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 #:
0009
Language:
English
Subjects:
Motion Pictures, Film Industry Trade Magazine",Canad
Collection:
Hollywood Studio System, Canada, 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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[ See pte PAGE TEN Superscope Package Over 53 In Conada Theatre Poster announced last week that it can now offer the theatres a complete package deal, with regard to the installation of their Tushinsky Superscope Lens. This deal will include aperture plates and backing lens, in combination with the Superscope anamorphic variable lens. The Strand, Montreal, wos the scene UA's “Operation Manhunt.” The film was Foto Nite which has just opened in 13 Montreal theatres recently celebrated its 5th Anniversary in Toronto. The Astor, Toronto participated in the gala occasion. Jack Fitzgibbons, who os President of the International Popcorn Assoc., officiated at the Movie Trade Show iz Chicago two weeks ago along with officers of other trade groups, who had combined for tha first joint trade show ever presented, @ , i " Es he of the World Premiere two weeks ago for shot on location in Montreal, > moves Perea “pIereT Rhoden Pres. National Theatres TV Sales Jump 128% Elmer C. Rhoden, veteran execsold it in 1929 to the old Fox A 128% jump in sales of TS utive of National Theatres CorWest Coast Theatres chain, out of cets was reported by the Dominion poration, was elected president of which grew the present National the company at a meeting of the Theatre Circuit. National now has board of directors. 385 houses in operation throughout NOVEMBER 13, 19%, Bureau of Statistics for last Jul over the July, 1953 sales. Quebec e 4 « ‘ ~ 1e > « vo 1 ae 2 : Mr. Rhoden, who was a vicethe country, including the Roxy in showed the largest increase. 06, president of National, also is presNew York. 923 TV sets were sold during the ident of its subsidiary, Fox MidMr. Rhoden was born in Leperiod January-July of this year west Theatres, Inc., with headquarters in Kansas City, Mo. He organized the latter company and Mars, Iowa, on May 15, 1893, and entered the motion picture business in 1912. valued at $73,792,503 compared to 1953’s 135,388 valued at $55.945,487 across Canada. KF ront t ail Henrietta Davidson, the girl with the golden voice who answers ‘20th Century-Fox” when you call the Canadian head office, a voice that has become familiar to hundreds of exhibitors. Jim Hardiman, newly appointed Odeon Director of advertising, Mrs, H. S. Hall (on the right) and daughter are’ faithful patrons of the capitol, Bridgewater, having attended regularly since its opening in 1937. Mrs. Hall is 96 years of age. Michael King, manager of the Nortown, Toronto, and Sid Koffman of Pepsi-Cola, arranged to give out free Pepsis during the skowing of Co’umbia’s “Caine Mutiny” because of the long delay in gaining admittance to the theatre. The weary pcople waiting up to an hour were very appreciative, MGM‘s “Gone With The Wind’ in its Saint John showing garnered mony a ticup including the ond above at one of the city’s main candy stores, A preview of Hadassah’s Fashion Show was staged at the Odeon, Toronto, during the showing of Fox's “Woman's World.” The tie-up was sef by Vic Nowe, manager of Odeon’s flagship and Sam Glasier, Fox's Canadian exploitction director,