Canadian Moving Picture Digest (May 1, 1954)

Page scan 0001 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
May 1, 1954
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (May 1, 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 18, 2024
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PAGE TWO CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST MAY 1, 1954 eee eee VANCOUVER NEWS | By JACK DROY Jack Labow, Canadian General Manager for RKO is here on his first visit since his promotion, getting acquainted with the trade here and briefing Jimmy Dayie, his local manager on there coming line up of pictures. The Surrey Drive-in near White Rock is installing the first DayLite screen in the Western provinces. Perkins Electric are doing the job which calls for the projection booth behind the screen with a 60-foot throw. Boosting of Canadian postage rates now 2c higher than the U-S will further put up the overhead of the theatres, distributors and suppliers. George Brewerton, manager of the east-side REX, is presenting a Search for Talent show on the stage each Wednesday. It is increasing his grosses. MR. EXHIBITOR e e ° We now have a library of good 40-second sound trailers (adfilms) for 32 different business classifications, covering every type of merchant in your town. We can tie in the merchant's name, slogan, etc., with appropriate voice message and SELL this service for you LOCALLY and PROFITABLY in English or French. Our trailers run a full week in each theatre at every performance and we have enough DIFFERENT subjects to give a maximum 26-week program during the year. For CONSISTENT extra revenue—at no extra cost Write, wire or phone FRED T. STINSON General Monoger ADFILMS LIMITED 77 York Street Toronto, Ont. EM. 8-8986 aera The third annual session of the International Popcorn Association, Canadian Regional, will be held at the King Edward Hotel, May 28th, Toronto. Co-chairmen will be Jack Fitzgibbons and Syd Spiegel. ® The total of U.S. Drive-Ins is 4,620. U.S. exhibitors put into construction 751 Drive-Ins in a period of 14 months ending this March and spent $63,200,000. Total car capacity 2,029,908. ® Allied States Association’s leaders are urging members to guar antee independent product made by Hal R. Makelim, one picture a month, 2,500 bookings. @ Thirty years ago the Motion Picture Theatre Owners tried to get its members to give Independents bookings. “Play-Dates for Independents” was the slogan. It cost Universal $50,000 and Columbia $25,000 to campaign the slogan. Did the M.P.T.O.A. members produce the play-dates? They did not. ® If advice is any good to producer Hal R. Makelim, get the money to produce your twelve pictures, if they are gocd Allied members and other exhibitors will give you play-dates. If they are not, Allied members will not give you any play-dates. No playdates who pays the bank, the loan? @ The history of the First National might be valuable reading to Allied States leaders and members. Exhibitors bought a franchise for their respective theatres and paid top prices for product. Allied States Association appears to be running out of good ideas. The production plan, as proposed, is economically unsound. Someone is going to be broke. Monty Hall, received the Heart Award from Variety Club, Tent 28, Toronto, Tuesday, April 27th. @ Sir Alexander King, famous Scottish exhibitor organized and led the CEA’s Tax Committee to a successful finish. Tax remission under new budget schedule. British and American Executives offer congratulations. @ Arthur M. Loew, vice-president of Loew’s International said, “Discussions are under way with RKO, Universal, and Columbia, for their use of Perspecta Sound, and by the end of the year more than 4,500 theatres thrcughout the United States will be equipped for the new sound system.”