Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jun 12, 1954)

Page scan 0001 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Jun 12, 1954
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jun 12, 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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CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST JUNE 12, 1954 Chatter... that could matter! By MAX CHIC A new entry bowed its way into the local scene last week . . . a son to the Jack Labow’s . . . and in Hollywood, a new starlet to the Graburn’s Travelling last week were Frank Vaughan to Montreal, Gordon Lightstone to New York, Leslie Allen to Montreal, Charles Chaplin to New York, Arthur Silverstone back to New York, Norman Morey to Toronto and the Nat Taylor's and the Harry Mandell’s back from a lengthy sojourn over the deep blue waters. Archie Laurie, was welcomed back to his old haunts by theatre and distributing company publicity heads, at an informal luncheon at Variety Club rooms last week, with Clare Appel putting into words the sentiments of all those gathered, in his usual appel-ing manner... Wannie Tyers hitting the ball again, this time at the Toronto Men's Press Club Golf Tournament . .. one of the trophies, a Pewter Mug from Odeon. Took a fast trip to Europe and the Far East last week . . . specifically Rome and Venice, via 20th-Fox’s “Three Coins In A Fountain” and to the Pacific with MGM’s “Men Of The Fighting Lady” . result, had to see “A Doctor In The House”, JARO’s new side-splitting comedy, and really needed a doctor! Al Margolin, RKO exploitation field man, in from Buffalo and setting this town on its heels with his boxoffice shattering tie-up for Disney's “Pinocchio” ... Alf Perry, has that contented look, that comes after harvesting a good crop, this one not on his farm... but at the Eglinton and University theatres, with “Laughing Anne” and “Johnny Guitar” at the Uptown. Variety’s club rooms at the Prince George Hotel a heart-warming place to visit and make friends . . . seen in on? night... Tex Cates, his face lighted up, and not because of his coming ‘‘PolaLite’ demonstration . . . a visiting reporter covering the Canadian Trade Fair, from Columbus, Ohio, Chet Friedman entertaining the Navy and Mr. and Mrs. Diamond all aglow about the line-up business at the Towne Cinema with IFD's “Marlog O”. The Event of the week .. . George Altman still scrapping up scrap, for Variety's Heart Fund , . , gathered together all his vast host of friends to celebrate the maturing of a new Voice, his son Terry... at the Holy Blossom on Saturday morning and at his home, later that evening . . . despite the dreary weather, genial George and his fair maid, Lillian, brought sunshine to ever s9 many people that day, with their pe ing celebration, while son Terry, barke well, for his future. The new Odeon, Edmonton, is scheduled to open on July Ist with the North American Premiere of JARO’s “A Man In a Million.” @ Columbia Pictures reported a 39-week profit of $2,664,000 for the period ending March 27th. For the same period a year ago, Columbia’s net profit amounted to $310,000 — a jump of $2,354,000. @ The British Government has announced its intention of foreclosing on British Lion and appointing a receiver. The new distributing company will be 100% under the control of the National Film Finance Corp. ie) Don Gauld, Manager, Odeon Theatre, Fort William, was lead ing at the end of the seventh week in the Showmanship Division of Odecn’s annual contest. () Jack Labow, RKO Canadian General Manager, announced the cpening of French Line, Jane Russell starrer, at the OdeonCarlton, Danforth, Humber, Fairlawn and Colony Theatres, Torontec, day and date, as well as 18 other Ontario theatres in the next two weeks. e Peter Myers, 20th-Fox Canadian General Manager, announced that Fox will present a special CinemaScope report in all six Canadian exchange centres before the end of June. @ Dave Griesdorf announces the appointment of Zeke Sheine, formerly with JARO, to Odeon Theatres Head Office Booking Department. @ Eleven CinemaScope features a week, in one-track magnetic and one-track eptical sound, will be delivered by 20th-Fox starting June 19th. The first film will be The Robe. @ New York neighborhood theatres were closed until 1:30 p.m. last Tuesday, allowing their employees in the thousands to gather at New York’s City Hall, to protest against the 5% city movie tax which has been passed. e Famous Players has announced a number of managerial shifts in Ontario, as a result of Jim McDonough’s promotion to Maritimes supervisor. Don Edwards moves from the Nortown, Toronto, to the Tivoli, Hamilton; Michael King goes to the Nortown; Joe Cardwell tc the Alhambra and Robert Campbell to the Bloor, Toronto.