Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Sep 11, 1954)

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Sep 11, 1954
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Sep 11, 1954)
Leaf #:
0005
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 23, 2024
Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!

Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.

Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.




We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.

Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.

PAGE SIX LYTELL (Continued from Page 1) space in newspapers alone. Bert Lytell, who is president emeritus of Actor’s Equity visited 18 American cities, as well as Ottawa, Montreal and _ Toronto, where he was accompanied by Sam Glasier, head of Fox’s Canadian publicity. In Montreal, he had a personal visit with Morgan Powell, Dean of Canadian critics and attended a reception at the Mount Royal Hotel, for the press, radio and TV representatives. In Ottawa, Mr. Lytell did a live broadcast with former Toronto broadcaster Gord Atkinson for station CFRA, was interviewed by Jay and Ginger, station CKOL. Guest speaker at the Kiwanis lunceon at the Chateau Laurier, he attracted a record crowd of 400, the largest in many a year, for the weekly luncheons. For the balance of his stay in Ottawa, he was the guest of the Central Canadian Exhibition at Lansdowne Park. A press and radio reception was also held at the Chateau Laurier. The wind-up of his tour for “The Egyptian,” before returning to New York, was a hectic twoday stay in Toronto. He appeared with Jay and Ginger and was interviewed by Yvonne Vickers for two separate programs on station CKEY, finishing his radio stint with a taped session for a national hook-up over CBC on “At Home With The Lennox’s. His first day came to an end with a press, radio and TV reception at the Royal York with over 40, turning out to meet him. His last day was spent as the guest of the Canadian National Exhibition. Interviewed by Jane Grey for station CHML (Hamilton) on a program, originating at the CNE, Mr. Lytell was heard by over a hundred thousand visitors at the Fair grounds, as the program is sent through the EX’s PA system, at broadcast time. Guest of Honor at the Auto Day luncheon, hosted by the directors of the CNE, Mr. Lytell was later taken on a Cook's tour of the world’s largest fair, as the personal guest of Bert Powell, CNE public relations and advertising manager. DAY BLOOM Doy Bloom, wife of Som Bloom, B & F Theotres, died lost Thursday, September 2, at the Private Patients Pavillion, Toronto General Hospital, Funeral services were held at the Funeral Chapel of A. W. Miles on Sunday afternoon. Internment, Holy Blossom Memorial Park, ~“pIeECT Across the Country (Continued from Page 3) phonic Magnetic Sound and also opened with “The Robe” on Sept. 6. e e e Mr. Thomas Mackey replaces Mr. Al. Murphy as manager of the Midway Drive-in theatre (Franklin-Herschorn Circuit) at Sydney, N.S. e e e The Franklin family were hosts at a private screening at their Grand-Bay Drive-in theatre recently The invited guests were managers and staffs of the various exchanges and theatre circuits. After the screening refreshments were served in the cafeteria. Vancouver The current release of “Eye Witness’, a National Film Board short subject, includes a story of a B.C. stern wheeler, The Minto. e e e Jack Ellis, formerly with the Odeon circuit in Vancouver and now manager of the Royal and Studio theatres in Moose Jaw, Sask., is spending his vacation on the Pacific. Fred Robson, service manager for Perkins Electric, is the father of a baby boy. e e e Jim Fitz-Henry is back as manager of the Odeon-Haney, in the Fraser Valley after spending a year in California for health reasons. He replaces Steve Allen who returns to the Odeon in Victoria as assistant manager. Qo e e Dave Griesdorf's son, Norman, was in town on his way back from a four-month stay in Hollywood. e e e Robert (R. J.) Hayter, brother of Earl Hayter, Odeon supervisor, has joined International Film Distributors as branch manager of the 16mm. division, e e e Harry Hargraves, former assistant at the Orpheum who moved to California, is now assistant booker at the Los Angeles branch of MGM. Gordon West, former B.C. exhibitor, who formerly ran theatres upcoast from here and moved to California, was on film row looking up his many friends. He now operates a theatre at Fillmore, California, and recently installed CinemaScope, he reports. eo e e The Dominion, Vancouver and the Odeon, West Vancouver, installed wide screens. A shortage of lenses is holding up theatres from installing CinemaScope, equipment dealers reported. e e o The Yorkton International Documentary Festival, the third of its kind, takes place in the Saskatchewan town on Oct, 20-21-22. There will be five categories of films accepted for the 16mm. Festival. re At the Toronto reception for Bert Lytell, he was welcomed by leading women representatives of Press, Radio ond Television, (Left to right) Joy Davies, TY Commentator; Margaret Aitken, Member of Parliament, Telegram; Yvonne Vickers, CKEY; Bert Lytell; Leigh Lee, CHUM, Ruth Schwartz, Associate Editor, Chatelaine ond Doris McCubbin, Assistant Editor, Chatelaine, SEPTEMBER 11, 1954 ee PARAMOUNTEERS (Continued from Page 1) by A. W. Schwalberg, president of Paramount Film Distributing Corp. A visit with Bill O'Neill, secretary-treasurer of Canada’s Paramount organization, who joined the company in February of 1920 as an auditor, filled in the gaps in the 35 year background of the firm in Canada. Starting out in September 15, 1919, as the Famous-Lasky Film Service Ltd., the company’s Canadian head-office was located at 208 Victoria St. and moved to its present location in 1925, when the present building was erected. A new and more extensive building is now being contemplated. The present name of Paramount Film Service Ltd. was incorperated on June 1, 1931. The offices in Canada were opened by George W. Weeks, who became the first Canadian general manager. Mr. Weeks was followed by W. A. Bach in 1922, Jerry Akers, the fall of that year, by Bill Reisman in 1923, Morris Milligan in 1925, Del Goodman in 1939, with the present general manager, Gordon Lightstone taking over the reigns in 1942. The top stars developed by Paramount over the years led to the top grossers, that have become a byword amongst exhibitors the world over. In Canada, as in most countries, where the Paramount trade-mark has appeared, such titles as “Ten Commandments,” “Beau Geste,” “Wings,” which according to Bill O'Neill was the first wide-screen feature made, was shown at the Princess theatre, Toronto, way back in 1928; “The Covered Wagon,” “The Sheik,” “Behind The Front,” “Unconquered,” “Blue Skies,’ ‘Going My Way,” “Samson And _ Delilah,” “The Greatest Show On Earth,” and “Shane” rung up_ records. This is the 35 year heritage that is now leading to the release of one of the strongest groups ever offered in any sales drive. The present Drive will concentrate on “Living It Up,” “Knock On Wood,” “Sabrina,” “Rear Window,” “Ulysses,” and “White Christmas.” Old timers still with the company are Leo Haag, who started as an accountant in 1919; Pete Ward in 1919; Edna Gordon, starting as a stenographer in 1921, and now head booker; Charley Doerr, 1921, and now chief reviser and opera: tor; Mabel May, 1925, contract department; Ambrose _ Theurer, 1927, shorts subject booker and Bill Turner, 1928, now film inspector.