Gobo (1925) and more

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GOBO


      NOW COMES LEXICOGRAPHER OF WEIRD VERNACULAR USED ON HOLLYWOOD STUDIO LOTS
       FRANCIS PERRETT.       Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File).       Los Angeles, Calif.: Nov 29, 1925.                   p. B6 (1 page):
   PROPS--Materials with which settings are furnished or articles used in a scene, anything from an elephant to a pin cushion.
   SHAKE 'EM--An order directing the switch operator on a set to quickly switch the lights off and on again to make them burn more steadily.
   FLAT--A canvas or composition board of varying size used to box in a set where a company is working from the rest of the stage.
   NIGGER--A composition board on a rack placed between the lights and the camera so as to keep the light from striking the lens.
   BROAD--A twin-arc Kleig light.
   BABY--A small spotlight.
   SPOT--Spotlight.
   SCRIPT--Scenario.
   CUT!--The director's order to the cameraman to stop cranking.
   FADE-IN--A scene which starts on the screen as blank film and gradually gives the various objects definite outline.
   JUVENILE:  A young leading man.
   INGENUE:  A young leading woman.
   LEAD:  The person playing the chief female or male role in a picture.
   HEAVY:  Villain.
   SHOT:  A scene.
   LOT:  Anyplace in the studio except the executive buildings, laboratories, wardrobe department, etc.
   FLAT LIGHT:  A light which strikes directly into the object or person being photographed and gives no shadows.
   FLATLIGHT BABY:  An actor whose face is so lined that only a flat light will lessen his appearance of age.
   SCENE DOCK:  Rack where scenery is kept.
   STILL:  A photograph made with an ordinary camera, not a motion-picture camera.
   FOOTAGE:  The number of feet in a picture, its length.
   DAILIES:  The result of a day's filming which the director, cameraman and, perhaps, the leading players in a company look at in the projection room after work at night.  The company always views the preceding day's work.
   RUSHES:  Same as dailies.
   CUTTER:  The person who takes the hundreds of thousands of feet of film shot on a production, cuts out the superfluous portions and assembles them in the finished form in which it is shown in theaters.
   LENS LOUSE--An actor who is always forcing his face into the camera lens.
   TRIMS--Portions of a film production eliminated in the cutting room.
   ASH CAN--A variety of spotlight.
   HOT POINTS--The cry sounded by a cameraman carrying a camera with the sharp tripod points forward, through a crowd.
   MUFF--Beard.
   BLOOD POCKETS--Artificial wounds made so as to permit "blood" to drip forth.
   TRAILER--Excerpts from a production shown at theater the week before the picture comes, to advertise the picture.
   PROP WAGON--The cabinet, mounted on wheels, in which the prop man carries the thousand-odds and end of articles which may be called into use on a set.
   HAND PROPS--Small articles.
   STRIKE--To dismantle a setting.
   DRESS--To furnish a setting.
   IRIS IN--Same as fade in.
   IRIS OUT--Same as fade out.
   SCRIPT CLERK--A clerk who sits on the set and checks the scenes as they are filmed, the number of each one, the individual attire of the players, the arrangement of the furniture and every other detail of the filming of each scene, information concerning which may be necessary at some further time.
   OK--A director's expression announcing that the scene has been filmed to his liking.
   SET 'EM UP--Placing and focusing of the cameras.
   WRAP 'EM UP--Dismantling and packing of the cameras.
   SETUP--The place where the cameras are placed.
   PARALLEL--Portable platform on which the camera is sometimes placed to gain an advantage of view, usually to shoot down on a crowd.
   ELEPHANT EAR--A form of gobo consisting of an upright post with a black card or board suspended at right angles, used to shade the camera lens from overhead light.
   HANG AN EAR ON IT--An order to place a black board at the side of a spotlight or other light to keep the rays of light from the lens of the camera.
   TAPE--Film.
   MYSTERY BOX--Motion picture camera.
   IRON PEDDLER--An electrician.
   HUNGRY--An electrician.
   SCOOP--An overhead broad.
   ROTARY--A huge spotlight that can be turned around.

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GOBO

   Another "gobo" hit, but I couldn't read a word of this.  I'll check out the microfilm reel in a few minutes.


      A STRANGE LANGUAGE BORN OF UNION OF ODD JARGONS
              The Washington Post  (1877-1954).       Washington, D.C.: Mar 17, 1929.                   p. A2 (1 page)

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WINDY CITY

   The following may be true.  I'd like to go to the Library of Congress again, but I've been stuck doing parking tickets all summer.  David Shulman wants to take away my free day again next week.


      WINDY CITY CALMING DOWN
              Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File).       Los Angeles, Calif.: Oct 29, 1927.                   p. 3 (1 page):
   CHICAGO, Oct. 28.  (AP)--Chicago is known as the "Windy City," but is it?
(...)
   Even without the skyscrapers, Mr. Cox said, Chicago is no windier than any other lake city, and not a bit windier than New York, still speaking meteorologically, he was careful to point out.
   The suggestion was made, however, the designation "Windy City" is not based on meteorological considerations at all.  Some old-timers say that the nickname became popular shortly after the fire of 1871 because those engaged in rebuilding "were plainly bragging about the city of the future."
(...)