Filed Under Entrepreneurs

Cinecraft Productions

The Historic Film Company Produced by a Love Story

When, as Americans, we look back at the decade of the 1930s, we often see only the Great Depression. It was a calamitous time for the country and it may be difficult for us to imagine that anything good actually occurred during it. People, we may think, didn't thrive during this decade. At best, they just survived. But for the two people who are at the center of this story, the decade of the 1930s was the one in which events conspired to bring them together in Cleveland; to allow them to fall in love; and to finally inspire them, just as they started their life together, to take a huge risk and start their own industrial motion picture company. Today, more than 80 years later, that company—Cinecraft Productions, Inc.—is still in business and, according to the Hagley Museum and Library in Wilmington, Delaware, is now the oldest surviving industrial film company in the United States.

First, a few words about industrial films, otherwise known as sponsored or non-theatrical films. These were films produced for the benefit of, and paid for by, private sector companies, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, the federal government, or state or local governments. In the first half of the twentieth century, the making of such films by motion picture companies developed into a large industry in the United States. Thousands of such films were produced in this period, many more than the number of entertainment films produced in Hollywood during the same period.

Some industrial films were produced to promote the products of large industrial and utility companies like General Electric, Standard Oil of Ohio (Sohio), Ohio Bell and Westinghouse; others to train industrial workers at steel mills, auto factories and other production sites; others to train members of the United States military on how to perform their duties; and still others to alert the public to a health risk or other public emergency. In the years before televisions became available in the United States to the general public, many of these films were shown in movie theaters as a prelude to the main attraction.

The story of the two people who founded Cinecraft Productions is itself worthy of a film. One of the two was Elizabeth "Betty" Buehner. She was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1914. Her father Albin was a soldier who fought in the Great War, as World War I was called at that time. After the war ended, he came home to his wife Franziska and five-year old daughter, and together they experienced the financial and psychological trauma that many German families experienced in the aftermath of that war. Hoping for a better life, Betty's parents decided to immigrate to the United States. Her father traveled first, arriving in Cleveland in 1922, where, according to family lore, his brother found him work as a laborer on theTerminal Tower project. In 1923, the now nine-year old Betty and her mother joined him here. While the Buehner family may have been very optimistic in the first years after their arrival, things didn't turn out for them the way they hoped.

The family struggled to make ends meet and then, in 1928, Betty's mother died suddenly. Her father found himself unable to care for a teenage daughter and sent her off to live with and work as a nanny, first for a family in Shaker Heights and then later for one in Lakewood. Betty survived it all and, in the process, learned to speak English so well that, according to her son, years later no one could detect even a hint of a German accent when she spoke. She attended Lakewood High where she was active in a number of school organizations, graduating in 1934. Before long, the resourceful and hard-working young woman found employment and was living on her own. And then, just a few years out of high school, she landed the job which would change her life. Through a connection she had made as a nanny in Shaker Heights, she was hired to work as a film editor (then called a "cutter") for Tri-State Motion Picture Company, a pioneer industrial film production company whose offices were then located in the Rockefeller Building in downtown Cleveland. Betty Buehner was working there in 1938 when she met Ray Culley.

Raymond "Ray" Culley came from a very different world. He was born in Norwalk, Ohio, in 1904, the oldest son of working-class parents whose families had lived in Norwalk for several generations. Ray dropped out of school in his teens and went to work as a watchmaker's apprentice. In the 1920s, he worked in jewelry stores in Norwalk, Columbus, and West Virginia. In this early work, he demonstrated creativity and a willingness to take risks to succeed. While working in West Virginia, he taught himself how to fly a plane so that he could perform aerial stunts that would not only impress potential customers but also demonstrate the durability of his product.

In 1930, after the economy collapsed and the country lurched into the Great Depression, Ray found himself thinking that perhaps the only people who could now afford to buy his jewelry were Hollywood actors. So, the 26-year-old bought a car and drove across the country to southern California. Once there, he didn't sell jewelry for very long, as he soon found more profitable work at some of Hollywood's early motion picture studios. He first worked as an actor, landing bit roles in Westerns which featured big-name actors like Gene Autry, Hoot Gibson and Hopalong Cassidy. But later, in the way that things sometimes go in Hollywood, he found himself on the other end of the camera, first as a production assistant and then an assistant director. He was working in that latter capacity in 1937 when Tri-State contacted Republic Pictures, where Ray was then working, looking for a director. Tri-State's director, Jack T. Flanagan, had died in October 1936 following a film-shooting accident and the company needed someone to direct an industrial film that the company had contracted to produce for General Electric. Republic dispatched Ray to Cleveland where he directed that film, titled "From Now On." Tri-State must have been impressed by the young director, because, before Ray could return to Hollywood, he was hired as Tri-State's new director. And it was there that Ray Culley met Betty Buehner.

Their sons don't know—and it's unlikely that anyone now still living knows—the complete story of how, when and why the two Tri-State employees fell in love. What we do know is this. Shortly after Ray's arrival at Tri-State, Betty left the company and moved to New York where she hoped to learn more about the film editing business. As part of his duties with Tri-State, Ray was required to make regular trips to New York to have new industrial films edited. Ray and Betty likely met in New York during these trips, because, in the spring of 1939, Ray made a special trip to New York and, on that trip, the two married. They then returned to Cleveland where, after a very short period, they founded the company they called Cinecraft Productions.

In 1999, some sixty years later, Ray's younger brother Paul stated in an interview that Ray and Betty started Cinecraft Productions because Ray had had a "falling out" with Tri-State. It is not known whether this "falling out" preceded his marriage to Betty, but the two certainly were ready with a plan when they returned to Cleveland. Ray's father lent the newlyweds $1500—the equivalent of approximately $30,000 today—to purchase a camera and tripod. Betty persuaded Ray that he should shoot movies with 16mm film, instead of the traditional 35mm, as she believed it was the future for industrial films. And the two quickly went into business together, at first operating Cinecraft Productions out of their west side apartment, but later out of an office and studio in the Card Building, which then stood on St. Clair Avenue East, near Ontario Street, where the Cleveland Marriott Hotel at Key Tower stands today.

In the same year that Ray and Betty Culley started their business, they successfully produced their first film. Titled "You Bet Your Life," it was made for the Cleveland Railway Company and designed to alert riders about the rules of safety while traveling on the company's streetcars. In time, other businesses came their way, some via advertising companies impressed with the couple. Ray's artful script work, skillful directing and affable personality, coupled with Betty's knowledge of film editing, frugality and business management skills, made the two an early era power couple in Cleveland industrial filmmaking. It enabled them to survive the early years, as difficult as they may have been, and to then begin growing their business from the ground up.

In the 1940s, Betty Culley was presented with a new challenge as she gave birth to the couple's twin boys in 1944 and then to a third son several years later. She continued to work for Cinecraft Productions, the 1950 federal census listing her as an "executive" with the company. Her sons, looking back to when they were children, remember the nanny who came to their house in Rocky River to watch them, allowing their mom to jump into her car to drive to the company's offices and attend to . . . well, to whatever needed her attention. In 1947 that drive became a little shorter after the company purchased the historic building at 2515 Franklin Boulevard on the west side of Cleveland and moved all of its operations there. The Culleys remodeled the building—which was designed and built to house Cleveland Public Library's first branch library—creating a large studio and offices for the company's art work, film editing, and other departments.

The Culleys operated Cinecraft Productions from this west side location for decades, creating hundreds of quality industrial films for entities like the City of Cleveland, the Cleveland Transit System, Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, Republic Steel, Westinghouse, Sohio, General Electric, and many other business and government organizations. Along the way, the company became one of the early pioneers in the film industry to use three cameras with teleprompters operating in synch with each other to shoot the same movie scene from three different angles. The industrial films that Cinecraft Productions produced often featured local talent from the Cleveland Play House, but the company was also able to land some big names from Hollywood and other parts of the country. The list of actors and other notables who traveled to Cleveland to be in industrial films directed by Ray Culley included Basil Rathbone, Merv Griffin, Joe E. Brown, Don Ameche, Danny Kaye, Joel Grey, Tim Conway, Ernie Anderson (Ghoulardi), and future United States presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan.

In 1970, Ray and Betty Culley retired, selling Cinecraft Productions to Ray's younger brother Paul. In 1986, Paul, after 16 years of ownership in which he guided the company in its transition from 16mm films to video films, retired too. Cinecraft Productions was then purchased by a company employee, Neil McCormick, and his wife Maria Keckan. McCormick and Keckan shepherded in another major change in the company's history by transitioning it from video to digital media production, and positioning the company to become a local leader in the production of e-learning courses.

The love story of Ray and Betty Culley, which produced Cinecraft Productions, Inc., came to an end in 1983 when Ray died. Betty went on to live for almost three more decades before dying at the age of 102 in 2016. Today, as noted earlier, Cinecraft Productions is believed to be the longest surviving industrial film company in the United States. This suggests that not only does love conquer all, but sometimes it also survives all too.


Video

General Electric: Bulbsnatchers Commercial for General Electric's "anti-bulbsnatching" campaign. A man named Henry falls down the stairs in his home and laments that the hallway is too dark. His wife reminds him that he's the one who "snatched" the hallway lightbulb to use in the garage. A cartoon lightbulb appears and directs Henry to GE's new handy four-lamp pack, which will prevent future "bulbsnatching." "Beat bulbsnatchers to the draw." Source: Cinecraft Production films (Accession 2019.227). Hagley Museum and Library. Creator: Cinecraft Productions Date: 1956
Ohio Bell: Under Phoned Home Advertisement for Ohio Bell color extension telephones. "An underphoned home is a wearisome thing." Source: Cinecraft Production films (Accession 2019.227). Hagley Museum and Library. Creator: Cinecraft Productions Date: 1966
Cleveland Illuminating Company: City of Cleveland advertisement Advertisement encouraging business executives to consider Cleveland as a location for their new or expanding enterprises. Source: Cinecraft Production films (Accession 2019.227). Hagley Museum and Library. Creator: Cinecraft Productions Date: 1966
Highlight Reel: The Cinecraft Productions Collection at the Hagley Library Film clips from the Cinecraft Productions Collections at the Hagley Library Source: Hagley Museum and Library. YouTube. Creator: Hagley Museum and Library Date: 2021

Images

Ray and Betty Culley working together (circa 1940)
Ray and Betty Culley working together (circa 1940) In this photograph, Ray and Betty Culley are shown filming one of Cinecraft Productions' early movies. Betty reviews the script for the movie while Ray focuses behind the camera. Source: Hagley Museum and Library, Cinecraft Productions Collection
The Cinecraft Building
The Cinecraft Building The historic building was designed in 1897 by John Eisenmann, who with architect George Smith co-designed the Arcade in downtown Cleveland. The Cinecraft Building originally served as home to Cleveland Public Library's West Side Branch, which was the first branch library of the Cleveland Public Library. Later, the building's interior was substantially altered and remodeled after it was purchased by the Chamber of Industry, an organization founded to advance the interests of West Side businessman. In the 1930s and early 1940s, the building, which featured a large auditorium, was owned by several different organizations which used it as a headquarters. In 1947, it was purchased by Cinecraft Productions, Inc. and converted into a film studio. This photo was taken in circa 1900 when the building housed the West Side branch of Cleveland Public Library. Source: Cleveland Public Library, Photograph Collection
Franziska Voll Buehner with daughter Elisabeth
Franziska Voll Buehner with daughter Elisabeth This photo of Betty Buehner Culley—three or four years old at the time—with her mother was taken in Germany in 1918. Four years later, the family began its immigration journey to America. Source: Jim Culley
. . . . It takes a licking . . .
. . . . It takes a licking . . . Ray Culley was ahead of his times in many ways. In this circa 1928 photograph, Culley (right) is handed a piece of jewelry—probably a watch—which he will later take into the sky and drop from his plane in order to demonstrate its durability. Later, in the 1950s, Timex, an American watch manufacturing company, would begin airing its popular TV commercials that demonstrated the durability of its products in similar ways. Source: Jim Culley
Cinecraft's First Film
Cinecraft's First Film In 1939, Cinecraft Productions made its first industrial film, entitled "You Bet your Life." It was produced for the Cleveland Railway Co. to inform passengers how to ride safely on the company's street cars. This photo still from the film shows the cast of actors and film crew. If you look carefully, you can see director Ray Culley peering out from behind the camera. Source: Hagley Museum and Library, Cinecraft Productions Collection
Ready?  Action!
Ready? Action! In this circa 1940 photograph, Ray Culley is shown riding down a road on the hood of a car with his camera and tripod. Ray's father mortgaged the family home in Norwalk, Ohio, in 1939 so he could loan Ray the $1,500 he needed to buy that equipment and start his film production company. In 2023 dollars, the value of that loan today would be about $30,000. Source: Hagley Museum and Library, Cinecraft Productions Collection.
Doing whatever it took
Doing whatever it took This photo still is from the 1941 Cinecraft Production's industrial film, "It happened in the Kitchen," which featured Betty Culley in the role of a young American housewife. In the early years, Ray and Betty Culley were required to fill many different roles in their company. The film was sponsored by an organization called The Modern Kitchen Bureau. Source: Hagley Museum and Library, Cinecraft Productions Collection
At work in the studio
At work in the studio In this 1941 photograph, Ray (center) and Betty Culley are seen working on the filming of an industrial movie for Hercules Powder Company, titled "Our Part of the Job." Source: Hagley Museum and Library, Cinecraft Productions Collection
Atop the Terminal Tower
Atop the Terminal Tower Ray Culley is shown in this 1941 photograph filming a scene for an unidentified movie from atop the Terminal Tower in downtown Cleveland. Source: Hagley Museum and Library, Cinecraft Productions Collection
The Cinecraft Productions team in 1945
The Cinecraft Productions team in 1945 This poster graphically shows the growth of Cinecraft Productions, Inc., in the mid 1940s. By 1945, the film company employed at least 15 persons filling various positions required to produce films. Notably missing from this poster is Betty Culley, who may have been on leave from the company while recovering from giving birth to twin boys in June 1944. Source: Hagley Museum and Library, Cinecraft Productions Collection
"It all adds up." (1945)
"It all adds up." (1945) This is an advertisement for the above-entitled industrial film produced by Cinecraft Productions for Westinghouse in 1945. Source: Hagley Museum and Library, Cinecraft Productions Collection
Franklin Auditorium
Franklin Auditorium From about 1940 until 1946, the building at 2515 Franklin Boulevard was known as Franklin Auditorium. Its owner, Marie Adams, operated it as a public hall and rented out its auditorium to organizations for their events. In 1947, the year after this photo was taken, the building was purchased by Cinecraft Productions and converted into a film studio. Source: Cleveland Public LIbrary, Photo Collection
Merry Christmas from Cinecraft Productions!
Merry Christmas from Cinecraft Productions! In 1947, Cinecraft Productions created this holiday card to send to customers. Source: Hagley Museum and Library, Cinecraft Productions Collection
Creating a Studio
Creating a Studio In this circa 1947 photo, workers are in the process of converting the auditorium in the building at 2515 Franklin Boulevard into a motion picture studio. Source: Hagley Museum and Library, Cinecraft Productions Collection
There's no place like home
There's no place like home Ray and Betty Culley often adapted and used their personal items in industrial films that they produced. And that included their house at 21271 Morewood Parkway in Rocky River. In 1948, the house was used in the shooting of the film "Miracle on Mulberry Street," an industrial film sponsored by Seiberling Rubber Company. Source: Hagley Museum and Library, Cinecraft Productions Collection
"Milestones of Motoring" (1959)
"Milestones of Motoring" (1959) This photograph shows the cast and crew for the above titled industrial film which was produced by Cinecraft Productions in 1959 for Standard Oil of Ohio (Sohio), today British Petroleum Company (BP). Included in the cast were later long-time television show host Merv Griffin (top left sitting to the left of the woman wearing a flowery hat) and comedian Joe E. Brown, standing in the middle with straw hat in hand. Cinecraft Productions, Inc. owner and director Ray Culley (to the right with suit and bowtie) is also in the photo. Source: Jim Culley
Magnificat
Magnificat In 1954, Cinecraft Productions made a movie for the centennial of the Sisters of the Holy Humility of Mary, a Catholic order founded in France. Paul Culley, according to an interview he gave in 1999, came up with the name of the movie "Magnificat," which refers to a hymn about the Virgin Mary used in Catholic liturgy. The Order later decided to use the name of the film when the following year it founded Magnificat High School in Rocky River, Ohio. Shown in the photograph along with two nuns from the Order are scriptwriter Frank Siedel (left) and Ray Culley (center). Source: Hagley Museum and Library, Cinecraft Productions Collection
Shooting a Film for Westinghouse
Shooting a Film for Westinghouse This 1954 photograph shows Cinecraft Productions shooting the industrial film titled "A Fan Family Album" for Westinghouse Electric Corp., a longtime manufacturing company in Cleveland. This segment of the film was shot at the Cinecraft Productions studio at 2515 Franklin Boulevard. Source: Hagley Museum and Library, Cinecraft Productions Collection
Cinecraft Productions Film Crew (1959)
Cinecraft Productions Film Crew (1959) This photograph shows members of the Cinecraft Productions film crew in 1959. Identified in the photo are Robert Welchans (kneeling right), longtime Cinecraft Productions movie director, and Harry Horrocks (with right hand on camera), a cameraman who worked decades at the company. Also shown in the photograph is the company's mobile generator truck. Source: Hagley Museum and Library, Cinecraft Productions Collection
Raymond F. Culley (1904-1983)
Raymond F. Culley (1904-1983) Co-founder of Cinecraft Productions, Inc., Ray Culley poses near one of his cameras with a script tucked under his arm in this 1960 photograph. As a cinematographer, he was among the early pioneers in the film industry who, in his movies, used three cameras with teleprompters in synch with each other to shoot the same scene from three different angles. Source: Hagley Museum and Library, Cinecraft Productions Collection
Chet Huntley comes to Cleveland
Chet Huntley comes to Cleveland Legendary NBC newscaster Chet Huntley (right), best known for his work with David Brinkley in the 1956-1970 news program known as the Huntley-Brinkley report, studies a script with Ray Culley (left) in this 1962 photograph taken at the Cinecraft Productions studio. Source: Hagley Museum and Library, Cinecraft Productions Collection
Future President Richard Nixon listens to Ray Culley
Future President Richard Nixon listens to Ray Culley in this 1966 photo, taken just two years before he was elected President of the United States, Richard Nixon sits at a desk in the Cinecraft Productions Studio in Cleveland, listening to Ray Culley as the latter gives him instructions for a scene in the Republic Steel sponsored movie entitled "Why Politics." Source: Hagley Museum and Library, Cinecraft Productions Collection
The Cinecraft Building today
The Cinecraft Building today The historic Cinecraft Building has stood on the south side of Franklin Boulevard, just west of that streets intersection with West 25th Street, since 1897. This photo of the front of the building was taken in 2021. Source: Google Maps

Location

2515 Franklin Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44113

Metadata

Jim Dubelko, “Cinecraft Productions,” Cleveland Historical, accessed May 13, 2024, https://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/999.