Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Sep 25, 1954)

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Sep 25, 1954
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Sep 25, 1954)
Leaf #:
0006
Language:
English
Subjects:
Motion Pictures, Film Industry Trade Magazine",Canad
Collection:
Early Cinema, Canada, Hollywood Studio System, 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
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SEPTEMBER 25, 1954 ater That Could Satter Y By MAX CHIC Toronto has burst forth with a new group of first run houses... UA has booked a program of “Overland Pacific’ and “No Escape” with its Marciano-Charles fight picture at the downtown Savoy as well as B & F’s Beaver, Century, York and Radio City... last week 20th Century Theatres Started a first run policy with foreign pictures at the Circle, Metro and Esquire . . . the Rex, Mimico, had a VideoScope anamorphic lens installed by Perkins Electric. Frank Waughan, general sales manager of JARO announced Jast week that Ed Weisberg, formerly booker for the AA _ division of JARO has been named special rep. for JARO in Ontario ... a terrific tie-up was promoted by Famous Players head office for the run of “3 Coins” at the Beach, Palace, College, Runnymede, Parkdale and Oakwood theatres an all-expenses trip for two to New York was the prize for the contest sponsored by Lesleyann Cosmetics, Dominion Travel Office and Famous Players. Bob Hope took time off from his “Eddie Foy” film at Paramount studios to record radio announcements to aid the RCAF recruiting drive . . A. Dunton, chairman of the CBC board of governors stated last week that Canadians are investing about $200,000,000 in TV this year... Jack Labow, RKO Canadian general manager, will visit Saint John Y on a routine business trip this week. Jason Cohen, well known to many in the film industry, died last week in Montreal . Frank Fisher was host to newspaper reps in his office where Dr. Richard Gordon, author of JARO’s current box-office record-breaker was present . . . Gordon’s next for JARO will be “Doctor at Sea” with Dirk Bogarde starring . . . Dan Krendel is prepping a new Ballyhoo Showmanship Drive for his District B. Ron Pape joined JARO as beoker in Toronto last week. The Event Of The Week .. . sitting at the table with Leonard Brockington, when Odeon Champion Nicky Langston was honored along with many other Odeon showmen Listening to Mr. Brockington’s remarks, both official and across the luncheon table, gives one an added zest for living. “DIGEST Autry In St. John Gene Autry, riding a slick 900 horsepower airplane (he is an exU.S. army pilot) loped into Saint John airport this week, and was met at the airport by the Lieutenant-Governor. The LieutenantGovernor explained that Gene Autry was a pretty big man in the hearts of thousands of youngsters throughout New Brunswick, and, if that didn’t rate an official welcome nothing much else did. The good-natured hero of many thousands of feet of celluloid visited the two orphanages and the St. John City Hall. Because Autry was the first movie personality to visit the newly incorporated City of Lancaster, Mayor Thomas B. Horsler and members of his Council were on hand at one of the Orphanages to welcome him. He gave two shows at the Saint John Forum which were well attended. eee eee eer eee -_ Tnaus 4 $__——— USE THIS INFORMATION TORONTO IMPERIAL 2nd week. On The Waterfront (Col.) with Marlon Brando. SHEA’S 3rd week. Sobrina (Por.) with Humphrey Bogort, Audrey Hepburn and Wm. Holden. UNIVERSITY 2nd week. Susan Slept Here (RKO) Tech. with Dick Powell and Debbie Reynolds. NORTOWN The Hiah and the Mighty (Warner) C’Scope and WarnerColor with John Wayne. ODEON 4th week. Magnificent Obsession (E-U) Tech. with Jone Wymon. UPTOWN Noked Alibi (E-U) with Sterling Hayden. LOEW’S 3rd week. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (MGM) C’Scope & Color with Jane Powell. HYLAND & CHRISTIE 3rd week, Doctor in the House (JARO) Tech. with Dirk Bogarde. INTERNATIONAL CINEMA 3rd week. An_ Inspector with Alistair Sim, DOWNTOWN Drums Across the River (E-U) Tech. with Audie Murphy. MONTREAL PALACE The Student Prince (MGM) C’Scope ond Color with Ann Blyth. LOEW'S Sth week. Gone With The Wind (MGM) Tech. with Vivien Leigh. PRINCESS The Mad Magician (Col.) with Vincent Price. CAPITOL The Rold (20th-Fox) Tech. with Van Heflin. AVENUE 4th week, Mon With a Million (JARO) Tech, with Gregory Peck. KENT 4th week, The Living Desert (RKO) Tech, ORPHEUM Captain Kidd & The Slave Girl (UA) and Overland Pacific (UA). Calls (IFD) Fight Pic At Savoy Approximately 235,000 moviegoers saw a closed circuit telecast of the Marciano-Charles heavyweight championship fight in 71 theatre, spread over 55 U.S. cities, at admission prices ranging from $3.30 per seat to $5.50. United Artists, who are releasing the film version of the bout, had prints in all U.S. and Canadian exchanges by last Monday morning. Charles S. Chaplin, UA’s Canadian general manager, stated that the film was booked solid across Canada, in the greatest advance number of bookings for a fight picture he has ever seen. It opened at the Savoy, Toronto, Monday. Eight Wks. For Brides MGM's “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” finished an eight-week run at Radio City Music Hall, hitting a near all-time high, an estimated $1,352,000. Cauada ‘a AS YOUR GUIDE ON RELEASE DATES ~-~--~-~— WINNIPEG CAPITOL The Student Prince (MGM) C’Scope and Color with Ann Blyth. LYCEUM The Outcast (E-U) & Hell’s Half Acre (E-U). MET Rear Window (Par.) Tech. with James Stewart. ODEON Johnny Dork (E-U) Tech. with Tony Curtis and Piper Laurie. GAIETY Knock on Wood (Par.) Tech. with Donny Kaye. GARRICK Gorden of Evil (20th-Fox) C’Scope and Tech. with Gary Cooper. VANCOUVER CAPITOL 3rd week. Sabrina (Por.) with Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn and Wm. Holden. ORPHEUM Rear Window (Por.) Tech. with James Stewart. VOGUE 3rd wezk. Doctor in the House (JARO) Tech. with Dirk Bogarde. STUDIO Daughters of Destiny (Cardinal) with Claudette Colbert. DUNBAR 2nd week. Final Test (JARO) with Jack Warner, ST. JOHN STRAND Apeche (UA) Tech. with Burt Lancaster, CAPITOL The Saracen Blade (Col.) Tech. with Ricardo Montalban, PARAMOUNT Broken Lance (20th-Fox) C’Scope and Color with Spencer Tracy. Sheine To Peerless Joe Bermack, general sales manager for Peerless Films, announced that Max Sheine, onetime IFD Calgary branch manager, has been named special representative for Peerless. PAGE SEVEN soon release a in Technicolor of “Destry,” starring Audie Murphy and Mari Blanchard . . . “Destry Rides Again, Again,” the original Universal will new version film starred James Stewart and Marlene Dietrich . . . Walter Wanger’s AA production “Riot In Cell Block 11” won the Award of Merit at the 8th Edinburgh Film Festival, the first American film to win this honor in 8 years... . Ava Gardner will attend the world premiere of UA’s “The Barefoot Contessa,” in which she co-stars with Humphrey Bogart, the date September 29, the place, Capitol theatre, New York. JARO is preparing a sequal to the successful Technicolor production “Doctor In The House” titled “Doctor At Sea,” and also starring Dirk Bogarde . . . Jack Lemmon again set for male lead in Columbia’s musical version of “My Sister Eileen” opposite Janet Leigh . main shooting will wait until he finishes his stint for Warners in “Mr. Roberts . Lana Turner has been borrowed from MGM by Warners to star opposite John Wayne in “The Sea Chase.” Decca Records has The Four Aces singing the title song from Fox's CinemaScope production “Woman’s World,” which stars Clifton Webb, June Allyson, Van Heflin, Lauren Bacall, Fred MacMurray, Arlene Dahl and Cornel Wilde . . Joe Pasternack will produce MGM's comedy-drama with music titled “Saturday Night Is My Delight,” with Jane Powell in the lead role. Cecile B. DeMille has cast Debra Paget, 20th-Fox contract star for the prized role of Lilia in Paramount’s “The Ten Commuandments” Universal has scheduled “Bengal Brigade” for November release the Technicolor production stars Rock Hudson and Arlene Dahl .. . Charles Schnee will produce “Monster Beneath The Sea” for Clover Productions Inc., which Columbia will release. Alan Ladd and June Allyson will star for Warners in “The MeConnell Story”. . . Robert Taylor will have Grace Kelly as co-star in’ MGM's “Quentin Durward” /ith Pandro S, Berman producing. oS