Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Aug 21, 1954)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Aug 21, 1954
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Aug 21, 1954)
Leaf #:
0000
Language:
English
Subjects:
Motion Pictures, Film Industry Trade Magazine",Canad
Collection:
Hollywood Studio System, Global Cinema, Early Cinema, and Canada
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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JAY L. SMITH EDITOR AND PUBLISHER VOL. 46, NO. 34 CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE Published by CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST COMPANY LIMITED 21 DUNDAS SQUARE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA RAY LEWIS FOUNDER 1915-1954 AUGUST 21, 1954 Canuck Press Co-Op With Show Biz There was a record turnout for the Third Annual Canadian Picture Pioneers Golf Tournament, held at St. Andrew Golf Club, Toronto, last Thursday. 300 tickets were printed for the event, and the last report we had, all 300 tickets were sold. In addition, over 150 golfers actually teed off in the tournament, which is more than double last year’s number. The Committee, headed by Dan Krendel as co-ordinator, did a terrific job, and credit for the spectacular success of the tournament must go to Dan and his able assistants. An innovation this year was the Gin Rummy Tournament, which was 2 howling success. Walter Kennedy and Vack Fine acted as starters, umpires and mediators for the Gin Rummy session, and really had their hands full. However, they did a masterful job, and the final match between Dave Romberg and Lionel Lester just before the dinner bell sounded, was before a gallery of over 100. An even more startling innovation, albeit an involuntary one, was the absence of any alcoholic beverages, an unheard of situation for a film industry party. Due to St. Andrews Golf Club losing their license just the week before, nothing stronger than coffee was available, but thanks to the generosity of the Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola people, free Cokes, Pepsis and Shopsys were handed out to the thirsty golfers and others. Although some missed the stronger libations, many remarked that it was the most orderly film event they had ever attended, and certainly the quality of the golf was improved by the lack of artificial stimulants, However, one thirsty wag was heard to remark that he was going (Continued on Page 2) Telegram’s Ken Johnson To Tour British Film Studios In September 1954 has seen a new upsurge in joint cooperation between Canadian newspapers and the motion picture industry and is currently emphasized by the trip to England in early September of the Toronto Telegram’s Astral To Handle Goldwyn Re-Issues Astral Films of Canada has obtained the re-issue rights for a number of Samuel Goldwyn productions including “Dead End,” “The Westerners,” etc. Originally (Continued on Page 13) movie revicwer, Ken Johnson. Mr. Johnson will visit JARO’s Pinewood and Sir Michael Balcon’s Ealing Studios as well as other major British studios, and in his own words, “find out how they go about creating such recent notable successes as Hobson’s Choice and The Kidnappers . . . and I'll be hob-nobbing with such stars as (Continued on Page 2) The “Heart Club of Montreal” Forerunner Of New Variety Tent Montreal’s showbusiness united and presented a gala benefit night at the Amherst Theatre August 5th, in aid of Andre Schrijvershof, Dutch immigrant boy who lost both legs when pinned to the wall of his apartment by an automobile, and raised close to $10,000. The active participation of Jack Chisholm, at one time Chief Barker of Variety Club, Tent 28, Toronto and Raymond Allen, a former (Continued on Page 3) Keep your“) (on KEN JOHNSON (See Page 3) Pola-Lite Schedules Five Productions Pola-Lite’s 3-D demonstrations across Canada will take on added significance to exhibitors in light of the announcement that 3-D will be introduced in September (in the (Continued on Page 12) IFD To Re-Issue Duel In The Sun According to information received from New York this week, International Film Distributors of Canada will handle the Canadian re-release of David O. Selznick’s super-western, “Duel in the Sun.” The New York report states the deal was made between Victor Hoare, Foreign General Manager for the Selznick Releasing Organ (Continued on Page 3) MPTAO— Toronto Film Board— Mavety Ready If Railways Strike “In the event of a strike of railroad employees on or about August 15th, arrangements have been made with the Mavety Film Delivery for the shipment of films to various points in Ontario. “Theatre depots have been established to which will be made film shipments for all theatres within a selected area of the depot designated. Please consult the list (page 6) for the depot that will supply your films. “In order to facilitate a regular and orderly supply of films to all theatres, it will be necessary for (Continued on Page 9) DINAN Goldstein Company Continues With UA Robert Goldstein and Robert I. Jacks, vice-president of Leonard Goldstein Productions announced that the late producer's company would continue to make films for United Artists release. (Continued on Page /3)