Universal Weekly (1933-1935)

Sept. 14, 1935: jUNIVERSAL WEEKLY: Desperate Story of the Filming of the Dixie Disaster BEHIND every newspaper story, there is a tale of news gathering as graphic as the story itself. Back of the photographing for the newsreel of a great disaster, there invariably billows and storms a great story of human achievement. Back of the Dixie and Florida Keys story, lies a tale of news gathering that combines heroic fortitude, ingenuity, foresight, utter folly, and dogged perseverance. On Monday night, the United Press sent out a warning that a storm was threatening Florida. Charles Ford, Editor of the Universal Newsreel, keeps his eye glued to the UP news ticker in his office, and at home listens to a powerful radio which brings in Florida, California and Honolulu as easily as most radios bring in local stations. He was convinced that a newsreel story of national importance would take place within the next twentyfour hours. Immediately, he got busy with the telephone and telegraph, making arrangements in the Florida points which seemed to be strategic, Miami, Jacksonville, Key West and Tampa. The best man for the assignment was photographing the garment strike in New York. Ford gave him his orders to proceed to Newark airport, where a plane would be awaiting him. His instructions were in the plane. In spite You'll never forget of the most terrific flying weather, the plane staggered into Jacksonville at 3:00 P. M. Tuesday. It could go no further. Ford had realized this in New York, and had made arrangements by offer of a big bonus, for a daredevil to drive the cameraman in a car from Jacksonville to Miami. The car left at 4:30 Tuesday afternoon. It arrived in Miami at 5:00 A.M. Wednesday, the driver almost helpless, the car practically ruined. In the meantime, Ford had made arrangements with the Coast Guard for a seaplane. Pathe and MGM newsreels then combined with Ford. All agreed that Lyons was the best man for the assignment and it was arranged that Lyons’ shots should be shared equally with the other two companies. Only one cameraman could go in the treacherous air journey, but Lyons is an intrepid daredevil, who will go anywhere where any flying man will take him. He flew over and photographed from every angle the stranded Dixie before any rescue vessel could come within a mile of where the Morgan liner lay pounding heavily to the impact of forty foot waves and an eighty mile gale. It was dangerous work, testing every resource of pilot and photographer, with death facing them every moment they were in the tossing plane. On the way back to Miami, Lyons discovered from the air the catastrophe that had overtaken the veterans on the Keys, and induced the Coast Guard pilot to fly over the destroyed camp so he could photograph that. Back in Miami, Lyons called up Ford. The newsreel editor had already bought by phone, a Cadillac, and it lay with engine running, ready for Lyons to make the trip to Jacksonville. In Jacksonville, he would have just time to catch a train, and all provisions had been made for the insurance and packing of the precious film. It was late Wednesday night. All this time, Ford had not had a wink of sleep for two nights, but he felt that he was just on the brink of scoring one of the biggest newsreel triumphs of his career. That evening, Wednesday, Lyons was to call him from Jacksonville. But if Ford hadn't slept, neither had Lyons, and he had had the physical experience of pitting his strength against the elements when they were on a wild rampage. At times the hurricane had registered 120 miles an hour. He was at the end of his strength. If he could only make the four hundred miles to Jacksonville with the only shots made of the Dixie. But he couldn't. (Continued on Page 27) Charles Ford, Editor of Universal Newsreel