About that 1939 "Home Town" film of Chariton

Chariton native Randy Lee kept many of us entertained yesterday by posting to YouTube a 90-minute 1939 film devoted our hometown. The film, which premiered at the Ritz Theater on Friday, Sept. 22, 1939, had been commissioned by the local Lions Club during August of that year and filmed during the opening weeks of September by the Amateur Service Production Co. of Jefferson City, Missouri.

Here's a report about the film that was published in The Herald-Patriot of Sept. 7:

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Arrangements for the filming of the home town movie being sponsored by the Chariton Lions club were being completed this week and preliminary work for the actual filming was well underway. This was announced by Dr. E.G. Danner, chairman of the committee in charge.

The filming will take about two weeks and will be done by the Amateur Service Productions of Jefferson City, Mo. the complete picture will be ready for a public showing sometime in late September.

Present plans call for some 1,600 feet of film to be taken in or around Chariton. The name of the film completely explains its nature: "See Yourself and Your Town in The Movies." Plans now are to include such places and individuals in the film as beauty spots near the city, community buildings, homes, business establishments, prominent people and any other persons or pieces that will adequately portray Chariton to the fullest extent.

The plan has been tried in many other towns throughout the Midwest, and clubs who have sponsored such movies --- purely a civic enterprise ---- report that the residents of the various communities were enthusiastic over the results.

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Chariton Lions had been chartered during 1938, so this was among its first public service projects. And Dr. Danner had arrived that year too, so this introduced a long career of community service.

A few opening shots were taken in Lucas, where there also was a Lions Club, but the majority is devoted to Chariton people and places --- heavy on the people. Hundreds of faces of people once familiar flash by in recognizable form. 

As an example, the cameraman stood outside several churches on Sunday morning --- Sacred Heart, First Methodist, First Presbyterian and United Brethren among them --- and filmed the various congregations as they exited after services. Yes, all of the women (and many of the men) were wearing hats.

One segment was recorded during a Sept. 16 children's parade.

The film is narrated, but that seems to have been added about 50 years later and the narrator is unidentified --- perhaps this was added as the original film was being reformatted. Randy added a light musical background. Follow this link to watch the film: