Theodore Case Sound Test: Gus Visser and His Singing Duck
December 11, 2023
Theodore Case Sound Test: Gus Visser and his Singing Duck, also known as Gus Visser and His Singing Duck, is a 1925 American shortmusical comedy film starring vaudeville performer Gus Visser. The short is an early sound film, directed by Theodore Case while perfecting his variable density sound-on-film process. Case began working on his sound film process at the Case Research Lab in Auburn, New York, in 1921.
Theodore Case Sound Test: Gus Visser and his Singing Duck
From 1921 to 1924, Case provided Lee De Forest with inventions of the Case Research Lab for use as improvements in De Forest's Phonofilm system, but had a falling-out with De Forest after failing to be credited for those inventions, such as the AEO Light, that made De Forest's system workable. From 1916 to 1927, Earl I. Sponable worked for Case. After Case sold his system in July 1926 to William Fox—who renamed the Case system Fox Movietone—Sponable went to work for Fox Movietone.
Other test films by Case in his process include Miss Manila Martin and Her Pet Squirrel (1921), Bird in a Cage (1923), Madame Fifi (1925), and Chinese Variety Performer with a Ukelele (1925) and Gallagher and Shean (1925), all recorded in a sparse studio located on the second floor of the Case estate carriage house in Auburn, New York, now a museum. Most of Case's test films were destroyed in a fire in a storage building in the 1950s, though a dozen or so have survived to this day. Some of those films are at the Library of Congress, George Eastman House, and the Case Research Lab Museum.
Overviewedit
The full film
The film depicts Visser singing the song "Ma, He's Making Eyes at Me" while holding a duck. The duck quacks each time the word "Ma" is said, sounding as if she is saying "Ma".[4] The film was shot on May 12, 1925, in Case's sound studio at his home in Auburn, New York.[5]
There are as many as three separate takes of Visser's act that exist. The film was shown in June 1925 at the Exposition of Progress in Auburn.[3] Visser (b. January 21, 1894, Netherlands; d. September 1967, North Bergen, New Jersey) is listed as an entertainer in the Auburn City Directory in the early 1920s. However, his name disappears from the directory by the mid-1920s and there is as yet no further information known of Visser, nor of his duck.
Equipmentedit
The material and equipment used for shooting the video can be found at The Cayuga Museum of History and Art.[6]
^Eagan, Daniel (2009). America's Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. p. 115. ISBN978-1-441-11647-5.
^Wilcox, David (May 31, 2012). "Theodore Case Film Festival features student, master works spanning almost a century of cinema". auburnpub.com. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
^Simmon, Scott. "Gus Visser and His Singing Duck" (PDF). Library Of Congress. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
External linksedit
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Theodore Case Sound Test: Gus Visser and His Singing Duck
Gus Visser and His Singing Duck essay by Daniel Eagan in America's Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry, A&C Black, 2010 ISBN0826429777, pages 114-115 [2]
Theodore Case Sound Test: Gus Visser and His Singing Duck at IMDb
Gus Visser and His Singing Duck on YouTube, accessed March 25, 2009
December 11, 2023
theodore, case, sound, test, visser, singing, duck, theodore, case, sound, test, visser, singing, duck, also, known, visser, singing, duck, 1925, american, short, musical, comedy, film, starring, vaudeville, performer, visser, short, early, sound, film, direct. Theodore Case Sound Test Gus Visser and his Singing Duck also known as Gus Visser and His Singing Duck is a 1925 American short musical comedy film starring vaudeville performer Gus Visser The short is an early sound film directed by Theodore Case while perfecting his variable density sound on film process Case began working on his sound film process at the Case Research Lab in Auburn New York in 1921 Theodore Case Sound Test Gus Visser and his Singing DuckScreenshot from the filmDirected byTheodore CaseStarringGus VisserRelease dateJune 1925Running time2 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishIn 2002 the film was selected for the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress as a historically important American film 1 2 A print of the film is preserved at the George Eastman House 3 Contents 1 History 2 Overview 3 Equipment 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editFrom 1921 to 1924 Case provided Lee De Forest with inventions of the Case Research Lab for use as improvements in De Forest s Phonofilm system but had a falling out with De Forest after failing to be credited for those inventions such as the AEO Light that made De Forest s system workable From 1916 to 1927 Earl I Sponable worked for Case After Case sold his system in July 1926 to William Fox who renamed the Case system Fox Movietone Sponable went to work for Fox Movietone Other test films by Case in his process include Miss Manila Martin and Her Pet Squirrel 1921 Bird in a Cage 1923 Madame Fifi 1925 and Chinese Variety Performer with a Ukelele 1925 and Gallagher and Shean 1925 all recorded in a sparse studio located on the second floor of the Case estate carriage house in Auburn New York now a museum Most of Case s test films were destroyed in a fire in a storage building in the 1950s though a dozen or so have survived to this day Some of those films are at the Library of Congress George Eastman House and the Case Research Lab Museum Overview edit source source source source source source track track The full filmThe film depicts Visser singing the song Ma He s Making Eyes at Me while holding a duck The duck quacks each time the word Ma is said sounding as if she is saying Ma 4 The film was shot on May 12 1925 in Case s sound studio at his home in Auburn New York 5 There are as many as three separate takes of Visser s act that exist The film was shown in June 1925 at the Exposition of Progress in Auburn 3 Visser b January 21 1894 Netherlands d September 1967 North Bergen New Jersey is listed as an entertainer in the Auburn City Directory in the early 1920s However his name disappears from the directory by the mid 1920s and there is as yet no further information known of Visser nor of his duck Equipment editThe material and equipment used for shooting the video can be found at The Cayuga Museum of History and Art 6 See also editList of films preserved in the United States National Film RegistryReferences edit Complete National Film Registry Listing Library of Congress Retrieved April 30 2020 Librarian of Congress Adds 25 Films to National Film Registry Library of Congress Retrieved April 30 2020 a b Gus Visser and His Singing Duck at SilentEra Eagan Daniel 2009 America s Film Legacy The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry Bloomsbury Publishing USA p 115 ISBN 978 1 441 11647 5 Wilcox David May 31 2012 Theodore Case Film Festival features student master works spanning almost a century of cinema auburnpub com Retrieved June 5 2014 Simmon Scott Gus Visser and His Singing Duck PDF Library Of Congress Retrieved February 9 2020 External links edit nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article Theodore Case Sound Test Gus Visser and His Singing Duck Gus Visser and His Singing Duck essay by Scott Simmon on the National Film Registry website 1 Gus Visser and His Singing Duck essay by Daniel Eagan in America s Film Legacy The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry A amp C Black 2010 ISBN 0826429777 pages 114 115 2 Theodore Case Sound Test Gus Visser and His Singing Duck at IMDb Gus Visser and His Singing Duck on YouTube accessed March 25 2009 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Theodore Case Sound Test Gus Visser and His Singing Duck amp oldid 1178995543, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
