Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Sep 17, 1955)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Sep 17, 1955
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Sep 17, 1955)
Leaf #:
0000
Language:
English
Collection:
Canada, Hollywood Studio System, Early Cinema, and Global Cinema
Format:
periodicals
Contributor:
Media History Digital Library, Greig Dymond in memory of David Dymond, 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. 47, NO. 38 DIAN. CANA [/ MOVING PICTURE FIRST WITH THE FILM NEWS IN CANADA Published by CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST COMPANY LIMITED RAY LEWIS FOUNDER 1915-1954 SEPTEMBER 17, 1955 Movie Celebrations Help Our Biz Ottawa’s Motion Picture Month — Saluted By Mayor In Daily Press Ottawa: Ottawa’s celebration of the Golden Anniversary of the Motion Picture Theatre got off to a fine start on Labor Day, with most of the centre town theatres playing to big returns on the strength of the By JAY L. SMITH beam Never in the history of our Industry, to the best of my knowledge, have we had such a steady flow of solid product available for release. Hold-overs in the key situations has become so general, that the old days of Holiday openings is just about dead. In Toronto, which is, of course, considered the key for the entire country, Labor Day saw only three new pictures opening, with all other first-run theatres in hold-over sessions. In trying to piece together a clear pic.ure of what the situation will be in Toronto come October 10th, Thanksgiving Day, I found myself with a virtual jig-saw of outstanding product, which may or may not be playing Toronto firstruns that particular week. As if stands now, and this picture can change overnight, these are the PROBABLES for the Thanksgiving Holiday in Toronto. At the Imperial, Canada’s largest theatre, and Famous Players flagship, the Dean Martin Jerry Lewis VistaVision picture from Paramount, “You’re Never Too Young,” is the scheduled attraction. However, the odds are that Warner Bros.’ “Mr. Roberts” will be firmly entrenched in the middle of a record-breaking engagement by then, and my bet is that it will not move. At Shea’s, 20th-Fox’s CinemaScope production, “The Left Hand of God,” starring Humphrey Bogart and Gene Tierney should be in its initial week’s run for the Holiday. The University-Eglinton combination will probably open another Fox CinemaScope _ attraction, “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing,” starring William Holden (Continued on Page 2) 3 Hamilton Houses Set For Day And Date Hamilton: A new combination of theatres has been organized at Hamilton for day-and-date bookings of action pictures, replacement of one house of the original trio having taken place. The Hamil (See DAY & DATE Page 2) new Fall feature openings. Don Watts, president, and Frank Gallop, vice-president of the local Theatre Managers Association, have worked hard to make the month-long celebration a success and, with the newspapers taking over from now to the end of September, the Rideau and Centre theatre skippers, respectively, can (See CELEBRATIONS Page 2) Arch Jolley In Windsor, Opens Windsor’s Motion Picture Month Windsor: Arch Jolley, executive secretary of the Ontario Motion Picture Theatres Association, was the guest speaker at the formal launching of Windsor’s Motion Picture Month on Monday night at a widely attended meeting and dinner sponsored by the local Ad and Sales Club. Ed Lamoureux, who was elect(See JOLLEY Page 2) Foto-Nite Saskatoon Case Appealed Saskatoon: The Saskatchewan attorney general’s department has filed notice of intention to appeal the acquittal of a Saskatoon theatre operator on a charge of operating a lottery in connection with Foto (See FOTO-NITE Page 2) “Spirit Of St. Louis” Lands In Saint John Saint John: The replica of the famed ‘Spirit of St. Louis’ which Charles A. Lindbergh flew on the first solo crossing of the Atlantic 28 years ago, landed at Saint John Airport last week. The plane will be shipped air cargo from Halifax to Paris for film sequences in the (See ST. LOUIS Page 3) Melville Theatre Has Gala Opening Nite Melville: The new theatre in Melville, Sask., the Paragon, took a full page ad in the “Melville Advance” prior to their opening on Monday, Sept. 5th, advertising a snack bar on the mezzanine floor, a 24-sheet poster display on its front, smoking (See MELVILLE Page 2) Renee a seine! Ss “Love” Gets Bang-Up Exploitation Tie-In Toronto: As part of their publicity campaign for “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing,” both Tom Daley, manager of the University Theatre, and Mare Hirsch, manager of the Eglinton Theatre, have teamed up and arranged a special dual screening of the film with the Toronto Telegram. The Telegram is inviting the mothers of their carriers — these boys and girls have paper routes throughout the city and adjoining suburbs. The Telegram expects to have an at (See “LOVE” Page 3) Odeon Take Over Roxy-Hamilton Re-Opens October 7 As Hyland Toronto: Odeon Theatres (Canada) Limited announced this week that after October 1, 1955, the Roxy-Hamilton (750 seats) will be operated by Odeon. The Roxy Theatre has been sold by National Theatres Limited to Ganord Limited, who have leased the theatre to Odeon on a long term deal. The Roxy Theatre will be closed down on Saturday, October 1, for re-decoration, and will re-open on (See ODEON Page 5) Stone Plugs Hollyw'd Toronto: In a series of display advertisements, Phil Stone of Toronto radio station CHUM, has been giving a chatty and readable account of film celebrities he and Mrs. Stone had met during a recent «(See STONE Page 2) 5 oe ome