Film and Radio Guide (Oct 1945-Jun 1946)

October, 1 945 21 Oklahoma in 1919, he taught in the Fine Arts Department for one year and then took the position of Director of High School Music in Drumright, Oklahoma. After six years he was called to a similar position in the schools of Oklahoma City, where he served until Arnspiger invited him to New York at the beginning of the film venture. Shortly thereafter, he completed the work for his M.A. degree at Teachers College, Columbia University, and had most of his points worked out toward the Doctor of Education degree when Erpi’s business calls became too heavy to permit his continuing a formal educational program. Brill is a member of Beta Theta Pi, Phi Mu Alpha (music) , and Sigma Delta Chi (journalistic) fraternities. Brill developed scripts running the whole gamut of instruction from “Adventures of Bunny Rabbit” to “The Symphony Orchestra,” “The Nervous System,” and “Problems of Housing.” He wandered into the Erpi recording studio in 1930 shortly after his arrival in New York and found that the narrator for a film had failed to appear. Recalling his radio experience, he took over the job of narration, and Jim Brill’s voice today is heard on all Erpi subjects save one. He is known as “The Voice of Erpi,” a voice heard daily by hundreds of thousands of school children. Active interest in many fields leaves Brill nowadays with a host of hobbies. Archery comes first at the moment, and many Westchester County deer (Brill lives in Yonkers, N. Y.) will shudder at “near misses” this autumn. Fishing ranks next, and a cabin is being built on a favorite Canadian lake. There’s wood FiLM AND RADIO GUIDE working too — many charming pieces grace the Brill home — and most of the wall paintings are his own. Then there’s the annual school play at School 5, which Jim has written and directed for years. Having an aversion to cities and crowds, Jim bought an Arkansas farm to which he vows to escape whenever the going gets too tough. The high moment of Jim’s career, to hear him tell it, however, may have come in a summer directing tour through his beloved West, particularly the Rocky Mountains, in connection with a Geology film series. Or might it have been the long days and nights of fog, fog horns, and fishing nets on the Atlantic banks, photographing “The New England Fishermen”? Or could it have been his contact with a rattlesnake in Nebraska while directing the film, “Pioneers of the Plains”? Or was it in Florida when he made his first airplane flight, directing the Erpi flight training films? Or when he achieved the impossible by singing all four voices of a male quartet for another Erpi film? Or is it perhaps the challenge of tomorrow, working with Clyde Arnspiger and Mel Brodshaug on the expanding research and production program of Encyclopaedia Britannica Films? Since the last named is the latest challenge, it is probable Jim Brill would call it the most interesting period of his career. Ryan Represents EBF in Eastern Iowa Ryan Visual Aids Service, 409-11 Harrison St., Davenport, Iowa, leading film library and equipment dealer in Iowa, has been given the franchise for Encyclopaedia Britannica Films in the eastern part of the state. E. A. Ryan, manager of the company, is also school distributor for Victor projectors in the 69 counties of Eastern Iowa and 15 counties of Western Illinois. He handles SVE and Golde slide projectors, and Spencer Delineascopes. He has one of the largest lantern-slide libraries in the world, which he purchased from Victor Animatograph several years ago and which includes religious subjects mainly. Mr. Ryan “grew up with Victor,” serving for 17 years as assistant to Ernie Schroeder, general sales manager. Radiant's Notable Plan for Placing Veterans in the AudioVisual Field A tabulation of the qualifications of men and women who have served in Army and Navy film libraries, exchanges, and production units and who now wish to enter the visual-education field, printed on 86 sheets, has been sent to every U. S. manufacturer, dealer, distributor, and producer in the audio-visual field, as well as to those in allied fields. More than 600 veterans and their abilities, training, experience, and preferences as to locations, types of work, and salary requirements are listed. Reply blanks and simple, clear instructions accompany the data sheets. Supervisor of the plan is Adolph Wertheimer, vice president of Radiant Maufacturing Company, whose screens have been used by the armed forces of the Allies throughout the world. Released shortly before V-J Day, the plan was eighteen months in preparation. It is a remarkably thorough analysis. Hats off to Radiant for its enterprise, foresight, and generosity!