Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Oct 1, 1955)

Page scan 0002 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 #:
0002
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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j OCTOBER 1, 1955 MGM MEET (Continued from Page 1) The Winnipeg meeting, held on September 7-8 at the MGM Winnipeg offices and Hotel Garry, was attended by, besides Mr. Cass, Mr. Ramage, Harold Jackson, Dave Gillfinnen, all of Vancouver; Albert Genaske and Lou Litchinsky of Calgary; A. Levy, Marcus Trester and Enrico Pietrobruno, Winnipeg. With the results of “Interrupted Melody,” “Love Me Or Leave Me,” and “Blackboard Jungle” behind them, both meetings enthusiastically tackled the coming release schedule. At the top of the list is the forthcoming Goldwyn production of “Guys and Dolls,” which will be shown on a roadshow basis, with its Canadian release set for the first of the year. Other pictures discussed at the meetings were: “It’s Always Fair Weather,” starring Gene Kelly, Dan Dailey and Michael Kidd; “Trial,” starring Glenn Ford, Dorothy McGuire, Arthur Kennedy, John Hodiak, and Katy Jurado; “Quentin Durward,” starring Robert Taylor and Kay Kendall; “The Bar Sinister,” with Jeff Richards, Jarma Lewis, Edmund Gwenn, Dean Jagger and Wildfire; “Kismet,” starring Howard Keel, Ann Blyth, Vic Damone, Monty Wooley, in color and CinemaScope; “Tl Cry Tomorrow,” starring Susan Hayward, Richard Conte, Eddie Albert; “The Tender Trap,” in color and CinemaScope and starring Frank Sinatra, Debbie Reynolds, David Wayne and Celeste Holm. In addition to the above, Cass announced the re-issue of four of MGM’s masterpieces, “Green Dol phin,” “Anchors Aweigh,” “Great Waltz,” and “Wizard of Oz.” From Newfoundland To Nanaimo From Grand Prairie To Granby The Swing Is To ADFILMS Canada's Fastest Growing Theatre Screen Advertising Company FRED T. STINSON, General Manager 77 York St. 10940-122nd St. TORONTO EDMONTON EM. 8-8986 8-2508 QUEBEC CITY 3-5755 en DIGEST Across Toronto and District A meeting of the board of Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario was held here Sept. 19 when the directors discussed preparations for the annual convention scheduled for Monday, Oct. 31, at the King Edward Hotel. Executive Secretary Arch H. Jolley announced that he had his lines out for a distinguished speaker at the annual luncheon. e e e Raymond Labelle, 27, pleaded guilty to breaking into the Capitol Theatre at Thurso, Que., operated by D. St. Jacques, and also to charges of theft elsewhere. Labelle was sentenced by Magistrate Jacques Boucher to three years in penitentiary. Ottawa Not As a Stranger, controversial medical film, was well received by Ottawa movie-goers, It played for four solid weeks at the Elgin Theatre before making way for James Stewart in The Man From Laramie, Other hold-overs include Mister Roberts at the Capital, and the old favorite, Going My Way, at the Little Elgin. Mr. Roberts is already booked for another stanza at the Regent Theatre, Famous Players’ Number 2 centre town spot. » e e The Aladdin, situated in the South End, was the first Drive-In. in this area to close for the 1955 season. The Drive-In at Britannia Bay, Star-Top and Auto-Sky are still in operation and will continue to do business until the first signs of cold weather. Prairies A 36-by-33-foot addition, to cost $15,000, is under way at the Community Theatre, Carnduff, Sask. It will provide additional seating capacity and space for the showing of wide screen films. e e e Bill Winterton, manager of the Capitol Theatre, Saskatoon, has returned from a three-month tour of England, Scotland and the continent, British humor has not changed over the years since he left the vaudeville troupe “Nelson’s Newsboys” to come to Saskatoon in 1911, he reports. Highlight of his London tour was seeing Danny Kaye at London's Palladium. He also reports he saw every movie he could find time for. Winnipeg The Gaiety Theatre, Winnipeg, playing “The Man Who Loved Redheads,” had a sign on the front of their theatre stating that if one adult ticket was purchased, the second person would be admitted free if that person were a redhead. * * e George Oullahan, vice-president and assistant general manager of: Sterling Films, Toronto, spent a short time in the city. e e e The Park Theatre, Winnipeg, has completed installation of their cycloramic screen for CinemaScope pictures. This screen is the newest of its type, and the Park is the first theatre in Canada to install it. The cycloramic screen features no glare in the front seats and no distortion in the side seats. Vancouver Robert Foster, business agent of local B72 theatre employees union is gravely ill at St. Pauls hospital. Raymond Massey and wife flew in from Hollywood to attend the wedding of his son Geoffrey, a Vancouver resident, to a local girl Ruth Killman. e e e Alberta is the latest province in Western Canada to give consideration to the elimination or at least a reduction of the amusement tax, which is at present ten per cent. British Columbia is still waiting for a tax reduction, promised by B.C, Premier Bennett in the heat of an election campaign. Exhibitors will jog his memory. PAGE 3 RKO SHORT (Continued from Page 1) Radio Theatre of Life subject, “Devil Take Us.” The invited audience included the Mayor and Council of the city of Westmount as well as their Chief of Police, the heads of all Montreal and suburban police departments, representatives of many local Safety Councils, Junior Chambers of Commerce, Automobile Associations and women’s clubs. Television cameras were on hand and pictures of the proceedings were televised the next day in both French and English. Radio station CFCF using a roving microphone to interview many of the prominent people in attendance. Similar interviews were carried on radio stations CJAD and CJVL. All newspapers were represented. At the conclusion of the Screening, it was unanimously agreed that “Devil Take Us” is a subject that should be shown in every theatre. The Provincial Police agreed to co-operate in every possible way in order to assure “Devil Take Us” being shown ia as many theatres as_ possible throughout Quebec. ‘Assignment Children’ New York: “Assignment Children,” Danny Kaye’s film about the work of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has been seen in theatres by some 10,000,000 Canadians and 40,000,000 Americans and has been translated into 17 languages in addition to English for further showing around the world, it was revealed in an interview with the star last week at UN headquarters in New York. FOR SALE YES! 10,000 LATE MODEL USED or RE-CONDITIONED THEATRE CHAIRS ALSO NEW BRITISH-LUXURY CHAIRS AVAILABLE SPRING EDGE STEEL BOTTOM SEAT CUSHIONS AND FULLY UPHOLSTERED BACKS—SPRING BACK TYPES ALSO. CARPETING, ASPHALT, RUBBER, VINYL TILES AND LINOLEUM We are Factory Agents At Bargain Prices Drop us a line — we will give you photographs and full information. “LA SALLE” RECREATIONS LTD. Theatre Chairs, Carpet, Linoleum and Tile Division 945 GRANVILLE ST. -MA, 5034 VANCOUVER 2, B.C, THE CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST, Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Department, Ottawa. Joy L. Smith, Editor-in-Chief; Max Chic, Assoc, Editor. Correspondents: Bruce Peacock, Regina; Libby Bookhalter, Winnipeg; Jack Droy, Vancouver; Will M¢Loughlin, Ottawa; Bill Press, Toronto; Helen Crawley, St. John. Address all mail to Publisher, Canadian Moving Picture Digest Company, Ltd., 21 Dundas Square, Toronto. Telephone: EMpire 8-8696. Cable: Raydigest. Est. 1915, Publication weekly. Subscription: $5.00 yearly.