Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jun 19, 1954)

Page scan 0007 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Jun 19, 1954
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jun 19, 1954)
Leaf #:
0007
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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ua : yo a Tt? '* bes 5 PAGE EIGHT CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST JUNE 19, 1954 Chatter... that could matter! By MAX CHIC Reported here, weeks ago, that Superscope franchise would go to non-equipment firm, confirmed this week with announcement by Murray Sweigman... the Eddie Cantor on the local film scene, Guston Allen, made it this time, a boy named David, after four girls. Local friends of Gene Nelson will be pleased to hear, that he got the Will Parker role in the film version of “Oklahoma” . . . local boy makes good tag pinned on Lorne Greene . . . he will appear in Warner Bros. “The Silver Chalice” . . . in CinemaScope, no less . . Sam Glasier will hit pay dirt next week, when Eartha the Kitt plays the Casino . . RKO and American trade mags refer to Loblaw’s in “Pinocchio” tieup story as LABLOW’S ... RKO's Canadian General Manager’s name LA. BOW . . . what price publicity? Barney Fox and Jack Clarke will be pleased to hear JARO’s “The Rainbow Jacket” is the best horse racing picture yet . . . Yonge St. invaded by Hydro conversion trucks last week, found Martin Simpson at Downtown theatre doors at 6 a.m... . Dan Krendel reports first Peterboro Benefit Show, an annual affair as of now, raising over $500 for Variety Village ... Monty Hall and Lou Snider assisted a local cttee. of Hilly Yudin, Art Cauley, Len Gouin, George Sheppard and Gordon Miller on arrangements at the Odeon, last Sunday night. Frank Fisher, Frank Vaughan and Tommy Knight closeted on plans, celebrating JARO’s 10th Anniversary .. . Alf Perry has a “Magnificent Obsession,” while Haskell Masters is feeling pretty “High and Mighty,” these days . .. Lionel Lester, chairman and George Altman, co-chairman of film industry’s UJW Drive, report funds collected exceeding 1953 with a 4 percent increase . Tivoli theatre, Hamilton getting a complete face-lifting job ... Sam Vinson and wife had a close call, when a tornado hit their plane just outside of Chicago two weeks ago. Overheard . . . 7 Famous Players houses, the Beach, College, Parkdale, Runnymede, Palace, Bloor and _ the Oakwood to open July 9th with “The Robe” in CinemaScope and full magnetic stereophonic sound . . . Odeon’s Danforth, Humber and Fairlawn open July 23rd with “Prince Valiant” in CinemaScope and single track optical sound. The Event Of The Week... Variety Club, Tent 28, Toronto, Annual Baseball Night at the Maple Leaf Stadium for Variety Village, last Friday, and the unheralded efforts of the unnamed many who make it the success it is. Variety’s weekly National Box-office Survey lists ““Three Coins In A Fountain,” first; “Dial M For Murder,” second; Cinerama in third place and “Johnny Guitar” in fourth place. e@ Budd Rogers to supervise handling of Selznick re-releases. First four are “Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” “Rebecca,” ‘Spellbound,” and “Duel In The Sun.” () : Canadian Beverley Baxter, British Member of Parliament, and now film critic for Beaverbrook’s Standard, receives Knighthood in Queen Elizabeth’s birthday honors list. ® United Artists will distribute the first British 3-D feature, “The Diamond Wizard,” directed by Dennis O’Keefe and produced by Steve Pallos. ® Paramount Drive-In, Vancouver, opened June 11th with its first CinemaScope feature, Fox’s “Beneath the 12-Mile Reef.” @ General Theatre Supply and Pola-Lite host enthusiastic exhibitors at first demonstration in Canada of Pola-Lite’s 3-D system, Hollywood Theatre, Toronto, with screening of Columbia’s “The Mad Magician.” e Jack Labow, RKO’s Canadian General Manager, will be honored with a six-week summer sales drive running from July 23 through to September 2. @ Dan Krendel’s Ballyhoo May Bonanza Winners are: Group A, Ist prize, Bob Harvey; 2nd prize, Art Cauley; Group B, 1st prize, Al Hartshorn; 2nd prize, Jack Bridges. od Fox’s CinemaScope and Technicolor “Flight of the White Heron,” previewed during regular showing at the Imperial Theatre, Toronto, on Tuesday afternoon. @ The overall net from Variety’s Annual Ball Night will be considerably lower this year as a result of the disappointing crowd of about 10,000 fans despite the top notch Souvenir Program printed. Variety Barkers blame poor attendance on the lack of a cat draw (prevented by law) and the current AGVA vs. Musician’s Union quarrel, which prevented the usual outstanding vaudeville show. ; Canadian Adult Assoc. hold. screening of “Tit Coq” with English titles at the Hollywood Theatre, Toronto.