Freeman Harrison Owens
Encyclopedia
Freeman Harrison Owens born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas
, the only child of Charles H. Owens and Christabel Harrison. He attended Pine Bluff High School
in Pine Bluff, but quit in his senior year to work at a local movie theatre as a projectionist.
Owens constructed his own 35mm movie camera at the age of 16. He filmed early newsreels, such as the Chicago Union Stock Yards Fire
in December 1910 and the Charleston, South Carolina
hurricane and flood in August 1911. He served during World War I
as a photographer, helping progress the art of aerial photography
for combat purposes.
He filmed the famous Joe Stecher
vs. Earl Caddock
wrestling match at Madison Square Garden
on 30 January 1920. His last credit as cinematographer was Love's Old Sweet Song (1923), filmed in the Lee DeForest Phonofilm
process, and starring Donald Gallaher
, Louis Wolheim
, and Una Merkel
.
In June 1923, DeForest began legal action against Owens alleging patent infringement. In 1924, Owens sold his patents for the Movietone sound-on-film process to Fox Film Corporation owner William Fox
. In July 1926, Fox acquired the patents of Theodore Case
(1888-1944) — and acquired the U.S. rights to the German Tri-Ergon
patents—to create the Fox Movietone
sound-on-film
system.
Freeman Harrison Owens died on 9 December 1979 in Pine Bluff, at the age of 89, and is buried at Bellwood Cemetery in his hometown of Pine Bluff, Arkansas
. He was inducted into the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame in Pine Bluff on October 3, 2003, and was inducted into the Arkansas Walk of Fame in Hot Springs (Garland County) on December 6, 2003.
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Pine Bluff is the largest city and county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the principal city of the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area...
, the only child of Charles H. Owens and Christabel Harrison. He attended Pine Bluff High School
Pine Bluff High School
Pine Bluff High School is a public high school in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, Arkansas, USA. It is the largest public school in the city and county.-Mission:...
in Pine Bluff, but quit in his senior year to work at a local movie theatre as a projectionist.
Owens constructed his own 35mm movie camera at the age of 16. He filmed early newsreels, such as the Chicago Union Stock Yards Fire
Chicago Union Stock Yards Fire
The Chicago Union Stock Yards fire occurred from December 22 to December 23, 1910 and resulted in the deaths of twenty-one Chicago Fire Department firemen....
in December 1910 and the Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
hurricane and flood in August 1911. He served during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as a photographer, helping progress the art of aerial photography
Aerial photography
Aerial photography is the taking of photographs of the ground from an elevated position. The term usually refers to images in which the camera is not supported by a ground-based structure. Cameras may be hand held or mounted, and photographs may be taken by a photographer, triggered remotely or...
for combat purposes.
He filmed the famous Joe Stecher
Joe Stecher
Joe Stecher , sometimes spelled Joe Stetcher, was a professional wrestler and three-time World Heavyweight Champion. Stecher is the first wrestler to regain the original version of the World Heavyweight Championship....
vs. Earl Caddock
Earl Caddock
Earl Caddock was a professional wrestler who was active in the early portion of the twentieth century. As the first man to bill himself as "The Man of 1,000 Holds" , Caddock was one of professional wrestling's biggest stars between the years of 1915 and 1922.-Early life:Earl Caddock was born...
wrestling match at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
on 30 January 1920. His last credit as cinematographer was Love's Old Sweet Song (1923), filmed in the Lee DeForest Phonofilm
Phonofilm
In 1919, Lee De Forest, inventor of the audion tube, filed his first patent on a sound-on-film process, DeForest Phonofilm, which recorded sound directly onto film as parallel lines. These parallel lines photographically recorded electrical waveforms from a microphone, which were translated back...
process, and starring Donald Gallaher
Donald Gallaher
Donald Gallaher was an American actor.Gallaher was born in Quincy, Illinois. After moving to New York City as a child with his mother, he began acting in productions such as A Royal Family....
, Louis Wolheim
Louis Wolheim
Louis Wolheim was an American character actor.His trademark broken nose was the result of an injury sustained while playing football for Cornell University. Despite his rugged visage, Wolheim was intelligent and cultivated, speaking French, German, Spanish, and Yiddish. He was also a mathematics...
, and Una Merkel
Una Merkel
Una Merkel was an American Tony Award-winning stage and film actress.-Life and career:Una Merkel was born in Covington, Kentucky, and grew up in Philadelphia and New York City. She bore a resemblance to actress Lillian Gish and began her career as a stand-in for Gish, most notably in the 1928...
.
In June 1923, DeForest began legal action against Owens alleging patent infringement. In 1924, Owens sold his patents for the Movietone sound-on-film process to Fox Film Corporation owner William Fox
William Fox (producer)
William Fox born Fried Vilmos was a pioneering Hungarian American motion picture executive who founded the Fox Film Corporation in 1915 and the Fox West Coast Theatres chain in the 1920s...
. In July 1926, Fox acquired the patents of Theodore Case
Theodore Case
Theodore Willard Case known for the invention of the Movietone sound-on-film sound film system, was born into a prominent family in Auburn, New York.-Family history:...
(1888-1944) — and acquired the U.S. rights to the German Tri-Ergon
Tri-Ergon
The Tri-Ergon sound-on-film system was patented from 1919 on by German inventors Josef Engl , Hans Vogt , and Joseph Massolle . The name Tri-Ergon was derived from Greek and means "the work of three." In 1926, William Fox of Fox Film Corporation purchased the U. S...
patents—to create the Fox Movietone
Movietone sound system
The Movietone sound system is a sound-on-film method of recording sound for motion pictures that guarantees synchronization between sound and picture. It achieves this by recording the sound as a variable-density optical track on the same strip of film that records the pictures...
sound-on-film
Sound-on-film
Sound-on-film refers to a class of sound film processes where the sound accompanying picture is physically recorded onto photographic film, usually, but not always, the same strip of film carrying the picture. Sound-on-film processes can either record an analog sound track or digital sound track,...
system.
Freeman Harrison Owens died on 9 December 1979 in Pine Bluff, at the age of 89, and is buried at Bellwood Cemetery in his hometown of Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Pine Bluff is the largest city and county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the principal city of the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area...
. He was inducted into the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame in Pine Bluff on October 3, 2003, and was inducted into the Arkansas Walk of Fame in Hot Springs (Garland County) on December 6, 2003.