International photographer (Jan-Dec 1934)

Six The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER June, 1934 A Cameraman Among the Lepers of the South Seas By Max DuPont [ELL, one would think that in the South Seas a fellow would dream more than work, but such J is not the case unless the man has the making of a beach comber. In fact, most of us work harder here than we did in the States. We get up at sunrise. Every business starts at six o'clock except the Government. My studio is not large, but I do enough business to keep the pot boiling. In this hot climate photographic process means about twice the work it would in a temperate climate. Everyone who orders a portrait wants to look like an Adonis or Greta Garbo, so you can see it is not so easy. It is not possible for a white man to live like a native or he will land in the hospital or go back to good old U. S. A. The nights here are delightful, so I do not go to bed until midnight after having put in a good day's work for very little money, but being one's own boss is worth a million. It eliminates the suffering of being a "yes" man, a specimen that you don't find out here. From time to time I have to grind a camera for different people who blow in for a picture. Recently a French Government Mission, scientific and medical, headed by Professor Dr. Le Mee, of Paris, came to make an intensive study of the dread disease of the lepers. The doctor conceived the idea of getting me to shoot a picture of the life of these poor souls from childhood to death. To tell you the truth, I tried every excuse I could think of to get out of it, but being a cameraman I had to go "For science, you should risk anything" — etc. — the usual stuff. Well, the first day we went into the secluded reservation of the lepers and if I could have vanished gladly would I have done so. In my life I have seen many things, from cyclones to war, etc. but this last experience took the bouquet. Dante's Inferno is a joke compared to the visions you get there. The pity you feel for these poor people is indescribable; then there is the fear of being contaminated. You shrink from it and then realize it is worth the risk to be able to help in any way the betterment of the situation of such human wrecks. The wonderful thing about them is how they conduct themselves so that one never gets in contact with them. They were so happy to have us among them and most anxious to do all they could to help and follow instructions, even as veteran actors, and with no back talk. It is surprising to see how some of them are apparently intact, even healthy looking. Some of the girls are very beautiful Polynesians and you will see them sitting next to a lion-like monster (the lepers at a late stage often have that appearance). Without blinking an eye the girls will talk to him and kid him as though he were a Beau Brummel. All of this to our astonishment. We saw only a few who were very sad looking. Most of them laugh and talk like children. The life there continues like an ideal little city from the chief of the population to the policeman. Yes, there is a jail, too. Love affairs go on just the same, petty jealousies; rank still exists — the rich and the poor. But they are all equal to that dread disease. We took very important camera observations from a technical and medical standpoint, which will be of great assistance to the doctors. We stayed over two months making the picture and the wonder to me is that I am not pickled like one of the poor fish you see in a jar. After all our bathing we put ourselves into a solution of Formal acid — and we sure made it hot, I tell you — then a rinse in alcohol. I have received news from Paris that the picture is of tremendous service in the medicinal centers. I hope they show the picture to raise funds for the leper. They need it, not so much that they need money, but a few little luxuries could do much to help and cheer these human wrecks. It would mean not only a material treat, but a moral consolation, to know that people thought about them, which causes them more happiness than anything else. The leper does not feel the burn of fire, the coldness of ice, the prick of a needle. As the disease advances they suffer greatly from fever and chills. They are very active and energetic and they are wonderful housekeepers — their little bungalows are spotless and so are they. They love music and a motion picture show is paradise to them (producers take notice). They are tractable patients and do all they can to cooperate with the doctors. The disease is not hereditary. We saw many examples and proofs of that and we were informed that during the decade just past the malady had somewhat diminished. I have been thinking that if someone would start a campaign in the studios to get them to send pictures of stars, any kind of used articles, cigarettes, candy, or anything at all, even though not of great value, the attention would give them a great deal of pleasure. Any such gift should be addressed to the Hospital of Oro Fara, c/o The Nurses, Tahiti. DON LEE TELEVISION SETS NEW RECORD At 9:00 p.m., Saturday, May 26, the Don Lee Television transmitters W6XS and W6XAO had transmitted exactly 6,000,000 feet of motion picture film over television, according to Harry R. Lubcke, Director of Television, for the Don Lee Broadcasting System. Transmissions have covered a period of three and one-half years. In this record television footage, those who have made or purchased television receivers have looked in on such Paramount features as "Blonde Venus," "The Way to Love," "A Lady's Profession," "I Love That Man," "A Bedtime Story," "Trouble in Paradise," "The Eagle and the Hawk," "Woman Accused," "The Girl in 419," "Three Cornered Moon," "One Sunday Afternoon," and many others. Paramount shorts, such as "Hollywood on Parade," Paramount Pictorials, "Hot and Cold Chills," "Stuff on the Ball," "Building Winners," "The Wonder Girl" and "Sporting Melodies," as well as current Pathe Newsreels, have made up the lookers' fare. Ray Flinsky, six miles south of the transmitters, reports seeing dancing girls, a display of the latest in women's shoes, and a toboggan sled ride in the Pathe Newsreel of May 2, 1934. L. G. Gilbert, 27 miles east of Los Angeles, in the City of Pomona, wrote on May 17th to say that one of the characters in Paramount's "This Day and Age," wore "pinch on" glasses on his nose. Mr. Gilbert has been an interested looker for over a year, having received his first television image in February, 1933. Both of these lookers have built their own equipment according to instructions that were published in the March, 1934, issue of the "International Photographer." The Don Lee stations transmit television images nightly, except Sunday, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., and on Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., W6XS on 2,800 kilocvcles (107 meters), and W6XAO on 44,500 kilocycles (634 meters). Please mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.