The Man Who Made Motion
Pictures Talk
Internationally known cinematographer, inventor, and adventurer, Freeman H. Owens was born in Pine Bluff, AR on July 20, 1890.
Owens went from childhood fascination with early projectors in his hometown of Pine Bluff to working with some of the most important figures in movie making including Carl Laemmle of Universal Studios, William Fox of Fox Movietone, E. H. Griffith, and many other giants in the early days of filmmaking.
Owens with his Pathe camera, 1911, courtesy of Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Library
An inventor with over 11,000 ideas and 200 patents, Freeman H. Owens devised a means of synchronizing sound to movies in his spare time at home. He worked for Dr. Lee deForest at that time. Owens patented the invention which enabled the production of “talking pictures”. DeForest sued Owens over rights and lost in lower court rulings twice, but won in the Supreme Court.
Owens sold a number of remarkable patents. Notable among these were the A. C. Nielsen Rating System, a plastic lens employed by Kodak, 16Mm, 35MM & 70MM cameras & projectors, slow motion cameras, 3-D and many others.
A cinematographer/cameraman, he worked at movie studios such as Essanay, Selig Polyscope, IMP (Independent Moving Pictures), and more. He worked with the stars of the early days of the motion picture industry. The list includes Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Gloria Swanson, Gilbert M. "Broncho Billy" Anderson, Francis X. Bushman, Wallace Beery, and many more.
A daredevil adventurer, he filmed from the seat of open cockpit planes, from the middle of a hurricane and news at events all over the world.
As a military photographer, he filmed "Flying With The Marines", "America's Answer" and immortalized "The Battle of Chateau Thierry".
Join us in paying tribute to this unsung American hero. See the display at the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame at Pine Bluff Convention Center, The Movie Mural at Burt's Store for Men, Pinky's & Tommy, 205 S. Main, and the Walk of Fame in Hot Springs Arkansas.
Videos
- ID1234 "Freeman Harrison Owens, The Man Who Made Motion Pictures Talk ", 30 minutes. Freeman H. Owens devised a means of synchronizing sound to movies.
- ID1235 "Of Time And AR River", 30 minutes. The first one hundred years of Pine Bluff, Arkansas' history.
- ID1236 "Of Character And Characters", 30 minutes. Learn about the history of the homes in Pine Bluff and the people who lived in them.
- ID1237 "The Band Museum", 30 minutes. See the collection of horns collected by curator Mr. Jerry Horne, the only one of its kind in the USA
$29.95 each plus $4.50 shipping and handling
Brenda J. Hall
P.O. Box 1694
Pine Bluff, AR 71613-1694
E-Mail: freemanhowens@yahoo.com
telephone: 318-573-2561
(C)2004 WGTG Video Productions, Inc, All Rights Reserved
Slide Show
See photos from the prolific journey of Freeman Owens, pioneer of early film making technology. From his early days on WW1's front lines to the pinnacle of a career that included industry changing inventions, glance at the life of videographer/daredevil/patriot Freeman Harrison Owens at home and in the field.
Links
- The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture
- Freeman Harrison Owens with "Father of Radio", Dr. Lee DeForest
- Freeman H. Owens IMDB, Earth's Biggest Movie Database
- Freeman H. Owens' 1936 3-D Skullduggery
- Freeman H. Owens 3-D Comic Books
- Freeman H. Owens All About Arkansas TV 7
- Movie Mural of Freeman H. Owens, Broncho Billy, Charlie Chaplin, Wallace Berry and Peggiy Shannon