Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Nov 12, 1955)

Page scan 0008 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Nov 12, 1955
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Nov 12, 1955)
Leaf #:
0008
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:
August 01, 2024
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NOVEMBER 12, 1955 iter” That Could Matter ! By MAX CHIC John Davis, JARO VIP and Kenneth Winckles in Toronto this week for discussions with Odeon and JARO execs . . . Pete Myers will visit his 3 Canadian branches on the way back from the Fox sales meet in Chicago . . . Jack Labow, RKO’s Canadian general manager on a western trip with stop-overs in Vancouver, Calgary and Winnipeg. Jerry Cass, the son of smiling Abe Cass scheduled to leave his post with Fox as salesman for greener pastures this week .. . Werbert Greenbiatt, RKO domestic sales manager in Toronto last week for discussions with Jack Labow . the Imperial, University and Shea’s theatres now charging $1 for all pictures. Curly Posen has started as booker for National Booking but will still maintain ,his own office and booking company . . . Hilly Cass returned over the week-end from a trip to Montreal and the Maritimes Harrict Rosenbaum, formerly Irving Herman’s secretary, married Carl Hauer last Wednesday Posen acquired the Cameo, Toronto. Meg Myles, star of AA’s “The Phenix Story” is making PA’s at Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal at the same time as the pix is being shown .. . it is reported that all Famous Players suburbans_ will start showing serials as of November 22 .. . the three movie critics of Toronto’s dailies, Jack Karr, Clyde Gilmour and Alex Barris were guests of MGM down in New York last week for the premiere of Goldwyn’s “Guys and Dolls” . all three raved. Three deaths hit the local film industry last week, all of them long standing pioneers, dating back practically to the start of our business in these parts . . . dead are Robert Hamilton, Abe Wilkes and William S. Brady. Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer photographed during stop-over at Winnipeg. “DIEECT Astor & Grant On Art Policy Toronto: Continental pictures have made further headway in Toronto through the adoption of a part-time “art” policy at two theatres to provide additional variety for programs. Fred Fink has adopted the plan for the Astor Theatre Starting with “Love of a Clown.” The Grant of the Odeon circuit is playing an Italian feature for the first three nights of the week under the new policy. 65mm For Technicolor Hollywood: The Technicolor processes are being expanded to include 65 mm. film. The whole range of Technicolor laboratory facilities and services from developing of color negatives to motion picture release prints will soon be available on 65 mm. wide film, it was announced by Herbert T. Kalmus, President and General Manager of Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation. Production company of MGM’s “The Swan” back on the Metro lot to resume shooting, after a two month stint in France, Belgium and Holland, Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn and Pamela Brown in key roles. Universal beoks 892 theatres during a 30 day period starting November lst for their historical drama “Lady Godiva,” starring Maureen O’Hara. Kenneth More slated for top role in the JARO Production “Reach for The Sky.” Nine-year old Patty McCormack arrives at Warner studio to play leading role in “The Bad Seed.” We Trans-Canada Oy ~a———— USE THIS INFORMATION AS YOUR GUIDE ON RELEASE DATES ~———— TORONTO IMPERIAL You’re Never Too Young (Para.) VistaVision & Tech. with Martin & Lewis. SHEA’S 2nd wk. My Sister Eileen (Col.) C’Scope & Tech, with Janet Leigh. UNIVERSITY & EGLINTON The Virgin Queen (20th-Fox) C’Scope & DeLuxe Color with Richard Todd. LOEW'S 3rd wk. The Kentuckian (UA) C’Scope & Tech. with Burt Lancaster. UPTOWN Kiss Of Fire (E-U) Tech. Palance. ODEON & FAIRLAWN 2nd wk, The Night Of The Hunter (UA) with Robert Mitchum. HYLAND & CHRISTIE 6th wk. | Am a Camera (Alliance) with Jutie Harris. DOWNTOWN The Phenix City Story (AA) with Meg Myles. with Jack MONTREAL LOEWS 2nd wk. To Catch A Thief (Para.) VistaVision & Tech, with Cary Grant. CAPITOL The Man From Laramie (Col.) C’Scope & Tech, with James Stewart. PALACE 3rd wk. Lady & The Tramp (E-U) C’Scope & Tech. PRINCESS The Night Holds Terror (Col.) with Jack Kelly. ORPHEUM Apache Ambush (Col.) & Devil Goddess (Col.). KENT & AVON 4th wk. Not As A Stranger (UA) with Olivia de Havilland. IMPERIAL 45th wk. This is Cinerama. SNOWDEN-STRAND-SEVILLE-OUTREMONT 2nd wk. To Hell & Back (E-U) C’Scope & Tech. with Audie “Murphy. WINNIPEG CAPITOL The Tall Men (20th-Fox) C’Scope & DeLuxe Color with Clark Gable. MET The Phenix City Story (AA) with Meg Myles. ODEON Court Martial Niven. GARRICK Female on the Beach (E-U) with Jan Sterling. LYCEUM Pearl of the South Pacific (RKO) Tech. & Superscope with Virginia Mayo. CALGARY CAPITOL The Tall Men (20th-Fox) C’Scope & DeLuxe Color with Clark Gable. PALACE Ulysses (Para.) Tech. with Kirk Douglas. GRAND 2nd wk. The McConnell Story (WB) C’Scope & WarnerColor with Alan Ladd. STRAND Last Command (Rep.) & Double Jeopardy (Rep.) UPTOWN Seven Cities of Gold (20th-Fox) C’Scope & DeLuxe Color with Richard Egan. VANCOUVER CAPITOL Ulysses ((Para.) Tech, with Kirk Douglas. ORPHEUM The Tall Men (20th-Fox) C’Scope & DeLuxe Color with Clark Gable. VOGUE My Sister Eileen (Col.) C’Scope & Tech. with Janct Leigh, ST. JOHN PARAMOUNT The Tall Men (20th-Fox) C’Scope & DeLuxe Color with Clark Gable. STRAND Blood Alley (WB) C’'Scope & WarnerColor with John Wayne. (Cardinal) with David PAGE NINE David A. Lipton, Universal Pictures, in New York outlining promotional plans for “The Second Greatest Sex,’ — “AIIl That Heaven Allows,’ and “The Benny Goodman Story.” Collen Gray assigned to co-star with Sterling Hayden in the UA production “The Clean Break,” which is to be filmed in its entirety in the New York Metropolitan area. British stage and screen star, Dennis Price, signed by producer David E. Rose for one of the top roles in “Port Afrique” a Columbia film co-featuring Kathryn Grayson and Phil Carey. Richard Egan and Dana Wynter on PA tour of 15 key cities doing advance publicity work for their 20tk-Fox feature “The View From Pompeys Head.” Lizabeth Scott who has been absent from the screen for the past year is slated for key role in the forthcoming Hall Wallis production “A Stone for Danny Fisher,” a Paramount release. Bette Davis and Ernest Borgnine signed by Metro to portray roles of Debbie Reynolds’ parents in “The Catered Affair.” Michael Craig joins cast of JARO’s “The Black Tent,” which is filmed in Africa. Hal Wallis back in Hollywood after a location scouting trip on behalf of two Paramount pictures “Gunfight at the OK Corral” and “The Rainmaker.” Marlon Brando and Glen Ford assigned to male leads in Metro’s production of “Teahouse of the August Moon.” Frank Sinatra’s Kent Production ef “Johnny Concho” starts shooting November 28th with Sinatra in the title role and Gloria Vanderbilt co-featured. Universal’s sequel to “Private War of Major Benson” to be titled “Toy Tiger.” Joan Collins next for 20th-Fox will be “Boy on a Dolphin.” Shelly Winters upped from a dime-a-dance girl to 12-cents-a-dance girl when Warners discovered that the dance emporiums had raised their prices during the filming of their feature “I Died a Thousand Times.” “Run to the Sun” set as final title for the UA release starring Richard Widmark and Jane Greer. Columbia’s “The Solid Gold Cadilac” now before the cameras with Judy Holliday topcast. “All For Mary” now in production at JARO’s Pinewood Studios with Kathleen Harrison and Nigel Patrick co-featured. Double premiere of unusual interest is Columbia’s “Footsteps in the Fog,” co-featuring husbandand-wife team of Stewart Granger and Jean Simmons, and “The Night Holds Terror.” with Jack Kelly, at the Fox Brooklyn.