Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Dec 11, 1954)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Dec 11, 1954
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Dec 11, 1954)
Leaf #:
0000
Language:
English
Subjects:
Motion Pictures, Film Industry Trade Magazine",Canad
Collection:
Global Cinema, Hollywood Studio System, Canada, and Early 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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JAY L. SMITH = EDITOR AND PUBLISHER VOL. 46, NO. 50 CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE 09 WITH grt FILM NEWS IN CANADA Published by CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST COMPANY LIMITED RAY LEWIS FOUNDER 1915-1954 TORONTO, DECEMBER I1, 1954 Amusement Pages Have New Look Industry-Dailies Co-op In Toronto Establishing Pattern For Country J. H. Crang & Co., one of Can ada’s_ leading stock brokerage firms, have prepared a prospectus for their clients in respect to Famous Players Canadian Corporation. There is so much information contained in this prospectus, not only referring to F-P, but to the Motion Picture Industry as a whole, that I felt it of value to reprint a good portion of the prospectus in this column. Whether you are a shareholder of F-P or not, you cannot help but be favorably impressed by what J. H. Crang & Co. has to say about Canada’s leading theatre circuit. The prospectus opens with the information that there are 1,800,000 shares of common stock, no par value, authorized, with 1,737,072 shares issued. Of this latter figure, Paramount Pictures Corporation hold 51%. The price range of the stock is traced from 1949 to 1954. Hizh for 1949 was $16, with a low of $13.25. High for 1950 was $17.50, low $13.25. In 1951, the high was $18.25, the low, $15.50. In 1952, the range was $19.25 high, $12.50 low, while in 1953 it hit a high of $21.75, with a low of $18. Up to November 26th, 1954, the high reached was $28.50, a spectacular rise over 1953. Low figure in 1954 was $18, while current price quoted as of last week was $27.75. Estimated earnings for 1954 are $2.20 per share; dividend declared for 1954, $1.60, giving a yield of $5.77. Under the heading, OPINION, J. H. Crang & Co. have this to say about F-P stock: “We recommend the purchase of shares of Famous Players at the current price on the following grounds: (i) The shares of Famous Players have not kept apace with representative issues of other semi (Continued on Page 2) SAS The two Toronto afternoon dailies, have both taken on a new look in their amusement sections. the Telegram and the Star, This renewed co-operation can only lead to mutual benefits to all concerned. Model Theatre At Movie Trade Show The Altec model theatre, designed by the service organization to explain the workings of stereophonic sound, was a feature of the Canadian Motion Picture Trade (Continued on Page 2) The recent meeting of Industry Representatives with department heads of the Toronto Telegram last week to promote better relations between motion pictures and a newspaper was, perhaps, the most significant occasion that has ever taken place in our Industry. Other meetings are planned with the other two daily papers. Gath (Continued on Page 6) NFB Planning For Spring Move To New Montreal Headquarters The National Film Board hopes to move into its new Montreal headquarters in the spring of 1956, the Government Film Commissioner, A. W. Trueman, announced in an address at the opening of the Asso ciated Screen News Workshop. First move of equipment and per sonnel is scheduled for the fall (Continued on Page 3) HARVEY HARNICK (See page 3) There’s No Business Like Show Business Darryl F. Zanuck’s presentation of Irving Berlin's .“There’s No Business Like Show Business” will debut in 275 U.S. and Canadian engagements during the Christmas and New Year holiday season in (Continued on Page 3) ‘MARCH O OF DIMES. | JANUARY 3-31 Help Fight Polio To A Standstill! | A { : { } 5 4 3 New Column By Digest Spotlights Equipment The developments over the lust two years in our industry, CinemuaScope, Stereophonic Sound, VistaVision, Perspecta Sound, Wide Screen, etc., has presented new problems to the staffs of our theatres. The Digest is therefore pleased to announce, starting with the New Year, a regular column, that we hope will answer many of the questions posed by these new de (Continued on Page 3) Jack Fitzgibbons Receives Award For Prize Winning Popcorn Entry American Trade Association Executives, Washington, D.C,, an in. ternational trade association representing in excess of 1,400 trade orga nization groups throughout the U.S. of Recognition upon International Popcorn Association during the recent convention. Samuel B. Shapiro, manager, Linen Supply Association of America, Chicago, and treasurer of ATAE, presented the framed award to IPA Chairman J. J. Fitzgibbons, Jr., at the opening luncheon. The honor was presented based (Continued on Page 7) -RKO'S “HANSEL AND GRETEL" OPENING XMAS WEEK IN6 TORONTO, _ 2 EDMONTON, 2 MONTREAL AND 3 WINNIPEG ‘THEATRES. and Canada, conterred a Certificate Theatre Poster Get Romar-Vide Agency Theatre Poster Service has just been appointed exclusive agent in Canada for the Romar-Vide Company of Chetek, Wisconsin. Romar-Vide manutlactures the theatre plastic date strips in varied (Continued en Page 7)