International projectionist (Jan-Dec 1957)

Record Details:

Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!

Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.

Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.




We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.

Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.

News and Views from District No. 2 By HANK BOLDIZSAR Member, I A Local 150, Los Angeles, Calif. SOUTHERN California has long been regarded a mecca for those contemplating retirement from gainful employment and this part of the country has, therefore, gained immeasurably by rolling out the welcome mat to all who seek to spend their retirement in the quiet and restful atmosphere of our rural areas and the wonders and beauties of our scenery and climate. (California Chamber of Commerce please note.) This month I shall devote these columns to two "retirees/' former New York City Local 306 projectionists, who pulled up roots and moved their homes and families to our part of the country. In a recent letter from Brother Morris Klapholz. secretary of the 25-30 Club Bert Salisch of New York, with whom I have long enjoyed a bvely correspondence, I learned of two Club members with withdrawal cards from Local 306 who have settled in California — Bert Salisch and Dave Narcey. He wrote in such glowing terms about these two gentlemen that I made it a point to make their acquaintance, and without too much ado I made my first call on Bert Salisch. I was quite surprised upon meeting Bert to find a brisk, alert business man very much on the beam, so to speak. Although he retired from the projectionist craft a number of years ago, he is as busy as the proverbial beaver as head of a thriving photostat business he established in Los Angeles. (There is a possibility that he may call it quits at the end of this year and retire from all business activities.) Bert and his charming wife, Marion, have made Burbank. Calif, their home since 1946. Soon after their arrival there they became actively interested in community affairs and helped organize the Burbank Democratic Club, of which Bert served as president and Marion as a State committeewoman. In 1952 Bert was appointed commissioner of Animal Regulations for his adopted city of Burbank. Such a record of business and community service can hardly be considered retirement for a man who began his projection career soon after the turn of the century. Bert was one of the organizers of the New York City Spotlight Operators' Union, Auxiliary No. 35, which was formed in 1908. The following year, 1909. the projectionist members of Auxiliary No. 35 affiliated themselves with the newly chartered Motion Picture Projectionists Local No. 306, IATSE. The next scene of operations was Westchester County, N. Y., where Bert played a leading role in organizing a mixed Local, which consisted of projectionists and stagehands. He served as president and business representative for this group. The two crafts later separated and the projectionists were chartered as Local 650. Westchester County, N. Y. Although a number of years have passed since Bert took a withdrawal card from Local 306 so that he could devote all of his time to his fast growing photo creased to $1.50 the Local was justified in'demanding that an extra projectionist be hired. Management declared that boosting the admission price to $1.50 did not make this film a roadshow since seats were not reserved. • Gordon H. Dyer, president of San Antonio Local 407, recently announced a new three-year pact with the Town Twin Drive-In Theatre, the first contract to be signed between the Local and drive-in theatres in its jurisdiction. • Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Travis, Schenectady Local 314, who recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. • D. R. Barneclo was unanimously reelected secretary-treasurer of District No. 8, which comprises the states of Michigan. Ohio. Indiana, and Kentucky. He is also chairman and secretary of the Indiana State Association of Theatrical Stage Employes and Projectionists. • As their contribution to the Will Rogers Memorial hospital fund drive, New York Local 306 members waived all overtime pay for working shows running after midnight due to audience collections. This is in addition to the copper drippings drive inaugurated by Local 306 and many other Locals throughout the Alliance for the benefit of this fund. stat business on the West Coast, he haremained close to the craft through his affiliation with the 25-30 Club and his continued interest in the IATSE. His three brothers — Lou, Moe, and Al — and two nephews — Joe Salisch and Jack Vollberg — are members of the Alliance. You might call the Salisch clan an IA family. A visit with Dave Narcey was next on the agenda. The meeting was ar David Narcey ranged and one fine afternoon I drove out to the beautiful city of Inglewood, where Dave and Mrs. Narcey make their home. Dave held me spellbound as he related the many exciting events that took place during the early days of motion pictures, and of his many and varied experiences as a projectionist. I had a grand time browsing through the photos and bulletins in his scrapbook of memories, and I can easily understand why Brothers Klapholz and Salisch regard him so highly. For about 13 years prior to his retirement in 1953, Dave Narcey was projectionist in the private preview room at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. One of Dave's proudest possessions is the beautiful gold wristwatch which his co-workers at the Music Hall presented to him upon his retirement. Dave's projection career began back in 1907. and as an old-timer in the business he is familiar with all the processes and gimmicks, from Grandeur film and magnascope screens to today's "eeniemeenie-minee-moe" aperture selection routines. His versatility at the craft soon brought him to the attention of projection equipment manufacturers, and in 1915 he became field representative and trouble shooter for the Precision Machine Co. of New York City, manufacturers of Simplex projectors. He was later promoted to the post of supervisor of sales and service. In 1920 he became associated with the New York City branch of National Theatre Supply, working in the sales and engineering department until 1925 when he left that organization to take the position of sales manager for the Capitol Motion Picture Supply Co. Two years later he became affiHated with RCA Photophone Co. as projectionist, (Continued on page 29) INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST SEPTEMBER 1957 21