Grahame Newnham's Collection

[Paul Adsett]

So great to hear that Grahame's web site will live on in an active state, and that Grahame's collection is in the expert hands of Dino along with the support and prestige of USC Archive.

[Dino Everett]

Thanks for that long explanation, Dino, it is a kind of relief for me as I was told in the UK that Grahame's reperfor machine went to the US and is in a cave where it will never be used again. I'm happy this precious machine went in good hands.

Out of topic : I read that 9.5 films went to the American market on a unique (as far as I know) form : silent copies with 78 tpm records. Have you ever seen one of those films + records ? Another question, if I may, :have you ever met the American ninefiver who made an Internet site (sadly closed, now) ? He travelled once to meet the French 9.5 club but eventually stopped giving news (probably for a sad reason).

I believe you are speaking of Jerry Wagner who was trying to collect a complete set of Pathex films so he could donate them to the LOC. I lost touch with him some years ago.

Yes the US 9.5 "sound" films were a completely different format than the International version. I have about 15 of the prints but have never found any of the accompanying discs nor have I found any of the equipment. I had heard rumour that MOMA had a unit in storage but have never been able to prove this. The surplus equipment was ultimately sold to a company in New York called Mogull Brothers and sold off at fire sale prices.

[Dino Everett]

Hi!

What happened to Grahame's „film production“ facility? If I remember correctly, he used to have a perforator, a splitter and several empty, reloadable cartridges, so that he was able to turn 35mm and 16mm into 9.5mm.

Jörg

Grahame didn't have a full film production facility. He had the old triple printer that was used by Pathescope and then Novascope but this was given away to someone in the UK prior to his passing. It was never in working order the whole time Grahame had it, and to the best of my knowledge has not been brought back to life. Grahame did however have a couple of slitters and a functioning perforator with which he used to purchase white 16mm stock from Kodak and then slit and re-perf it to make 9.5 leader. We have every intention of resuming this practice once everything has been inventoried and set up here in the archive since it can be done easily (albeit very finnicky) in full light. Also to the best of my knowledge Grahame did not slit and re-perf any raw film stock, but rather imported stock from France and repackaged it as his Presto film stock, which is why when the French stock dried up so did his, otherwise he could have continued offering stock all along. I do believe he would rehouse the raw stock into the different types of chargers so people could use it with the different cameras. I think the major obstacle with supplying any new film stock (besides the obvious slitting and reperfing without ruining the stock) is going to be processing since not everyone is proficient at getting lab quality results from home processing. There is a company here in Los Angeles (PRO8) that offers any kind of 16mm stock on Super 8 that I may be able to reach out to for some guidance on feasibility of doing this with 9.5, but often times when you have companies like this they don't like to share secrets...I personally do not hold the knowledge to do this as my expertise was always in the projector/film preservation end of things rather than lab/filming and could not guarantee perfect results and it could be a very expensive learning curve, but I am 100% open to trying and would welcome any help guidance if it would help continue the use of filming on 9.5. and for what it is worth I purchased some equipment years ago that can take unperfered 35mm down to 16mm, and a 35/32 slitter, but again really would need the guidance of a knowledgeable lab technician to help me get it all set up for working with raw stock. I even have a small processing unit that I received when David Shepard gave me all of the old Blackhawk equipment but it sat in his garage for 2 decades unused and would take someone really experienced to get it up and running again....Basically I have all of the equipment, and the desire, but not the know how, so if anyone has the know how and is willing to help set it all up here in Los Angeles then I would use my budget to pay for this to happen.

[Dino Everett]

So great to hear that Grahame's web site will live on in an active state, and that Grahame's collection is in the expert hands of Dino along with the support and prestige of USC Archive.

Paul if only you lived here in California. Someone with your engineering skills could be a valuable asset getting something up n running with raw film stock

[Dominique De Bast]

I believe you are speaking of Jerry Wagner who was trying to collect a complete set of Pathex films so he could donate them to the LOC.

No, Kevin Phillips (homepage for 9.5USA, the club for 9.5mm movie enthusiasts in the United States of America (archive.org))

Thank you for the two pictures of the 9.5 sound material !

[Dominique De Bast]

I think the major obstacle with supplying any new film stock (besides the obvious slitting and reperfing without ruining the stock) is going to be processing

John Salim, in the UK, processes 9.5 colour filmstock : John Salim Photographic | E-6 and B&W Film Services

[Maurice Leakey]

I have an idea that Grahame used to take 16mm silent printed films and slit and perforate them to 9.5mm.

[Dino Everett]

I have an idea that Grahame used to take 16mm silent printed films and slit and perforate them to 9.5mm.

You are correct he did do this to a few titles, but stopped as sales were low...

[Dino Everett]

No, Kevin Phillips (homepage for 9.5USA, the club for 9.5mm movie enthusiasts in the United States of America (archive.org))

Thank you for the two pictures of the 9.5 sound material !

Oh right, yes I tried emailing that site many times back in the early 2000's and never received a reply.

[Dino Everett]

One of the things I didn't mention was that my collection of 9.5 prints was quite different from Grahame's and when combined creates a really extensive one. I just added a video from the 1965 Get Together that was shot by Larry Pearce and that Grahame did not have a copy of.

[Michael O’Regan]

Nice one, Dino. Well done. As far as I’m concerned, this collection couldn’t be in better hands.

[Ken Finch]

Hi Dino, Firstly I would like to extend my heartwarming thanks to you for taking on Grahams collection and in particular ensuring his website continues as I am sure so do many other 9.5mm enthusiasts. I am also pleased that it his collection is now in your very capable hands. In my previous post I was not implying that it was the American public who spurned 9.5. I am well aware of who the true culprits were, just thought I should not mention by name in public! Group 9.5 was formed in September 1962 by Larry Pearce, Paul Van Someron and John Burgoyne Johnson as founder members. Larry was instrumental in purchasing as much as he could in the way of equipment etc from the Defunct Pathescope which included the triple printer. This was the one that was later used by Novascope and originally used for the sound prints but last used by Pathescope for all the prints as the one for silent prints had worn beyond repair. Ken Valentine, a contemporary of mine, joined Pathescope in the repair department at Cricklewood when he left school. This. Later became Fosters, then Valentine Cook and Ken joined group 9.5 providing a source of supply for spares and repairs until very recently. I joined Group 9.5 within four weeks of its formation having been a member of the Vintage Film Circle since 1958. I had read about both of them in the Amateur Cine World magazine. Other early members still around are Malcolm Cutmore, and Hugh Hale. I used to assist Hugh at the Get Together Auctions at Chiswick Town Hall, was librarian for the ill fated film library, few members used it. Larry helped to get it started and supplied printed labels, transit boxes and printed film leader. It was he who cut and reperforated 16mm printed films to 9.5mm including white and black film leader. Graham took over from him when he died. I have still got all my copies of the Group 9.5 magazine and they may also be available from the Group 9.5 archivist or Malcolm Cutmore. The very first was Leader Sept.1962 but few were printed so the first I have is the October issue. for the first year they were typed and duplicated and issued monthly. The first printed issue was August/Sept 1963. issued bi monthly. The name was changed to The 9.5 Review for the Oct/Nov issue. It became a quarterly issue in Autumn 1965 and 9.5 in Summer 1972 as a new magazine. I did have copies of the Group 9.5 films produced by Larry and others in the library but returned them a few years ago and a few other amateur films were rented or sold off at the Bring and Buy at the Pimlico Spring Fairs. Incidentally, John Burgoyne collection went to the National Film Museum, but to my knowledge has never been on display. I hope the above has been of help. I am so pleased that Graham’s collection is in your so capable hands. Best wishes, Ken Finch.

[Rodney Bourke]

Since 9.5mm started in France & UK, I am amazed that Grahame Newnham didnt keep his collection close to home, were it all began.

It must have cost an apsolute fortune to send his collection over to USA.

Are well least 9.5mm will now Educate the US Museum Visitors, on the First Home Movie Format form France & Uk & there Colonies.

[Ken Finch]

I forgot to mention that it was Larry Pearce who reperforated 16mm films to 9.5 mm. This included some sound shorts and some 100ft colour movie jukebox films. I have a few of these films in my collection. Graham took over the reperforation equipment when Larry died but he never reperforated any sound. It would take too long to explain how Larry overcame the problem that the sound track is on the opposite side on 9.5 to 16mm, but the solution was quite simple. Work it out for yourself!! The only problem with the juke box shorts was that the sound track was not in the standard position so was out of sync and quite noticeable on some vocals. Ken Finch.😊

[Dominique De Bast]

Ken, I have some reperfored films bought in the UK, so probably made by Larry Pierce, as well.