Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Feb 28, 1948)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Feb 28, 1948
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Feb 28, 1948)
Leaf #:
0000
Language:
English
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:
April 11, 2024
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RAY LEWIS EDITOR AND PUBLISHER FILM BLDG. 277 Victoria St. TORONTO CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE Don’t Miss The Boat! N Canada, we have theatres which have ‘stages and dressing-rooms, therefore, these theatres can present stage-shows for a week's run, for a day, or two, depending on the star attraction and the quality of the show, plus admission prices. We refer to the few theatres which now present stage-shows, and ihose which formerly presented them, prior to their all-picture show policy. No one has, to our knowledge, built a new theatre for stage-shows in the past twenty-five years, therefore, except where such theatres have begn remodelled for picture shows, the existing Road Show houses are old-fashioned and haye two balconies. No néw motion picture theatres have been built with stages large enough to present anything other than Vaudeville Acts, the latter which do not require much stage-room, nor have such theatres been constructed with sufficient dressing-rooms to house a stageshow company, although many new and modern theatres, of a luxurious type, have been built and are now being constructed. There is, at present, a definite public demand, in Canada, for theatres, where stageshows may be presented and if we in Motion Pictures, do not meet this public demand, it we do not accept this challenge, if we do not get into the swing of this drama, musical and operatic-cycle, there are Canadians, who will undoubtedly build such theatres and equip them for motion picture presentation also. These will, in truth, be our competitors. Our Youth will definitely support a theatrebuilding program for stage-shows; thousands of our teen-agers are College and University students and they will influence their elders. Because of good Public Relations, some of our Motion Picture Theatres make some time available for travelling shows, local, or travelling symphony orchestras, or concerts, but all on a rental basis. The theatre manage ment accepts such shows as "a pain in the neck”, but guards against the risk of losing his night's receipts. In the Era of Road Shows, the stage-shows were presented on percentage terms, some of the travelling shows are now audibly complaining about the theatre-rental policy. They do not realize that exhibitors are not geared to stage-show attractions, that these exhibitors have no stage-show experience, and that the stage-show, which requires specialized treatment, presents for such exhibitors many difficulties. But when has this Industry of ours been free from operational difficulties? Ninety-nine out of every hundred of our exhibitors have no theatrical background, nor any skill in dealing with human beings, who are artists. Their artists are all in a can of film, and do not require personal services. Nevertheless, those who first went into the business of presenting stage-shows, in the beginning of such presentations, knew no more about the theatre, than did the men who pioneered Motion Pictures. When Radio was first introduced, our Film Industry missed the boat; they, also, missed it in respect to non-theatrical distribution, and 16 mm. exhibition. When Television was flickering upon the horizon, our Showmen were wise enough to get in. Are we going to miss the boat in connection with stageshows? The Little Theatre movement is several years old and now is stronger than ever. Long jumps, and cne night stands for travelling companies are very expensive, more expensive, today, than when we had regular travelling shows. Our showmen, who may be toying with the idea, should consider stage hands, musicians’ contracts, should clarify such co-operation, but should be careful not to miss the boat. —EDITOR. SS SS PUBLISHED BY CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST COMPANY LIMITED 277 VICTORIA STREET TORONTO