Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Nov 1922-Apr 1923)

Page scan 000176 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Nov 1922-Apr 1923
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (November 1922-April 1923)
Leaf #:
000176
Language:
English
Subjects:
Motion Pictures, Film Industry Trade Magazine",Canad
Collection:
Hollywood Studio System, Global Cinema, Early Cinema, and Canada
Format:
periodicals
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:
July 31, 2025
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TORONTO, CANADA. EXTRA! EXTRA! ALL ABOUT THE LLOYD HAMILTON COMEDY LOYD HAMILTON has an unusual comedy role in his latest Hamilton Comedy for Educational release, on which he has just finished production work. The comedy is called “Extra! Extra!’ and _ presents Hamilton as a newspaper photographer. The big comedian got the basic idea for his new picture from real life, watching the tribulations of a cameraman who was vainly trying to get a picture of a criminal who had _ just been captured by the police. Every time the photographer got ready to “shoot” something went wrong, and finally the man got away, bringing a chase of several blocks through the crowded streets of Los Angeles. Newspaper work has always held a great appeal for Hamilton, and he ad mits that, if he were not a _ screen comedian, his chief ambition.. would be to be the star reporter on a metropolitan daily. For some time before filming “Extra! Extra!’ and during his spare moments during production work on the picture, Hamilton spent much of his time in Los Angeles newspaper offices with reporters and editor friends. Hamilton is supported in his new picture by Ruth Hiatt as leading lady, by Tom Murray and Russell Joy, as “one of the finest” and “one of the. worst,” and by little Bobbie DeVilbiss, who was seen with Hamilton in ‘“Rolling Stones,” and appears also in “No Luck,” which will be an early January release. Tom Murray, who portrays the cop, has played “one of the finest” in almost every dramatic, as well as comedy: company making pictures. CANADIAN EXHIBITOR’S EXCHANGE HAS BEEN REORGANIZED “BUD” LENNON, GENERAL MANAGER HE Canadian Exhibitor’s Exchange has been reorganized and a new program, which is being completed, is in the course of being announced. Mgr. Fred Guest, Hamil ton, has been elected the new president; J. Boyd, Mgr. Model, Toronto, vice-president; J. Isabel, Rex, Toronto, Board of Directors ;:J. Garbardine, Odeum, Toronto, director. Other directors appointed, A. Huttlemyer, Queen’s, Niagara, Messrs. Richard “Pest of Storm Country” New Mermaid Release “Pest of the Storm Country,” the Mermaid Comedy featuring Louise Fazenda, has been finished, and will be released by Educational in February. Jack White has sent the Fazenda company to Wilmington, Cal., where the opening scenes for the second picture of the group featuring this popular comedienne will be taken. Bob Kerr is directing, and the cast includes Harry Gribbon and Cliff Bowes. | “The Terrible Tree” will be the next subject in Educational’s series of Tony Sarg’s Almanac. Watch Out For A FRONT PAGE STORY THE TRUTH ABOUT GORHAM son and Redway, Odeum, Toronto, Thos. Scott, W. Stewart, Patricia, London; S. Lent, Dundas Playhouse, Toronto; Mr. Fred (Bud) Lennon has been appointed general manager. In a recent interview with Mr. Lennon he stated that it is the intention to dispose of the balance of the treasury stock and that additional capital has been obtained. Montreal exhibitors are reported as standing in readiness to join forces in securing independent product. “Front Page Story” Unanimously Praised by Press .Edward Horton, in “A Front Page Story,” the comedy-drama which is soon to be released in Canada by Vitagraph, has put over another one. It is his third picture and the critics are unanimous in their praise of his comedy. Harold Lloyd in “Dr. Jack” Creates Business Sensation After a week’s run at the Capitol Theatre, Vancouver, to capacity business, “Dr. Jack,’ Harold Lloyd’s latest screen sensation, opened at the Dominion Theatre, New Year’s Day, and broke all previous house’ records. Shortly after the box office opened at one o’clock, the S.R.O. sign was hung out and the long lines stood out in the rain all day. The balance of the week was almost as good. Page Seven Motion Picture News “ The Ninety and Nine” Vitagraph—6800 Feet (Reviewed by Charles Larkin) WELL, folks, they’ve all come back. Yes, and they’re in the movies! What? Why, the mortgage on the old homestead. The evil working villain; The hero fleeing from misguided justice. The village belle falling in love with said hero. The dirty deeds on the part of the villain to “git rid” of our hero. The village “human newspaper.” The dash of the hero to rescue the folks in the snext town.. The arrival of the “papers” setting forth that Tom Silverton isn’t guilty after all and the close-up of the loving doves “In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree.” Doesn’t all this conjure up memories of the days when you used to sneak down to old “opery house,” and hiss the villain and loudly stamp your feet as the old engine poked its nose through the scenery, emitted a couple of puffs from its chimney, the hero dropsed from the cab and clasped Nellie to his bosom? Didn’t you like it in the halcyon days? Sure you did and you'll like it now, for in the second streen version, Vitagraph has made it all into a sure fire meller with all the trimmings and a bang up climax that will pull most folks close to the edge of the chairs. po ‘ The forest fire and the running of the lo~ comotive through the flames to rescue the folks in a neighboring town isthe big feature of this production. Seldom has.a‘forest fire been more realistically portrayed on the shadow stage. This feature is well done— both coming and going. On the way back the hero drags a freight train filled with human beings. ; : The direction is good throughout, and the camera work during the fire scenes deserves praise. Life in a small town is realistically Pictured and right here it might be mentioned that this one should prove a strong drawing card in the towns of these United States. Vitagraph ‘has done well by: this old classic of the. barnstorming days. | | “Production Highlights—The dash of Silverton in a locomotive through a. blazing forest fire to rescue the inhabitants of a neighboring village. The fine attention to detail. David Smith’s excellent direction. Some fine camera work during the forest fire scenes. Exploitation Angles—Why not rig up a small locomotive made out of beaver board, put a Ford inside it and drive it about town, loudly ringing a large bell the while? Play up the fact that this is the film version of the famous stage: play. Tell them about Colleen Moore , Warner Baxter and other well known stars in the cast. Drawing Power—There has been a demand for a rehabilitation of the old favorites lately. If your patrons are among those that like these pictures, hop to this one. H. Allen Secures Globe Theatre, Vancouver The Globe Theatre, Vancouver,: for a number of years one of the United Theatre chain operated by W. B. Dewees, and more recently by . the Allen Theatre syndicate, is now leased by Harry J. Allen, of Calgary, and managed by Izzy H.: Allen, brother of the lessee, both gentlemen are cousins of the Allen brothers of Toronto. H. J. Allen has also secured leases of theatres in the three Prairie Provinces. B CoM BUGWEP ictures Read The Digest Adweviiving (Pages.