Edward Bernds papers, 1928-1972

Edward Ludwig Bernds was a mid-20th century sound technician, and a small budget director for multiple films, most famously the Three Stooges Films. He was born in Chicago, Illinois in July 12, 1905 where at a young age he found his calling for sound. While a junior in high school, Bernds and some friends formed a small radio club, where he obtained an amateur license. This led to him getting a job after he graduated, as chief operator at Chicago’s WENR. The late 1920s brought a change into the sound scene. This led Bernds to move to Hollywood, where he became a sound technician for United Artists. Edward Bernds left United Artists not long after moving to Hollywood. He joined Columbia Pictures, where he would work for many of Frank Capra’s 1930s classics. He wanted more, and after a chance conversation with Frank Capra, he approached Harry Cohn, president of Columbia Pictures, who agreed to give Bernds the chance to become a director. After directing many films for Columbia Pictures he resigned due to Columbia’s downsizing in 1953, but continued to direct films for Allied Artists until he retired. Bernds was one of the first sound technicians in the Hollywood motion picture film industry. He was responsible for mixing the sound of many early movies and was said to support movies with an array of brilliantly edited, split-second-timed sound effects that gave his work its own identity. Even when Bernds moved into the director’s chair, his work had its own sound. After many successful movies Bernds retired, eventually writing an autobiography titled, “Mr. Bernds Goes to Hollywood,” in 1999 that details his pre-director years. Bernds died on May 20, 2000, in Van Nuys, California.