Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Aug 10, 1929)

Page scan 0007 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Aug 10, 1929
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Aug 10, 1929)
Leaf #:
0007
Language:
English
Subjects:
Motion Pictures, Film Industry Trade Magazine",Canad
Collection:
Canada, Hollywood Studio System, Early Cinema, and Global Cinema
Format:
periodicals
Contributor:
Media History Digital Library, Canadian Media Magazines Project, Paul Moore and Jessica Whitehead
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 Eight CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST WW" FB Observations RRM Famer —— SS a HE WOODSTOCK Sentinel Review, the Sherbrooke Record, both had editorials emphasizing that British Films were wanted. The Woodstock Sentinel Review drew attention to an article in the official organ of the Canadian Legion advising the desirability of showing more British Films in Canadian theatres. The following paragraph covers the gist of these editorials, as far as their British Film propaganda ideal is concerned : “We want to keep Canada British. We are careful to accept as new citizens only those who will absorb the British ideal. We should endeavor to stimulate and foster that British spirit by providing for our citizens entertainment of the British type, especially when the entertainment from that source is the cleanest, most wholesome and most artistic that it is possible to obtain.” * * * kK (MIKE) GOODMAN has been appointed manager * of the suburban theatres of Vancouver for Famous Players Canadian Corp. Mr. Goodman has been stationed at Edmonton and ‘but recently received this promotion. * * * HE VANCOUVER OPERA HOUSE and office buildings adjoining the property of the Vancouver Hotel is reported as having been sold for about $800,000. The Orpheum Company were the vendors and the Granville Estates (No. 6) Limited purchasers of the theatre. ‘The Radio-Keith-Orpheum of Canada, has leased the theatre to operate as a talking motion picture theatre. The purchase price of the theatre is reported at $600,000. % a6 * Mr. George Lester of the King’s Theatre, Toronto, and Mr. Moorehead of the Opera House, Orillia, Ont., are real live heroes, and should be awarded life-saving medals. Recently they were successful in saving from the waters of Lake Couchiching, a young man, a Mr. McCabe of London, Ont., whose boat overturned, precipitating him in the water. After a considerable struggle our Showmen rescued Mr. McCabe, who had already been about an hour in the water, clinging to his overturned boat, before he was noticed. * * x HE ORPHEUM, Prince Albert, Sask., will be equip ped by September with Movietone and Vitaphone installations. x * x S's MEN were injured when the old Majestic Theatre at Halifax, N.S., was being demolished. All men were removed to the hospital for treatment. FOR SALE Motion Picture Theatre for sale, in the heart of the Gold Belt, Northern Ontario, three hundred seats, latest machine equipment, everything new, purchaser must act quick, no rental considered as owner is leaving soon for southern States. Apply Box No. 4, Digest. | ee a Ze SS By The Editor Thomas Greene, the most seriously injured of the five, — suffered a fractured spine when a cross-back piece measuring some sixty feet and weighing about five hundred pounds fell from the roof, crashing through two _balcomes to the bottom floor. * * * HE POOL ROOM and theatre at Lawson, Sask., was damaged to the extent of $25,000 during a recent — fire. The fire originated in the pool room, and the theatre, and a film valued at $6,000 were totally destroyed. * * * HE PALACE, at Calgary, Alta., re-opened its doors with Movietone and Vitaphone installations. The theatre was also redecorated and refurnished. The opening program, booked by Manager Charles Straw, included as its feature, “Broadway Babies,” the First National-Vitaphone production. * * * LOYDMINSTER, Sask., now has a first class motion — picture theatre with a stage 18 x 43 ft., and a seat— ing capacity of about 700. x * * pats are proceeding for the erection of a $2,000,000 theatre on Yonge Street, Toronto, for the Famous Players Canadian Corp. The frontage will be on Hayter’ and Gerrard Sts., with the exception of a 63 foot frontage on Yonge Street, which will be utilized as a main entrance to the theatre. * * * ERNON, B.C., will have “talking”? installation this season according to a statement made by Walter Bennett, manager of the Empress. The other theatres on the former Berry Circuit, recently acquired by Famous Players, at Kamloops, Kelown, and Penticton will be equipped for “talkies” also. * * * “DLACK WATERS,” a World Wide feature, played’ the Rex Theatre, Vancouver and broke the house records for “Sound” pictures, the gross was the largest since the house introduced “Sound.” * * * d ings RIALTO, Edmonton, has purchased all the World Wide “Sound” releases while the Rex, Regina, booked eight silent features and three “Sound” from World Wide. My Mistake States | The Canadian Digest The Digest in its last week’s issue tried to place Walter Davis of the Metropolitan, Winnipeg, in the Province of Quebec. Now Quebec is a most excellent province, but Walter Davis is not there, no siree, this most genial and popular manager, is establishing box-office records at the ‘“Met.”, Winnipeg. Sorry Walter, but mistakes will happen-in the best regulated families!