Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jun 1921-Apr 1922)

Page scan 000713 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 #:
000713
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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Page Ten W. J. Drummond Tendered Farewell Banquet Before Leaving for the West J. DRUMMOND leaves for Winnipeg to remain as * Western Division Manager for Famous Players Film Service Limited. Mr. Drummond for the past year and a half was General Manager with Associated First National Pictures Eastern Canada Limited. Mr. Drummond is a veteran in film distribution having in the past occupied prominent positions in an exccutive capacity with General Film Co., Mutual Film Corporation, Triangle Film Corporation, George Kleine System. His connections have covered such territories as Los Angcles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Utah; Spokane and Seattle, Washington; Portland, Oregon; New York City, Buffalo, St. Louis and Eastern Canada. Prior to entering the Film distribution business he was prominent as a producer of musical comedies, big novelty vaudeville acts, light opera and at one time known as Diablo Verde trick cyclist looping the loop and leaping the gap. ‘The film colony of Toronto on Friday night March 31st, tendered Mr. Drummond a farewell banquet at the King Edward Hotel at which time Marshall Neilan’s “Penrod” Faithful to Stories Fu the first time in the history of motion pictures Booth Tar kington’s inimitable characters of his “Penrod” stories have been welded into one complete feature picture. Marshall Neilan is the director who has essayed this task, and his latest production, under the title of “Penrod,” is a First National attraction, The picture is said to live up, in every respect, to the characters Booth Tarkington has immoralized in print. For the main incidents of his picture Mr. Neilan has drawn upon the formation of the American Boys’ Protective Association, the amateur theatrical, “The Children’s Pageant at the Table Round”; the drink episode ; the encounter with Rupe Collins’ tough boy; and the capture of two notorious bandits. For his settings the director has chosen a typical rural town of perhaps 50,000 population. Penrod’s father and mother represent middle class people with inordinate pride in their only son and caustic regret over the necessity for administering chastisement upon him. Other characters in the town, the (30 they presented him with a travelling bag. ‘Those in attendance at the banquet were: Vincent J. McCabe, Leo DeVaney, O. R. Hanson, H. Pfaff, Doug Darrough, 5. B. Taube, Blaine Irish, Herb Allen, Lou Rosenfeld, J. Chandler, Ben J. Cronk, Luigi Romanelli, Harry A. Kaufman, Charles Branham, Clarence Robson, R. T. Stevens, Sudbury; Charles Dupaul, Soo; Mr. Ferguson, York Theatre; Wm. Bailey, Cumbac Theatre; Mr. Hatfield, Hague and O’Brien, Famous Lasky; N. K. Miller, Jake Berman, Frank Vennett, HH. V. O’Connor, Jimmy Davidson, Walter Kennedy, Harry Law, Harry Bernstein, Stan McCrudden, Jules Brazil (who entertained), Jules Bernstein, Billy Allen and Bill Reid. Frank Vennett rendered some very line songs and stories, so did Syd ‘Taube who was recalled time and again after his most interesting speech. ‘Wires wishing Mr. Drummond success were received from the pair of Jacks—Jackie Tillman from Denver, Colo., and Jack Kraker, St. John, N.B., J. C. Green, John Arthur and many others. clergyman, constable, society promoters of dramatic events and dancing school enthusiasts, have been retained in the making of the film version. Freckles Barry plays the title role. Assisting him is a large ensemble of juveniles and a sprinkling of adult actors, including Marjorie Daw, Tully Marshall and Eugenie Besserer. “How To Grow Thin” A Single Reel Special With A Mass Appeal HE tremendous appeal of “How To Grow Thin,” Fducational’s latest one reel special, is not contingent upon the element of timeliness. On the contrary, one of its greatest advantages lies in the fact that it has a universal and all-season appeal. Exhibitors know that the audiences at the motion picture theatres comprise a great percentage of women patrons. Therefore a special subject that appeals to this sex will prove to be a box office winner. “How To Grow Thin” is the type of subject that everyone will want to see. It explains forcibly how to reduce or gain in weight and when such explanation is put into. story gle CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST form and surrounded with humor, its entertaining value is naturally enhanced. Therefore with its universal and all-season appeal, its box office value, its great possibilities for exploitation, its wholesome humor and its genuine entertainment, this picture’s success is naturally assured. Get behind the showing of “How To Grow Thin” Exhibitors and you will get results. Tom Mix Is Coming In Fox Picture “Up And Going”; Is Speedier Than Ever Another speedy Tom Mix picture, full of stunts and tricks and good humor, is a Fox production called “Up and Going,” a story of the Canadian Northwest, written by Mix and his director, Lynn Reynolds. For action and picturesqueness, “Up and Going” is said to be Mix’s most entertaining picture. The picture was made in the north country, with its snow, its bleakness, its fast flowing rivers and its great silence, and with characters rough, but made of either pure gold or a base metal. One of the big scenes is said to be a fight under water between Mix and Sid Jordan. In this picture there are some beautiful moonlight canoe scenes and thrilling rides through rapids. Eva Novak plays opposite Mix. A Record for New York! “Freckles” Barry, juvenile star of “Penrod,” the First National attraction which Marshall Neilan made from Booth Tarkington's famous boy stories, established one record when he visited New York that has never been equalled in a single day. He headed a parade of 25,000 youngsters up Fifth Avenue on ‘Boys’ Day,’ pitched a ball to Babe Ruth who promptly sent it over the Polo Grounds’ fence, directed Fifth Avenue traffic for two hours and blocked it for almost the same length of time when an overwhelming mass of curious spectators bordered the curbs to watch him. Kenneth O’Hara Works On “The Man From Glengary” Kenneth O’Hara of New York and Los Angeles, formerly associated with Thomas H. Ince as a technieal and continuity expert, arrived in Ottawa, Ontario, on March 10, to undertake preparatory work for the making of ‘‘The Man from Glengary’’ and ‘‘Glengary School Days’’ by Ottawa Film Produetions, Limited, Ottawa.