Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Dec 22, 1956)

Page scan 00010 from Canadian Moving Picture Digest

Record Details:

Title:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest
Date:
Dec 22, 1956
Volume:
Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Dec 22, 1956)
Leaf #:
00010
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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DECEMBER 22. 1956 HIGHLIGHTS (Continued from Page 9) ronto ... F.P.C.C. annual statement shows drop in_ operating profits of $1,417,836; sale of capital assets, including Victoria Theatre, Toronto, Village Theatre, Toronto, and Sky-Way Drive-In, JOHN J. FITZGIBBONS London, raises net profit to $2,933,112, compared _ with $3,384,825 for previous year... J. J. Fitzgibbons, F-P President, announces Telemeter to be given try-out in Vancouver . . . “Torchy” Coatsworth leaves CBC to become assistant general manager, MPTV (Canada) . . . UA’s “Man with the Golden Arm” doing smash business in Canada . . . 20th-Fox reorganizes sales districts, C. Glenn Norris heads new Central-Canadian Division . . . James R. “Jimmy” Nairn wins 1955 Variety Club Tent GEE EEE EE ELE EE EEE Compliments Of the Season Canadian Automatic Confections Ltd. Toronto SBR ARAARABRR ARRAS RARAARAR RAR eee SADA LO PO SOLOSE LO FO LOSOFOLE SOLO SOTO LE LO FASO SOT OIEFOSAFEFOSBIOSAIOAIOSBIOFO Y ¥ $293 SUSE SE SESE SE ae eS CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST 28 “Heart Award” Tivoli, Toronto, re-opens with Canadian premiere, Todd-AO “Oklahoma!” Grace Kelly married to Prince Rainier of Monaco in gala ceremony . Hecht-Lancaster sign new production-distribution deal with UA, calling for budget of $40,000,000 over next few years . .«. Astral secures Canadian franchise for American Releasing Corp. and American International . . . Leo Spitz, former RKO President, dies in Hollywood . . . Institutional advertising campaign created by Clare Appel, made _ available through The Digest to all Canadian exhibitors. MAY Gordon Lightstone, Paramount’s Canadian G-M, announces first JIMMY NAIRN Canadian playdates for “War and Peace” and “The Ten Commandments” .. . Ont. Censor Chief O. J. Silverthorne, in annual _ report, claims lack of family fare hurting smaller theatres . . . Pete Barnes adds nine Washington State theatres to his circuit, which includes three theatres in B.C. . . . Joe Garfin, and Owen Bird, form B.C. booking organization, to be managed by Garfin .. . Nicole Maurey, star of RKO’s “The Bold and the Brave” big hit in P.A. at Montreal . . « CBC wins 7 first awards and 5 honorable mentions for its radio and TV programs . . . NFB Chairman, Dr. Trueman, addresses SMPTE Convention in New York on importance of documentary films . Premiere two JARO films on new CPR liner, Empress of Britain . . . Mort Blumenstock resigns as W-B ad-pub chief .. . M-G-M announces plan to shoot several pix in black and_ white CinemaScope . . . Shooting completed in Toronto on “Oedipus Rex” . . . Lou Chesler reported in attempt to buy control of W-B... CBC televises “Holiday Ranch” program from stage of OdeonCarlton, Toronto . . . Bob Savini, Astor Pictures head, dies in Florida ... John McKim, of Odeon, wins Quigley Grand Award . . . Mickey Stevenson appointed Toronto Branch Manager of Paramount, succeeding Al Iscove, who resigned; Mel Hayter new Vancouver manager . . . 20th-Fox’s “Man in the Grey Flannel Suit” cleaning up at box-offices across Canada . . . Report control of Warner Brothers to be bought by syndicate headed by Serge Semenenko, Boston banker . . . Canadian delegates attend International Variety Club convention in New York; John H. Rowley elected Int. Chief Barker . . . Paramount reports highest revenue since 1950 . . . Louis Calhern, noted actor, dies in Japan... A. W. Perry announces Universal to make 30 pix, 17 in color, 11 in CinemaScope Ely Landau’s National Television Association buys 52 20th-Fox oldies for TV . . . Lou Chesler reported offering Loew’s $50,000,000 for pre-1948 library. JUNE Jack Chisholm resigns from ASN to form Showcase Film Productions, making pix for TV . . . Paramount holds Canadian sales meeting, with George Weltner and Charles Boasberg in attendance... Cleo Moore, star of Columbia’s “Over Exposed” visits Ontario for series of P.A.’s . ... N.S. exhibi Old: SILVERTHORNE tors meet with government leaders in tax appeal . . . Hector Quagliotti, oldest Canadian exhibitor, dies in Vancouver at age of 81... Harry Coleman sells out Coleman Electric Co. to General Theatre Supply The 6th of June”, written by Montrealer Lionel Shapiro, opens to packed houses across Canada... U.S. Consul-General addresses annual dinner of Quebec Picture Pioneers . NEB short, “The Shepherd” wins top award at Irish Film Festival . . . C. V. Whitney announces new process to change old films to new aspect ratios, and add color and sound .. . Ed Morey, Allied Artists Vice-President, and M. R. “Razz” Goldstein, A.A. General Sales Manager, visits Toron . 20th-Fox’s “D-Day, | PAGE ELEVEN SSS SS Ss Ss iS Ss SS Ss SS Ss Ss as Ss With best wishes FREE LE to everybody in the Motion Picture Industry Johnny Cohn ‘<< Ak Bs OS es es es es es ed ee ek ek ek kK SB PE PS FAFA IO FIOIA IS FS FAFA FA FAFA IS FO FAIS FOF. PEASE SE SOLE SOLOS SOLOS TOSOSOD to... TV set sales show big drop in Canada; radio sets up. . Strand, Montreal, manager L. H. Fleming, wins $140,000 in Irish Sweepstakes . Dawson Exley appointed Vancouver Branch Manager, 20th Century-Fox; Gordon Lightstone, Jr., appointed St. John manager . . . Jim Hardiman announces resignation as Odeon adpub director, effective Sept. 1; Hardiman to join National Theatres in L.A. . . . Romeo Vandette elected President, Quebec Picture Pioneers . . . W-B’s release of C. V. Whitney’s “The Searchers” doing smash business in Canadian theatres . . . Ben Sommers re-elected President, Manitoba Exhibitors Association .. . Variety Club Tent 28 holds annual ball-game, Toronto; thunderstorm cuts attendance... . Loew’s Board rejects all outside cffers for film library; forms own TV division with Bud Barry as head . . . UA Week in Canada, greatest in Canadian film history, with 1,694 features playing in 922 theatres . . . 20th-Fox to release ¥ ® David O. Selznick’s remake of “Farewell to Arms”, and re-release JOHN McKIM “Rebecca” and “Third Man”... Qdeon operating 10 Drive Ins across Canada, five Odeon-owned, and five owned by W. B. Herman . . Famous Players hold annual picnic at Toronto; 10 employees inducted into 254/Year Club. (Continued on Page 23)