Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jun 5, 1954)

Page scan 0003 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Jun 5, 1954
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jun 5, 1954)
Leaf #:
0003
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 FOUR CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST Teronto and District | By BILL PRESS The Church of Notre Dame de Bonsecours at Montebello, Que., was the scene of a pretty wedding when Miss Kathleen Elizabeth McEyvenue was married to Kevin Joseph Fitzgibbons of London, twin son of Mr. and Mrs, J. J. Fitzgibbons, Toronto, The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. St. Clair McEyenue of Toronto. Among the attendants were three brothers of the groom, Arthur Fitzgibbons, twin, who was best man, and John, Jr., and Eugene Fitzgibbons. After the reception at the Seigniory Club, the newly-weds went to the Southern States for their honeymoon before taking up residence at London, Ont. Many people secured a close-up of the new Paramount VistaVision process when a “demonstration” was presented in the Tabloid program of the CBC television network from Toronto with Dr. Charles Daily of the studio research department providing the data. Final plans for the eighth annual benefit baseball game in aid of Variety Village were discussed at a general meeting of Toronto Tent No. 28 on May 25. Bert Brown, Dan Krendel, and Clare Appel were among those who gave stirring details, The big night is June 11 when Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Buffalo Bisons at Maple Leaf Stadium. After putting on its program at the Collegiate Auditorium, the Brantford Community Concerts Association announced that it will be glad to get back to its original home next season by returning to the Paramount Theatre “and its comfortable seats’. W. Blondell is the co-operating theatre manager. Brantford’s new drive-in, “The Breezes”, is operated by The Breezes DriveIn Theatre Limited, of which Allan Gazer is president, Max Gazer vicepresident and Paul Abeles is secretarytreasurer. The general contractors were Consteilation Theatres Limited, 2487 Bloor Street West, Toronto, and equipment was supplied and installed by General Theatre Supply Co. Limited. Partly because of the late spring and the installation of a 90-foot panoramic curved screen, the opening of the Lake Shore Drive-In at St. Catharines for its second season did not take place until May 22. The theatre is under the direction of M. W. Zahorchak. Joe Franklin, well-known in Toronto and Ottawa theatre circles in past years, and his partner Peter Herschorn, haye applied for a license to operate a private television station at Moncton, N.B. Their application, along with others, will be heard at a meeting of the Governors of the CBC June 18-19 at St. John’s, NELD. Mavitime News HELEN CROWLEY Mr. P. J. Dwyer of the ‘Family’ theatre, Halifax, N.S., is retiring after twenty-three years service with the FranklinHerschorn Circuit and in future will be residing in the Annapolis Valley. Mr. eter Herschorn presented Mr. Dwyer vith a very substantial cheque from the sompany,. Other gifts were handed him and his family. Mr. Dwyer has been secretary-treasurer of the Maritime Allied Exhibitors Association for several years, and supervisor for the Franklin-Herschorn interests in Halifax during recent years. His many friends in the Industry extend to Mr. Dwyer and his family best wishes for many happy years in retirement. Mr. and Mrs. L. G. Babineau, Vogue Theatre, Chatham, New Brunswick (B & L Circuit) are spending some time in Ontario while attending their son’s wedding. Mr. Maurice Ellman of the B & L Head Office will substitute as Manager of the ‘Vogue’ during Mr. Babineau’s ence. we and Mrs. Maurice Ellman (B & L Head Office) were honored one evening this week at a reception being held at the El Belgrano Lodge—it was the occasion of their 25th wedding anniversary, CinemaScope is being installed in the ‘Paramount’ Theatre at St. John’s, Newfoundland. Mr. Duncan MacDonald of the General Theatre Supply Company will be flying to Newfoundland on June 2nd and the theatre is expected to open with “The Robe” on June 18th—this will mark the first CinemaScope installation in Newfoundland. Mrs. Helen Nesbitt of the ‘Star’ theatre, Edmunston, N.B., is in Saint John this week attending the I.0.D.E. meetings. A proposed drive-in theatre to be located on Manawagonish Road, Lancaster, is again on the shelf. Twice approyed by the Town Planning Commission, erection of this drive-in theatre has been opposed by residents of this exclusive neighborhood and by theatre and drivein theatre interests. The decision re this drive-in is now in the hands of the Board of Health and the Highways Board. Mr. Gerry Chernoff, Branch Manager, for Twentieth-Century Fox Film Corporation visited Saint John last week. Mr. Mortimer Bernstein is visiting Montreal on a combined business and pleasure trip. JUNE 5, 1954 THE CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST Entered as Second Class Matter RAY LEWIS Editor-in-Chicf e Address all mail to the Publisher CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST COMPANY, LIMITED 21 Dundas Square Toronto Telephone: EMpire 8-8696 Cable: Raydigest Established 1915. Subscription: $5.00 yearly — Correspondents — BRUCE PEACOCK ............. Regina, Sask. JACK DROY.......... Vancouver, B.C, WILL McLAUGHLI .. Otta,,a, Ont BILL PRESS....... Toronto, Ont HELEN CROWLEY ....... PERKINS Has It— AND EVERYTHING ELSE PERKINS ELECTRIC CO. LTD. Montreal Toronto Moncton Vancouver Buffalo, N.Y. Publication weekly. ‘Saint John, N.B.