Joseph Freyer Westheimer

Joseph Westheimer was born in Los Angeles on May 18, 1916. His aunt was a secretary to Warner Bros. producer Bryan Foy, and young Joseph spent a lot of time at the studio with her, where he watched Al Jolson filming The Jazz Singer (1927). At age 15 Westheimer got a job as a studio messenger at Warners, then later moved to the prop department. After graduating as an electrical engineer from the California Institute of Technology, he went back to Warners, this time in the Special Effects Department under renowned cinematographer (and later director) Byron Haskin. Westheimer found his calling in the Effects Dept., and over the next few years designed and developed process screens and rear-projection equipment for the studio. During World War II he joined the army and was stationed at Hal Roach Studios (jokingly called "Fort Roach") in Culver City, where he photographed Army training and propaganda films. He went back to Warners after the war, but in 1947 moved over to Eagle-Lion Films.