Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jun 19, 1948)

Page scan 0003 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Jun 19, 1948
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jun 19, 1948)
Leaf #:
0003
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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Page 4 CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST Toronto and District By BILL PRESS ILL DINEEN, with the Tivoli Theatre for many years, was the unanimous choice once more for the presidency of the Toronto Local of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Dineen, who is a member of the 25 Year Club of Famous Players Canadian Corp., will be a representative of the union at the International convention which is to be held shortly in Cleveland, Ohio. John Nolan of Loew's Theatre, Toronto, was elected vice-president of the Toronto Local and the recording secretary is Jack Koster of the Royal Alexandra Theatre. Sam Meredith of Loew’s is the financial secretary. “« & © The Rio Theatre, in downtown Toronto, had an unique mixture for a program which was labelled “Thrill Show”. Among the various subjects were “Roaring Guns”, “Bombing of Nagasaki’, “Fish from. Hell”, “Highway Mania”, Londos vs. Broncho Magurski and “Tced Tagintning: s Bob Maynar a nna? of the Pal ace Theatre. Hamilton, went all out exploiting Eagle-Lion’s special tworeeler, “The Royal Wedding Presents” Capitalizing on the unusual floral display shown in the feature, he promoted five Hamilton florists to insert a large ad in the Hamilton Spectator, the city’s leading newspaper. The ad was timed to hit the paper on the opening of the show. Floral displays for the lobby were arranged and they were exhibited for the run of the show. * * * Margaret Marshall, the 1947 Beauty Queen of Canada, paid a visit to her home city from New York, where she 1s studying at the Academy of Dramatic Art for a screen and stage career. The former cashier of the Victoria Theatre reported that she is receiving very thorough training in stage work. «© ® John Kurk, appointed manager of the Midtown Theatre, Toronto, some weeks ago. had his second crime experience when, on checking the theatre after closing time, he captured a man on the ledge outside of an upper window. The intruder, Morley Maginn of Corbett Avenue, was handed over to the police and was charged with attempted shop-breaking. Immediately after he had assumed management of the Midtown, Kurk experienced the robbery of his one * The 20th Cony y Cre ndale Theatre, Toronto, on Avenue Road, is presenting 15 double passes weekly in an advertising tie-up with a North Toronto community newspaper. The names, which are picked from directories and the voters’ lists, are scattered through the newspaper's advertisements. The Canadian House of Commons is preparing to deal with new legislation dealing with the observance of Sundays, based on modern standards, which will mean the repeal of the ancient federal statute, the Lord’s Day Act of 1859. It is just possible the new bill will make allowance for the Sunday exhibition of films such as has been done in the Province of Quebec for many years although in direct contravention of the 1859 law. x * Harry Wilson, popular manager of the Capitol Theatre, Chatham, became a father for the fifth time. With the recent addition, a girl, the running total now stands at three boys and two girls. * * * Manager Len Bishop of the Tivoli Theatre, Toronto, has a new assistant manager in Frank Barbetta, transferred from the audit department of Famous Players’ head office. Barbetta has returned to theatre operation after having started as an usher some time ago. * * & frene Storey, cashier of the Victoria and Tivoli Theatres, has resigned after 24 years service with those two houses. x ok x Barnet Laxer, independent Toronto exhibitor, 1s president, and Mort Margolius, f-P booker and manager of the College Theatre, is vicepresident of the Toronto branch of the Hertzl Zion Club, world’s largest Jewish organization. ~ Ejsther Mor golius, wife of Mort, 1s seriously il] with pneumonia. x, k = Recent Toronto holiday visitors were Martin Bochner, U-A Winnipeg office manager; Somer James, Alhance Winnipeg branch manager, and Molly Foreman, Alliance Montreal office manager. SOUNDIMASTER -, SOUND EQUIPMENT ~ The Golden Voice of the Silver Sereep Built for To-Day’s Modern Theatre To Meet the Demands of To-Day’s Progressive Exhibitor IMMEDIATE DELIVERY WRITE WIRE TELEPHONE PERIGINS COMPANY LIMITED 277 VICTORIA ST. 2027 BLEURY ST. TORONTO MONTREAL June 19th, 1948 The Canadian Moving Picture Digest Entered as Second Class Matter RAY LEWIS Editor and Publisher BERT H. WILKES Associate Editor Published by CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST COMPANY, LIMITED 277 Victoria Street Toronto Telephone: WAverley 4929 Cable: Raydigest Established 1915. Publication weekly. Subscription: $5.00 yearly — Correspondents — A. L. FAIRWEATHER............ Saint John, N.B. Je Js CONKLING 2 .cc%......008 esse Winnipeg, Man. BRUCE PEACOCEK.............0.0...... Regina, Sask. JACK*DROVY: 3. fhe es Vancouver, B.C. WILL McLAUGHLIN .................... Ottawa, Ont BILL “PRESS 2 oo Sincaticcescccict even: Toronto, Ont. ROY *LESTER| oes Montreal, Que A marriage of interest to the Toronto film colony occurred last week when Jackie Rosen, daughter of Doug Rosen, U-A Toronto branch manager, was married to Gurston Rosenfeld, son of Louis Rosenfeld, president and general manager of Columbia Pictures of Canada. ee ae The playing of “The October Man” at the Fairlawn and Danforth Theatres, Toronto, was helped by the tie-in with Station CKEY for a mystery contest Up keeping with the theme of the Byes ture. A series of broadcasts gave slight clues to the problem story and successful guesses on the solution were rewarded with prises. * * © Win Barron of Canadian Paramount News put over another box office winner when he arranged a complete cov erage of the annual Toronto highschool field day which brought the students flocking to the theatres. <A number of teachers co-operated by getting a schedule of bookings from Paramount Film Service for announcements to the pupils. * * s Lux Soap will run advertising campaigns in Canada, crediting Warner Brother films and_ stars. Pictures and stars featured include “Winter Meeting” and its star, Bette Davis; “Johnny Belinda”, with Jane Wyman, and “Romance On The High Seas’, starring Janis Paige. * * W. J. Underhill, Fellow Of The eel Photographic Society, and technical adviser to Associated Screen News in Montreal, was on loan to Meopta (Prague), Czechoslovakia, at the Canadian International Trade Fair, where he demonstrated and explained the intricacies of the cameras displayed. ge The Northeast Drive-In The atre, in the Toronto district, had an innovation for an automobile theatre in a program consisting of an all-cartoon show. This program was shown twice nightly for two evenings and there was quite a turnout of families in cars,