Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Apr 17, 1954)

Page scan 0001 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Apr 17, 1954
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Apr 17, 1954)
Leaf #:
0001
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 Picture Pioneers, 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:
May 23, 2024
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PAGE TWO CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST APRIL 17, 1954 COLUMBIA SETS CINEMASCOPE FILMS Columbia Pictures has stepped well into the lead in CinemaScope production with four C-Scope projects filming this month and two others joining the list in April. Currently shooting are “The Long Gray Line,” “Three for the Show,” and “Joseph and His Brethren,” the latter rolling overseas, while “The Bandits,” with Glenn Ford, Barbara Stanwyck and four other stars to be added this week, tees off next week with Rudy Mate directing and Lewis J. Rachmil producing. The two April starters now are being set by Harry Cohn and executive producer Jerry Wald. PERKINS ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITED SUPPLIERS OF Stereophonic Sound Anamorphic Lenses Wide Angle Lenses Wide Screens 3-D Equipment Genuine Polaroid 3-D Glasses "Drive-in" Sound Projection Speakers Pre-fabricated Screen Towers Concession and Playground Units Head Office: MONTREAL, P.9. Branches: Toronto Vancouver Moncton From Lyons, France, comes word, that August Lumiere, 92, died on April 10th. Lumiere is said to have been the inventor of the motion picture camera. @ Paramount’s, Knock On Wood, opened at the Capitol, New York, Wednesday. It start Danny Kaye and co-stars Mai Zetterling. A full-page advertisement appeared in the N.Y. Sunday Times. It was a 100 percent ticket-seller. ® Walt Disney makes deal with American Broadcasting Company. A $5,000,000 project, Disneyland, amusement park, and production of TV shows in the deal. ® Congratulations to Joseph Breen, remembered by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for a special Oscar. What about Martin Quigley, the creator of the Production Code? 1) In 1949, Lolobrigida’s first important role was Nedda in Love of a Clown, produced by Itala Films. Lolobrigida was a discovery of Dr. Giacaloni. Today, she is probably Italy’s top money making star. ® The Subway in Toronto, is changing the lives of thousands of people in this Queen City. Shoppers are shopping downtown, deserting their own neighborhood storekeepers, who, by-passed by th Underground, are in mourning. Too early yet to report the effect on theatres. M.G.M.’s, Rose Marie, in its 4th week at Loew’s downtown. ® Walt Disney-RKO-Rob Roy held over at Imperial, Toronto. @ North West, Malton Rd. Drive-In, North East, Lansing & Dawes Rd., Dufferin Twin Screen Drive-In, National Scarboro Drive-In (Toronto) all opened. ® Congratulations to Compo for having accomplished a good tax job, which will affect 4,800 U.S. theatres to advantage. ® 20th-Fox to conduct sound tests to compare stereo with cther process. ® Howard Hughes writes personal check for $23,489,478 and becomes the sole owner of RKO.