Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Nov 20, 1954)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Nov 20, 1954
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Nov 20, 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. 47 CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE TION 1915 Mile tbtbctivtiTeiaatibitiitibes etal Madd buedse “FIRST WITH THE FILM NEWS IN CANADA Published by CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST COMPANY LIMITED RAY LEWis FOUNDER 1915-1954 1954 _ TORONTO, NOVEMBER 20, 1954 Telegram Expands Amusement Page Circularizes Exhibitors-Schedules Discussions With Film Industry The Toronto Evening Telegram has written every Toronto exhibior, circuit head and distribution executive, a personal letter, setting out the plans now underway, to expand their amusement section. The letter, By JAY L. SMITH Variety Club Tent No. 28 has a new crew for the coming year, headed by Harry Mandel as Chief Barker. At an election held last Thursday night, the new crew was selected from and by eleven canvassmen elected two weeks before. Harry will be aided and abetted in his duties by Dave Griesdorf as Ist Assistant Chief Barker, Clare Appel as 2nd Assistant Chief Barker, Paul Johnson as Property Master and Dan Krendel as Dough Guy. All members of the crew are new to their respective jobs, with the exception of Dan Krendel, who is in for a second year as guardian of the exchequer. Installation of the new crew will be held at the Prince George Hotel, Tuesday evening, No. 23rd, at a dinner meeting. All members of the Club are cordially invited to attend the Installation Dinner, and the ladies are also invited to this dinner. Tickets are $5.00 each, and ‘can be obtained from Joe Bermack ‘of Peerless Films. One of the most important sales mmeetings in Columbia’s history got winderway last Monday morning at tthe Blackstone Hotel, Chicago, general sales manager Abe Montague presiding. A Canadian delegation, headed by Canadian sales rmanager Harvey Harnick, and including the branch managers of all siix Canadian branches, attended tlhe meetings for the first time. The Canadian group included Lou Simnon, St. John, “Dutch” Levit, Montreal, Abe Cass, Toronto, Sam Pearlman, Winnipeg, Harry Ross, Calgary, and Nat Levant, VancrOuver, Three of the Canadian contingeent were among the twelve men honored on Tuesday for 25 years oir more of service to Columbia. (Continued on Page 4) CBC Studio Ready In Few Months The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has purchased the Carlton Theatre building .on Parliament St. for future use as a sound broadcasting studio. Several months will (Continued on Page 3) signed by Bas Mason, Tely Director of Promoticn, rounds out the information carried by the Digest last week. The letter follows. “This is written to advise you of The Telegram’s new policy for the expansion of the daily entertainment news and feature coverage to serve better our readers and advertisers. (Continued on Page 4) Distributors & Equipment Co.’s Present Exciting Fare For Trade Exciting fare is guaranteed to all who attend the Movie Trade Show, next week. With the possibility of a public Trade Show in the offing for next year, the venture, started a year ago, has a bright future ahead of it. More than 25 companies, including a representative number of film exchanges, will use all available show space in the King Edward Hotel, Toronto, for this second annual trade exhibition for the three days, Nov. 23-25, as a feature of convention week. Equipment firms were early to the fore in signing for appropriate space, including Dominion Sound (Continued on Page 4) Keep your <2 (x on Martin Luther For Presbyterian Halls The Montreal Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church last week week gave its congregations permission to screen the controversial film Martin Luther, which has been banned by the Quebec provincial (Continued on Page 3) Paramount Pictures Income For 1954 Up Paramount Pictures Corporation estimates the earnings of the corporation and its consolidated domestic and Canadian subsidiaries for the third quarter ended Octo ber 2, 1954, at $2,428,000 after provision for United States and Canadian income taxes. These earnings represent $1.10 per share on the 2,208,133 shares outstanding and in the hands of the public (Continued on Page 3) JARO’s Big 10th Anniversary For Canada Under Way With 26 Films A few weeks ago the J. Arthur Rank Films Distributors (Canada) Limited announced their 10th Anniversary, and gave a list of 26 pictures for the 1955 season. The first two mentioned, and “Man With a Million” have set uv box-office sensations from coast to coast and, at present, “Doctor in the House” is playing: Ottawa, seven weeks; Toronto, eleven weeks at two theatres and still going; Montreal, four weeks and held over; Halifax, eight days: Edmonton, now in the sixth week; Vancouver, ten weeks; bea (Continued on Page 3 “Doctor in the House” TV Links 32 Theatres For Met Gala Opening The Metropolitan Opera last Monday opened its new season not only in its own 71-year-old theatre but in 32 other theatres in cilies across the USA. What has been a gala evening (Continued on Page 3}