Charles Douglass: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Charlielaugh.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Douglass' one-of-a-kind "laff box" device, seen being appraised for $10,000 in June 2010 on ''[[Antiques Roadshow (U.S.)|Antiques Roadshow]]'']] |
[[Image:Charlielaugh.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Douglass' one-of-a-kind "laff box" device, seen being appraised for $10,000 in June 2010 on ''[[Antiques Roadshow (U.S.)|Antiques Roadshow]]'']] |
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Before television, audiences often experienced comedy |
Before television, audiences often experienced comedy in the presence of other audience members. Television producers attempted to recreate this atmosphere in its early days by introducing the sound of laughter or other crowd reactions into the soundtrack of television programs. However, live audiences could not be to laugh at the correct moment.<ref name="Kitman">Kitman, Marvin. "Don't Make Me Laugh," ''Channels of Communication'', August/September 1981</ref> Douglass noticed , and took it upon himself to remedy the situation.<ref name="Levin">Levin, Eric. "Who does all that laughing?" ''[[TV Guide]]'', 8 April 1978</ref> If a joke did not get the desired chuckle, Douglass inserted additional laughter. If the live audience chuckled for too long, Douglass gradually muted the . This editing technique became known as [[sweetening]], in which pre-recorded laughter is used to augment the response of the real studio audience if they did not react as strongly as desired.<ref name="Levin"/> |
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At first, |
At first, was used sparingly on live shows like ''[[Jack_Benny#Television|The Jack Benny Program]]''; as a result, its invention went by unnoticed.<ref name="Iverson">Iverson, Paul: "The Advent of the Laugh Track" Hofstra University archives; February 1994.</ref> By the end of the 1950s, live comedy transitioned from film to [[videotape]], which allowed for editing during post-production. However, by editing a prerecorded live show, bumps and gaps were present in the soundtrack.<ref name="New Yorker">"The Talk of the Town: Laughs," ''[[The New Yorker]]'' 10 September 1984.</ref> Douglass was again called upon to "bridge or fill" these gaps. performers and producers began to the power behind prerecorded . Comedian [[Milton Berle]], while witnessing a post-production editing session, once said, "as long as we are here, this joke didn't get all that we wanted." After Douglass inserted a guffaw after a failed joke, Berle reportedly commented, "See? I told you it was funny."<ref name="Kitman"/> Douglass went from enhancing a soundtrack to literally reorchestrating audience reactions.<ref name="Iverson"/> |
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By the early 1960s, live television sitcoms became cost prohibitive, and Douglass was brought in to simulate an entire audience. Shows like ''[[Bewitched]]'', ''[[The Munsters]]'' and ''[[The Beverly Hillbillies]]'' are virtually showcases of Douglass' editing skill; the more outlandish the show, the more invasive Douglass made the audience reaction. Conversely, low-key shows, like ''[[The Andy Griffith Show]]'', ''[[The Brady Bunch]]'' and ''[[My Three Sons]]'', allowed Douglass to keep the audience responses at a minimum, and resulted in quicker and simpler editing jobs. |
By the early 1960s, live television sitcoms became cost prohibitive, and Douglass was brought in to simulate an entire audience. Shows like ''[[Bewitched]]'', ''[[The Munsters]]'' and ''[[The Beverly Hillbillies]]'' are virtually showcases of Douglass' editing skill; the more outlandish the show, the more invasive Douglass made the audience reaction. Conversely, low-key shows, like ''[[The Andy Griffith Show]]'', ''[[The Brady Bunch]]'' and ''[[My Three Sons]]'', allowed Douglass to keep the audience responses at a minimum, and resulted in quicker and simpler editing jobs. |
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The practice of simulating an audience reaction was controversial from the very beginning. Douglass was well aware that |
The practice of simulating an audience reaction was controversial from the very beginning. Douglass was well aware that was maligned by critics and writers, but also knew became standard practice and a commodity in the industry.<ref name="variety"/> From the late 1950s to the early 1970s, Douglass had a monopoly on the expensive and painstaking "laff" business.<ref name="Washpost"/> As ''[[TV Guide]]'' critic Dick Hobson put it in 1966, Douglass was "the only laugh game in town."<ref name="Hobson">Hobson, Dick. "The Hollywood Sphinx and his Laff Box". ''[[TV Guide]]'', 2 July 1966</ref> |
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From the late 1950s to the early 1970s, Charley Douglass had a monopoly on the expensive and painstaking "laff" business.<ref name="Washpost"/> By 1960, nearly every prime time show in America was sweetened by Douglass. When it came time to "lay in the laughs", the producer would direct Douglass where and when to insert the type of laugh requested.<ref name="Hobson"/> Inevitably, arguments arose between Douglass and the producer, but in the end, the producer generally won.<ref name="Hobson"/> After taking his directive, Douglass would then go to work at creating the audience, out of sight from the producer or anyone else present at the studio.<ref name="Hobson"/> |
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Very few in the industry ever witnessed Douglass using his mysterious "laff box", and he was notoriously secretive about his work.<ref>[http://www.andheresthekicker.com/ex_ben_glenn.php Interview with Ben Glenn II, Television Historian]</ref> The one-of-a-kind device was tightly secured with padlocks, stood more than two feet tall, and operated like an organ, with a keyboard to select the style, gender and age of the laugh as well as a foot pedal to time the length of the reaction. Production studios became accustomed to seeing Douglass shuttling from studio to studio to mix in his manufactured laughs during post-production.<ref name="Washpost"/> |
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As a ''[[TV Guide]]'' critic put it in July 1966, the Douglass family were "the only laugh game in town."<ref name="Hobson">{{cite news |first=Dick |last=Hobson |title=The Hollywood Sphinx and his Laff Box |work=TV Guide |date=July 2, 1966}}</ref> Very few in the industry ever witnessed Douglass using his invention, as he was notoriously secretive about his work<ref name=benglenn>[http://www.andheresthekicker.com/ex_ben_glenn.php "Canned Laughter: A History Reconstructed. Interview with Ben Glenn II, Television Historian" at andheresthekicker.com]</ref>, and was one of the most talked about men in the television industry.<ref name="Iverson"/> The Douglass family operated out of their padlocked garage in the [[San Fernando Valley]].<ref name="Hobson"/> When their services were needed, they would wheel the device into the editing room, plug it in, and go to work.<ref name="Hobson"/> Production studios became accustomed to seeing Douglass shuttling from studio to studio to mix in his manufactured laughs during post-production.<ref name="Washpost">[http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A27715-2003Apr23¬Found=true Washington Post Thursday, April 24, 2003; Page B06: "Charles Douglass, 93; Gave TV Its Laugh Track"]</ref> |
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| ⚫ | Douglass' "laff box" was |
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The one-of-a-kind device—affectionately known throughout the industry as the "laff box"—was tightly secured with padlocks, stood more than two feet tall, and operated like an organ. Only immediate members of the family knew what the inside actually looked like<ref name="Hobson"/> (at one time, the "laff box" was called "the most sought after but well-concealed box in the world").<ref name="Iverson"/> Since more than one member of the Douglass family was involved in the editing process, it was natural for one member to react differently to a joke than another. Charley himself was the most conservative of all, so producers would put in bids for other family members who were more liberal in their choice of laughs.<ref name="Hobson"/> |
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[[File:Charlielaugh.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The "laff box", minus the padlocks that had successfully concealed the inside during its prime. The one-of-a-kind device was appraised at $10,000 in June 2010 on a U.S. episode of ''[[Antiques Roadshow (U.S.)|Antiques Roadshow]]'']] |
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Douglass used a keyboard to select the style, gender and age of the laugh as well as a foot pedal to time the length of the reaction. Inside the machine was an endless array of recorded chuckles, yocks, and belly laughs; exactly 320 laughs on 32 tape loops, 10 to a loop. Each loop contained 10 individual audience laughs spliced end-to-end, whirling around simultaneously waiting to be cued up.<ref name="Hobson"/> Since the tapes were looped, laughs were played in the same order repeatedly. Sound engineers would watch sitcoms and knew exactly which recurrent guffaws were next, even if they were viewing an episode for the first time. Frequently, Douglass would combine different laughs, either long or short in length. Attentive viewers could spot when he decided to mix chuckles together to give the effect of a more diverse audience.<ref name="Iverson"/> |
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Douglass also had an array of audience clapping, "oohs" and "ahhhs", as well as people moving in their seats (which many producers insisted be constantly audible).<ref name="Hobson"/> There was also a 30-second "titter" track in the loop, which consisted of individual people laughing quietly. This "titter" track was used to quiet down a laugh and was always playing in the background. When Douglass inserted a hearty laugh, he increased the volume of the titter track to smooth out the final mix. This titter track was expanded to 45 seconds in 1967 and would receive overhauls every few years (1964, 1967, 1970); Douglass also kept the recordings fresh, making minor changes every few months, as he believed that the viewing audience was gradually changing.<ref name="Hobson"/> A man's deep laugh would be switched for a new woman's laugh, or a high-pitched woman's giggle would be replaced with a man's snicker.<ref name="Iverson"/> One producer noticed a recurrent laugh of a woman whom he called "the jungle lady" because of her high-pitched shriek. After regularly complaining to Douglass, the laugh was retired from the regular lineup.<ref name="Hobson"/> |
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Douglass knew his material very well, as he had compiled it himself. He had dozens of reactions, and he knew where to find each one. On most occasions, he would slightly speed up the reactions to heighten the effect. Douglass’s work was crisp and clean, and was considered a craft by many in the television industry.<ref name=benglenn/> He not only had an ear for inserting laughs, but he also possessed a terrific memory. Over the years, Douglass would add new recordings as well as revive old ones that had been retired and then retire the newer tracks. Laughter heard in sitcoms of the early 1960s resurfaced years later in the late 1970s.<ref name=benglenn/> |
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| ⚫ | Douglass' "laff box" was discussed in detail in a June 2010 episode of ''[[Antiques Roadshow (U.S.)|Antiques Roadshow]]'' historical was appraised at $10,000.<ref>{{cite video |date=2010-06-12 |title=Antique's Roadshow: 1953 Charlie Douglass "Laff Box" |url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/201001A13.html |format=flash |language=English |publisher=WGBH Boston |location=Boston, USA |accessdate=2011-02-09 }}</ref> |
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The modern "laff box" consists of a digital device approximately the size of a laptop computer and contains hundreds of human sounds.<ref name="Washpost"/> |
The modern "laff box" consists of a digital device approximately the size of a laptop computer and contains hundreds of human sounds.<ref name="Washpost"/> |
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Revision as of 16:17, 8 June 2012
Charles Douglass | |
|---|---|
| File:DouglassCharlie1950s.jpg | |
| Born | Charles Rolland Douglass January 2, 1910 |
| Died | April 8, 2003 (aged 93) |
| Other names | Charley Douglass |
| Spouse | Dorothy Dunn |
Charles "Charley" Douglass (January 2, 1910 – April 8, 2003), born Charles Rolland Douglass, was an American sound engineer, credited as the inventor of the laugh track.
Early years
Douglass was born in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1910 to an American family.[1] His father was an engineer on assignment there, and eventually relocated the family to Nevada. Douglass graduated from the University of Nevada with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, and eventually found work as a sound engineer with CBS Radio in Los Angeles. During World War II, Douglass served in the Navy and worked in Washington with engineers developing shipboard radar systems.
The "laff box"
 | This section is written like a personal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essay that states a Wikipedia editor's personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic. (September 2010) |
Before television, audiences often experienced comedy in the presence of other audience members. Television producers attempted to recreate this atmosphere in its early days by introducing the sound of laughter or other crowd reactions into the soundtrack of television programs. However, live audiences could not be relied upon to laugh at the correct moment.[2] Douglass noticed this problem, and took it upon himself to remedy the situation.[3] If a joke did not get the desired chuckle, Douglass inserted additional laughter. If the live audience chuckled for too long, Douglass gradually muted the laughter. This editing technique became known as "sweetening," in which pre-recorded laughter is used to augment the response of the real studio audience if they did not react as strongly as desired.[3]
At first, Douglass's technique was used sparingly on live shows like The Jack Benny Program; as a result, its invention went by unnoticed.[4] By the end of the 1950s, live comedy transitioned from film to videotape, which allowed for editing during post-production. However, by editing a prerecorded live show, bumps and gaps were present in the soundtrack.[5] Douglass was again called upon to "bridge or fill" these gaps. Both performers and producers gradually began to realize the power behind prerecorded laughter. Comedian Milton Berle, while witnessing a post-production editing session, once said, "as long as we are here, this joke didn't get all that we wanted." After Douglass inserted a guffaw after a failed joke, Berle reportedly commented, "See? I told you it was funny."[2] Douglass went from enhancing a soundtrack to literally reorchestrating audience reactions.[4]
By the early 1960s, live television sitcoms became cost prohibitive, and Douglass was brought in to simulate an entire audience. Shows like Bewitched, The Munsters and The Beverly Hillbillies are virtually showcases of Douglass' editing skill; the more outlandish the show, the more invasive Douglass made the audience reaction. Conversely, low-key shows, like The Andy Griffith Show, The Brady Bunch and My Three Sons, allowed Douglass to keep the audience responses at a minimum, and resulted in quicker and simpler editing jobs.
The practice of simulating an audience reaction was controversial from the very beginning. Douglass was well aware that a laugh track was maligned by critics and writers, but also knew using it became standard practice and a commodity in the industry.[1] From the late 1950s to the early 1970s, Douglass had a monopoly on the expensive and painstaking "laff" business.[6] As TV Guide critic Dick Hobson put it in 1966, Douglass was "the only laugh game in town."[7]
From the late 1950s to the early 1970s, Charley Douglass had a monopoly on the expensive and painstaking "laff" business.[6] By 1960, nearly every prime time show in America was sweetened by Douglass. When it came time to "lay in the laughs", the producer would direct Douglass where and when to insert the type of laugh requested.[7] Inevitably, arguments arose between Douglass and the producer, but in the end, the producer generally won.[7] After taking his directive, Douglass would then go to work at creating the audience, out of sight from the producer or anyone else present at the studio.[7]
As a TV Guide critic put it in July 1966, the Douglass family were "the only laugh game in town."[7] Very few in the industry ever witnessed Douglass using his invention, as he was notoriously secretive about his work[8], and was one of the most talked about men in the television industry.[4] The Douglass family operated out of their padlocked garage in the San Fernando Valley.[7] When their services were needed, they would wheel the device into the editing room, plug it in, and go to work.[7] Production studios became accustomed to seeing Douglass shuttling from studio to studio to mix in his manufactured laughs during post-production.[6]
The one-of-a-kind device—affectionately known throughout the industry as the "laff box"—was tightly secured with padlocks, stood more than two feet tall, and operated like an organ. Only immediate members of the family knew what the inside actually looked like[7] (at one time, the "laff box" was called "the most sought after but well-concealed box in the world").[4] Since more than one member of the Douglass family was involved in the editing process, it was natural for one member to react differently to a joke than another. Charley himself was the most conservative of all, so producers would put in bids for other family members who were more liberal in their choice of laughs.[7]
Douglass used a keyboard to select the style, gender and age of the laugh as well as a foot pedal to time the length of the reaction. Inside the machine was an endless array of recorded chuckles, yocks, and belly laughs; exactly 320 laughs on 32 tape loops, 10 to a loop. Each loop contained 10 individual audience laughs spliced end-to-end, whirling around simultaneously waiting to be cued up.[7] Since the tapes were looped, laughs were played in the same order repeatedly. Sound engineers would watch sitcoms and knew exactly which recurrent guffaws were next, even if they were viewing an episode for the first time. Frequently, Douglass would combine different laughs, either long or short in length. Attentive viewers could spot when he decided to mix chuckles together to give the effect of a more diverse audience.[4]
Douglass also had an array of audience clapping, "oohs" and "ahhhs", as well as people moving in their seats (which many producers insisted be constantly audible).[7] There was also a 30-second "titter" track in the loop, which consisted of individual people laughing quietly. This "titter" track was used to quiet down a laugh and was always playing in the background. When Douglass inserted a hearty laugh, he increased the volume of the titter track to smooth out the final mix. This titter track was expanded to 45 seconds in 1967 and would receive overhauls every few years (1964, 1967, 1970); Douglass also kept the recordings fresh, making minor changes every few months, as he believed that the viewing audience was gradually changing.[7] A man's deep laugh would be switched for a new woman's laugh, or a high-pitched woman's giggle would be replaced with a man's snicker.[4] One producer noticed a recurrent laugh of a woman whom he called "the jungle lady" because of her high-pitched shriek. After regularly complaining to Douglass, the laugh was retired from the regular lineup.[7]
Douglass knew his material very well, as he had compiled it himself. He had dozens of reactions, and he knew where to find each one. On most occasions, he would slightly speed up the reactions to heighten the effect. Douglass’s work was crisp and clean, and was considered a craft by many in the television industry.[8] He not only had an ear for inserting laughs, but he also possessed a terrific memory. Over the years, Douglass would add new recordings as well as revive old ones that had been retired and then retire the newer tracks. Laughter heard in sitcoms of the early 1960s resurfaced years later in the late 1970s.[8]
Douglass' "laff box" was unearthed in 2010. It was later discussed in detail in a June 2010 episode of Antiques Roadshow, where its historical value was appraised at $10,000.[9]
The modern "laff box" consists of a digital device approximately the size of a laptop computer and contains hundreds of human sounds.[6]
Later years and death
Douglass retired in 1980. He died of pneumonia on April 8, 2003 in Templeton, California at age 93.[6] A memorial service was held in Laguna Beach.
Personal life
Douglass was married for 62 years to Dorothy Dunn Douglass. They had two sons, one of whom (Bob) currently operates Northridge Electronics.
Achievements
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences honored Douglass with a 1992 Emmy for lifetime technical achievement.[6]
See also
References
- ^ a b variety.com
- ^ a b Kitman, Marvin. "Don't Make Me Laugh," Channels of Communication, August/September 1981
- ^ a b Levin, Eric. "Who does all that laughing?" TV Guide, 8 April 1978
- ^ a b c d e f Iverson, Paul: "The Advent of the Laugh Track" Hofstra University archives; February 1994.
- ^ "The Talk of the Town: Laughs," The New Yorker 10 September 1984.
- ^ a b c d e f Washington Post Thursday, April 24, 2003; Page B06: "Charles Douglass, 93; Gave TV Its Laugh Track"
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Hobson, Dick. "The Hollywood Sphinx and his Laff Box". TV Guide, 2 July 1966 Cite error: The named reference "Hobson" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b c "Canned Laughter: A History Reconstructed. Interview with Ben Glenn II, Television Historian" at andheresthekicker.com
- ^ Antique's Roadshow: 1953 Charlie Douglass "Laff Box" (flash). Boston, USA: WGBH Boston. 2010-06-12. Retrieved 2011-02-09.