The American cinematographer (Apr 1937)

136 American Cinematographer ° April, 1937 A.S.C. OPENS NEW HOME F ebruary 2S was a red letter day for the American Society of Cine- matographers, for the society and for its members. That was the day the latter responded to a sugggestion they attend a homecoming designed to be a housewarming at the same time. It was during the final weeks of the year that has just passed the A. S. C. departed from the business quar- ters that for many years it owned and occupied on the twelfth fioor of a Hol- lywood business structure. It depart- ed from the atmosphere of the marts of commerce. It moved into a home, spacious and spreading and entirely on the ground fioor with one minor ex- ception. Although but 300 yards above that point on Hollywood boulevard where the Hollywood Roosevelt and the Chi- nese Theater look diagonally across the street at each other, the society has in but a few steps lifted itself out of the realm of the turbulent urban into the quiet of the peaceful, resi- dential suburban. Here surrounded by towering pine and fir and stately palm and in the center of garden and lavm of over 34,000 feet in area the cine- matographers may relax in a world far removed from the hurlyburly of a stage set. Informality Reigned But we started to tell you about the party. From 5 oclock on that Sunday afternoon in the mansion at 1782 North Orange Drive informality reigned. There were no speeches—that is, not the kind the average man mulls over for a week and of which in his mem- ory as he stands on his feet at the zero second not a trace remains. But there was much speech in the form of conversation, of greetings to ohl friends and associates, of renewal of friendships and of repledging the bond that for nearly twenty years has held under one banner these mas- ters of the camera. The only stipu- lation the board had made was as to the starting hour. The closing hour was represented by three dots. And of course there were to be cocktails and a buffet supper. Nor was there any disappointment even in a minor degree in any phase of the festivities—or in the beautiful home of which the members now were 100 percent owners. President John Arnold and Mrs. Arnold were among the first arrivals. Wives Aid Members in Informal Dedication of New Urban Quarters in Suburban Atmosphere Throughout the evening the president and his officers, Vice Presidents Vic- tor Milner, Charles Lang and James Van Trees, Treasurer Fred W. Jack- man and Secretary Frank B. Good, were showered with congratulations of the members and their wives on the completeness of the new home. Birthday and Anniversary Aside from the presence of a Bala- laika orchestra, all of the members of which brought their singing voices, there was no planned entertainment. Yet was the gaiety in no manner dulled on that account. The fun start- ed early. It was known that Edward O. Black- burn was packing a near birthday— near because being a “leap year lad- die” the Brulatour western chief has no alternative but to accept the 28th in lieu of the absence of the 29th of the month. And the bunch kept an eye peeled for the appearance of Mr. and Mrs. Blackburn. As the two made their entrance the members and their wives, with the orchestra in the center, crowded around. There was an impromptu serenade—impromptu, but loaded with good fellowship. Then there were mysterious goings- on in the boardroom, in the southeast corner of the structure. Behind a closed door court was held, the mem- bers of the jury filling the dozen easy-to-sit-in chairs that line three sides of the room. Fun Never Lags One at a time members were cor- ralled, haled to the door of the court- room, and upon proper signal being given the candidate was admitted to the Presence. Here before winning dismissal it was necessary to enter- tain the jury. Much curiosity prevailed during the trials, that is, on the part of those who had as yet escaped ex- amination, but all was revealed in time. The chief bailiff was Treas- urer Jackman, and as a rounder-up- per he was relentlessly persuasive. Then in an unguarded moment George Schneiderman let slip the word that he and the Mrs. were that day celebrating the twentieth anni- versary of their marriage. A word was sufficient. And that word went around. In a few moments the couple was surrounded in the lounge, with the orchestra in the center of the circle. To the applause of the party the musicians first played The Wedding March and then, with real effect, “I Love You Truly.” It was a pretty and an effective feature of the evening’s impromptu entertainment. The men enjoyed it, of course, but this partic- ular quarter hour was concededly and peculiarly a part of the realm of wo- man. And much did the women make of it. It was after 1 o’clock when the last of the hundred couples who had at- tended the housewarming of No. 1782 had said their good-nights. So suc- cessful had been the entire occasion— in the renewal of friendships, in the reunion of family groups that for years had been on terms of intimacy, and in the gander session of pals of days recent and remote—that many expres- sions were heard urging a “renewal” of the housewarming, provided it be not too long deferred. The New Home The new home of the American So- ciety of Cinematographers is in one of the finest residential sections of Hol- lywood—and one of the oldest. It is at the intersection of North Orange drive and Franklin avenue. Formerly it was the home of Conway Tearle, who upon it and the grounds on which it rests expended large sums to make of it one of the show places of the community. From in front of the grounds North Orange drive slopes gently south a long block to Hollywood boulevard, with the Hollywood Roosevelt square- ly facing. Large trees closely line the two sides of the street. To the north across Franklin avenue a densely wooded hillside sharply rises—a bit out of the north woods, as one enthusi- astic newspaper man described the vista. The plot is 150 on North Orange drive by 228 on Franklin. Ornament- ing it are many trees, quite a number of them rising to real height. Among these latter are three of the pine fam- ily as well as several of the fir. Also there are striking examples of the giant palm. To the west of the home a large lawn extends across the whole Continued on Papre 144