Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Nov 20, 1954)

Page scan 0005 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 #:
0005
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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ex a PAGE SIX aed NOVEMBER 20, i954 — — “RYerey A. W. Perry Announces 5 Top Features From Republic Republic Studios will usher in the Christmas and New Year holidays with an unprecedented production surge for this time of the year with two productions starting before Christmas and three slated to roll in the first ten days of January it Was announced by A. W. Perry, President of Empire-Universal, who distribute Republic product in Canada. The information came in the form of a wire from Herbert J. Yates, Republic president. Inaugurating the quintet of features slated to roll this month will be “I Cover the Underworld,” with William J. O'Sullivan set as associate producer. Starting production on Dec. Ist will be “Man From Texas” to be filmed in Trucolor by Consolidated under the guidance of associate producer-director Joe Kane. The first of the year will see filming launched on “Rebel Island,” which will be filmed in Trucolor in the Bahamas with Edward Ludwig as associate producer-director, An untitled feature will go before the cameras on Jan. 3rd, the same date as “Rebel Island,” to be followed by “San Antonio De Bexar’ which will shoot in Texas. Associate producerdirector Frank Lloyd is currently in the Lone Star state scouting locations. Production on the latter top-budget feature will start on Jan. 10th. Francis A. Bateman western division sales manager for Republic, planed out for Salt Lake City and Denver over the weekend to set up world premiere plans for “Timberjack” in Missoula, Montana. “Timberjack” in Trucolor stars Vera Ralston and Sterling Hayden. Jacques Martin of the Mercier, Montreal, has shown once again just how aggressive he is as a showman in Montreal's east end. Capitalizing on the publicity for Jeon Drapeau, Montreal's anti-vice mayor, he organized a canned food show for chority and he had Maoyor-Elect Drapeau in person to preside over the event. The photo shows Mayor Drapeau, on the right, being handed a sample can in the lobby of the Mercier. @ MPTA Ask Exhibitors Report Flood Damage Theatre owners in communities hit by the hurricane flood in the Toronto territory were urged by the Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario to check with their municipal councils to see that the latter were placing storm claims witout delay with the Ontario Flood Relief Commission, Queen's Park, Toronto. Cohn Signs New Pact For 5 Years With Col. Announcement was made at Columbia Pictures that the corporation had entered into a new five year contract with Harry Cohn, its president. The new contract will be submitted at the Annual Meeting in December for ratification. C’Scope Installations By General Theatre Bathurst, N.B., Capitol; Belleville, Ont., Belle; Brandon, Man., Strand; Brantford, Ont., Capitol; Brockville, Ont., Capitol; Calgary Alta., Capitol; Charlottetown, P.E.I., Prince Edward; Chathom, Ont., Capitol; Cornwall, Ont., Palace; E. Florenceville, N.B., Green's; Edmonton, Alta., Paramount; Ft. William, Ont., Capitol; Fredericton, N.B., Gaiety; Galt, Ont., Capitol; Guelph, Ont., Polace; Halifox, N.S., Capitol, Hamilton, Ont., Kenilworth, Kenmore, Strand, Tivoli; Hull, P.Q., Cartier; Hull, Laurier; Jonquiere, P.Q., Cartier; Kentville, N.S., Paramount; Kingston, Ont., Copitol; Kitchener, Ont., Lyric; Lethbridge, Alta., Paramount; London, Ont., Copitol; Lunenburg, N.S. Capitol; Magog, P.Q., Magog; Medicine Hat, Alta., Monarch; Middleton, N.S., Capitol; Moncton, N.B., Paramount; Mont Joli, P.Q., Au Bon Cinema. Montreal, P.Q., Palace, Rivoli, Rosemount; Moose Jaw, Sask., Capitol; Newcastle, N.B., Uptown; New Waterford, N.S., Paramount; New Westminister, B.C., Columbia; Niagara Falls, Ont., Seneca; North Bay, Ont., Capitol; Oshawa, Ont., Regent; Ottawa Ont., Capitol; Owen Sound, Ont., Classic; Peterborough, Ont., Paramount; Port Arthur, Ont., Paramount; Prince Albert, Sask., Strond. Quebec, P.Q., Capitol, Cartier, Empire; Regina, Sask., Capitol; St. Agathe, P.Q., Roxy; St. Catharines, Ont., Capitol; Soint John, N.B., Poramount; St. John’s, Nfld., Poramount; St. Thomas, Ont., Capitol; Sarnia, Ont., Capitol; Saskatoon, Sask., Capitol; Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Algoma; Capitol, Century, Empire; Summerside, Sherbrooke, P.Q., Granada; Sudbury Ont., Capitol, Century, Empire; Summerside, P.E.1., Capitol; Sydney, N.S., Vogue; Three Rivers, P.Q., Capitol; Timmins, Ont,, Victory. Toronto, Ont., Beach, College, Eglinton, Imperial, Oakwood, Palace, Parkdale, Runnymede, 20th Fox Screen Room, University, Village; Vancouver, B.C., Broadway, Capitol, Stanley; Victoria, B.C., Royol; Welland, Ont., Capitol; Windsor, Ont., Capitol, Vanity; Winnipeg, Man., Capitol, Uptown; Wolfville, N.S., Acadia; Woodstock, Ont., Royal. ... better HURRY ! only a few tickets left for the CANADIAN PICTURE PIONEERS PIONEER : YEAR™ AWARD DINNER e CRYSTAL BALLROOM @ KING EDWARD HOTEL THURS., NOV. 25 dress optional ® ® cocktails at seven thirty © dinner at eight thirty e dancing ten to one ayem benny louis and his famous orchestra e e ‘tickets $7.50 each from dan krendel irving stern monty hall ferg martin andy rouse charlie dentlebeck and walter kennedy tom daley co-ordinator