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Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jun 1921-Apr 1922)

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Jun 1921-Apr 1922
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jun 1921-Apr 1922)
Leaf #:
000258
Language:
English
Collection:
Global Cinema, Hollywood Studio System, 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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Regal Announce Complete Program 1921-2 R-C, Realart, Metro, and Special Features announcement of their releas es for 1921-22, which appears in this issue should interest all Canadian exhibitors, as it is without a doubt a wonderful array of productions and stars, Regal Films will continue releasing the same three programs as they have in the past, Metro, RobertsonCole and Realart. They will release twenty-six Metro pictures featuring the following well-known stars: Bert Lytell May Allison Viola Dana May McAvoy Gareth Hughes and twenty-six Robertson-Cole pictures, featuring the following stars: Sessue Hayakawa Pauline Frederick Doris May The last mentioned actress is the latest star to be added to the R-C program. In addition to the stars in the R-C program, Regal will include this year the directors’ productions — all specials directed by Cabanne and Gasnier. These will be supplied in the regular R-C program to all exhibitors holding R-C contracts at no increase of price. Realart certainly looks good this year — there are fifty-two releases, R EGAL FILMS LTD. complete Sen featuring the following stars of great popularity for the Canadian audiences: Bebe Daniels Wanda Hawley Justine Johnstone Alice Brady Constance Binney Mary Miles Minter Realart pictures will be bigger and better this vear than ever before. Harry A. Kaufman, General Sales Manager, is very enthusiastic about Regal pictures this year, and when seen was very busy looking over contracts from the different Regal offices on next year’s output. Regal salesmen are having no difficulty in signing up all exhibitors they call on this year. The exhibitors certainly know a good proposition when they see one, and Regal looks best to-day, with their great output and square deal to the exhibitors. With their wonderful array of productions and stars, Regal is looking forward to a most prosperous year and the biggest business in their history. Sheas Hippodrome, Toronto, played the first 1921-22 Lytell subject— A TRIP TO PARADISE, during the week of September 5th. A TRIP TO PARADISE did big business at the Hippodrome and pleased all patrons. _ Scene from EXTRAVAGANCE, starring MAY ALLISON REGAL RELEASE Digitized by Go gle NEW YORK I BOOK R-C PICTURES CCORDING to advices receivA ed by Regal Films, C. C. Grif fen, vice president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America has booked every available R-C Pieture for his New Piedmont Theatre, Oakland, Cal., Mr. Griffen says that it is absolutely necessary to the industry to keep the independent producers in the field, and that the only way to do it is to book all of their pictures that have boxoffice merits. ‘‘THE RAGE OF PARIS’’ bb HE RAGE OF PARIS,’’ Miss [ du Pont’s first starring vehicle for Universal has been completed at Universal City under the direction of Jack Conway. A colorful dramatic background of Parisian life is provided in the picture which is an adaptation for the screen by Lucien Hubbard of DuVernet Rabell’s magazine story, ‘‘The White Peacock Feather.’’ The action of the piece centres about the romantic incidents in the life of a young American girl, whose bizarre dancing has taken Paris by storm. Adroitly woven into this kaleidoscopic panorama of Parisian life is a love story of tenderest interest. Universal has spared no expense to make this initial starring vehicle of Miss du Pont’s a dramatic and photographic triumph. Unusual and startling lightning effects are said to have been achieved by Conway and Harry Vailejo, his cameraman. A smoothly blending supporting east of note has been assembled for the production. Opposite the new star is Jack Perrin, a popular young leading man. Others in the cast are Ramsey Wallace, Leo White, Eve Southern. Mathilde Brundage, J. J. Lance, Elinor Hancock and Freeman Wood, A wardrobe of elaborate costumes, such as is seldom assembled by one star, is worn by Miss du Pont in this production. An exotic dancing dress of great value, made of red, white and green peacock feathers fastened by strings of pearls, is worn by Miss du Pont and will create a sensation, it is promised. HE well known firm THE l TRANSOCEAN FILM CO. G.m.b.H., Berlin, exporters and importers have opened in Vien na (Austria) under their own name a branch-office. This office will ex ploit German and foreign films and at the same time acquire the Ger man and foreign rights of Austrian productions. Original from UBLIC LIBRARY Page Eleven