Screen Snapshots
Encyclopedia
Screen Snapshots were a series of documentary
short subjects produced by Columbia Pictures
between 1924 and 1958. They featured behind-the-scenes footage of Hollywood stars of the day at various Hollywood events or parties. From about 1930, these short documentaries were almost exclusively written, produced and directed (and occasionally edited and narrated) by Ralph Staub
, until the series was discontinued in 1958. They usually ran for 9 or 10 minutes and were shown in cinema theatres like newsreels alongside main features.
Three of these documentary shorts were nominated for an Academy Award, Best Short Subject, One-reel. They are -
, wanted short one-reel size films showing the reality of Hollywood.
The two brothers created Hall Room Boys Photoplays, with Harry in Los Angeles to produce and Jack in New York for distribution. While Harry considered himself in charge of everything the company made, it was Jack's project and so he brought in Louis Lewyn to coproduce.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
short subjects produced by Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
between 1924 and 1958. They featured behind-the-scenes footage of Hollywood stars of the day at various Hollywood events or parties. From about 1930, these short documentaries were almost exclusively written, produced and directed (and occasionally edited and narrated) by Ralph Staub
Ralph Staub
Ralph Staub was a movie director, writer and producer.Three of his short subjects in the Screen Snapshots series have been nominated for the Academy Award and he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1752 Vine Street in Hollywood, California, USA.-Selected filmography:* As Director**...
, until the series was discontinued in 1958. They usually ran for 9 or 10 minutes and were shown in cinema theatres like newsreels alongside main features.
Three of these documentary shorts were nominated for an Academy Award, Best Short Subject, One-reel. They are -
- 1944 Screen Snapshots Series 23, No. 1:Hollywood in Uniform - Ralph Staub, producer
- 1945 Screen Snapshots' 50th Anniversary of Motion Pictures - Ralph Staub, producer
- 1946 Screen Snapshots Series 25, No. 1:25th Anniversary - Ralph Staub, producer
History
In 1919, Jack Cohn, brother of future Columbia president Harry CohnHarry Cohn
Harry Cohn was the American president and production director of Columbia Pictures.-Career:Cohn was born to a working-class German-Jewish family in New York City. In later years, he appears to have disparaged his heritage...
, wanted short one-reel size films showing the reality of Hollywood.
The two brothers created Hall Room Boys Photoplays, with Harry in Los Angeles to produce and Jack in New York for distribution. While Harry considered himself in charge of everything the company made, it was Jack's project and so he brought in Louis Lewyn to coproduce.