Times-Advocate from Escondido, California • 13

Film editor finds todays movies confused Garland. I once sold Clark Gable a Model A Ford, Nervig chuckled. I think I paid about $75 for it. But when Gable spotted it, he decided he wanted it for his ranch and offered me $300 for it. Needless to say, I accepted! His own favorite of the more than 100 films he edited during his career is "The Bad and the Beautiful, made in 1952 and starring Kirk Douglas and Lana Turner.

However, when he saw the film on television recently, he was appalled. Theyd cut the very heart out of it, evidently to make room for commercials. Whole dramatic sequences were left out." Nervigs first wife died in 1951. Ten years later, he married the former Ann Griffin, owner of the Ramona Sentinel, now edited by her son, Tom Griffin. first lieutenants bars, he might seem more impressive to prospective employers.

The idea apparently worked. He was hired by MGM as a film lab assistant. Two years later, he was promoted to editor. Nervig soon learned that good editing is an art. He noticed that each scene always was shot several ways as a closeup, medium or long shot and that the trick was not only to select the best one, but the one that would tie in most effectively with those preceding and following.

"It was like putting a puzzle together," he said. As soon as he had enough film footage for a complete episode," he went to work. At the end of the day's shooting, wed hold a screening of the previous days footage for the director and producer, he said. These worthies usually just watched and smoked their cigars, Nervig recalled, seldom offering any suggestions as to how the scenes should be put together. Nervig also learned that when a movie was good, the stars, the director and the producer usually got the credit and that the real hero often was a guy you seldom hear about the editor.

Such effects as "fades and "dissolves," seldom seen in todays films, can add much to a production, and Nervig never hesitated to use them whenever he felt they were called for. Nervig edited films starring most of the MGM "biggies" of the era, including Jeanette McDonald, Nelson Eddy, Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable, James Stewart, Gary Cooper, Robert Taylor, Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Lana Turner and Judy By BILL CAIN T-A Staff Writer RAMONA If its not true that movies are really better than ever, why arent they? Conrad Nervig, 85, of 535 St. thinks its in the editing, the way the scenes are put together. Films today are confused, disjointed and lacking in continuity. They used to be smoother.

They led the viewer by the hand Nervig ought to know. His 28-year career as a film editor for Metro Goldwyn Mayer was highlighted by Oscars from the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences for Eskimo in 1934 and King Solomons Mines in 1951, the latter starring Stewart Granger and Deborah Kerr. editing actually was a second the theory espoused by writer-producer Richard Winer and others that some malevolent force is at work in the area. As for the triangle theory, Nervig calls it hokey at best. That area is simply a busy intersection in the ocean, where, because of the traffic, more mishaps are likely to show up.

Also, the claim that squadrons of planes have disappeared there has been disproved. As for the old Cyclops, she was in bad shape before she ever got to Rio. At the Brazilian port, the ship took on a cargo of heavy manganese, Nervig recalled. I believe the load shifted on the way back to Norfolk, and she broke in two. Out of the Navy in 1922, Nervig looked for work but couldnt find anything.

Then he had a notion that maybe if he wore his uniform with its career for Nervig, who retired from the Navy In 1922 after a series of adventures including a trip around the world with Theodore Roosevelts Great White Fleet and an earthquake in Jamaica. After years behind the scenes, Nervig finally appeared before the cameras recently to be seen in the current film The Devils Triangle. The film concerns the unexplained disappearance of ships and planes in a triangular portion of the Caribbean Sea. In a 15-minute segment, Nervig tells how, as an officer aboard the supply ship Cyclops, he was transfered to other duty just before the ship sailed from Rio de Janiero to Norfolk, into the triangle to vanish without a trace. Nervig simply states the facts of the case.

The way it comes out, however, he appears to be lending credence to TIMES-ADVOCATE 7 ESCONDIDO. CA. MONDAY, DECEMBER 30. 1974 PAGE B-1 TREASURED TROPHIES Capping the career of cameras recently in the film "The Devil's Triangle," retiree Conrad Nervig of Ramona are two Oscars which concerns an area in the Caribbean where for film editing. Nervig also appeared before the many ships and planes have disappeared.

Council to consider poll JIM GUTHRIE Terrible gets the It hasnt been that good of a year, and Ive been looking forward to New Years more than any holiday in a long time. And its not so much that I want to welcome 1975 with open arms. Who knows? Maybe it will bring a decline in inflation, a reduction in the unemployment rate and even lower prices. What I want to do at midnight on Dec. 31 is open the door and kick 1974 down the front steps or up the front steps as is the case of my unique stoop.

I dont want it or any year like it ever to darken my spirits again. The economic situation isnt the main thing I have against 1974, although THAT certainly wasnt anything to recommend it. The real trouble with 1974 was that it was a time filled with too much trauma for the general order of things in the United States. It was the first year in which a U.S. president resigned.

Perhaps it would have been better if the impeachment process had been allowed to play out to a conclusion. There might have been something soothing in watching the wheels of legal procedure at work. But the president resigned under pressure he had helped create for himself, and so many things were left unsettled that a general uneasiness, a malaise, set in. There was a feeling we were defenseless against the rush of history. Fortunately, the country has a Constitution and a 25th Amendment, and the transfer of power went smoothly.

But still, there was something unsettling in the fact that at years end, the two highest officials in our governmental system had been appointed and not elected by the people. Maybe 1974 would have been year boot easier to cope with if there had been someone around who could make us -laugh. Oh, there were those who made jokes about Watergate and its political fallout, but the laughter was rather nervous and restrained. What we needed was someone who could make self-importance a subject for humor. When historians assess the reasons leading up to the first resignation of a U.S.

president, Im sure self-importance will occupy a prominent position along with an inability to laugh at that quality. Self-centered politicians never were much of a problem in this country when the highpoint of everybodys week was listening to a comedian on a Sunday night radio show whose whole act was built around making jokes about his own egotism. It was called The Jack Benny Program, and its star made it a practice to be pompous so that one of the members of his cast could stick a needle into the balloon of the stars egotism and let out gales of laughter. People laughed at the endless variety of situations which were made possible by the deflation of the stars ego, and the only thing Jack Benny ever laughed at was himself. Maybe its only a coincidence, but it seems to me we all took ourselves less seriously when Jack Benny was a regular weekly visitor to our homes.

He set an example which carried over into our daily lives. Another thing I have against 1974 is that Jack Benny died during it. I hope his death wasnt symbolic and we havent lost the ability to laugh at ourselves. Someday, maybe somebody else will come along to do as much good for us as he did. Kilman serves in several other capacities at Palomar, including administration of community services and development of the colleges multicultural and bilingual programs.

First guest speaker in the series will be Eugene C. Lee, director of the Institute of Governmental Studies and professor of political science at U.C. Berkeley. His job will be to present a perspective on local government, giving an overview of powers, functions and organization. At later sessions, land use and growth, jobs and economic development, transportation, public order and social needs along safety lines, housing, the financing of government, governmental efficiency, citizen participation, and local and areawide policy-making are going to be discussed.

lease for a nominal sum five acres of city-owned land near Ninth Avenue and Chambers Street for a 100-unit development. A 50 per cent wage increase for the city treasurer and a 15 per cent hike for the city clerk is being recommended to the council by City Manager George Patterson. That would hike Thomas monthly salary from $500 to $750 and Hills from $750 to $885. Wage increases for both city officials has been delayed since last August to give Patterson and his staff time to evaluate the duties of each post and compare them with other cities. RON'S TV SERVICE Graduate Technician Reasonable Rates House Calls PHONE 749-1787 SAVE on all 5-10 Speed quality IMPORTED (In Stock) BICYCLES during our 13th Anniversary Sale Over 50 to choose from All bikes set up and serviced at NO EXTRA CHARGE Sale Good Nov -Dec.

74 only HIDDEN VALLEY BICYCLE STORE Corner of Penn and Hickory (One Block North of Palomar Hospital) 746-1509 University Heating and Air Conditioning For expert answers to your heating or air conditioning problems call University, a Payne Air Management specialist. We plan, install and service systems for home and business. 745-6913 polling firms and are expected to choose one of them to conduct the survey. The loan request for $6,500 $5,000 of which would go for an architects retainer, the rest for organizational expenses is being made by attorney Henry P. Johnson.

Johnson is involved in the formation of a nonprofit corporation, sponsored by the Escondido Ministerial Association, which would oversee the senior housing project. Voters overwhelmingly approved the concept last November by a near 3-1 margin. Under the proposal, the council will Start the New Year with an exciting Self Improvement Course from PERSONAL SUCCESS INSTITUTE 8 classes $45.00 Starts January 7th 743-5644 or 747-0523 MONTE CRISTO VILLAS "a better way to live' from as little as 500 moves you in. for information call or drop in to CROW REALTY Vineyard 743-3000 EGGS Daily Fresh Grade AA All sizes available SPECIAL! 1 Flat (2V2 doz.) LARGE 745-8831 S1 .60 Feenstra Egg Ranch 2067 W. El Node Parkway (Old 6orden Road) of Hwy 395 Mon -Sat 8-5 30 Closed Sunday CAPT.

THURLE BALM Takes command Head of patrol changed OCEANSIDE Capt. Thurle Balm has been appointed commander of the California Highway Patrols Oceanside office. He relieves Capt. John Putman, 44, who has been promoted. Balm is an 18-year veteran of the patrol, having spent 12 years as a motorcycle officer, first in patrolman grade and later as a sergeant.

Immediately prior to coming to Oceanside, he was an administrative captain to the deputy commissioner at CHP headquarters in Sacramento. His duties included internal liaison, administration of staff functions and representation of the deputy com-missioner in various official capacities. Balm spent the last four years in administrative duties and had administrative functions as a field operations lieutenant in the San Bernardino area. But he has had command experience as well, having served two years as commander of the Lakeport( area before transferring to the office of internal affairs at CHP headquarters. The new commander of the North County area said he had listed Ocean-side as the ideal unit for his next transfer from Sacramento, but he hadnt expected to get what he considers this plum of an assignment.

He explained he wanted to be on the coast of Southern California and in a command about the size of the Ocean-side office. Im more than happy with the assignment. The people in the community are very friendly, and I like the squad, Balm said. His new command includes about square miles and more than 1,700 miles of highway, spreading from the Pacific coast inland to Riverside and Imperial counties and south as far as Del Mar and the Sari Diego city limits. To patrol this vast area, the office has a contingent of 84 traffic officers, eight sergeants and two lieutenants.

They are assisted by a senior clerk and five steno-clerks on the administrative side and 15 inspection specialists and one passenger-vehicle inspection team. Balm is responsible for all of them. To help ensure that hes a good administrator of this large command, Balm is working toward a masters degree in public administration. He already has completed all the required courses and is about to begin independent work on a thesis. He holds a bachelors degree in administration and education from California State University at Sacramento.

ESCONDIDO Selection of a professional pollster to survey residents attitudes on city growth is scheduled to be considered by the city council when it meets in special session at 8 a.m. Tuesday at City Hall. The unusual date was chosen for the meeting because of the Christmas and New Years holiday conflict this year with the councils regularly-scheduled Wednesday sesssions. Also slated for consideration Tuesday are a request for a $6,500 loan as seed money for a voter-approved senior citizen housing project and salary increases for City Clerk Lina Hill and City Treasurer Ruth Thomas. The council began to consider hiring a professional pollster to survey residents attitudes on growth after chamber of commerce representatives were unsuccessful in their attempts to formulate an objective questionnaire.

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8. Ten visiting speakers will give major addresses in the series. They will be joined by more than 25 people in decision-making positions in North County who will contribute local points of view on specific problems facing North County communities. The forum-type sessions will be held in Escondido Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of Orange Glen High School.

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