Cordele home town film collection


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Collection Details

Collection Dates: 1936
Scope and Content Note: The collection consists of a film made in 1936 about Cordele, Georgia, plus outtakes. It and others like it were made by itinerant filmmakers, a niche market in filmmaking from the 1920s through the 1950s. These men traveled various regions of the country with camera and film, usually partnering with Chambers of Commerce to photograph people and businesses in town, then to show the film at the local movie theater where townsfolk flocked to pay to see themselves on the screen. This film in particular was made by itinerant photographer H.C. Kunkleman for his company, Pacific Film Productions, based in Erie, Pennsylvania. Included are scenes of the town of Cordele and its citizens (police officers, barbers, etc), local schools and students (O'neal Grade School and Northern Heights School), and local businesses (a cinema, Cordele Banking Company, LeRoys Cafe, a barber shop, Bob's Place). There are DVD viewing copies as well as one 35mm soundtrack negative, one 35mm picture negative, two 35mm fine grain prints, three 35mm answer prints, and one DigiBeta master.
Biographical Note: "Cordele is located in the heart of Georgia, 60 miles south of Macon and 100 miles north of the Florida state line. Founded in 1888, Cordele is the seat of Crisp County. (Cordele was originally part of Dooly County, until Crisp County was created from the southern part of Dooly in 1905.) Touted as the "Watermelon Capital of the World," the city was the product of intersecting railroads in an era dominated by westward expansion and rail commerce and travel. Cordele was named after Cordelia, the eldest daughter of Colonel Samuel Hawkins (1835-1905), president of the Savannah, Americus, and Montgomery Railroad."--"Cordele" from the New Georgia Encyclopedia, http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2248&hl=y (Viewed February 23, 2010)
Extent: 3 film reels : si., b&w ; 35 mm.;3 film reels : sd., b&w ; 35 mm.;1 videocassette (DigiBeta) : si. and sd., b&w ; 1/2 in.;1 sound track film reel : magnetic ; 35 mm.
Genre: Documentaries and factual works
Provenance: Deposited at the Walter J. Brown Media Archives by George W. Cofer and Susan Barge, March 2009.
Cite Collection As: Cordele home town film collection, 1936. Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection, The University of Georgia Libraries.

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