Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jul 21, 1956)

Page scan 0000 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Jul 21, 1956
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jul 21, 1956)
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 30, 2024
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JAY L. SMITH | EDITOR AND: PUBLISHER VOL. 48, NO. 30 20th=-Kox Heads For 28 Releases By JAY L. SMITH beam That’s quite a write-up on Thomas F. O’Neil, RKO president, in the current issue of Newsweek. Article includes a four-page spread, plus a cover-photo of O’Neil, against a color still from the first production under the new RKO management, “The First Travelling Saleslady”. Newsweek Associate Editor Sandford Brown, in his article, details the resurgence of activity at the new RKO, pointing out that “the comeback will reach a milestone next month when RKO stages the world premiere of “The 999 First Travelling Saleslady’”’. Dore Schary, M-G-M_ studio head, at a recent meeting of key personnel at the studio, announced a severe and disciplined economy drive being put into effect immediately at the Culver City plant. Schary stated that making BIG pictures, just for bigness’ sake, is unprofitable, and that in the future, M-G-M is going to be a lot more careful in the way production money is spent. Schary emphasized that M-G-M is still willing to put as much money as is necessary into any given film, “provided that money is controlled and seen on the screen”. Schary also pointed out that over the past 18 months, the most profitable pictures from M-G-M, were those made on a reasonable budget. A release from Eddie Bushnell, assistant general manager of the CBC, revealed last week that the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is involved in the production of the TV film series, “Last of the Mohicans”, which goes into production at Arthur Gottlieb’s Canadian Film Industries studio next week. The news release advises that upon completion, “The Last of (Continued on Page 2) CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE FIRST WITH THE FILM NEWS IN CANADA Published by CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST COMPANY LIMITED “King and I’ Company’s Biggest Grosser Since “Robe” In 1953 Toronto: Heading for a target of 28 releases this year as part of an amplified production-distribution program, 20th Century-Fox has announced a 3-month summer line-up of 5 major CinemaScope 55 and Alta. Exhibs Back Fleming Censorship Calgary: A. W. Shackleford, of Lethbridge, president of the Alberta Theatre Association, and Douglas Miller, of Taber, vicepresident, have commented on the resolution of Calgary’s city council (See CENSORSHIP Page 4) CinemaScope attractions, it was revealed last week by Pete Myers, Canadian District Manager. The slate, covering July, August and September, represents one of the company’s strongest and most diversified arrays of films, led off by Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “The King And I” in CinemaScope 55 which currently is off to a smash (See 20TH-FOX Page 4) Jack Warner Hits Optimistic Note As New W-B President New York: As reported in last week issue of The Digest, the group of investors headed by Serge Semenenko and including Charles Allen, Jr., has successfully completed negotiations of several months for the acquisition of a major portion of the stock held by Harry M. and Albert Warner in Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc, Jack L. Warner, vice-president in charge of production for the motion picture company, has been (See WARNERS Page 4) JACK L. WARNER N.S. Theatres Get Slight Tax Relief Halifax: A slight bit of welcome relief for Nova Scotia exhibitors was the reduction this week of the Provincial Amusement Tax. Some time ago a Brief was presented to the Nova Scotia Government, and last May a delegation composed of Messrs. Jim McDonough, Peter (See TAX CUT Page 4) 10 Top Features For Paramount Release July Through December Toronto: Ten major Paramount films will enter release during the final six months of 1956, Gordon Lightstone, Canadian District Manager, announced last week. The schedule includes special engagements of Cecil B. DeMille’s production of “The Ten Commandments” and Ponti-DeLaurentiis’ “War and Peace.” Described by Lightstone as “the biggest box-office array of product ever to come from the company (See PARAMOUNT Page 2) RAY LEW:«5 FOUNDE? 1915-1954 JULY 21, 1956 “Trapeze” Smashes World Gross Record New York: Hecht and Lancaster’s “Trapeze” has broken the alltime world’s gross record in the first week of its general release, it was announced last week by William J. Heineman, UA Vice-President in charge of distribution. In the first seven days of 405 bookings in the United States and Canada, “Trapeze” has _ grossed $4,112,500, the greatest total ever registered in that period by any motion picture in the history of the industry. (See “TRAPEZE” Page 4) CBU’s 20,000 Members Toronto: The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Projectionists and the Canadian Federation of Musicians are two of the participating groups (See CBU Page 2)