International projectionist (Jan-Dec 1946)

ture of the first Simplex projector. Mike recalls vividly that practically all the discussions and designing incident to this job took place in the back room of O'Keefe's saloon at 42nd St. and Vanderbilt Ave., New York City, the preliminary drawings being sketched out on the back of menu cards. The influence of the saloon on the budding film industrypersisted. Being in rather deep water, the boys anxiously awaited an "angel" in the form of fresh money. The latter was forthcoming through the aid of another historic industry figure. Edwin S. Porter, later to become president of Precision Machine Co. Porter, in turn, enlisted the support of another figure not entirely unknown on the national scene. James A. Stillman of .the National City Bank. Thus was effected the marriage of brains and money that ultimately swamped the Powers projector and laid the basis for the modern Simplex mechanism. Only the irony of fate robbed Mike Berkowitz of just recompense for his contributions to the making of the Simplex projector, the first models of which appeared in 1909. Mike was not a direct participant in the deal that set up the Precision Company, his interest being via the indirect route of his strong friendship with Cannock. The latter's untimely passing was the decisive factor in charting Mike's future life as a projectionist and expert mechanic, as contrasted with the probability of his being a wealthy manufacturing company executive. Many Years in Supply Field Mike's career since 1910 appears rather anti-climactic by comparison with the momentous events of the preceding yrears. For almost ten years thereafter he operated his own expert machining shop in downtown New York City, foresaking this enterprise to join Howell's Cine Co.. presided over by Joe Hornstein. who still is active in the supply field. Howell's was absorbed by the National Theatre Supply Co., and Mike worked for the latter outfit until 1930. About this time the Warner Brothers, flushed with their smashing \ itaphone triumph, enlisted Mike's services in turning out a wide-film projector. Mike produced the 65-mm Vitascope. which also could handle 35-mm film, the fine mechanical features of which may be adequately described only in a separate story. Along about 1930 Mike seemingly completed the circuit when he joined the projection staff of the Capitol Theatre on Broadway. And there he is today. But his mechanical bent remained unrequited, so he upped and established a machine shop which today turns out so classy a job of repairing and rebuilding projectors and related equipment that it has to decline hundreds of orders annually. This machine shop evokes one bit of humor. Mike had the bad judgment to break-in his son. Milton, both as a projectionist and a machinist, with continual WATCH THIS SPACE FOR THE FORTHCOMING ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE NATIONAL SHOWING OF THE COMPLETELY NEW mimosa a PH "A A" MOTIOGRAPH, INC. 4431 W. Lake Street Chicago Outstanding Performer in LOW COST Sound Reproduction Syncrofilm Model E ECONOMY SOUND HEAD Winning applause as the finest sound reproducing system available in the low price range, the Syncrofilm Model E is easily adapted to Simplex or Powers with no projector alterations. Complete information and specifications will quickly show its quality is achieved through simplicity of desig n — n o t through engineering "short cuts". Write for all the facts. Licensed under Western Electric Patents WEBER MACHINE COR ROCHESTER 6, N. Y. Export Office: 13 E. 40th St., N. Y. C. Cable: "Romos" INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST September, 1946 27