FEARLESS 35MM FILM SYNCHRONIZER TYPE FS

Fearless Camera Company, 7160 or 8572 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood, California circa 1931-1935

35mm film synchronizer Type FS, believed to have been manufactured by the Fearless Camera Company in the early to mid-1930's.

Units like these were used to measure and synchronize motion picture film. Presumably, this unit had a film (or Veeder) counter which is missing, based upon the empty screw holes seen at the top center where something was mounted. These screw holes seem infer that the counter would have been mounted at the top, engaging the film sprocket teeth below. This is in contrast to all the other synchronizers I've seen, wherein the counter was driven off the film sprocket shaft. No factory literature or advertisements have been found, with which to make a comparison. Other than a possible missing counter, the unit appears complete.

Fearless was known for their 65mm Super-Film Cameras, that could also be special-ordered in sizes 35mm, 50mm or virtually any other widescreen film width. Some Fearless cameras would later be reconfigured as the Thomascolor Camera (1942) and the first versions of the Todd-AO Cameras in the early 1950's.

From The International Photographer, June, 1930 Courtesy of The Online Books Page

In early 1929, the "Fearless" line of motion picture products was being sold by Ralph Fear's Cinema Equipment Company, 755 Seward Street, Hollywood, California. By August, 1929, the Fearless Equipment Company was established, alongside the Cinema Equipment Company, both now located at 7160 Santa Monica Boulevard. Also, in August, 1929, the Cinema Equipment Company announced the introduction of their new Fearless "All Purpose Camera" (the Fearless Silent Super-Film Camera). Effective January 1, 1930, the name of the Cinema Equipment Company (still located at 7160 Santa Monica Boulevard) was changed to the Fearless Camera Company. By May, 1933, Fearless Camera Company is located at 8572 Santa Monica Boulevard, which is also the address of the Cinema Sound Equipment Company. By April, 1935, Frank C. Zucker's and J. Burji Contner's Motion Picture Camera Supply, Inc. was listed as the Eastern Representative for Fearless products. The Fearless Camera Company, last located in Culver City, California, would merge with the Houston Corporation in 1950 to form the Houston Fearless Company. The company is known today as Houston Fearless 76, a Division of the HF Group.

Fearless Super-Film Cameras are very rare items today, although their film magazines and motors are occasionally seen. Film editing equipment such as this film synchronizer are almost never seen, much of it having ended up in the scrap heap.

Any Fearless products from the company's heyday in the early to mid-1930's are extremely scarce today.

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