8mm Forum: Johnson Smith

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Topic: Johnson Smith

Trevor Adams
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 763
From: Auckland,New Zealand
Registered: Jun 2003

posted September 19, 2008 04:13 PM

Hands up all those who bought from JS catalogues! [Smile]

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Trevor

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Douglas Meltzer
Moderator

Posts: 4554
From: New York, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted September 20, 2008 10:29 AM

Trevor,

I sure did! I sent away for the "U-Control 7-Foot Life-Size Ghost" which turned out to be a ghost face balloon with a white plastic sheet attached. A reel of monofilament line came with it so you could "control in secret". All for only 95 cents!

Doug

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I think there's room for just one more film.....

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Martin Jones
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1269
From: Thetford , Norfolk,England
Registered: May 2008

posted September 20, 2008 11:08 AM

We had our UK equivelant... ELLISDON'S. UK reader's confessions please (from the wrinklies amongst us!)

Martin

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Retired TV Service Engineer
Ongoing interest in Telecine....

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted September 20, 2008 11:13 AM

When I was seven years old I would have gladly traded my older sister for that hovercraft. Then again at seven years old I would have traded her for a cookie and a cold glass of milk!

(Still have her...glad I didn't trade her now!)

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Douglas Meltzer
Moderator

Posts: 4554
From: New York, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted September 20, 2008 01:30 PM

Steve,

Very funny! Here's a closer look:

Doug

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I think there's room for just one more film.....

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Dan Lail
Film God

Posts: 2110
From: Loganville, Georgia, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted September 20, 2008 02:22 PM

Love it! Cheap innovative fun from a by-gone-era. I once purchased a small submarine with a compartment that you would put a small amount of baking soda in. This would allow it to submerge in water. Wow! [Eek!]

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted September 20, 2008 03:13 PM

Chapter 7 of Jean Shepherd's(1) book "The Ferrari in the Bedroom" is about Johnson, Smith and Co. and is titled "The Rosetta Stone of American Culture"

-and I quote:

"Johnson Smith is to Man's darker side what Sears Roebuck represents to the clean-limbed soil-tilling righteous side., a rich compost heap of exploding cigars, celluloid teeth and Anarchist (stink) Bombs. The Johnson Smith catalog is a magnificent smudgy thumbprint of a totally lusty, vibrant, alive, crude Post Frontier society"

Notes:

1)You know: "A Christmas Story"..."You'll shoot yer eye out, kid!"

People from ‘round these parts may remember his nightly radio show.

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Joe Caruso
Film God

Posts: 4105
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted September 20, 2008 04:05 PM

Doug, you got 'em all! - Shorty

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted September 20, 2008 04:17 PM

By George!

They're still with us!

http://johnsonsmith.com/

(I guess somebody who still uses Super-8 really shouldn't be that surprised!)

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Trevor Adams
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 763
From: Auckland,New Zealand
Registered: Jun 2003

posted September 21, 2008 06:20 AM

Not the same magic as the big old books now Steve [Smile]

And they are not keen on selling to the international market.One amazing thing about this outfit was the way it would,"post anywhere in the world",for nothing! Even a great big handcranked Keystone Moviegraph projector!

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Trevor

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