The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-26

l 1dmllleS is a IRA
---' dition. Sin C e
Miss Burgan Mr.. Kothe's late
uncle, Robert
Lieber, president of First National
Pictures. Inc. had motion pictures
taken Of the families in 1911, no
year has passed without a filming of
at least one gathering.
Professional photographers took
pictures of the groups until 1921
when young Bills interest in motion
pictures started. He used profess
sional cameras until 1924 when
science gave the amateur a motion
picture camera. Since then he has
had the professional size films re-
duced to amateur size.
It's natural that photography
should be my hobby" Mr. Kothe
explains. Besides my uncle's pio-
neering in the field Of motion pic
lures, I have the heritage of a
father who worked in photography
when good photography was an &C
complishment because of its lack
of perfection"
wi AARNAAC AAdO AAda oOAAAE nam
burton-like experiences in his film
ing Of foreign scenes. He likes to
catch informal shots of the every
day doingS Of persons and conse-
quently has been chased away from
many scenes by superstitious ma
tives.
He determined to film a religious
ceremony while in Haiti on a West
Indies cruise.
L had to climb over two walls
and hide under the cave of a ma
tive hut to get the scene" he re-
called. On other occasions when he
failed to conceal himself, natives
rushed at his camera in horror
when they spied him.
Develops Observation.
He frequently missed his dinner
when sunsets painted the noun
tains of Caracas with yellow and
red reflections, and long caravans
travelled over them. There are
opportune times to catch nature at
its best My friends sometimes
thought me crazy to rise at sun
rise to climb a mountain for
picture he laughed.
You've no idea how much more
observing you become when in
terested in photography. was rid
ing one Sunday in Madison when an
interesting doorway caught my eye.
Being with friends, I couldn't stop.
1t was two years and half before
I returned to Madison, but I found
the exact doorway which I then
photographed" Mr.. Kothe said.
Mr.. Kothe has taken his mother,
Mrs. Ida Lieber Kothe, with him on
many of his trips. He has filmed
the everyday activities of his nieces
and nepheWS since they were babies.
On Thanksgiving, Christmas and
Easter. his sisters, Mrs. Harry Gloss
brenner and Mrs. Henrietta Kothe
Matkin, and his brother, Herman.
bring their children to his home to
celebrate with their grandmother
When he travelled in Europe, the
amateur motion picture camera
hadn't appeared, so his pictures of
AAAGoC LONAlAlA lCo dAC OlAllOs INCbCllbAN
he has turned his attention back to
his stills. and has indeXed more
than 1000 negatives. filing them
according to date, location and
subject.
Edits Humor Into Films
He edits his own reels. and makes
them more interesting in this man
ner. Children particularly like his
film of children of various nation
alitieS. He provides amusement,
too. in his editing. Following up
the picture of a silk hat in an i'm
portant formal wedding is one of
much battered mien. but equally
stylish in the eyes of the wearer,
a native of Haiti.
When Mr.. Kothe started motion
picture filming in 1922 with
friend. Gordan Varney. he had am
billions to be a professional. To-
gether they produced a film of Boy
Scout activities to be used to Stimu-
late interest in the movement in
Indiana 1t was so popular that
they sent it to the national conven-
ton. and for six years it was used
for national exhibitions. Approx
mately a dozen universities used it
in extension departments.
Camera Records Operations
Mr.. Varney later became camera
man for Thomas Meighan pictures.
Many Of Mr.. Kothe'S stills reflect
his early ambition TO be an
architect. One series is of Spanish
missions in New Mexico, Arizona.
California and Mexico Another
shows influences Of Italian. Spanish
and Moorish architecture in modern
buildings.
One of his most interesting
ventures with his motion picture
camera is filming of operations.
which his medical friends wanted
for personal records and for teach
ing purposes.
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