Canadian Moving Picture Digest (May 1, 1940)

Canadian Picture Pioneers WALTER KENNEDY SINGS— From the Auditorium, Walter Kennedy went as assistant booker to Bruce Fowler, at the offices over the Variety Theatre. Walter’s next job was to manage Griffin’s upstairs house in Welland, the Griffins Opera House and then to Guelph. Following the Guelph job, Walter Kennedy: became salesman for Clarence Robson’s film company called, “All Features”. Mark Brock of Buffalo was in partnership with Mr. Robson. Mr. Kennedy left “All Features” to join the General Film Company, which had its head office on King Street, opposite the old Princess Theatre. After the General Film, Mr. Kennedy joined Charlie Stephenson. Which reminds me that Mr. Stephenson went into business with Arthur Cohen and the late Elly Marks. They had a picture called “The Fire Brigade” which made a great deal of money, and “Mickey” with Mabel Normand, which ran for sixteen weeks at the Grand Opera House, on Adelaide St., the theatre from which Small, the theatre magnate, 1s said to have disappeared. Walter Kennedy sang “Mickey” at each performance of the picture during its famous run. The picture packed the house despite the fact that Toronto had its history-making Street Railway strike. EXHIBITORS DISTRIBUTING CORPORATION I am reminded that Arthur Cohen and Elly Marks changed the name of the Stephenson company to the Exhibitors Distributing Corporation with offices upstairs, over the Rialto Theatre, at the corner of Shuter and Yonge Streets. I remember one day meeting Charlie Stephenson and asking him what he was doing. To which Charlie replied, “I have resigned from Exhibitors Distributing Corporation’. Knowing that Charlie Stephenson had been responsible for getting “Mickey” etc. I said to him, “You mean you walked out and will get nothing for your interest?” “That’s what T did,” said Charlie. T was giving out free advice even in those days; and I told Charlie to retain his interest, but Charlie was so tempermental that he even “got mad” at money. THE DIGEST The Canadian Moving Picture Digest was published bi-monthly at Toronto, by the Dominion Printng and Embossing Co. A man by the name of C. H. Moody started the idea. Mr. Moody came from Montreal. He sold the paper to the Dominion Printing and Embossing Co., and Ray Lewis became the silent editor. The Universal Film Company had its offices on Richmond St., with Clair Hague as manager. . Tha companv was publishing a magazine called The Universal Bulletin. of which Bill Bach was editor. Ravmond Peck later on became editor with Bill Bach. Mr. Bach wanted filing cabinets for photos and cuts. also a cabinet for other material; and Clair Hague believing that the expenditure would amount to a few dollars. told the boys to go ahead. Thev did, and spent a few hundred dollars. having special cabinets constructed. Clair Hacue who used to watch the pennies as well as the dollars, nearly crawled into one of the cabinets when he received the hill. When he came to, he sent for Ray Lewis, and said, “Why don’t you run a real paper, Ray, see here, I have a proposition for you, take the Universal Bulletin THE LATE RAY PECK Pioneer Digest Editor. and combine it with your Digest.” “How much for the paper?” said Ray. “You can have the paper for nothing,” said Clair, “Only, you must take|}Raymond Peck as editor, Bill Bach is remaining with Universal.” The Canadian Moving Picture Digest absorbed the /Universal Bulletin and Raymond Peck remained with The Digest until Mr. B. E, Norrish who was to make films for the Canadian Government, made Mr. Peck an offer to come and supervise the production of these films. I had an interview with Mr. Norrish who wanted to. know whether I thought Raymond Peck could do the job. I said he could and Mr. Norrish engaged him. It was the intention of Mr. Norrish to make a series of shorts and I named the first series “Seeing Canada”. While I am on the subject af The Digest, this magazine remained a bi-monthly publication until Mr. George Weeks became general manager of Famous-Players Films Service, and the slogan, “If it’s a Paramount Picture it’s the best show in town” was being used. There was a contest to find the most suitable \trademark and the trademark used by Paramount today was the prize-winner. Mr} Weeks suggested to Ray Lewis that The Digest become a weekly magazne in order to increase its value and service in Canada. I thought the matter over and saw that the idea was good. It was at this period that the name Canadian was added to Moving Picture RAY Lewes a \ 1 GET 1 CAN Yeuu LOUDER THAN XOV CuT BY 7 CENSORS Digest, but. not without some misgiving, as I was under the impression at that time, that it would make the paper what is today called, a regional, whereas my ideas for The Digest was that it should be a national publication with an international circulation. y RAY LEWIS PURCHASES DIGEST. The Digest was purchased by Ray Lewis from Dominion Printing and Embossing Company. Later on Ray Lewis sold an interest in the paper to Exhibitors’ Review of which George Williams was owner. When Mr. Williams decided to sell his interest to another American publication, I bought Mr. Williams’ interest in The Digest back. At that time Ray Lewis formed The Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Canada, in affiliation with the Motion Picture Theatreowners of America. Sydney Cohen and Harry Davis, both of whom have since passed away, Pete Woodhull and a number of leading American Independent exhibitors came to Canada for the Theatreowners first meeting. over which Mr. John Brady presided as president. The Digest became the official organ of the M.P.T.O., but at the time of Mr. Williams’ interest in The. Digest, the original idea of keeping the Digest a national film magazine was again the policy advocated. The M.P.T.O.A. had_as its staunchest supporter, John C. Brady, owner of the Madison Theatres, which he had built on Bloor Street near Bathurst, the first theatre in that neighborhood, and, operated by his sons today. Members of the M.P.T.O.A. leased, or sold their thea-_ tres, some affiliated with F.P. and The Digest removed from its masthead, “offi-. cial organ of the M.P.T.O.A.” Several other moving picture magazines were started in Canada, but the field for such enterprise by way of making profits was limited, and all of the magazines, with the exception of The Digest, ceased publication. The Digest has been in publication since 1915, a pioneer film enterprise among the pioneers. SELZNICK PICTURES To return to Walter Kennedy, he joined Mr. Phil Kaufman when Mr. Kaufman organized the Selznick Pictures with offices over the Grand Opera House. Selznick pictures were absorbed by Regal, and Walter Kennedy joined Clair Hague of Universal, the latter company which then had offices over Simmons Florist Shop at the corner of Yonge and Elm Streets, Toronto. SPARKUNG ARTHUR JAMES —~ ONCEA GENTLEMAN a ALWAN ANF GENTLEMAN, = *You WIN = Ml 5)