Richard M Roberts wrote: . . . it is amazing to know that you could actually read Harold Lloyd’s mind in the exact running speeds that he wanted his films run apart from 24 fps. Gaylord Carter told me that Lloyd always wanted his films run at 24 fps, period, and when playing for them he demanded that speed even when more rheostatic flexibility was available. I think Gaylord knew Harold better than you did, and certainly worked with those films a lot longer, though perhaps he couldn’t pierce the veil and read his mind. And to the Lloyd Estates credit, the speeds on their last Lloyd DVD set were for the most part fine (too slow on some of the one-reelers, the features were good).
Never claimed to be able to read Harold Lloyd's mind, only that I had conversations with him on the topic of film speeds, and that he preferred 24 fps to then available alternatives. He was well aware that 24 fps did not always reflect the speeds at which the features had originally been projected--but he preferred 24 to other options availavble at the time. As for variable speed projection, back in the 1960s such capability didn't really exist. Nor did full frame projection. (Yes, there were exceptions, but you could count them on the pitching hand of Three-Finger Brown). Lloyd was interested in making sure his pictures would play as well as they could with the technologies then available. So, no step printing, and rather than leave the films to the mercies of whatever aperture plates and lenses a theater might have, he prepared "window box" prints with the original Full Frame image reduced to 1.85 safe with matted-in curtains right and left of the image to avoid black on the sides.
Also never claimed that I knew Harold Lloyd as well or as long as Gaylord Carter knew Harold Lloyd, which was about 45 years. I first met Lloyd in 1963, but can't claim to have really known him before 1969. But, to respond to your irrelevancy with one of my own, I'm reasonably certain that I knew Gaylord Carter longer than you did (37 years). What I was able to do was to sit in on many of the scoring sessions that Gaylord did for Lloyd. The films were scored reel by reel, with Gaylord improvising and then Lloyd would often make comments and suggestions and Gaylord would go for another take. As I have mentioned before elsewhere, this was really the last creative film work that Harold Lloyd did. His desire was to have scores that would reflect what audiences had heard in the 1920s. There was no mind reading involved, Lloyd was very articulate about these points.
Awwwwww-----did you hear that you bitches in Cell Block 11! He misses me!
Well, if you miss me so damn much, one public apology and a retraction on Nitrateville would wipe the slate clean (careful Roberts, if he does it, you’d actually have to be nice to him again). I still won’t come to Cinecon unless you actually show something I want to see, but at least I’d nod to you if we’re passing each other in a Theater Aisle.
And see, I was right, book sales are not affected by personal likes and dislikes.
RICHARD M ROBERTS
On a scale of one to ten, ten being best, I'd have to say maybe a three, and rather than apologize for some imagined slight I may or may not have committed, I'll just borrow a quote and say that "Love means never having to say you're sorry" and let it go at that. Have a good life, Richard, and don't break your arm patting yourself on the back.
Looking forward to reading your book. I'f you'll sell me one in Culpepper, I'll buy it. If not I'll order it from Jack Hardy when he makes it available.