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Alumni News
U.S. Army Pictorial Center
Number Fifty – October 1997
#50 October
1997 -
#51 February 1998
Contributors to Alumni News
Eric Arthur
Frank and Genevieve Napoleon
Frank Little
David A. Englander
George Dibbs
Orton Hicks
Michael Montelione
Joe Scrabonia
Michael Damiano
See list of all names mentioned on
this page.
Army Pictorial Center was such an unusual
place with such a distinctive aggregation of personnel that it generated
a remarkable loyalty among those formerly assigned there.
These alumni worked to maintain their
connection to the many others who shared their experiences.
Following closure of APC, they
continued their association through a monthly newsletter, the Alumni
News, and annual reunions at the studio.
Don
Fednyak
supplied copies of the Alumni News from which this material is excepted.
The
October 1997 Alumni News included these posts:
Eric
Arthur
Eric
Arthur
wrote, “as one of Col. Parker’s
free-lance contract writers I often felt like an outsider-insider at the
Pic Center. I didn’t know most of you who worked in the other
departments. I am sure I was more than a little responsible for my
limited acquaintance at the Center. I am not notoriously a social
creature. Since my grammar school days, the usual comment from my peers
was, ‘Why do you look so glum?’ Well some of us are perennial optimists.
I happen to be a perennial glum. Having said all this, I do recall some
most pleasant associations at APC.
“Among the Project Officers I worked with were
Frank Payne,
Mort Lewis,
Dick Allen,
and Ben Stelson.
I did many scripts for Captain, later Colonel,
Carl Flint.
Carl and I became good friends and over the years have kept up a warm
and welcome correspondence.
Dave Englander
and I hardly knew each other while we were at APC, but we have since
remedied that and have become avid pen pals.
“I remember writers
Verle Johnson,
Dan Klugherz,
Dixon Kramer,
Al Yudkof,
Sid Stiber,
Sam Robbins,
Paul Mayer.
I enjoyed timing narrations in the cutting room almost as much as
writing the scripts.
I worked with film editors
Joe Sorbera,
Mike Damiano,
Ralph DiMatto,
Phil Weinstein,
and Milton Lustig.
Other good folk I remember are Max
Kosarin,
Ken Elk,
Lou Napoleon,
Harry Cunningham,
Irv Fischman.
(Who could forget IRV!) I am sure I left out a lot of names, but an
eighty-year-old memory leaves a lot to be desired.
“When I left APC (was it l970?) I
continued on as a contract writer for the new civilian agency, General
Electric. Somehow it wasn't the same. GE and I had nothing in common. I
barely know how to change a light bulb. So-- with the Pic Center closed,
the corporate contracts getting fewer and fewer and farther between, and
with a lovely wife and two lovely daughters to provide for, I had to
look around in a hurry for some greener fields. I found one at the Army
Transportation Center at Port Eustis, Virginia, where I had done some
films for one George Ames,
who had also become a good friend (since deceased). (For an anti-social
character, I seem to have had more good friends than I thought). At Fort
Eustis I became Film Liaison Officer and later, Audio Visual Director.
“On my retirement in l985 I took a
position as Public Affairs Officer for the National Center for State
Courts in Williamsburg. (On the side, I continued a long free-lance
career writing stories and articles for national and regional magazines.
Previous to my APC work, I had written radio scripts for ‘The Shadow’,
‘Gangbusters’, ‘Mr. Keene, Tracer of Lost Persons’, and other network
shows.) Also taught evening classes in creative writing at the College
of William and Mary. In my ‘spare time’ I directed and acted in
community theatre.
“Life, on the whole, is
good-news-bad-news. Good news doesn't make the news. All of you my age
know all about the bad news, health problems. Mine is eyes. The corneal
transplant didn't come out so good. However, I can still see well enough
to hit the wrong keys on the typewriter. Col. Parker once wrote the
following inscription for me in his book, ‘Table in The Wilderness’, ‘To
a fellow writer who knows what it is to toil in literary vineyards.’
Well, glum or no glum, I still like to read about all you former APC
toilers, in and out of your own particular vineyards. Stay well, all of
you.”
Editor
Sam Polidoro
added, “Sure wish there were more glum Alumni who would recall people
and events before and after 30 June 1970. Yup!!”
Frank and Genevieve (Dorio)
Napoleon
Frank
Napoleon
wrote, “On June 8th, (1997), my wife and I, and our family
and friends, celebrated our 45th Anniversary at APC in the Commissary.
Our children, James and Grace, arranged
an Anniversary party there.
They said, "This is where it all
began!!" I met my wife, Genevieve
Dorio, at APC in the Animation
Department. We were married on June 20th, 1952, and the rest is History.
The staff at APC (Kaufman) treated us wonderfully and made us feel very
special. And, of course, the food was great as we all know. 'Bob' took
care of all the details. Our guests even got a tour of some of the
stages.
It was a great surprise!
“For those people who were in the Animation Department, I'm sorry
to report that
Frankie Little
died April 15, 1997. I read about it in my Union (Local
600) Bulletin. He was a very sweet man and well-liked by everyone.”
[FRANK enclosed a copy of the notice].
Frank Little
Herman
‘Rich’ Richards
wrote, “I had a call from Mary Gonell,
daughter of Frank Little,
informing that he passed away on April 16, '97. The cause: Cardiac
arrest brought about by ailments associated with the ageing process. He
died just one week short of his 90th birthday. An outstanding artist in
the field of animated cartoons, he was highly regarded by many of his
colleagues in this field. Among his early works was his work with
Fleischer on many of the old 'Popeye' cartoons back in the 20s and 30s.
His familiar credit, 'F. Little', appeared quite often on a good deal of
these old cartoons.”
David A. Englander
David
A. Englander
wrote, “I have heard from Arthur
Montgomery, who was a combat
photographer with the 3264th
Sig Photo Bn. in the RTO during WWII. He is writing a history of combat
photographers and would like to hear from any still around.
“I
told him I would ask you to put a note about his request in the next
issue of the Alumni Bulletin, whenever that is. I am sending him the
address of Buddy Lovette who may be able to help him with regard to
members of the 165th Sig Photo Co. There was an officer, a major, who
worked at APC in the late '60s before it closed. I had met him in France
in 1944 but I cannot remember his name.
Any guesses?”
George Dibbs
George
Dibbs
wrote, “Les asked me to run some films at the Reunion so I said O.K. if
I could run my short General MacArthur
home movie–running time 4 min. You know I made five first wave landings,
in the SW Pacific under one of the most outstanding Military Geniuses of
all times.
“Enclosed
is the obit of Col. Ort Hicks
who headed up the Army's WWII Training and Entertainment Film
Distribution and Field Exhibition program, later taken over after the
war by Les Binger
and me as well as Phil Johnson
and many others.
Michael Montelione
Michael
Montelione
wrote, “Aloha Sam & Les, received the last newsletter and was sorry to
hear that Harry Cunningham
passed away. We had been on many of the projects and had some joyous
times. One case in point was
when we went to Ida Casons Callaway Gardens in Georgia. Harry
had his family with him and I had a bad sunburn.”
Joe
Scrabonia
Joe
Scrabonia
wrote, “I’m writing to notify of a FADEOUT. Building #1 had its heroes
and fine people mentioned in the Alumni News through the years.
There was such a person at in Building
#13.
His name was
Joe Lawrow,
of Technical Maintenance Branch. He started at APC in 1942 and left in
1970.
He
was a creator, fabricator, designer, solver of problems, an answer man,
and a human encyclopedia, etc.
He had touched every Division, every
Branch, and every Person who needed assistance and know-how.
I am proud to have known him.
He passed away on January 3, 1997.”
Michael Damiano
Michael Damiano
wrote that the cable channel AMC “presented a documentary and U.S. Army
Air Force training film – called ‘Hollywood Commandos’– produced by
Gen. 'Hap' Arnold,
with Clark Gable,
Jimmy Stewart,
Ronald Reagan,
William Holden,
at Jack Warner's Studios; then to Hal Roach Studio with
John Ford,
John Huston,
Frank Capra.
At closing of film presentation, U.S. Army Signal Corps was mentioned to
continue to produce training and info films, to be called Signal Corps
Photographic Center, SCPC then, now known as APC.”
(There are online references to this documentary on the Internet Movie
Database (IMDB) at
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0247410/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ov_pl
and in a review in the Chicago Tribute at
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-05-23-9705230252-story.html.)
(Mike Damiano also
contributed to the February 1998 Alumni News.)
Reunion 1997
Sam
Polidoro and Les Binger summarized some of the experiences at the
September 20, 1997 APC Reunion:
“All
who attended enjoyed a very good time, as they met with their friends
and former co-workers. It seemed to us, from their arriving words, that
they had determined this was to be an enjoyable day.
But,
less than ten days before THE day, Sam made a routine call to the
Commissary to insure that everything was all set and was very surprised
to discover that the Commissary Management had changed hands, and that
the new man did not know anything about the Reunion!
Sam, obviously, took this in stride
and explained what was expected.
In a matter of hours, it was
straightened out as the ‘new’ found that the ‘old’ had indeed left
instructions, with obviously fine end results.
“We
also praise Elaine Ferranti,
Kaufman-Astoria Studios, for her continuous assistance in arranging the
tours, and making the parking facilities available to the Alumni.
“So, anyone attending will, I believe, attest to the fact that all were
in the mood to enjoy not only the camaraderie and recollections, but
also the meal. We had intended short films.
“I
had several prints (all at least 50 years old) which were screened at a
library.
There was no intention of showing
bang-bang stuff, and the total time was not to exceed one hour.
Had thought that a few minutes from the
beginning of an old favorite (mine), ‘Railroaders Always,’ might be a
little fun.
Alas!
Discovered that the few minutes had an
animation sequence showing RR know-how aid to a country this is still
‘persona-non-grata’. (Not Russian).
Might
add that I thought the curtains near the ceiling could be closed – not
so! So, we ran George Dibbs’ footage from the SW Pacific, and a ‘gag’
reel circa 1948.
Another print from the Army-Navy Screen
Magazine portion, ‘Sing With the Stars,’ was not used because the three
young women simply did not resemble any actresses we had ever seen.
“Still
have a print of ‘Misc 20-20’ made to look like a training film.
Has some good shots of SCPCers and
APCers, but much, much has to be cut.
Any Alumnus who wants to try has only
to communicate, and we’ll get the print to that Alumnus.
“If
we ever try this again, we’ll arrange a screening at the Museum of the
Moving Image.
The museum is close by, in our former
Bldg. 13.
You’d never recognize it!
Listening
to the Alumni get up and talk is enjoyable.
So much so, that while I was trying to
help George in setting up the show, it simply took me back, 'way back,
and reminded me of much of my love for moving pictures.
I loved every single iota of it, so
much so, that my notetaking was neglected.
Sorry, and 1,000 pardons.
(Might add, 80-year-olds shouldn’t life
projectors.
Hell no.)
“Sam
and Les received separate but identical notes, ‘thank you for a great
reunion! Your continuing efforts are much appreciated by the ‘LAST
BRIGADE at APC.’
Liked that ‘Brigade’ so much that it
was almost used in the heading of this News.
“Rambling:
When we thought about retirement and the 'golden years’, it was days
filled with time to travel or just stay home.
We were the same people grey hair, or
no hair- a few more pounds and some wrinkles. We would be able to do
everything we always did: drive, walk, golf, play tennis, and other
things too private to write about. Along came the birthdays – sixty,
seventy, seventy- five, maybe eighty. We were totally unprepared. I hope
our children address this natural happening more intelligently. It's
wonderful to be alive, it just takes courage and a sense of humor.
But it’s good sense to be aware of what
your needs may be and try to make arrangements for some compromises.
Let us know what your thoughts are
about this stage of ourselves."
SAM POLIDORO PROD/DIR
LES BINGER EDITOR
Names
mentioned on this page:
Don Fednyak
Eric Arthur
Col. Norton Parker
Frank Payne
Mort Lewis
Dick Allen
Ben Stelson
Carl Flint
Dave Englander
Verle Johnson
Dan Klugherz
Dixon Kramer
Al Yudkof
Sid Stiber
Sam Robbins
Paul Mayer
Joe Sorbera
Mike Damiano
Ralph DiMatto
Phil Weinstein
Milton Lustig
Max Kosarin
Ken Elk
Lou Napoleon
Harry Cunningham
Irv Fischman
Sam Polidoro
Frank and Genevieve (Dorio) Napoleon
Frankie Little
Herman ‘Rich’ Richards
George Dibbs
General MacArthur
Col. Ort Hicks
Les Binger
Phil Johnson
Michael Montelione
Harry Cunningham
Joe Scrabonia
Joe Lawrow
Michael Damiano
Gen. 'Hap' Arnold
Clark Gable
Jimmy Stewart
Ronald Reagan
William Holden
John Ford
John Huston
Frank Capra
Elaine Ferranti
(Posted August 3, 2020.)
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