Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Nov 6, 1954)

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Nov 6, 1954
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Nov 6, 1954)
Leaf #:
0000
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
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JAY L. SMITH EDITOR AND PUBLISHER VOL. 46, NO. 45 CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE AR OF PUBLICATION 1915-1954. FIRST WITH THE FILM NEWS IN CANADA Published by CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST COMPANY LIMITED RAY LEWIS FOUNDER 1915-1954 TORONTO, NOVEMBER 6, 1954 Canucks Producing Mare Film Meridian Productions New Co. Nabs Bell For One-Reeler Film A contract for the production of a one-reel film for theatrical distribution was signed this week between the Marilyn Bell Corporation OOK time out during a visit to New York last week, to see two of the new season’s most important productions, Paramount's “White Christmas” and Warner Bros.’ “A Star Is Born”. I knew, of course, that I could see both of these pictures at screenings in Toronto, but I was most anxious to see them in their regular runs, where I could check audience reaction as well as entertainment values. In the case of “White Christmas”, I particularly wanted to see it at the Radio City Music Hall, with the new horizontal projection about which Barney Balaban had waxed so enthusiastic to me a couple of weeks before, and of course, I was concerned with seeing the first motion picture produced in VistaVision, under the best possible conditions. I am happy to report that all the advance notices I had read about the picture, and about VistaVision, were fully justified in every way. From a technical standpoint, “White Christmas” in VistaVision is outstanding in clarity of focus, and I doubt if Technicolor has ever been seen to better advantage. From a box-office point of view, it cannot help but be one of the top grossers of the year, in fact of any year, for who is there that knows anything about our Industry, that will not tell you that a marquee boasting a cast headed by Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen, 1s a cinch to attract SRO business. When you add to that marquee strength, the music of Irving Berlin, including the title song which has become a classic of popular music, the new value of VistaVision, the always important value (Continued on Page 4) and Meridian Productions Corporation. Ottawa Theatres Adopt Art Policy Foreign films are going strong in Ottawa these days, with four first-runs showing them almost exclusively, another two days a week, and a house across the river at (Continued on Page 4) Marilyn Bell, the pretty teenager who conauered Lake Ontario, will star in this Canadian produced film as predicted in the Digest some weeks back. Meridian Productions was formed by Julian Roffman and Communications of Canada, a public relations company headed by Ralph Foster and Arthur Wells. Organized as a film production service (Continued on Page 3) Jack Arthur, ‘Mr. Showbusiness’ Pioneer Of The Year Dinner Set A certain number of tickets to the annual Pioneer of the Year Award Dinner, to be held in the Crystal Ballroom of the King Edward Hotel, Toronto, on November 25, will be made available to non-industry people who may wish to be among those present when Jack Arthur, Will McLaughlin and Charles Stephenson are honored, it was stated by Tom S, Daley, chairman of the committee. Tickets are valued at $7.50, with Dan Krendel head of the ticket committee. (Continued on Page 3) Keep yours) (on IRVING HcRMAN {See Page 3) Alta. Exhibitor Gives $100 Scholarships Mr. and Mrs. W. Godwin, owners of the Norwood Theatre, in Delburne, Alta, believe civic leadership will pay exhibitors even in the smallest communities. The Godwins, whose theatre is (Continued on Page 12) Para And 20th-Fox Rid Polio Project Since Labor Day, both Paramount and 20th Century-Fox have been supplying gratis 16mm features through General Films for the needs of polio patients at King George Hospital, Winnipeg. Because the majority of polio victims are in iron Jungs, no more than four of them can see a program at a time which is projected on the ceiling. Members of the (Continued on Page 4) Associated Screen News Stages Film And Television Workshop The first motion picture and television Workshop to be held in Canada, planned for the benefit of companies interested in the pro duction of films for these two fields, studios of Associated Screen News Limited on December 6, 7 and 8. The announcement was made by Wm. J, Singleton, general manager, who explained that the Workshop's extensive program is being planned for the study of basic and factual material in motion picture and television production through the media of discus (Continued on Page 4) will be staged at the Montreal Censorship Campaign By Catholic Group The Catholic Women's League has announced a new campaign through its many parish organizations in Canada for tightened censorship of moving pictures at theatres and increased control of (Continued on Page 4)