Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Oct 1, 1955)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Oct 1, 1955
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Oct 1, 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. 40 CANADIAN MOVING FIRST WITH THE FILM NEWS IN CANADA PICTURE Published by CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST COMPANY LIMITED RAY LEWIS FOUNDER 1915-1954 OCTOBER 1, 1955 Sir Arthur Jarratt Visits British Lion & Romulus Merge Announce World-Wide Company London: Sir John Keeling, Chairman of British Lion Films Limited and Mr. John Woolf, Chairman of Independent Film Distributors Limited, Romulus Films Limited and Remus Films Limited, announced that By JAY L. SMITH bean Showmanship is far from dead in Canada, as has been proven many times in the past by the outstanding campaigns submitted by Canadian exhibitors in The Digest Showmanship Contests, and by the many Quigley Award citations that have gone to Canadian managers. Now another spectacular proof of Canadian showmanship has been established by the results of UA’s “Vera Cruz” Contest, in which three out of the first seven prizes went to Canadians. Al Jenkins, veteran West Coast showman and manager of Odeon’s Vogue Theatre, copped the second prize of $500 in competition with exhibitors all over the U.S. and Canada, with Fred Jackson, of Loew’s, London, and Nicky Langston of the Capitol, Hamilton, winning $100 each for their campaigns. In addition, Archie Laurie, UA’s Canadian advertising and publicity director, won top honors among all the company’s field men, and pocketed a cheque for $500 for his efforts in connection with the “Vera Cruz’ Contest. Just last week we complimented Archie on the fine job he has been doing in connection with “Not As A Stranger,” which is breaking all records in engagement after engagement across Canada. Now comes this further evidence of Archie’s successful field work. Despite a complete sell-out at the Uptown Theatre, Toronto, for the closed-circuit TV broadcast of the Marciano-Moore Heavyweight Championship Fight, a_ line-up started to form at the Downtown Theatre, Toronto, early Monday morning, for the first showing of the fight pictures, which opened at the five Twinex first-run houses. (Continued on Page 2) RKO Short Boosted By Top Exploitation Montreal: Six hundred prominent men and women intensely interested in the vital subject o° highway safety attended a special screening last week at the Avenue Theatre, in Montreal, of the RKO (See RKO SHORT Page 3) they have agreed to merge the overseas distribution of their respective groups and that the formation of a new world-wide distribution company under the title of Lion International Films Limited, is now being completed. The Chairman of the Company will be Sir John Keeling and the Managing Director Mr. Ralph S. (See JARRATT Page 6 ) Lightstone Represents Canada At Paramount Mgrs. Sales Meeting Toronto: Gordon Lightstone, Paramount’s Canadian General Manager, attended a special Paramount division managers’ meeting on Sept. 22 and 23 at the Ambassador East Hotel, Chicago, called to discuss sales plans for the distribution of new products and the advertising and publicity campaigns that are being set up for the pictures. George Weltner, Paramount's head of worldwide sales, presided se at the meeting, which also was attended by E. K. (Ted) O’Shea and Hugh Owen, vice-presidents of Paramount Film Distributing Cor(See LIGHTSTONE Page 2) MGM‘S EASTERN SALES MEETING: Left to right, standing—Bill Gus, Montreal branch manager; Eric Golding, St. John salesman; Hymie Miller, Montreal salesman; Garfield Cass, Toronto branch manager. Seated are H, L. Nathanson, President; Abe Smith, St. John branch manager and Hilly Cass, Canadian General Sales Manager. Toronto MGM Holds Successful Sales Policy Meetings Toronto: Hilly Cass, MGM’s Canadian general sales manager, conducted two. very successful sales meetings, one in Toronto for his Eastern personnel and one in Winnipeg, for the Western staff. The meetings backed by one of the most impressive lists of boxoffice winners already in release and a backlog of top product ready to go into release, discussed sales policy and special publicity campaigns. (The group that met in Toronto is shown on the left.) (See MGM MEET Page 3) AA Sales & Booking Drive Starts Oct. 3 Toronto: Jack Bernstein, general sales manager of Allied Artists Pictures of Canada Limited, announced last week the company’s second and biggest drive to-date, a 13 week period starting Monday, October 3rd and ending at the close of business, Saturday, December 31st, 1955. During the new Sales and Booking Drive, Allied Artists will be releasing some of the most import (See AA DRIVE Page 6)