Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jul 28, 1956)

Page scan 0002 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Jul 28, 1956
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Jul 28, 1956)
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 30, 2024
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JULY 28, 1956 5 Features From UA For August Release Toronto: Russ-Field’s “Run For The Sun,” Superscope adventure spectacle, heads the list of United Artists features set for Canadian release in August, it was announced by Charles $. Chaplin, Canadian District Manager. The other films ' are “The Beast of Hollow Mountain,” “Huk,” “Hot Cars” and “Emergency Hospital.” Filmed on location in Mexico, “Run For The Sun” stars Richard Widmark, Trevor Howard and Jane Greer. Roy Boulting directed and co-authored the screenplay with Dudley Nichols. Robert Waterfield was executive producer. Harry Tatelbaum produced the film in Superscope and Technicolor. “The Beast of Hollow Mountain,” in CinemaScope, Color by DeLuxe and the new Regiscope process, was produced by William and Edward Nassour, and _ stars Guy Madison and Patricia Medina, Edward Nassour directed from a screenplay by Robert Hill. “Huk,” starring George Montgomery and Mona Freeman, is a story of post-war upheaval in the Philippines, where it was filmed on location near Manila. Collier Young produced and John Banwell directed the film from Stirling Silliphant’s screenplay. The picture was shot in Eastman Color. “Hot Cars,” Bel-Air Productions’ expose-drama of the Los Angeles stolen car racket was produced by Howard W. Koch and directed by Donald McDougall. John Bromfield, Joi Lansing and Mark Dana are starred and Aubrey Schenck was the executive producer: “Emergency Hospital,” a BelAir Productions’ suspense drama starring Walter Reed, Margaret Lindsay, John Archer and Byron Palmer, was produced by Howard W. Koch, and directed by Lee Sholem from a screenplay by Don Martin. Aubrey Schenck was executive producer . Sign British Star Hollywood: Patricia Owen, prominent British stage and TV actress, has been signed to a long-term contract at 20th Century-Fox and handed a co-starring role in “Jesse James” with Robert Wagner and Jeffrey Hunter. Producer Herbert Bayard Swope, Jr., listed a tentative starting date of the first week in August for the CinemaScope version of ‘Jesse James.” Across Torento A repeat engagement of “Guys and Dolls” at regular prices has been set in as a summer run at the Odeon Theatre on Carlton Street, Toronto, following its second booking on a similar basis elsewhere in Ontario. .The attraction recently played first run for three nights at the Lindsay Drive-In after previously playing a week at an ozoner at Windsor. Country Miss Mary Wallace has resigned as assistant manager of the Lincoln Theatre, St. Catharines, to be married. She was assistant for some 16 years to Roy Miller, manager and a past president of the Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario. Miss Davolyn Imrie, who had been a relief cashier, has been named assistant manager of the Lincoln. e e @ The Savoy Theatre, an independent 520-seat house at London, Ont., has adopted the policy of two admissions for the price of one for an indefinite period. e e e The Scarboro Drive-In Toronto, a unit of 20th Century Theatres, has installed a king-size moving picture screen. e e e Walter Kennedy, Empire-Universal’s veteran drum-beater, was saddened this week by the death in Buffalo of his only brother, Bill. Winnipeg Visitors to Winnipeg last week included G. Miller, Kelvington; C. Bailey, Dryden; Mike Zich, Esterhazy; A. Hart, Preeceville. e e e New booker at Warner Bros. is Jules Morry, replacing Joe Brown, now with United Artists. e e fe The Northmain Drive-In in Winnipeg, features dancing in its Skylite Roof to the music of Redge Betsly, on Friday evenings. Vancouver Sympathy is extended to Maynard Joiner, F-P district manager, whose mother died here last week in her 90th year. * e e Bill Sharp, who operated the biggest circuit of small town theatres, and the Calgary film exchange screening room for many years before he retired to live on the Coast, died-at his home in West Vancouver recently; he was 82. His son, Gray, operates Sharp Theatre Equipments in Calgary. e e e The father of Tom Boudreau, manager of the Odeon, Abbotsford, B.C., died in hospital there recently. * ° e Gay Carl, Paradise secretary, is in Calgary for a family re-unioon with her mother from New York, a sister from California, another sister who lives in Calgary, and a brother-in-law from England. a e e Peggy Menzies, assistant at the Dominion, is on a California vaca tion. Al Jenkins, Vogue manager, and family, vacationing at Penticton. ” e e Competition is real keen with the two drive-in theatres at Penticton. The Twilight, a new ozoner which opened next door to the. Pines, and the latter are both featuring bingo, and running free Sunday night shows sponsored by local service clubs. Split in the business results in neither showing much profit. Snack bar sales are the difference between profit and loss, the operators report. e ° e Kelowna is also to have a second ozoner, competition to the Boyd Drive-In. It will be built by Penticton interests, and will hold 500 cars. e e e Odeon circuit for the summer season in its suburban theatres are on a policy of running one complete show nightly at 7.30, with twin bills featured, PAGE THREE VETERAN (Continued from Page 1) for many years. The late Bill Hartnett was one of the original members of the Projectionists’ Union, which received its charter at the turn of the century, and was president of Local 257 from 1919 to 1925. Frequent visits to local hospitals for special treatment of a serious internal ailment that bedded him down for long periods, never seemed to dampen the spirit of the widely-known and popular behindthe-scenes theatre man, who, at the time of his death, was chief projectionist for Famous Players Canadian Corporation in Ottawa and District. He leaves his wife, the former Gladys Crawley, a son, William D., one brother and two sisters. Lorre In Keaton Film Hollywood: Famous actor Peter Lorre has been signed by Paramount for the plum role of Hollywood’s leading silent-film director in the VistaVision filming of “The Buster Keaton Story,” a Robert Smith-Sidney Sheldon production to be directed by Sheldon. Lorre will be the lead support to the co-starring trio consisting of Donald O’Connor (as Keaton), Ann Blyth and Rhonda Fleming. Seaway Closing Cameo, Morrisburg Toronto: With Morrisburg about to lose its Main Street in the construction of the seaway and hydro projects on the St. Lawrence River, the town will lose its present theatre, the Cameo, which has operated for years. No announcement has yet been issued regarding a new site farther from the river. 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. Jay L. Smith, Editor-in-Chief; Correspondents: Bruce Peacock, Regina; Libby Bookhalter, Winnipeg; Jack Droy, Vancouver; Will McLaughlin, Ottawa; Bill Press, Toronto; Helen Crawley, St. John, Address all mail to Publisher, Canadian Moving Picture Digest Company, Ltd., 501 Yonge St., Toronto, Telephone: WAlnut 1-4352. Cable: Raydigest. Est 1915. Publication weekly. Subscription: $5.00 yearly.