Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Nov 13, 1954)

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Nov 13, 1954
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Nov 13, 1954)
Leaf #:
0003
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:
June 13, 2024
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= ot Peo fan Sterling AA’s Ambassador Of Goodwill Makes P.A. In Toronto Jan Sterling, dynamic star of Allied Artists’ smashing expose of a corrupt Big City administration, “The Human Jungle,” made a ‘flying’ visit to Toronto last weekend and made several personal appearances at theatres in conjunction with the Canadian premiere of “The Human Jungle.” Arriving at Malton Airport Saturday, November 6th, via TransCanada Airlines, she proceeded to her suite in the Royal York Hotel. Following dinner she attended the Toronto-Chicago NHL hockey game at the Maple Leaf Gardens as guest of the Maple Leaf Hockey Club. On Sunday, Nov. 7th, Miss Sterling visited friends in Toronto in the afternoon and early evening and then joined her husband, Paul Douglas, star of the “Caine Mutiny Court Martial” stage production which opened at the Royal Alexandra Theatre on the same date as her film “The Human Jungle.” Mr. Douglas flew from Cleveland following a special Sunday matinee performance of “Caine” in that city. A special press-radio-television and magazine conference was arranged for Miss Sterling, Nov. 8th in the Royal York Hotel. Refreshments were served from 12 noon to 1 p.m., to give her an opportunity to meet the working-press very informally, following which a buffet luncheon was served. After luncheon, Miss Sterling was available for press-radio-television and magazine interviews. Following her press conference at the Royal York Hotel, Miss Sterling, accompanied by a motorcycle escort, made a whirlwind personal appearance tour of the Downtown, Glendale, State and Scarboro Theatres where “The Human Jungle’ was showing. Prior to her return to the Allied Artists’ vast studios in Hollywood, California, Wed. Nov. 10, Miss Sterling went through a series of radio guest appearances in Toronto and Hamilton, where her film opened at the Century Theatre on Thursday. First With Film TAX RELIEF (Continued from Page 1) Theatres Association, got busy on the ticket-impost situation in this province again with the holding of a conference Nov. 1 in Toronto. The latest discussions are reportedly preliminary to the convention Nov. 22 of the National Committee of Motion Picture Exhibitors’ Associations of Canada to which various provincial associations will submit representations on amusement-tax burdens, The special committee for Ontario is headed by co-chairmen who were named last May. They are Lionel Lester for the MPTAO and Ben Freedman of Long Branch for Allied Theatres. STAFF CHANGES (Continued from Page 1) since 1947 and in the Advertising Department since 1951. He was drive captain in the recent Odeon Big Show which was the most successful showmanship drive carried out by the circuit. Mr. Ron Leonard, formerly Manager at the Odeon Humber and Odeon Danforth has rejoined the company as a member of the Advertising and Publicity Department and together with Mr. Charles Mason will work at exploitation and showmanship. MASTERS (Continued from Page 1) fice sales executives district managers and Haskell Masters Canadian General Manager. Purpose of the meeting was the discussion of forthcoming Warner Bros. productions, including the distribution of “A Star Is Born,” other pictures already completed, and those properties scheduled for filming and release in 1955. News In Canada The Digest captioned a front page lead story on September 25 with “CANADIAN FILM ABOUT MARILYN BELL... OFFER MADE TO TORONTO’S IDOL BY TOP CANADIAN FILM GROUP.” In our Jast week’s issue, November 6, delivered in Toronto film offices on Thursday afternoon, The Digest’s front page lead story was captioned, “CANUCKS PRODUCING ‘MARILYN’ FILM . .. MERIDIAN PRODUCTIONS, NEW CO., NABS BELL FOR ONE-REELER FILM.” The Digest was the first with the news in Canada, the Canadian Press carrying the story on Friday night and the three Toronto daily papers in their Saturday editions. = NOVEMBER 13, 191 MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS NOW! For the Annual Meeting and Luncheon of the MOTION PICTURE THEATRES ASSOCIATION of ONTARIO to be held THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25th, 1954 at the KING EDWARD HOTEL, TORONTO REGISTRATION 9.30 A.M. BUSINESS MEETING 10 A.M. LUNCHEON | P.M. ARTHUR L. MAYER, Guest Speaker Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario ARCH H. JOLLEY, Secretary 21 Dundas Square EM. 4-9630 Toronto, Ont. Be Sure to Visit the Movie Trade Show! WESTREX —— e) print. It can be used ee Ce = “PENTHOUSE” REPRODUCER Call it a ‘penthouse’, ‘sandwich’ or ‘button-on’ reproducer, the Westrex is the simplest and cheapest way to get stereophonic sound reproduction from a complete with any modern projector or soundhead. It is small and does not interfere with operation of projection equipment. Westrex is film-pulled and requires no special lubrication or maintenance. Write or ask for complete details. DOMINION SOUND EQUIPMENTS LIMITED. HEAD OFFICE: 4040 St. Catherine Street West, Montreal. BRANCHES AT: Halifax, Saint John, Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, London, North Bay, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver. DS-54-2%