ER
Elmer Raguse
Additional Credits
Born May 9, 1901Died March 2, 1972 (70 years)
RAGUSE, ELMER (Elmer Roy Raguse) Born May 9, 1901, Springfield, Massachusetts. A ham radio enthusiast at 16, Raguse was a chief telegraph
operator on ships for the Marconi Wireless Company before joining the phonograph record industry in 1924. He designed the first electrical recording system for Bell Telephone and installed it for Columbia Records and the Victor Talking Machine Company, which hired him as Assistant Supervisor of Recording; Raguse designed and built portable recording equipment used by Victor around the world. In 1928, Elmer supervised the recording of music and effects scores for the last of the L&H and Our Gang silents at Victor’s studios in Camden, New Jersey. He was sent to the Roach studios in Culver City to install sound recording equipment, and also insulate and redesign the stages. Raguse worked on 30 L&H films, sometimes without credit, and also recorded the sound for most of the foreign-language pictures. He remained as chief sound engineer until Henry Ginsberg fired him in a cost-cutting move in December 1931. Raguse worked at Fox and for radio producer C.P. MacGregor until Roach rehired him in January 1934; he remained there through 1957. He then worked for Desilu and finally returned to theatrical films with 20th Century-Fox. He retired to Florida in 1967. His work on Topper, Of Mice and Men, and other films earned him five Oscar nominations for sound recording and two for special effects. Elmer’s brother Roy and nephew Richard also worked at the Roach studio. Died of heart failure March 2, 1972, Palm Beach, Florida; age 70.
operator on ships for the Marconi Wireless Company before joining the phonograph record industry in 1924. He designed the first electrical recording system for Bell Telephone and installed it for Columbia Records and the Victor Talking Machine Company, which hired him as Assistant Supervisor of Recording; Raguse designed and built portable recording equipment used by Victor around the world. In 1928, Elmer supervised the recording of music and effects scores for the last of the L&H and Our Gang silents at Victor’s studios in Camden, New Jersey. He was sent to the Roach studios in Culver City to install sound recording equipment, and also insulate and redesign the stages. Raguse worked on 30 L&H films, sometimes without credit, and also recorded the sound for most of the foreign-language pictures. He remained as chief sound engineer until Henry Ginsberg fired him in a cost-cutting move in December 1931. Raguse worked at Fox and for radio producer C.P. MacGregor until Roach rehired him in January 1934; he remained there through 1957. He then worked for Desilu and finally returned to theatrical films with 20th Century-Fox. He retired to Florida in 1967. His work on Topper, Of Mice and Men, and other films earned him five Oscar nominations for sound recording and two for special effects. Elmer’s brother Roy and nephew Richard also worked at the Roach studio. Died of heart failure March 2, 1972, Palm Beach, Florida; age 70.
Elmer Raguse Filmography
| 1965 | The Reward · as Sound |
| 1965 | Von Ryan's Express · as Sound |
| 1965 | John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! · as Sound |
| 1965 | Dear Brigitte · as Sound |
| 1964 | Goodbye Charlie · as Sound |
| 1964 | The Pleasure Seekers · as Sound |
| 1964 | Shock Treatment · as Sound |
| 1964 | What a Way to Go! · as Sound |
| 1963 | Move Over, Darling · as Sound |
| 1948 | Inner Sanctum · as Sound Recordist |
| 1941 | Topper Returns · as Sound |
| 1937 | Way Out West · as Sound Supervisor |
| 1936 | General Spanky · as Sound |
| 1935 | Vagabond Lady · as Sound Engineer |
| 1932 | The Chimp · as Sound |
| 1932 | Any Old Port! · as Sound |
| 1932 | Helpmates · as Sound Recordist |
| 1931 | Hasty Marriage · as Sound |
| 1931 | Dogs Is Dogs · as Sound Recordist |
| 1931 | One Good Turn · as Sound |
| 1931 | Come Clean · as Sound |
| 1931 | Skip the Maloo! · as Sound |
| 1931 | Pardon Us · as Recording Supervision |
| 1931 | One of the Smiths · as Sound |
| 1931 | Rough Seas · as Sound Recordist |
| 1930 | Another Fine Mess · as Sound Recordist |
| 1930 | Noche de duendes · as Sound |
| 1930 | Teacher's Pet · as Sound Recordist |
| 1930 | The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case · as Sound Engineer |
| 1930 | Hog Wild · as Sound Recordist |
| 1930 | Bear Shooters · as Sound Engineer |
| 1930 | La vida nocturna · as Sound |
| 1930 | All Teed Up · as Sound |
| 1930 | When the Wind Blows · as Sound |
| 1930 | Brats · as Sound Recordist |
| 1930 | The First Seven Years · as Sound |
| 1930 | Blotto · as Sound |
| 1929 | Shivering Shakespeare · as Sound |
| 1929 | Moan & Groan, Inc. · as Recording Supervision |
| 1929 | Bouncing Babies · as Recording Supervision |
| 1929 | Boxing Gloves · as Sound Engineer |
| 1929 | |
| 1929 | Men O'War · as Sound |
| 1929 | Railroadin' · as Sound Engineer |
| 1929 | Small Talk · as Sound Engineer |