{"id":54143,"date":"2019-09-05T00:01:39","date_gmt":"2019-09-05T07:01:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/?p=54143"},"modified":"2019-09-04T11:56:43","modified_gmt":"2019-09-04T18:56:43","slug":"an-archivists-dream-eshbaughs-technicolor-the-wizard-of-oz1933","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/index.php\/an-archivists-dream-eshbaughs-technicolor-the-wizard-of-oz1933\/","title":{"rendered":"An Archivist\u2019s Dream: Eshbaugh\u2019s Technicolor \u201cThe Wizard Of Oz\u201d(1933)"},"content":{"rendered":"\"\"\n

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As I\u2019m sitting here doing much overdue maintenance on archive materials on the 20-some hard drives currently occupying this current desk area, I\u2019m struck by the temporariness of all this more recent media. It isn\u2019t as if I haven\u2019t known this before, but with the great gift of having so much material gathered, organized and archived comes the inevitable realization that it\u2019s pretty difficult to make sure all of this stays intact and usable. In the digital age the problem is really the same as it has always been: how do you store all this stuff in a way that make sure it gets hurt as little as possible.<\/p>\n

Nearly every film collector faces this same challenge, and the inevitable heartbreak of just not being able to preserve the stuff in the condition you received it in for one reason or another. The bigger the collection, the harder the challenge is. I\u2019m been lucky enough to lose every little in the way of digital files over the years, but I\u2019m also now intrinsically aware that my backup dvds and hard drives all have issues related to their inevitable demise. It means that something needs to be done to back things up, and then, over time, to keep backing up the back ups so nothing is lost. The problem really come down to expenses on that end of things. I wonder if the lost material of the future is all going to need to be attempted to retrieve by opening up hard drives with non-working motors\u2026<\/p>\n

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Steve Stanchfield (from behind) overseeing new 2K scans of Bray films in late 2015<\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s another big dubbing and packing week as I start school for the year, but happily my schedule allows full days to spend just Thunderbeaning. Final cleanup and color correct work is taking place on the material we\u2019re fixing up for Arnold Leibovitz\u2019s Puppetoon Movie 2<\/em> Blu-ray set. Amazing stuff. The Noveltoons<\/em> Blu-ray isn\u2019t back from replication quite yet, but chances are it will be by this time next week. The majority of the Flip the Frogs<\/em> are cleaned up and looking very spiffy, and the set is waiting for some sound work and getting back to bonus features. Rainbow Parades Volume 1<\/em> as well as several other less-involved sets are getting pretty close to being finished, and the special sets are going that direction quite well too. We\u2019ve started dubbing Missing Links<\/em> as well as a few others, and I\u2019m hoping to get the Terry\/Lantz\/Famous<\/em> one done next week, and if all goes well, Popeye in Technicolor. Stop Motion Marvels 2<\/em> had some wonderful material cleaned up this week. I\u2019m hoping the Stop Motion Marvels Vol. 1<\/em> Blu-ray set has a scan session in the coming few weeks to accompany the films that just were scanned- it depends on a large group of films arriving from one collector. It would all be overwhelming if it wasn\u2019t all coming out so well.<\/p>\n

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Last week, Google put up some wonderful little \u2018Easter eggs\u2019 on their search pages to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the classic 1939 MGM film. The Metro (in the UK) did a nice article on the various features, so visit here first<\/a> unless you\u2019d like to be completely surprised!<\/p>\n

It got me thinking about Ted Eshbaugh\u2019s Wizard of Oz<\/em> short, and the interesting history behind its creation.<\/p>\n

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Ted Eshbaugh’s “The Wizard of Oz”<\/p><\/div>\n

Finding a good color print of this little film was at the very top of my \u2018Holy Grail\u2019 list for many years, followed closely by Eshbaugh\u2019s The Snowman<\/em> (1932) and Goofy Goat<\/em> (1931). Eshbaugh is perhaps the most unusual of the independent producers; from viewing his independent output of films made at his studio as well as Van Beuren, you get a pretty good impression of the unique ideas and directorial touches that are present in his films. Perhaps the reason I was most excited about producing a Rainbow Parade<\/em> set was the chance to get the best possible versions available of these Ted Eshbaugh directed shorts. Eshbaugh made three independent shorts (that we know of) between 1929 and 1933, then directed three shorts at Van Beuren for the \u2018Rainbow Parade\u2019 series in New York, Pastrytown Wedding<\/em> (1934), The Sunshine Makers<\/em> (1935) and Japanese Lanterns<\/em> (1935). Seeing these three now almost finished and looking beautiful on their own made that whole project worth while. Between the Technicolor Dreams<\/em> set and this new Rainbow Parade<\/em> set, all except one will be available in 35mm prints. Maybe some day sooner than later Goofy Goat<\/em> can be added to that list. Is it sitting in someone\u2019s basement, recently rescued from a vault In New Jersey, or does it just not exist in 35mm? If a color print is found it\u2019s a wonderful day for animation history.<\/p>\n

Eshbaugh\u2019s sincere attempts to advance color in animated cartoons is both a barely documented and important chapter in the history of animated films. His Goofy Goat<\/em> (1931) has been listed as the first color\/sound cartoon by some sources. Of course, it isn\u2019t, but is one of the first. It\u2019s preceded by both Iwerk\u2019s Fiddlesticks<\/em> (1930) released in Multicolor in the UK as well as Cy Young\u2019s Mendelssohon\u2019s Spring Song<\/em> (1931) in Brewsterolor. Two other Flip the Frog cartoons, Little Orphan Willie<\/em> (1930) and Puddle Pranks<\/em> (1931), were probably also released in color in the UK.<\/p>\n

This wonderful article (from Modern Mechanics and Inventions<\/em> January of 1932) presents a great idea of Eshbaugh\u2019s personal involvement in the technical details of making the films. No color process is listed in this article, however, Technicolor\u2019s records show that Eshbaugh was working *at Technicolor* in some capacity when this article was written. My guess is that the studio had nearly completed The Snowman<\/em> (1932) by the time this article appeared. (Click each image to enlarge)<\/em><\/p>\n\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\n

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The cover of this issue<\/p><\/div>\n

Technicolor\u2019s records show a co-production deal with Eshbaugh, Rank Labs UK and J.R. Booth in late 1931 to produce the Wizard of Oz<\/em> short. Booth owned Film Laboratories of Canada, the exclusive lab in Canada for the Technicolor process. It seems likely that Technicolor\u2019s direct involvement with its production (and with Eshbaugh\u2019s production company of the same address according to Technicolor\u2019s records) was to refine the specifics of filming and printing a cartoon, producing a showpiece to interest other producers in the Technicolor process. It was a perfect showcase in a way since the film was to start in black and white and turn into full color once Dorothy arrived in Oz.<\/p>\n

Disney\u2019s contact with Technicolor, by popular telling, was initiated by one of Technicolor\u2019s co-founders, Herbert Kalmus. What happened to the production of Eshbaugh\u2019s The Wizard of Oz<\/em> isn\u2019t entirely clear, but it\u2019s more likely that production on the film halted for a period of time around April 1932, close to the time that Disney signed the contract for exclusive use of the Technicolor process (through late 1935, originally longer). One has to wonder if some of the Wizard of Oz<\/em> footage was viewed by Disney.<\/p>\n

Eshbaugh formed a new company thereafter, and in October of 1932 an article announces the Wizard of Oz<\/em> cartoon is in development at Eshbaugh\u2019s Musicolor Fantasies Company on North Highland Ave.<\/p>\n

In April of 1933, in a syndicated column by Hollywood writer Harrison Carroll, it is noted that Eshbaugh had finished the first Wizard of Oz<\/em> cartoon. It\u2019s interesting to note that whatever arrangement Eshbaugh had for the release of the film seems to have been scuttled by Technicolor sometime after this point. A Film Daily<\/em> article from June 1933 notes that the film was brought to New York\u2019s Du-Art film studios, and that Booth had an office there. I have to wonder if this the print that Eshbaugh owned, the same print acquired much later from Eshbaugh by the Library of Congress.<\/p>\n\"\"\n

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This is speculation, but from the facts of the situation, it seems as if Technicolor gave some impression that the film would be allowed release since they allowed it to proceed and the negative to be put together. At some point in 1933, did Technicolor, perhaps worried about their Disney contract, not allow its release when completed against a standing contract?<\/p>\n

Eshbaugh and producer JR Booth sued Technicolor USA in 1934 for 14k, demanding the release of the Wizard of Oz<\/em> negative. Rank Labs is named as a co-producer in the lawsuit. In June of the same year, Frank Baum sued Technicolor (not Eshbaugh or Booth) for copyright infringement in producing the Wizard of Oz cartoon. It appears that Technicolor acquired the rights from Baum\u2019s cousin who claimed ownership. Perhaps Technicolor held onto the negative to prevent it from being printed by Booth\u2019s film Laboratories of Canada (known also as Technicolor Canada), or Rank (who had rights to the Technicolor process in the UK). Both companies were independently owned rather than sister companies with Technicolor USA.<\/p>\n

Here is Eshbaugh\u2019s \u201cThe Wizard of Oz\u201d. This 35mm Technicolor print is from Ted Eshbaugh\u2019s personal holdings, donated to the Library of Congress, who generously allowed Thunderbean to scan it for the Technicolor Dreams and B\/W Nightmares<\/a><\/em> Blu-ray set. Youtuber Bilbo Barpkins\u2019 posted the version of the film from the Thunderbean Blu-ray on January 10th this year (my birthday). Since he\u2019s already done the work of uploading, here it is. Make sure to watch it in HD since it looks so nice!<\/p>\n