Daily Matinee (One-Reel Wonders): Popular Science, Unusual Occupations, and Speaking of Animals

Opening Title to Jerry Fairbanks & Robert Carlisle's
Unusual Occupations from 1948.

From the mid-1930s through the late 1940s, chances are that moviegoers possibly viewed one of three Paramount short subjects produced by Jerry Fairbanks (1904-1995) and Robert Carlisle (1888-1974). 

The first one was Popular Science, based off the monthly scientific periodical of the same name. Narrated by actor and radio commentator Gayne Whitman (1890-1958), Popular Science showcased many scientific breakthroughs, along with practical and bizarre inventions.

Innovations shown in the Popular Science series were the introduction of contact lenses (known as “invisible glasses” then), the first answering machine, early experiments on solar energy, bandleader Fred Waring and his electric blender, Philo Farnsworth’s early television demonstrations, a tour of Max Fleischer’s animation studio, the Northrop “Flying Wing” jet aircraft, the introduction of frozen “TV dinners”, and much more.

The second series, Unusual Occupations, showcased persons that had unique and unusual career prospects. The series premiered in 1937, originally under the titles That’s Their Business and It’s a Living. The series was narrated by longtime broadcast announcer Ken Carpenter (1900-1984).

Some of the Unusual Occupations showcased included a “Scribble Fortune Teller”, a “Toothpick Bridge Builder”, a “Cellophane Straw Artist”, a “Chewing Gum Artist”, and a Hollywood “scream” artist for motion pictures. Various hobbyists, collectors, pacesetters, and trailblazers were also featured- including a collector of vintage Edison Cylinder Phonographs and records, a “wild west museum” proprietor, and Adeline Gray- who achieved fame as the first person to make a test jump with a parachute made entirely out of nylon.

Several personalities were featured in Unusual Occupations, including Gene Autry and his horse, “Champion”; John Barrymore and his collection of “oddities”, and the appearance of a young Theodore Geisel- better known to the world as iconic children’s author “Dr. Seuss”.

A third Fairbanks-Carlisle series for Paramount came out in 1941, called Speaking of Animals. It was produced in collaboration with noted cartoon animator Tex Avery. This short film series combined live-action footage of animals with animation, giving the featured animals the chance to talk or sing popular tunes of the day. While Popular Science and Unusual Occupations were filmed in color (first in two-strip Cinecolor, then in Magnacolor), this series was filmed in black and white.

As the United States entered the Second World War, General Douglas MacArthur- a good friend of Jerry Fairbanks, communicated with the producer over the phone. The General suggested that the theater-going audience at home should know that when the nation’s brave men and women go into battle, that they should be well prepared. This would give the Popular Science series unlimited access to behind-the scenes preparation for battle, along with advancements in United States military technology.

After World War II ended in 1945, Fairbanks decided to expand into television production, in addition to producing the Paramount features along with industrial productions. Co-producer Robert Carlisle had left at the time, leaving Fairbanks to produce solo. Seeing that television would threaten motion picture exhibition and distribution, Paramount gave him an option- to abandon the idea of television production, or that his short subjects would no longer receive Paramount release. Fairbanks chose to go with television and industrial production in 1949, bringing an end to the three series he produced for Paramount. Only one would be reformulated into a television series in 1950, as Fairbanks filmed a pilot episode of Popular Science.

Throughout the combined series’ theatrical run, they won numerous Academy Awards along with a special commendation for Popular Science from the U.S. War Department for covering developments on military technology.

In 1955, Paramount Pictures decided to sell off their entire short subject film holdings to U.M.&M. Television Corporation (excluding the Popeye cartoons, which were sold off to Associated Artists Productions). Shortly thereafter, U.M.&M. became part of National Telefilm Associates, or NTA. Just like what its predecessor did to the Paramount cartoons and short features (which still makes us film purists cringe today), they altered the titles and removed references to the studio.

Jerry Fairbanks would re-acquire the rights to his old Paramount film series later on, and the rights to the three series would pass on to the hands of Shields Pictures, Inc. - operated by film preservationists Mark Punswick and Mary Riley.

The films appeared (with original opening/closing Paramount titles from the original 35mm nitrate materials) on American Movie Classics in the mid-1990s. That’s how I was exposed to these classic short subjects. After AMC’s unfortunate demise in late 2002, these shorts were never shown on television again. The company still offers the short subjects to major producers for stock footage elements.

In 2007, the company released a “best of” compilation of the Popular Science series on DVD (which is now out of print). In 2010, The Epoch Times wrote an article on the company’s film preservation efforts.

During that same year, the company launched an app for the Apple iPhone/iPad- containing the 1938 Popular Science Fleischer Cartoon Studios tour short subject (sourced from a high-definition transfer of the original 35mm nitrate print). Animation historian Jerry Beck wrote a piece about the company's app, featured on the Cartoon Brew website in June 2010.

Since they have been working on HD transfers of the classic Fairbanks-Carlisle Paramount short subject series, let’s hope that these classic shorts will return to television- and hopefully will be released on Blu-Ray/DVD (or on some streaming platform) in the near future.

OF OTHER IMPORTANCE: If you've seen At The Matinee's article about NBC moving their west coast operations from Burbank to Universal City Studios, Brian Williams did a piece on the network's final move from "beautiful downtown Burbank" on the March 21st edition of NBC Nightly News.

The Quiet Man (1952) and other offerings for St. Patrick's Day

DVD/Blu-Ray cover for The Quiet Man (1952),

based off of elements from the original poster art.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all from At The Matinee! There’s nothing like celebrating St. Patrick’s Day by watching a family favorite, John Ford & Merrian Cooper’s 1952 Academy Award-winning Technicolor masterpiece- The Quiet Man.

It was based off of a 1933 Maurice Walsh short story published in The Saturday Evening Post. Starring John Wayne as boxer Sean Thornton, Maureen O’Hara as Mary Kate Danaher, Victor McLaughlin as her brother, Squire “Red” Will Danaher; Ward Bond as Father Peter Lonergan, Mildred Natwick as Sarah Tillane, and Barry Fitzgerald as Michaleen Oge Flynn.

To commemorate the film’s 60th anniversary in 2012, The Quiet Man was released Blu-Ray & DVD through Olive Films (under license from Republic/Paramount). It includes a 1992 documentary on the film hosted by Leonard Maltin (originally produced for the 40th anniversary edition VHS and Laserdisc set). I have read several reviews that the picture quality of the Olive release is better than the dismal 2001 Artisan/Lionsgate DVD release. The film is also available for purchase on Paramount's on-demand platform through YouTube.

Movies! TV Network (which has the broadcast rights to vintage Republic & NTA features through Paramount) will show the Ford-Cooper classic, (three times in a row!) starting at 8:00 PM EST. It will be shown after another vintage Republic Picture with John Wayne, George Waggner's The Fighting Kentuckian (1949). Check your area for time and station availability (Movies! are primarily on the subchannels of Fox & MyNetworkTV O&O stations from coast-to-coast). It will also be shown commercial-free on Turner Classic Movies on April 23rd at 12:30 PM EST.

If you’re looking for more classics on this St. Paddy’s Day, TCM is showing classic movies related to Ireland- starting with the 1934 Michael Curtiz film, The Key (with William Powell & Edna Best) at 6:00 AM EST, and concluding with the 1968 Francis Ford Coppola musical- Finian’s Rainbow (with Fred Astaire & Petula Clark) at 5:15 PM EST.

So sit back, relax, break out the Irish cheese, and watch some classics on this St. Patrick’s Day. "Hip, Hip, Hooray"!

IN MEMORIAM: We lost one of the legendary comedic greats recently, David Brenner (1936-2014).

End of an era: NBC bids farewell to “Beautiful Downtown Burbank”

Aerial view of NBC's iconic Burbank lot, as
featured in an issue of Radio Age from 1955.

After 59 years, the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is moving their West Coast operations from their iconic Burbank, California facility to Universal City.

In 1955, then-parent Radio Corporation of America (RCA) decided that the network’s “West Coast Radio City” facilities (demolished in 1964) were deemed inadequate for television broadcasting and productions. After purchasing land from Warner Bros. studio head Jack Warner, NBC would design a new studio facility that was specifically designed for color television broadcasts. It would be the first major color television studio facility in the nation.

In March of that year, NBC’s Burbank operations opened on West Alameda Avenue, known as “NBC Color City”. The network’s other television operations (including the West Coast news bureau and the network-owned KNBC-TV) would move into the Burbank lot.

Over the years, many iconic programs were telecast or produced from the Burbank facility, such as the Bob Hope comedy specials, The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (and to a lesser extent- Jay Leno), The Dean Martin Show, Elvis Presley’s 1968 “comeback” special, Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, The Flip Wilson Show, The Hollywood Squares, Sanford & Son, and The Midnight Special. Special editions of NBC Nightly News would originate out of the Burbank/Los Angeles news bureau.

NBC announced in 2007 that they were planning to move their West Coast operations to corporate sibling Universal Studios (then-parent General Electric acquired a majority stake in Universal from French conglomerate Vivendi in 2004, thus creating NBCUniversal). The network sold their Burbank facilities to Worthe Real Estate Group in 2008, it was renamed The Burbank Studios*.  Other NBC operations would remain there until the early part of this year. This move happened after the second Leno incarnation of The Tonight Show ended in February, as the late night program would move back to New York with Jimmy Fallon as host.

The last network program to originate from the Burbank facility was the March 13th telecast of The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, on MSNBC (featuring clips from vintage NBC programs that were taped at Burbank). On that program, O’Donnell said it best about the network’s migration to new West Coast digs at Universal City- “it will be a studio with no memories”.

Despite the network’s lackluster programs in recent years, the facility will still live on- as The Burbank Studios* from “beautiful downtown Burbank”.

*Not to be confused with the other “Burbank Studios”, which was used as the name for Warner Bros. studios from 1972 to 1990 (when they leased part of their studio space to competitor Columbia Pictures).

IN MEMORIAM: We lost two industry greats this week, noted voice-over artist Hal Douglas (1924-2014) and production manager Abby Singer (1917-2014).

Daily Matinee: Save The Stereo!

Screengrab from an RCA promotional film for its Living Stereo stereophonic
music systems ("Stereo Victrola") and albums (circa 1958).

1993 ad for Radio Shack's
Optimus surround speakers. 

Over the years, we have seen many technological transformations in the field of home entertainment. Unfortunately, the topic of “high- fidelity audio” is rarely mentioned these days.

While I was working as an intern for The City of Frederick (through their audio-visual department)- my supervisor and I were having an interesting conversation about high-fidelity audio. We were wondering about what happened to the vast array of speaker choices one could find, mediocre selection of music genres/titles in stores (since the demise of Borders Books & Music in 2010), why there aren't many high fidelity components in stores (receivers, speaker models, etc.), and the unfortunate downfall of prestigious audio companies (KLH, Altec Lansing, Kenwood, Fisher, etc.). It was an interesting conversation piece, as we were wondering why hi-fi components were rarely recognized in these times.

In an age where dinky-sounding MP3/iPod docking speakers and overpriced (yet cheaply-made) non-studio headphones are ruling the audio world, there is an advocacy project that is committed to saving high-fidelity audio technology from becoming obsolete.

The website is called Save the Stereo, launched by Gordon and Angela White, with Rob Czetli. This website is for audio enthusiasts, lovers of music, and experts in the audio industry. The goal of Save the Stereo is to promote and develop ideas for future generations of audiophiles and music listeners, so that high-fidelity components will not go the way of an Edison cylinder record. They offer some interesting points- reasons for hi-fi audio, costs/concerns of modern hi-fi components, challenges to audio components, inspirational/spiritual/health benefits of recorded sound, and how daily life can be better and more enjoyable with recorded music. These are just a few reasons for the importance of high-fidelity sound.

1979 advertisement for Yamaha's Natural Sound
speakers and audio components.

Though we are in an age of rapid-changing technology, people are rediscovering the joy of high fidelity sound. In recent years, there has been resurgence in vinyl recordings, along with perfectly-mastered compact discs (titles that aren't heavily compressed), Blu-Ray audio discs, and high-quality MP3 & FLAC files. One doesn't have to spend a fortune on building a stereo system- there are various tales of audio enthusiasts acquiring vintage components from yard sales, thrift stores, etc. Several electronics retailers do sell moderately-priced stereo/surround components and speaker systems.

There is a survey on Save the Stereo, and to readers who haven’t visited the website- feel free to take the survey. Your iPod/MP3 player will sound better through some stereo or surround sound receiver- regardless of the system’s age. And yes, you can crank it up to eleven (in commemoration of the thirtieth anniversary of This Is Spinal Tap).

As I've stated on Save the Stereo (after taking the survey), I think that all generations should experience high-fidelity audio at some point in life.

IN MEMORIAM: We lost two icons this week, comedian/actor/director/writer Harold Ramis (1944-2014) and Jim Lange (1932-2014), original host of The Dating Game. 

Daily Matinee: “It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” and Cinerama

1963 United Artists Records advertisement for the
soundtrack of It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World-
as featured in Billboard Magazine. 

This post is in relation to the recent passing of Sid Caesar (1922-2014). It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is a hilarious comedy masterpiece, featuring Spencer Tracy, Jimmy Durante, Milton Berle, Ethel Merman, Sid Caesar, Edie Adams, Terry-Thomas, Jonathan Winters, Buddy Hackett, Mickey Rooney, Phil Silvers, Dorothy Provine, and many more. This Stanley Kramer feature was filmed in a familiar widescreen format, but with one minor specification.

The original Cinerama widescreen process consisted of three images that were filmed simultaneously, and would be later projected (through three simultaneous film projectors) on a curved screen. Because the original process was expensive for major studios and producers, Kramer’s film (released through United Artists) would be the first single-lens Cinerama feature. It was filmed in 65mm Super Panavision, and then was converted for the single-lens Cinerama format. Thus, the familiar three-projector setup would be phased out by existing Cinerama theater venues for the new single-lens projection system.

Whether moviegoers saw the film in Super Panavision or the single-lens Cinerama process, the film made $46.3 million in ticket sales (which offset the production's budgetary concerns). The film was re-released to theaters in 1970. If you've never seen this fantastic cult comedy before, see it when you get the chance to.

From a 1963 issue of
International Projectionist.

THE CRITERION EDITION: The Criterion Collection has released It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World on a dual-format Blu-Ray/DVD disc (from a new High-Definition transfer) with Ernest Gold’s score in DTS 5.1 surround sound. Not only does this set include the general release version, it also includes the 197-minute extended version restored by Robert A. Harris (scanned in 4K, presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.76:1). There are also many bonus features, including trailers, radio and TV spots for the film (with a new introduction from legendary voice-over actor Stan Freberg, who did various TV/radio spots for the feature film), a 1974 ABC retrospective on the film with Stanley Kramer, Sid Caesar, Jonathan Winters, and Buddy Hackett; Jack Davis’ iconic artwork, and much more.  This writer will definitely have to check it out sometime.

Interesting… A studio-owned movie theater showing films from a competing studio!

Program Guide for next week's motion picture attractions at
Warner Bros.' Tivoli theater, published in 1934.  Note
that these weren't Warner Bros. films, they were
films from the studio's competitor, Paramount.

This post is in relation to the recent passing of Shirley Temple (1928-2014). Several months ago, I saw an old program guide in the lobby display case at the Weinberg Center for the Arts (formerly known as the Tivoli).

On the 1934 program guide, it stated that one of the attractions was Little Miss Marker*, with Temple and Adolphe Menjou (it was remade as Sorrowful Jones with Bob Hope and Lucille Ball in 1948, 40 Pounds of Trouble with Tony Curtis and Suzanne Pleshette in 1962, and a 1980 rendition of the ’34 feature, with Walter Matthau and Julie Andrews).

Even though the program guide says Warner Bros.’ Tivoli, I noticed (along with further research) that these weren't Warner features, they were all Paramount Pictures.

I remembered at the time that I caught a short glimpse of the 1934 feature weeks earlier on NBC’s Cozi TV service. The other Paramount films that were listed on the program guide were Many Happy Returns with George Burns and Gracie Allen, Private Scandal with Zasu Pitts, and Here Comes the Groom with Jack Haley. It sounds ironic that a studio-owned movie theater (back then) would play feature films from a rival studio.

At the time, Warner Bros. owned the majority of cinemas (Tivoli, City Opera House, and the Frederick) in the area until the 1948 decree. In the PBS documentary series, American Cinema: The Studio System (narrated by Peter Coyote) - film historians note that most of the major studios’ investments went into company-owned cinemas across the nation.

Film scholar Douglas Gomery (Professor Emeritus and Resident Scholar at the Center for Visual and Mass Media, University of Maryland Libraries) mentioned that the five major studios broke their theater holdings into five geographical territories. For example, Loew’s/MGM would have New York City and the east coast markets, Paramount would have the majority of cinemas in the mid-west and southern regions, and Twentieth Century Fox would have the majority of cinemas on the west coast.

Film scholar Thomas Schatz (Professor at the University of Texas at Austin, Department of Radio-Television-Film) notes that Warner Bros. did not own as many first-run theaters in major metropolitan markets, and owned more rural-based theater holdings throughout the country.   

No matter where the film companies’ theater holdings were located in the nation, it affected the output of feature films that the majors produced.

My guess is that in addition to the first-run Warner Bros.-First National films shown at the Tivoli, these Paramount films might have been second-run for the WB theater cluster, since Paramount did not own theaters in the Frederick area. An interesting (and somewhat unusual) chapter in the “golden age” of motion picture exhibition.  A future post about the Tivoli/Weinberg Center for the Arts (with Warners’ connection) will appear on At The Matinee in the near future.

SIDEBAR: *The original 1934 version of Little Miss Marker, along with the 1948 re-make, Sorrowful Jones was included in the sale of Paramount’s pre-1948 features to MCA in 1958. Because of the success that they had with syndicating the vintage Paramount films to television, MCA would acquire the Decca Record Company (American Decca) in 1962, and along with it – Universal Studios. 

The later adaptations (1962’s 40 Pounds of Trouble and the 1980 version) are Universal productions. In 2004, Universal Studios (then-owned by French conglomerate Vivendi) merged with General Electric’s National Broadcasting Company (NBC), forming NBCUniversal. Thus, films from Universal’s pre-1948 Paramount holdings will show up on NBC’s Cozi TV channel from time to time (the channel was launched on NBC-owned stations at the end of 2012).

ON ANOTHER NOTE: In 2013, Paramount Pictures decided to outsource their home entertainment division to their competitor, Warner Bros.  Warner Home Video now handles distribution of post-1948 Paramount titles on DVD and Blu-Ray (aside from existing contracts of select Paramount/Republic product released through Criterion, Olive Films, and Legend Films).

Television Corner: "Alex, I’ll take Classic Episodes for $400"

Jeopardy! Host Alex Trebek wearing a deerstalker cap, as a clue
to a Daily Double question on Sherlock Holmes (from 1987).

Now that the “big game” is over, here’s another “big game” that is one of America’s favorite quiz shows. Merv Griffin (1925-2007) launched his third incarnation of Jeopardy! in 1984, with Alex Trebek as host.

We've seen various contestants over the years, we've seen the hilarious Saturday Night Live skits (featuring Will Ferrell as Trebek- with “nemesis” celebrity contestant Sean Connery, portrayed by Darrell Hammond), and the technological transformations to the show over the years. Several contestants from the Walkersville area (where this blog originates from) have appeared on the program.

To commemorate the show’s thirtieth anniversary in syndication, Sony’s Crackle streaming video service has select episodes (under the title “Jeopardy! Flashback”, from 1985-1993). You’ll see the practical and unusual constellation prizes for second and third-place contestants, Trebek’s semi-testy reaction to contestants’ incorrect responses for questions related to his homeland of Canada, and one episode’s Daily Double clue in relation with another popular Merv Griffin game show.

This is in honor of the current edition of Jeopardy! for the week, “Battle of the Decades: 1980’s”. Top contestants from the decade will reunite for the chance to play again (including current director of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Richard Cordray- who was a five-time champion on the show in 1987).

So sit back, relax, and relive some classic moments from Jeopardy!  (through Crackle).

FUN FACT: The original NBC version, which ran from 1964 to 1975, (including a brief Metromedia-syndicated run) and again from 1978-79, was hosted by Art Fleming.

YET ANOTHER FUN FACT: Around the same time as the 1984 revival of Jeopardy!, the show's syndicator- King World, acquired the broadcast rights to the classic Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes features (in relation to the picture on this post).

ON ANOTHER NOTE: Speaking of Sony, they have launched a new classic movie network titled getTV- which will showcase classic Columbia features. According to TV News Check, it is being carried on the adjacent channel of Univision-owned affiliates from coast-to-coast (broadcast in English). No word if the channel will be carried on cable soon (in the Washington area, getTV will be on the third subchannel of Univision’s WFDC-TV).