Saturday, October 5, 2013

The Camera Mart

I started this post back in March, the day before I moved, I suppose.  I'm not sure why, but it was an interesting thread for me to follow, so here it is:


why did I search it?  I was thinking about films and credits...watched Rude Awakening...because I wanted to see the part...because I wanted to see...what?


 
 Rude Awakening - 1989. Hilarious movie about two hippies (Fred and Jesus) who flee to 'Managuador' to escape being jailed by the CIA. They return to 'civilization' to thwart an American war plot.
In this scene, ex-girlfriend Petra - stoned out of her mind - tries to open a tub of frozen yogurt while telling Fred all the things he's missed over the last twenty years.


...something to prove that what I remember was real, that my experiences were shared by others, and therefore somehow valid.  so I watched the movie all the way through the credits, and right there at the very end, before the screen fades to black, I see it:  Stages...The Camera Mart, N.Y..  Camera Mart was the name of the sales, rental, and service company my family ran while I was growing up, that shut down many years ago, after I had moved away.  so I did a search, to see if the internet could help me validate my life to myself, and puzzle out if I actually exist.  here's what I found:


Camera Mart—10th Ave & 456 W55th St.- August 1999. Ad circa 1960s.

Videography Magazine - November 1980

these were posted on Fading Ad Blog, photographed by Frank H. Jump.  the big orange ad really hit me with a punch of nostalgia to the gut...we all used to have orange t-shirts with those same words and graphics on them.  see that 'CMTV' logo in the bottom right corner?  in high school, I redesigned it in my advertising design class for my father's business cards.  growing up, I knew some of the history of the company and the buildings - mostly I knew that the brothers Sam and Irving Browning, along with Irving's wife, Hester, had started a film company, and that my grandfather (Paul Meistrich) went to work for them at the 'old place', somewhere near Columbus Circle, in Manhattan.  * my uncle wrote an article about Mr. Browning in American Heritage, Vol. 43, No.7, in November 1992, titled "The Lost City", and put up a show of his collection of Mr. Browning's photographs of New York City, dating from 1918-1938.  the Camera Mart I came to know and love stood between 9th and 10th Avenues, on 55th Street.  with a parking lot for our cars across 9th (we drove in from the suburbs), and an Italian diner for fettuccine alfredo on 11th, my tiny slice of Hell's Kitchen looked a bit more like heaven, surrounded as it was in the miasma of movie magic, Society of Motion Picture Engineers conventions, and celebrity-attended cocktail parties.

my grandfather and his partner ('Chick' Hyman) took the place over from the Brownings, and they ran the company when I was kid, with my uncle and father working as technicians alongside a core group of people, including my brother and I who would work during the summers, learning the ropes.  after several years, my dad took over a management position in his department, and ended up as executive vice-president of the company.  when the film industry began to abandon NYC for North Carolina in the 80's, due to the prohibitive rise in the cost of locations, it hit us hard, and we went down.  our mostly family-run business didn't have the business savvy, or educational edge, to compete with the rapid-paced, technological advances in the industry.  my dad handed the keys to the complex over to Sony Music in 1993:  From Newsreels to Records:  A New Home for Sony Music.

during the many years of my happily entitled childhood, many wonderful scenes unfolded before me on and around the stages and studios, including the knowledge that somewhere beneath our feet lay the fabled pool built there by the previous occupants of the space, Fox Movietone, for filming underwater scenes, some of which reportedly starred the recently deceased queen of synchronized swimming, Esther Williams.




there are even two brief IMDb listings (internet movie database) of a few of the many films/shows in which we were credited, including the famous 1969 Woodstock concert, Kramer vs. Kramer, and Big:  #1 & #2.  I remember the conversations around the dinner table during several of these various projects - how the police were called when some of the guys playing SS officers in Sophie's Choice took a smoke break outside in costume and terrified half the neighborhood, what the Rolling Stone guy 'with the lips' was like to work with, Bill Cosby's strict requirements for his crew, and how the guys used to cover everything that was going to be used for Saturday Night Live skits with 'CMTV' stickers, and then laughing my ass off when we'd see it on-screen at home in our living room.

there are several reference to Camera Mart in the book Chronicle of a Camera:  The Arriflex 35 in North America, 1945-1972 that discusses the company's role in that camera's cinematic history. I found an article titled "Arriflex Technical Presentation Spurs Turnout of New York Cinematographers" from American Cinematographer magazine, in July of 1974, which took place our stages.  the Mel Wong Dance Company also performed their piece "Peaks" there in 1979.  my search also brought up the name of prolific camera operator and cinematographer Daniel L. Turrett, who seems to have been interviewed about his career path by some career guide website that wrote, "...he landed a job at The Camera Mart, one of the largest motion picture camera and equipment rental companies in New York at that time.  Working as a technician, Turrett learned about the equipment while preparing it for production companies to rent."

perhaps most surprisingly, there was a setlist from a Ramones concert, on September 3, 1977 that took place on the stages - which led me to two videos of the performance!  the recordings taken from this show were included in the DVD It's Alive 1974-1996, released by Rhino Records in 2007 (hey, they're not even plugged in...).





and this little tidbit was just too random to leave out - in 1985, they filmed on the stages what appears to have been a martial arts 'musical' (sounds perfectly dreadful to me), called The Last Dragon, which "was a critical disappointment but a financial success, and is now considered a cult classic" according to the wiki entry.  the part I found interesting about it is that the entry states "Peter Larkin's spectacular Seventh Heaven Club video set was built on Camera Mart stages at 54th and 10th Avenue, a set so impressive that Diana Ross, visiting one day, promptly asked if she could buy it for her next tour."  cool...look, I found the video for that, too:




in 2007, it seems Sony hit on hard times, too, and sold the buildings once more, as told in the article 'Sony to Shutter Historic Studios', which talks a little about some of the great films that had been shot there, as well as some of the folks who recorded in the studios under the Sony label.  no one seemed to know what was going to happen to this small piece of New York City's movie-making history, but only a handful of people seemed to care.  then finally, I ran across the fantastic blog post Saying Goodbye to a Mythical Pool from the building's neighbors, Avatar Studios, where someone (bless them) had enough sense to recognize that it was a "building with a long and interesting history", relating in 2008 that, "The studio closed at the end of August 2007 and was just recently demolished to make way for another condominium."  having heard tell of the buried pool, they were present on the day of the demolition when "the pool reappeared again for one brief moment in the sun" to witness it, and to take a few pictures before it was gone forever.

so that's it.  the building was there, for a brief time we occupied it and became a part of its history, and now it's gone.  but I'm not the only one to have seen it or appreciated it, and somehow, knowing that perfect strangers cared about it too makes me feel like it wasn't all a dream, and that I really did live all those great experiences with some wonderfully talented and creative people.  thanks for taking the journey to visit my past with me - I hope you found something interesting along the way.

71 comments:

  1. I remember when it was Camera Mart and I'd hangout in Cafe Dada Directly across the street, Meryl Streep would come in to buy a sandwich or maybe a croissant and she gave her Hollywood smile to Robert the owner of the cafe while she was filming Sophies Choice. Another time I stood on my stoop and there's this guy sitting in his winebago playing cards. I'm thinking I know this guy, but then it hit me of course I don't "know him" I know "Of" him- it was Jack Nicholson. And then ther was the time a photographer was taking pictures next to our building stoop because many years prior when he worked at FoxMovietone he had photographed Marilyn Monroe there which he eventually published in a photo book. Amazing how many well known people walked through those doors and there's no plaque to commemorate it.
    Yet the Hit Factory up the block capitalized on it, which I think Camera Mart use to operate out of as well, if I'm not mistaken.
    Thanks for posting this Camera Mart article, it was like finding a jewel (needle) in a haystack.

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    1. Thank you, Anonymous! It's nice to know you remember some of the history as well! I wish I knew who you were, or how you came to find this blog entry - maybe you're my uncle, or one of his exes? lol! thanks for stopping by, come visit anytime ~ m

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  2. Thanks for the article. I worked for CMTV in Burbank CA back in the late 80s. It was my first job in the biz. I had just rolled in from the Mid-West. I am pretty sure I meet your dad and uncle. They would come in from time to time. They were very courteous to me. I leaned more details about contracts and such from them. I was a rental tech. I talked to the NY people all the time because we would send equipment back and forth or to other locals. I remember SBD but I can’t remember his brother’s name. It was a heck of a time in my life. I went through a bad break up, moved 3 times in 7 months. I went on from there to work in a small cable TV studio who was one of my rental clients. Thanks for the ad. That logo was on the side of the building in Burbank.
    DJ

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    1. hi DJ - thanks so much for reading, connecting, and commenting! SBD was my dad, and it's nice to hear that you remember him in a positive light. : )

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  3. Wow. The memories. I worked in the sales department from 1986 up until the auctions. A great place and great people.

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    1. hey Anthony! thanks for stopping in, it's nice to hear from you!

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  4. Hi - I worked for some time at CM back in the 1980's in the lighting department for Bernie G. and Steve G. I coiled at least 500 miles of 1/0 cable! Heavy stuff! It was a fun place to work because of the stars that were coming on and off of the set. Cafe Dada was a good place to grab lunch and the leftovers from the craft service. We also did some PA site work for The Cotton Club and the Last Dragon too to pick up a few extra bucks over at Kaufman Astoria.

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    1. right on - thanks for stopping in and sharing the experience! I wonder if we knew each other in passing? it's possible!

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  5. I was lucky to work at CMTV from 1988 untill Barbizon took over 53'rd Street. I can't believe that we haven't learned to save our landmarks.
    I started my career at Sigma Sound in Philly and that has also been turned into condos. What great memories of life on 10'th Ave. Such great people to work for and with. I love to search out all of those names in the credits of movies and TV shows still now in production. I'm proud to have known and worked with such talented people.

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    1. I do the same - search for names in credits! people think it's weird, but it's become a habit since I've been doing it since I was a little kid. besides, a lot of people work on making those shows and movies, and they deserve to be recognized!

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  6. Wow, the Camera Mart. I worked there for Andrew Taub as a Credit Manager. Found memories. Steve G, Bill M, Jeff, Shemon Herb and Shelly, Cindy Becker Great group.

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    1. hey Steven - Shimon was my dad, so we probably knew each other in passing. I remember all those guys fondly as well, and it's been so nice that you, and others of the old crew have found this post, and stopped in to share memories. thanks! : )

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    2. Hi Mama Pajama

      Sorry for the long delay in responding. Wow, your Shimon's daughter, cool. Yes, I'm sure we knew each other in passing. How have you been? Yes, there were so many good memories. The movie Trading Places was shot on set at Camera Mart as well. The credits at the end of the flick note it. I would very much like to correspond with you and seek out old friends I have lost contact. Greg Murry, Bob G, Steve Gordon, Michael Plattie. Perhaps we can correspond at my email stevenfinkelstein3@gmail.com. Many thanks and Kind regards. Steven

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    3. I've been up and down, Steven, such is life - how are you? Trading Places is a great movie, I didn't know it was one of 'ours', thanks for the info! One of my fondest memories was calling the shop on the 3rd floor, and hearing, "Jacobius, Henry" answer the phone...Henry was a sweet sweet man, and was always so kind to me. : )

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    4. Haha, yes, I remember it all. Do you recall the old guy who used work for Cerkers trucking and came to CameraMart shipping? Gruff guy with a heart of gold. I was actually at Bank Leumi when the Sony transfer occured. It broke my heart. Your family really built something special. Many thanks.

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    5. well, we couldn't have done it without everyone who worked there over the years - thanks for being a part of it!

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  7. Hey Steven, my dad was Antonio Brutus, which worked under Shimon in the shop. I worked with my father one summer. So we probably did meet at one time.

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    1. hey Antonio! thanks for commenting, it's so nice to hear from folks who knew Camera Mart, and the people who worked there, and their kids! like us! :)

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    2. Antonio Hi

      Wow, so long ago. I think I rembember your father. What dept was he, camera, lighting, sound or electric.

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  8. Wow great to see this. My ailing dad Shelly Brown worked there as General Manager for nearly 40 years. He'd love to see this. Many memories were made there. I used to work summers in shipping with Barney Sharkey and Danny as a young teenager.

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    1. hey there, 'Anonymous' - I remember your dad, and I wish him well, do send him my best! I guess lots of us CMTV kids spent our summers there - I usually did inventory up in the cage on the 3rd floor, or assembly/wiring on the post-production units for the location vans. I am so glad some of the 'old crew' found this post, and left comments here, it really warms my heart!

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    2. I remember your dad very well..........I worked there 3 summers in the mid 70's. Mostly for Jerry Tomasetti. But also worked with Frank Riker and Jeff Wohl. We used to drive into the city w/ Jeff...We probably met many times.

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    3. wow, those names bring back memories!

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    4. Riker worked for General Camera, never Camera Mart.

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    5. I used to live in lefrak city in same building as your uncle Jack Brown. Is he still alive.He was an assistant camera man for a famous camera man. He worked on the Mccloud tv series and lot of Burt Reynolds movies. I was a student at New York Instute of technology and have a degree in communication arts. Later on l worked for a short time at Tony Ficalora Film Productions . They rented equipment from Camera Mart all the time. Including and aeroflex camera I Broke. But never told anybody it was me who broke it . it held up a shoot when filming an Harris extra dry commercial in there studio.

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  9. Wow, yes Jerry Tomasetti, he was from Cerkers. Anyone hear from Milton and Steve Geata from sales?

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    1. Shout out to Milton, Geata and Don. You guys knew how to pick salesman, those boys were the business!

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  10. I still have my orange Camera mart pen.

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    1. I have one of the CMTV stickers, and a couple of lapel pins that I gave to my son - and my mom has a few of the t-shirts!

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  11. I worked at Camera MArt from 1971 -1979. Ran the Lighting Department under Leo R.(Rental Mgr). Bernie G and Steve G eventually worked for me in Lighting. I remember the softball games between us and General Camera Jeff W. and Mark H. I played centerfield and we all had a great time. Jerry T. took care of the shipping dept. Anna was head of the bookkeeping dept. First show we did at Stage 20 was Three Days of the Condor w/ Redford and Dunaway. Then Kramer vs Kramer at the Fox studios a well as Fosse.

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    1. hey Damian - thanks for commenting! it's so nice to hear from so many people who worked at Camera Mart, I appreciate you sharing your good memories! I remember when Kramer vs. Kramer came out - that might have been the first of 'our' movies I saw in the theater.

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  12. Oh yeah, forgot to mention Enrico in Camera and Rupert in Sound.

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    1. ah, Enrico and his lovely wife, Ute! they were wonderful people, and came to our house as guests several times. thank you for that memory!

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  13. Hello MP, my name is Salvatore Carolei...after graduation from SVA..I went to work
    in the Lighting & Grip Dept... 1986-1989...with Greg Murray & Robert Schualman as
    managers...learned a lot...still working as a gaffer. It was my first job in the film biz..
    met folks like Tom Hanks, Michael J Fox...the Cohen Brothers...Peace

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    1. hey Salvatore - thanks for stopping in to comment! I'm sure you know some of the names we've mentioned above, huh? I guess you came in near the end, but there were a great deal of good times over the years, and I'm so happy there are still so many people out there who remember them right along with me. peace back at you, and thanks again for stopping in to share!

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  14. I'm sad to say that my dad Shelly Brown passed away on 3/16/19

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    1. I'm so sorry to hear that, Gene - all my best to you and your family. thanks for letting us know...

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  15. Worked at camera Mart from 1979-1982. Video rental with Mitchell,Sean,Ernie,Diane etc.

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    1. welcome to the conversation! I'm sure we ran into each other over the years - thanks for taking the time to comment!

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  16. Started out in processing working for Jose Rosado. Other coworkers I remember. Nick Liatsis. Jeff Wohl, Frank Taylor, Cindi Becker, Cliff Hoke, Mark Hyman, and the Camera Mart truck driver, Jose.

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    1. yes! I have fond memories of those folks, too - Nick in particular was a good friend of my uncle's, and spent time at my grandparents' house. good times...

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    2. So many memories here. I have a Facebook page with a good number of pictures on it. Look it up!

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    3. Btw, I worked at CM from ‘79 to ‘85.

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  17. My dad was a film cameraman and as a kid Iwould go to the Columbus Cirlce location to pick up stuff. I worked at Camera Mart from 1980 - 1985, 1st in Lighting and then as manager in another department. Lighting was on the 2nd floor and video rental just moved to 54th street. Who could forget the 2 nicest people Leah Smiley and Carl in Purchasing and of course Marty on the switchboard. Poor Artie in the basement working with Carl. Can't forget Leo and Sylvia. Your dad was always very kind to me but I pitied Henry and those who crossed him. Never forget Enrico! Always with a tie and a cigar. His office cubicle glass was full of postcards but with the stamps cut out. I heard he died. Anyway you could give a list of who's passed? I've read that Bernie G, George W, Shelley B, Jerry T, Leo R, your Dad, Paul M, Chick H.? Who was the dapper, older guy who managed Film editing rental name again? He was also married in the family.

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    1. wow - I'm sorry I missed this comment, and hello to another former employee/friend! I remember most of the faces that go with the names you mentioned, but it's long ago and far away, and some I simply don't recall anymore, sorry. I'm not in touch with anyone from those days other than the kind folks who responded to this post, and only through this post, so I can't tell you any more about any of the people you asked about than what's already been said here in the comments. I'm really glad you found this, and chose to comment, though! thanks for adding your memories to the collective!

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  18. I worked at Camera Mart in 1986-1987. I worked in lighting under Greg Murray and Bob Shulman. I also worked with Sal and Leroy. Sal taught me a lot and Leroy always borrowed money haha. I ate a cheese sandwich at the corner bodega for lunch most days and on pay day across street to the fancy place and splurged on a brownie. Greg was right out of Barney Miller with his demeanor and sarcasm and Bob yelled at me and Leroy most days. I went on to manage some stages on lower east side then eventually went to the NYPD and FDNY now retired. I will never forget the important people in my life and places like The Camera Mart. I still tell stories.

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    1. wow, good to hear from you, Dan - thanks for stopping in! I hope you found some folks in these comments that you might have known back then, it's been like a small reunion on here!

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  19. I was so excited to see this! I worked there from 1983-4 with Hugh Gastaldi, Mike Plati, and Paul in the credit dept. Fun days, even tho' I got canned! Fond memories of the Christmas party on one of the sound stages. Remember Paul Meistrich dancing with a worker every time I hear "Feliz Navidad"! Thanks for this! Donna

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    1. thanks for commenting Donna - sorry you got 'canned', and that's a funny memory of my grandfather! you're so welcome, and I'm glad you found the post, and have fond memories of our beloved Camera Mart!

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  20. Thanks and appreciate your keeping this going! Hope to hear more stories along the way. Anyone else freaked out by all the pigeons?!

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  21. My father, George Winslow worked here for many years. I still have some of the orange pens and one of his old business cards.

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    1. hey there, thanks for stopping in! I remember George Winslow!

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    2. Your dad was one great guy, worked with him from 89-91. Like I said below the best boss I ever had. Tell him Jimmy says hello

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    3. I wish I could, but he passed away in 94. Its great to hear from someone else who knew/worked with him. If you have any good memories or stories about working together, I’d love to hear about them. Happy to hear was a great boss 😊

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    4. Took me a bit to reply as it hit me hard to hear that news, my condolences. There are many stories I could tell but one that sticks out is as follows. My uncle was a union cameraman and lived in the city. He called me; how the call got through down in the dungeon I don’t know, to meet with him for lunch at a great Thai restaurant right up the block on 9th? Now I was desperate to become a cameraman and excitedly took him up on the offer. Met up with him at the restaurant and no sooner we sat down in strolls George with a secretary from upstairs; forgot her name, lovely lady (hope I’m not getting you in trouble George! Lol) and they sit down at the booth right behind us. So now I’m kicking my uncle under the table like you hoo that’s my boss and my uncle’s just oblivious and looking at me like I’m a kook. Your dad left before us and getting back to work as I strolled past him seated at his desk he said “so how was the interview?” Totally flummoxed I said “Oh no George… that was my Uncle” He deadpanned as only he could do, “ Yeah Jimmy, everyone’s got an uncle in the business” Classic George R.I.P buddy

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    5. Thanks for sharing this, Jimmy! That must have been a very awkward lunch for you..haha. I don’t ever recall my father being mad or angry at anyone…he must have had a good laugh over it.

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    6. Oh yeah it was all in jest, your dad couldn’t harm a fly! Great guy! All in good fun, and that’s what I loved about working for him.

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  22. Hi Mama Pajama,
    What a wonderful thread to read through !! I've got heartfelt connections to that building going back to the 1940's.

    Dad was born in 1929 and immigrated when he was from Germany to NYC. One of his first jobs- around age 17- was working for Fox Movietone News. He'd take the subway down and sit in front of a MovieScop with rewinds and roll through raw footage coming in from all over the world. He'd pick shots that supported the voice-over scripts that had already been written, compiling the shots to fit the time allotted. A career newspaperman, he already understood storytelling. I only learned of this when I got onto the beautiful and ornately decorated wooden-walled elevatorup to Video Rentals, and mentioned the Fox Movietone gold logo on the wall of the elevator.

    Speed ahead to 1982. Plenty of time as a P.A. working in the huge main stage at Camera Mart. Learned so much from a cadre of seasoned crew members. While working on the Billy Joel music video, " The Night Is Still Young ", I found myself climbing up scaffolding in the big stage. Now, I'd already asked about the sign next to the loading dock indicating a maximum weight limit for anything being brought onto the floor.
    I was told that it was because it was a huge swimming pool. The Esther Williams stories, etc. I was also told that it was filled with crushed cars and construction debris to help to deaden the sound under the flooring.
    Since I was climbing up with a sandbag in my hand, I figured this was the perfect chance to find out of the stories were 100% b.s. and the old guys pulling my leg or if they were true.

    I called out, " Heads up below ! " and dropped the sandbag from about 30 feet up. The huge hollow thud sound was proof. Absolutely incredible.

    Speed ahead to 1987. I get interested in Steadicam. Camera Mart Video had rigs for rental and so I called, asking for a demo. I walked in to find my life's work before me. Watched an orientation video that had been shot ON the film rentals floor in 1976, and was suited up in a Steadicam for the first time. Love at first touch. I've been a Steadicam Operator ever since.

    Everyone I met on the stages, upstairs in rentals, etc was only ever supporting, kind and a guiding force to a young person eager to learn. The tone and approach of how to bring people up into the industry was a gift and I am grateful to your family for establishing this kind of space.

    If it existed, I'd PROUDLY wear an orange Camera Mart t-shirt !!!!

    Peter Abraham, S.O.C.
    Astoria, NY

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    1. wow, thanks so much for this, Peter! sorry it took me so long to reply, I needed my kid to figure out a glitch for me, lol! there are still a few orange CMTV shirts around - I know I've seen at least one amongst my parents things...I'll have to see if my brother will send it to me. I'm SO glad to know there are people out there who have wonderful memories of Camera Mart, who were/are a part of our extended family, and still work in the industry!

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  23. I proudly display my Ikegami HL-79
    camera in Peter Arnetts book
    "Live from the Battlefield" I purchased from Shelly at Camera Mart.
    Peter mentioned I purchased only the best camera equipment.
    Best Thoughts,
    Howard Dorf

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    1. that's really cool, Howard, thanks for sharing it!

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  24. Wow, Wow, Wow my mind is blown with overwhelming feelings of nostalgia. I worked at CM from 89-91 down in the dungeon with George, Marty and Johnnie Maaawhhh. Loved it there, George was the best boss I have ever had, sweetheart of a guy. I saw the writing on the wall and left in 91. Great memories, great times and great story. Thanks for posting it up!

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  25. Thank you for sharing this post. If you are seeking film studio in NYC, visit us.

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  26. Wow ... talk about nostalgia. I worked at Camera Mart for a brief time back in the 80's. I was wondering if the company was still in business and started doing an Internet search that lead me here.
    I actually worked in the shipping and receiving dept, and often went to the network studios of ABC,CBS and NBC to drop off equipment. I have a few great stories from those trips.
    Unfortunately, I saw that the company was living on borrowed time and decided to continue my education and seek other employment opportunities.
    Camera Mart was a brief stop on my journey in life, but it taught me a few valuable lessons.
    Thank you posting this blog ... I guess we both actually exist.

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  27. I work there for 5 years and in the time that I work there as a video rental tech incredible things happen for me and changed my life along with working with countless commercial Network ABC NBC CBS affiliates I also worked alongside my manager and video coach Mitch Hyman who stuck by me make sure that I had no problems being the only black video rental technician in the business at that time and help me to become one of the formidable video production directors in the music industry.

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  28. Michael A Jamison

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  29. Hello All,
    I was in the showroom selling everything in the mid 70’s - I remember when Sony walked in bowing with respect to Chick and Paul - Chick never without a cigar in hand - negotiating product plans and Jeff managing the sales for the family. Other young family members brought in being groomed for the future. The sound stages making some historic film scenes. My friend David starting and building the video rental department only to leave for CBS the day I started. The company softball games in Riverside Park (I still have the CM baseball cap) - all of the cash used equipment deals to South and Central American film makers (I seemed to inherit that task at the time). On and on - it was a special place at a special time in NYC.

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  30. Renting a film studio in Brooklyn opens up endless creative possibilities. Consider factors like size and equipment when choosing. Any recommendations for standout studios in Brooklyn? Your insights could be invaluable for fellow filmmakers.

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  31. Hi Mama Pajama, thanks for this post. I just thought about CM after seeing a video of an Arriflex mounted on a drone - and laughed at the idea of what management would have thought if one of their cameras up there. My dad, Amram Nowak, was a prolific documentary filmmaker and I remember running over 55th St regularly to pick and return equipment. He had a lot of his own equipment but it it would have been nearly impossible to operate without Camera Mart. Thanks for the visit to Memory Lane

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