BACKS TO NATURE DIALOGUE CUTTING CONTINUITY HAL ROACH STUDIOS

A

EXC ORIG 1933 THELMA TODD ZASU PITTS BACKS TO NATURE DIALOGUE CUTTING CONTINUITY HAL ROACH STUDIOS – PERSONAL COPY OF PRODUCTION MANAGER L.A. FRENCH From the collection of a well known Hollywood-based movie historian, collector, author, archivist and intimate of the late great Hal Roach, comes this holy grail item for Roach fans. An original Dialogue Cutting Continuity to the classic ZASU PITTS and THELMA TODD short, BACKS TO NATURE. Much like a script, DIALOGUE CUTTING CONTINUITIES feature all the dialogue and shot descriptions (including titles) of each and every shot in the film. Cutting continuities also noted the shot #, how many 35mm feet and frames of film into the short that the shot appears. This information would be compiled by the Film Editor (in this case Louis McManus) and would serve as a record of all the shots for other key departments at the studio and for filing as proof of content with the U.S. Copyright office (often in lieu of sending an actual print of the film). This is the personal copy of long time Studio Production Manager L.A. French (father of Roach director Lloyd French) as per the hand written “Mr. French” that appears on the top edge of the brown protective fold over) and would no doubt be placed in his files in the Hal Roach Studio offices. Continuity has 17 pages extensively detailing every one of the 146 shots and lines of dialogue in the short. Top of the first page notes this as Production A-18 in the Pitts-Todd series. Continuity is in excellent condition. Paper is supple and cream colored and free of any rips, tears, creases, stains or blemishes. Continuity is firmly affixed by the original staples on the top and has a protective brown paper back page and top edge fold over, making this one of the best condition continuities we've seen. Unless you attended the Hal Roach Studios auction back in 1963, here is your chance to have an authentic piece of Hollywood history directly from the hallowed Culver City “Lot of fun”. Ultra rare Continuity is an amazing artifact from the golden age of movie making and sure to be prized collectible from this immortal Hal Roach.

A