-out adiectives and fancy-colored inserts don’t sell us any film, and I never see more than one of the seven or eight hooks he prints this ad. in, anyway. Why doesn’t the producer spend this money in helping us reach the public? Why not give us those fine plates for oud ads.? Real Service Needed. Mr. Exhibitor is right. The producers need exploitation service devartments in their exchanges, with men there on the job to actually see that the exhibitor gets the proper assistance in putting vver a film. These men should make regular trips to the theatres playing that company’s films. That is practical, efficient business. After Sixty Days. It is of no use to advertise with glowing adjectives and faney colors to reach 9 man who is going to plav a film after it has played for sixty days in his territory. He has had a shanee in that time to fivd out whether the film is great, geod, poor or rotten, by enquiring of his friends who ran it. Whatever the producer said about it sixty days before means little in his young hfe. Vifty vrints playing sixty days means 5,000 theatres, and when you count weck runs, three-day runs and time lost in shipping, it will be nearer four menths before 3,090 different theatres play a film. Reach Rea! Owners. W1D’S ig now being read by the owners of over 5,000 theatres. There is no wasted news stand cireulation—no fan “reulation. The actual uwners—the men who transact the theatres’ Dusiness—read W1D’S, My Daily news service will soon bring this vireulation to a poiut where every person in the film industry of any importance whatever will be reading WID’S every day. WiD’S now offers the producer an opportunity to reach ‘ne real people in the industry without wasting his money in multiple page ads. and colored inserts in publications that are not read. Merit Downed Accusations. Undoubtedly the fact that no advertising was accepted from mannfacturers of features gave WID’S a unique prestige of independence from the start. Soon, however, exchange men and salesmen began te say that WID’S did not Google “<These | accept advertising but did iceent money without printing the ads., and then it was necessary for WID’S to fight :arough on sheer merit. WID’S has done this, and has made good. I have a reputation for sincerity that is priceless. An Efficient Buy. In the future anyone whe desires may take advantage of the ideal circulation of WID’S to reach the busy, worthwhile individuals in the film industry. They may buy space at regular rates and make announcements. They will get the spare they pay for--nothing more. They will get no p:etures of stars, no fake interviews with the boss, no stories alout Lizzie knitting sweaters—in other words, none of the usual bunk. No Chance for Arguments. In order that there shall never be any chance for a misunderstanding, all advertising is to be paid for cash with’ ‘*copy.’’ This is to avoid the possibility of having anyone feel that an overdue pill might have had something to do with a difference of opinion as to the merits of any film. T am playing the game with my cards on the table and am making it very clear to every advertiser that he is buying valuable advertising space and nothing else. Spacso Limited. There will be only about 30 advertising spaces to be sold in the Sunday issue. It will never be enlarged. WID’S will never be bulky for two splendid reasons: One is that it heecomes hard to read; the other is that when the cost of publishing exceeds the revenue from subscriptions, the publisher is at the mercy of the advertiser. I intend to keep | clear of any sueh embarrassing condition. WID’S will always be independent. A Complete Service. WID S was huilt for service. It now presents a comprehensive, intelligent service to the entire industry. . WID'S service will never he dependent on advertising | support, and I yuarantee to all my subscribers that my reviews will continue to Le as hcnest, fearless and independent as in the past. I valne my reputation above everything clse. Reputation at Stake. It is all a question of personal integrity. I have my prestige at stake. I guarantee intelligent service and feel that by offering to the busy man, in tabloid form, reviews, eondensed news. and advertising announcements, I am pre senting the most perfect and efficient service ever conceived 1a the film industry. The duily service will begin on May 8th. Do your bit to-day, and tell your friends about this wonderfu) new daily service of news and reviews. Surely that is worth ten dollars a year of any man’s money. Remeinber, the daily news and reviews in the Sunday issue, all for ten dollars. Write to Bill, and Jim, and Steve, and te! them to join the Happy Family. They will all want the Daily, whether they do the hooking for their houses or not. Do your bit to-day; and remember—I always welcome 3uggestions! WID GUNNING