website watertownhistory.org
ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
“An
Old-Fashioned American Christmas”
same as
“Christmas
at Bradford Farm”
same as
Christmas at
Grandfather’s Farm (1890s)
Here's
the film, freshly digitized, with some clicks and pops removed and a bit of
color correction: https://youtu.be/c_I9dUMVHzU
1958
A Coronet
Instructional Film for classroom use
Recording is 22
minutes in length
Recorded in 1958 at the Octagon House
in Watertown, WI, home of the Watertown Historical Society.
Exterior shots done
at the Paul Hibbard home on Oconomowoc Ave.
The film was made
with actors from the Curtain Club, Watertown's community theater at the
time. Featured actors include Carl
Kolata, Esther Winogrand, her son Mark Winogrand, and Margaret Luchsinger,
among others.
CAST AND
DIRECTORS-Pausing in their labors on the production of
a motion picture being filmed in Watertown, with scenes being shot largely at
the Octagon House, are the cast and directors. The film is being made by
Coronet Instructional Films of Chicago. The directors are Mr. and Mrs. Tod
Stromquist, shown at the left. Next, in rear, are Miss Gladys Mollart,
technical advisor, Carl V. Kolata and Don Boyink. In front of Mr. Kolata and Mr. Boyink are Mrs. Edward Dobbratz and Mrs. Esther Winogrond. At the right of the tree are Erwin Keepman, Oconomowoc, and
Mrs. Roy Fargo, and in front of them are Mrs. Sam Luchsinger and James Bloor. The group in the foreground consists of Mrs.
Paul Hibbard, Dana Hibbard, Mark Winogrond, Susan Teggatz, Charles Johannsen,
Jr., and Storey Hibbard.
A still photo from a
kids/school film shot at the Octagon House in early 1958.
From left to right,
me (Chuck Johannsen), Mark Winogrond, Grace Fargo (my real-life grandmother),
Esther Winogrond, Jan Dobbratz.
Also in the film is
my former mother-in-law, Margaret Luchsinger, and various other Watertown kids
and grown-ups whom I knew.
I got out of 2nd
grade for two weeks to dress up in 1890s clothes and hang out in the
freezing-cold Octagon House.
Here's the film,
freshly digitized, with some clicks and pops removed and a bit of color
correction: https://youtu.be/c_I9dUMVHzU
Charles Johannsen
Welcome. A pleasure. I've had this film kicking around for years. Finally got a
decent digitization. Years ago, I was on the board of Storefront Cinema, in
Rockford, when the Northern Illinois Library System decided to jettison their
collection of 16mm films. Another guy and I went to load up whatever we thought
Storefront Cinema could use. I found this film and grabbed it for myself, along
with a few other reels - Life Cycle of the Fly, documentary footage of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the bombings, Winnie the Pooh Talks About Weather,
and some 1950s State of Michigan tourism films.
Add to Christmas html
Add to curtain club html
Add to octagon house html
Movie Camera Is Busy
Here
Film Production Made
in City Is Well Underway
“Lights! Camera!
Action!” These commands of the
movie industry, usually restricted to the film capitals of Hollywood and New
York, are very much a part of Watertown, too. this week. The sound stages are largely concentrated at
the Octagon House, but don’t be surprised if you see authentically garbed
Watertown Curtain Club members, sound equipment, movie cameras and cameramen
busy doing scenes in an old fashioned sleigh, or at a nearby farm or country
church in the next few days.
The occasion is the
filming of a documentary film to be entitled. “An Old Fashioned American
Christmas”, by Coronet Films. The
Octagon House was chosen for the great authenticity of its rooms and
furnishings, only after dozens of settings were considered throughout the
Midwest. This selection of' the famous
Octagon House is another fine recognition of its authentic preservation and
reflects highly on the local historical society.
Local Cast
The entire cast has
been chosen from among local persons through the resources of the Watertown
Curtain Club. The presence of such a
community theater group was another factor in the selection of; this site.
“Don't be surprised
if you see yourself on network television every Christmas for many years to
come,” said Director Tod Stromquist at a Curtain Club meeting held last
evening. “This is the sort of
documentary film which the television industry likes to run at Christmas
time.”
One of Coronet’s
films documenting the origin of the carol "Silent Night,” which Stromquist
filmed in Germany, is seen every Christmas on many television stations. Stromquist also showed two examples of his
films to Curtain Club members and outlined many of his experiences with Coronet
Films.
Professional
Experience
This filming
represents the first professional experience for many Curtain Club performers,
since they are being paid for their work.
Filming begins in the morning and continues until 6 p.m. About 10 days will be required to complete
the filming. The finished movie will be
available for national distribution next September.
Coronet spares no
expense for authenticity. For example,
they take polaroid pictures of each actor’s hairdo, makeup, and costume the
first day of filming in order to maintain consistent appearance for each day’s
filming. They imported special collars
from Brooks Brothers in Chicago and authentic button shoes from the window
display department of Marshall Fields.
Stromquist will
depart for Rome, Italy, immediately after directing this film to finish a film
Coronet he is doing there.
The Milwaukee
Journal is sending reporters and photographers to Watertown and a feature
story and pictures will appear in it soon regarding this film.
Local persons
appearing in the film are: Mrs. Grace
Fargo, Mrs. Henry Winogrond, Edward Dobbratz, Mrs. S. J. Luchsinger, Carl V.
Kolata, Don Boyink, James Bloor, Mrs. John Viets, Dana Hibbard, Storey Hibbard,
Susan Teggatz, Charles Johannsen, Jr., Mark Winogond and Erwin Keepman,
Oconomowoc.
1958
02 20 A number of Watertown residents will appear in
an educational movie titled “An Old-Fashioned American Christmas” which is
being filmed here under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Tod Stromquist of Coronet
Instructional Films of Chicago. This project is being made possible by the
Watertown Historical Society, working in cooperation with the Wisconsin State
Historical Society and the Watertown Curtain Club. The local historical
society, under the direction of Miss Gladys Mollart, curator, has opened the
Octagon House for photographing so that authentic, original backgrounds for
scenes would be possible. The setting for the film is the 1890s. Those
appearing in the film include Mrs. Grace Fargo, Mrs. Henry Winogrond, Mrs.
Edward Dobbratz, Mrs. S.J. Luchsinger, Carl Kolata, Don
Boyink, James Bloor, Mrs. John Viets, Dana Hibbard, Storey Hibbard, Susan
Teggatz, Charles Johannson Jr., Mark Winogrond and Erwin Keepman,
Oconomowoc. WDT
12 12 Sub-zero weather standards offered no deterrent
to the large, enthusiastic crowd that witnessed the first public showing of the
Coronet sound color film “Christmas at Bradford Farm,” last night at the
Lincoln School Auditorium. The
production was sponsored by the Watertown Historical Society for its members
and Octagon House patrons and supporters.
The interior scenes for the film were taken in the kitchen, dining room
and parlor of the house with exterior scenes taken elsewhere. The State Historical Society assisted in the
filming. Assemblyman Byron Wackett was
master of ceremonies. The prize for long
distance traveling on a cold winter night perhaps should go to William J. Schereck,
fieldman for the State Historical Society, who came from Madison to be
presented. He commented upon the high
rating of the local Historical Society with the state society and particularly
upon the fact that the officers realize that there is opportunity for growth
and development. WDT
History of Watertown, Wisconsin