Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jun 1921-Apr 1922)

Page scan 000581 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Jun 1921-Apr 1922
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jun 1921-Apr 1922)
Leaf #:
000581
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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QUITY Pictures Corporation will release the ‘‘Black Panther’s Cub’’ at the Imperial in the week of February 19 and it is promised that this picture will be among the hits of the year. Already the private screening on which the Imperial insists before signing a contract for a film has made a great impression on a management that is not easily constrained to enthusiasm. * * * Canuck Film Company is making considerable progress in, this city where it has not long been established. Orders for screen work are coming in daily from prominent firms of Montreal and already the number of theatres contracting to handle the company’s matter has increased to 32. SINGERMAN, formerly a MonI treal newspaperman, and now * running the Premier and Casino theatres in Sherbrooke, had a great clean-up with ‘‘Conflict.’’ Mr. Singerman is renewing acquaintances with confreres of the press in this city whom he has not met for some considerable time. Since going into the picture theatre business he has made good. * * Associated First National Pictures are running an. all-star Thos. H. Ince production ‘‘Hail the Woman’’ which will be released here soon. The Allen theatre has booked ‘‘The Wonderful Thing’’ showing Norma Talmadge. eee RTHUR LARENTE, formerly manager of the Winnipeg office of the Specialty Film Import, has now been appointed permanently to the management of the Montreal office. Arthur is not sorry to receive the Montreal appointment, he regrets Winnipeg where he built up an office and social connection which will long remember him. Conditions in the Manitoba capital are much different to thoge obtaining in Montreal. In the first place the Winnipeggers, he says, seem to be more sociable and they took Arthur to their hearts with eclat, giving him the run of the best, clubs, country and city, golf courses and so om. He had furthermore organized the office there until it almost ran itself. On the whole, however, he Hikes breaking in again and too much ease ig not his forte. Page Rour While of course’ ing Power’’ both running at the Capitol with French and English sub-titles are the two big Regal runs which made the big noise here in January. Rudolf Valentino in the second has all the carrying power necessary and he is also the star of ‘‘Camille’’ in support of Nazimova which makes this one of the great star pictures of the year. It will show early in February at Loew’s and the way in which J. E. Elms will exploit it will be an eyeopener to exhibitors, ‘O UO VADIS”’ and ‘‘Conquer Famous Lasky held recently a screening of ‘‘Fool’s Paradise,’’ a Cecil B. DeMille production, which has been getting the best of opinions. @ 66 IGHTIN’ MAD,”’ a Metro F super special with W. Desmond featured, is another Loew exhibit. and is supplied by Regal. It is claimed to be the greatest Western picture ever. ‘‘Possession,’’ a Robertson-Cole special, showed at the Strand at the end of January. It is taken from Sir Anthony Hope’s famous novel, Phroso. eee Famous Players have released at Imperial ‘‘The Battle of Jutland,’’ which was a corker. Another big Imperial showing was ‘‘Lavender and Old Lace.’’ e * @ Select Pictures Corporation, with Harry Feldstein l®oking after its interests, is installed in Regal offices and are distributing their pictures through that exchange. **. * * M. Cohen, for Famous'Players, has been out over the province on a selling trip. He returned from Three Rivers, Shawinigan, Grand’ Mere, Drummondville, and other places in the Eastern Townships and _ elsewhere, with plenty of contracts. eee E hear sad news about Jake Macklin whose bowling in the Famous Lasky ten pin bowling club has been the cause of some criticism lately. Jake is all right as a picture salesman but his bowling is punk, the experts claim. In spite however of Jake the club figures on easily winning the Film Exchange Bowling League Trophy. This is entirely due to the marvellous play of A. Ritehie and 8. Leavitt who have the fans completely dumbfounded with their brilliant style. Google _ British Industries Fair Feb. 27th to March 10th “HE promotion of a successful’ trade fair cannot be achieved by good organization alone. Of greater importance are quality and price of the goods shown. In both London and Birmingham the management of the British Industries Fair from Feb. 27th to March 10th, 1922, has the advice of Committees which include the names of prominent business men who devote much time and thought to the arrangement of the Fair thus ensuring a display of goods complete, alike from the point of view of diversity and excellence. The progressive man of business, whether buyer or seller, has recognized in the trade fair an essential element in the machinery of modern: commerce. It is at the British Industries Fair that new ideas in manufacture are found displayed alongside well-known staples. The Fair provides a great stimulus to competition With many manufacturers in an industry exhibiting their products side by side, rivalry is keen, and the buyer profits accordingly. Every possible facility is at the disposal of Canadian buyers who visit the Fair which will be found to be the finest display of quality goods in the world, including screen accessories. ee Carl H. Shalit, manager of the Canadian Educational Pictures, is back in town from his honeymoon and has everything set to clean up. Stopping National Film Theft ' | Work of National A, M. P. I. NATIONAL film theft bill which seeks to protect the motion picture industry from film piracy both here and abroad has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Joseph Walsh of Massachusetts, on behalf of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry. The bill was drawn by Chairman H. Minot Pitman of the National Association’s Film Theft Committee, after a conference in Washington with Department of Justice officials, members of Congress and Jack §. Connelly, the association’s Washington representative. The measure provides heavy penalties for persons convicted of trafficking any stolen or duped films either in interstate or foreign commerce and holds responsible also the buyer or reeeiver of any such film, providing a fine of $5,000 or imprisonment for five years or both.