Douglas Shearer(1899-1971)
- Sound Department
- Director
- Actor
Douglas Shearer came to MGM to visit his sister, Norma Shearer, and was hired
as an assistant in the camera department. When MGM decided to make
sound pictures, Douglas was appointed head of the sound department. In
1928, Douglas took the silent 'White Shadows in the South Seas' to a
New Jersey recording studio where he added sound effects and music. As
was common in the early days, the music and sound effects were
recorded, but not the dialogue. In 1929, Douglas came up with the idea
of playing the sound track for a musical number so that it would be
filmed in sync with the music. The film was The Broadway Melody (1929) which won the Best
Picture Oscar for 1929. It was an 'All-Talking!
All-SingingAll-Dancing!' movie. Douglas won his first oscar for sound
recording with The Big House (1930). Douglas became one of the most innovative men
in the sound field and MGM became well known for the quality of the
sound in their pictures. He would develop or improve recording systems
and reduce any unwanted noise. Overall, Douglas would win 12 oscars for
Best Sound Recording. In 1959, he would receive an Oscar for helping
co-develop MGM's Camera 65 wide screen system. His career as Recording
Director would end in 1955 when he was promoted to director of
technical research at MGM. He would hold this office until his
retirement in 1968.
