Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Mar 10, 1956)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Mar 10, 1956
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Mar 10, 1956)
Leaf #:
0000
Language:
English
Collection:
Hollywood Studio System, Global Cinema, Early Cinema, and Canada
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, 48, NO. 11 FIRST WITH THE FILM NEWS IN CANADA Published by CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST COMPANY LIMITED RAY LEWIS FOUNDER 1915-1954 MARCH 10, 1956 Col’s °**Cockleshelt”’?’ Prem. By JAY L. SMITH beam Of considerable interest to all in the Motion Picture Industry is the trend towards advanced price roadshow release of several important films. First of these for 1956, of course, has been the M-G-M release of Samuel Goldwyn’s “Guys and Dolls’, which has had outstanding success in practically all of its initial engagements. Currently in its llth week at the OdeonToronto, the picture was held over for extended playing time in virtually every situation to date, even with the $1.50 admission price tag that accompanied the playdates. To the best of our knowledge, there have been few if any .complaints from the public about paying an increased admission price to see “Guys and Dollis”, certainly not in the keys. However, I have not yet heard any reports on engagements in the smaller towns, and this will be the crucial test, for it is in these small towns that the exhibitors are complaining bitterly about business generally, and about admission prices and film rentals, in particular. Whether potential theatre patrons in, say a small farming community, are willing to pay a higher admission price to see as outstanding a film as “Guys and Dolls” is something that will have to be proven, in Canada at least. One thing is certain, to the vast number of small exhibitors, a guaranteed 10% profit on the engagement is a very promising inducement these days. While “Guys and Dolls” is the first higher-scale picture to be released in 1956, it is certainly far from the last, for there will be a number of such releases during the year. 20th Century-Fox will be opening “Carousel” within the next (Continued on Page 5) Capacity Audience At Odeon Applaud Tableau & Stars PA’s Toronto: A North American Premiere, the likes of which Toronto has rarely seen, turned Carlton and Yonge streets last Thursday night, into a king-size edition of Hollywood’s most glamorous film send-offs. SEE PAGE 9 FOR UP TO DATE REPORT ON "OSCAR" CONTEST Replete with klieg lights, movie stars, prominent government and business leaders, bands, newsreel cameras, photographers, police, crowds and all that goes with a Hollywood type premiere, Columbia’s Warwick Production of “Cockleshell Heroes” had its first North American showing at the Odeon, Toronto. (See “COCKLESHELL” Page 8) Chesler Syndicate’s P.R.M. Gets Warner Library For $21,000,000 New York: Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc., signed a contract last Thursday to sell all rights to its entire film library up to 1948 for $21,000,000. The contract was made with P. R. M., Inc., a Delaware corporation of American and Canadian investors. The deal, a spokesman said, includes 750 silent and (See CHESLER Page 5) Film Brd. Announces Personnel Changes Ottawa: A number of recent staff changes among the personnel of the National Film Board were announced last week. Mr. Lyall Stewart, assistant chief of the Commercial Division of the (See NFB Page 3) Vaughan Sets Demon. For Naturama Here Toronto: Republic Pictures will hold demonstrations of its new anamorphic dual lens wide screen process Naturama in all branch cities, beginning the latter part of March, it was disclosed here by Frank Vaughan, general manager (See NATURAMA Page 3) W. Gehring Named VP 20th Century-Fox New York: William C. Gehring has been elected a vice-president of 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation, it was announced by Spyros P. Skouras, president. Mr. Gehring will function as executive assistant to the president on all com (See GEHRING Page 3) wow! Rank Stars Coming Here For Appearances Toronto: Top officials of the J. Arthur Rank Film _ Distributors (Canada) Ltd, confirmed over the week-end a statement made in Lon (See RANK STARS Page 8) Books Being Banned Montreal: Action has been taken in several centres against questionable publications which have ' been blamed for the recent crime wave involving sex offences. At Montreal, announcement was made that the Quebec Cinema Board had (See BOOK BAN Page 3) Alberta Gov’t. Announces Amusement Tax Reduction Edmonton: The Alberta government plans to abolish its amusement tax on tickets priced up to 35 cents. Municipal Affairs Minister Hooke, who is also provincial secretary, told the legislature last Friday that the government will introduce the necessary legislation at this session. The concession will apply mainly to children and students who attend theatres on cut rates. The changes will mean a loss of revenue to the government of about $70,000. Ealing Distributing Through Loew’s Inc. New York: An exclusive distribution deal with Ealing Studios of Britain and Loew’s Inc., under which Loew’s also will supply ma (See EALING Page 3)