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Todd-AO Equipment Catalog
Engineered by American Optical Company, Southbridge, USA | Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter
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Written by: Thomas Hauerslev. All captions in the Todd-AO
Catalog are written by Brian O'Brien, Jr. in 1955 and 1997 and reproduced from
the original sources by Anders M. Olsson, Sweden and Brian Guckian, Ireland. | Date:
21.05.2014 |
Walter
Siegmund and Brian O'Brien, Jr. in front of the American
Optical Company Research Building where the Todd-AO process was developed.
In 1997 Willem
Bouwmeester and I went to the United States for a
Historical Wide
Screen Gathering in Connecticut. I met
Brian
O'Brien, Jr.
for the first time, when he picked us up at the airport in
Hartford. A tall man with
a healthy sense of humor, Brian O'Brien, Jr. was employed
at American Optical Company during the development of the
Todd-AO
process 1952 - 1957. He was generally in charge of planning and
development of motion picture production equipment.
I had contacted Brian some years before our first meeting and we
corresponded back and forth about Todd-AO, a subject we both felt very
passionate about. During the visit we were introduced to
Walter Siegmund
and John Davis
who also worked on the Todd-AO process. Brian and Walt were our friendly
hosts for 3-4 days, and with them we visited American Optical in
Southbridge, Massachusetts. It was very moving for all, as this was their first visit
in more than 30 years. When visiting Brian's house, he showed me a set
of 6 ring-binders with a complete set of all things Todd-AO. Every
single piece of Todd-AO equipment manufactured by American Optical
company for the process between 1953-56. Brian had this catalog made
when the entire range of equipment was ready for production of the first
movie
"Oklahoma!" in 1954. As he explained, it was a document to explain
the equipment made for the Todd-AO Corporation.
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More in 70mm reading:
Go to Todd-AO Catalog:
Volume I
Volume II
Volume III
Volume IV
Volume V
Volume VI
Mark
III Printer
Todd-AO
Birth date
How
Todd-AO Began
Todd-AO Home
Historical Wide Screen Gathering
DP70 / Universal 70-35 / Norelco
AAII - The Todd-AO Projector
Description
of Todd-AO
Mark III Printer Principle
"Oklahoma!"
Printing
Operation
in the Todd-AO Mark III Printer
Todd-AO -
Distortion Correcting Printing Process
Internet link:
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5
volumes of American Optical company's catalog of all things Todd-AO.
Every single piece of Todd-AO equipment manufactured for the motion
picture process between 1953-56.
A few years later Walter Siegmund kindly sent me his set of ring binders as
well as a few other rare pieces of Todd-AO equipment - including a 64 degree
lens and a Bug Eye viewfinder. Unfortunately Walt's set was short of Volume
#1. Brian later corrected that, by having his Vol #1 re-photographed on 35mm
film for me. In his files Brian also found three envelopes of black and white
stills of the
Distortion Correction Mark III Printer when it was installed
in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Brian kindly had 35mm negatives made of 50+ stills
of the unique and long-gone printer too.
I have always wanted to add this Todd-AO catalog of equipment to the web
site, but time and resource restrictions have prevented me from doing
so. Until now. My only regret is that both Brian and Walt have passed
away. I really wanted to do this much earlier, however, that has not
been possible.
Each volume of the catalog ring binders had descriptions of the
equipment. Where missing, Brian O'Brien, Jr. have produced additional
captions and explanations for the remaining stills, including the printer.
All his captions have been reproduced here from the original sources by Anders M. Olsson,
Sweden and Brian Guckian, Ireland.
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25.05.2014
Hello Thomas, What a great section on your site!!! This is a
great record of the depth of the undertaking of the Todd-AO
process. GREAT JOB!!!!!!
Best Always,
Robert Weisgerber
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65mm
Todd-AO
frame from
1953
with distortion correction with zero droop. The view of American Optical
Company
across the lake in Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA. The American Optical Research
building is seen to the left of the big building.
Todd-AO
Catalog, Volume I
Todd-AO projector DP70 |
Slow start box |
Bell & Howell EYEMO 35mm Camera with Todd-AO Baby Bug Eye lens
Todd-AO
Catalog, Volume II
"Bayonet" Camera |
"Bayonet" Camera Blimp
Todd-AO
Catalog, Volume III
Camera Lenses |
Camera Follow Finder |
Camera Magazines
Todd-AO
Catalog, Volume IV
Camera Motors and Controls |
Camera Tripods
Todd-AO
Catalog, Volume V
Synchronizing Machines |
Film Edge Numbering Machines
Todd-AO
Catalog, Volume VI
Editing Machines |
Film Rewinds |
Splicers
Todd-AO Catalog, Distortion Correction Printer, Mark III
All images are clickable to be able to enjoy a large
version of the equipment.
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Todd-AO Catalog Numbers
Most of the equipment in the 6 volumes had a Cat(alog) number. Listed here
in numerical order
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Front entrance to American Optical
Research Center
building in Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Cat. #00: Todd-AO High Speed
Camera
Cat. #01:
Todd-AO Camera |
Todd-AO Camera Box |
Todd-AO Bayonet Camera
Cat. #02:
Todd-AO 128° "Bugeye" Lens
Cat. #04: 37° Bayonet Lens |
Todd-AO 37° Camera Lens |
Bayonet Lenses
Cat. #05: Todd-AO 48° Camera Lens |
Bayonet Lenses with 48°
Objectives |
Bayonet Lenses
Cat. #06:
64° Camera Objective, 64° Bayonet Lens |
Todd-AO 64° Camera Lens |
Bayonet Lenses
Cat. #08: Todd-AO High Torque Synchronous Camera Motor
Cat. #09: Camera Adapter Door
Cat. #10: Todd-AO Variable Speed Motor
Cat. #12: Todd-AO High Speed Camera Magazine
Cat. #13: Todd-AO Camera Magazines
Cat. #14: Wide-angle Follow Finder |
Todd-AO Wide-angle Follow
Finder
Cat. #15: 37°-48° Follow Finder Adapter |
Todd-AO 37°-48° Finder
Adapter
Cat. #16: 64° Adaptor, 64° Finder Adapter
Cat. #17: Todd-AO 128° Finder Adaptor
Cat. #18: Todd-AO Bayonet Camera Blimp
Cat. #21: Wide-angle Matte Box |
Special Todd-AO Wide-angle
Matte Box
Cat. #22: Filter Holder Box
Cat. #23: Todd-AO Hydraulic Camera Tripod
Cat. #24: Geared Pan & Tilt Head |
Geared Tripod Head
Cat. #25: Standard Mitchell Tripod
Cat. #26:
Standard Mitchell Baby Tripod
Cat. #27: Standard Mitchell High Hat
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View
of American Optical's machine shop, probably in Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Cat. #30:
Todd-AO Soft Start Camera Motor Control Box
Cat. #41: "Bug eye" Carrying Case
Cat. #42: Todd-AO Bayonet Matte Box & Accessory Case
Cat. #44: Todd-AO Bayonet Lens Carrying Case
Cat. #47: Todd-AO Finder Carrying Case
Cat. #51: Todd-AO Editing Machine
Cat. #55:
Todd-AO Edge Numbering Machine
Cat. #58: Todd-AO Edge Numbering Machine
Cat. #62:
Negative Splicer |
Todd-AO Treadle Splicer
Cat. #63: Positive Splicer |
Todd-AO Treadle Splicer
Cat. #69: Todd-AO Timing Stand
Cat. #70: Todd-AO Editing Rewind
Cat. #72: Control Box
Cat. #74: Todd-AO Manual Rewind
Cat. #75: Todd-AO Synchronizing Bench Rewinds
Cat. #76: Todd-AO Synchronizing Bench Rewinds
Cat. #77: Todd-AO Synchronizing Bench Rewinds
Cat. #78: Todd-AO Enclosed Power Rewind
Cat. #79: Todd-AO Synchronizer, 2 x 4 with counter
Cat. #80:
Todd-AO Synchronizer, 1 x 1 with
counter
Cat. #81:
Todd-AO Synchronizer, 1 x 2
Cat. #82: Todd-AO Synchronizer, 2 x 0
Cat. #83:
Todd-AO Synchronizer, 1 x 2 with counter
Cat. #84:
Todd-AO Synchronizer, 1 x 4 with counter
Cat. #85:
Todd-AO Synchronizer, 1 x 6 with counter
Cat. #86: Todd-AO Synchronizer, 1 x 4 with counter
Cat. #87: Todd-AO Bench Splicer
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