Albert Goodman

(1892-1963)

Albert Aaron Goodman was born 1 November 1892, eldest child of picture salesman Moss Goodman and his wife Sophia. Anglo-Jewish, the family had lived in London's East End for many generations. Albert started work as a travelling salesman for a piano company, but by 1921 was a self-employed travelling advertising contractor.

He married Annie Joseph in 1917, and daughter Sophia Peggy was born the following year.

In 1927 the company Advertiscope Ltd was formed by a group of Cardiff businessmen to manufacture the projection device invented by Sid Griffiths, Bert Bilby, creators of the Jerry the Terrible Tyke cartoons, and another projectionist only identified as Mr Alexander to show specially made silent advertising cartoons in shop windows. Albert Goodman had been supplying advertising films to cinemas and joined the company as Sales Manager, extending the promotion of the device to include cinema foyers, to entertain those queuing for tickets.

The initial interest in the Advertiscope looked promising, and Goodman decided to set up an animation studio to help Griffiths handle the expected amount of animation to service the device and also to provide normal cartoon advertising films for the cinema. In 1929 he formed the company Super-Ads, gathering together as many of the top animators of the day as he could and housing them in a studio at 29a Charing Cross Road.

Sid Griffiths and Brian White had formed a partnership, Griffiths and White, and were intent on making entertainment films, so to keep them onboard for the advertising work Goodman formed Comedy Cartoon Sound Film Company Ltd and produced their first cartoon, Tropical Breezes. Goodman ran Advertiscope Ltd, Super-Ads and C.C.S.F. Co Ltd from offices in Gloucester House, 19 Charing Cross Road.

The Advertiscope did not prove a success, and Advertiscope Ltd closed down towards the end of 1929.

Super-Ads would appear to have been one of Goodman's better ideas, so I imagine that it was a lack of investment, and the failure of Advertiscope Ltd, that forced him to close down the company at the end of 1930, along with the Comedy Cartoon Sound Film Company.

Albert Goodman does not appear to have made any further attempts at film production, returning to placing advertising films, becoming a director of a company employing travelling salesmen including his younger brother, Michael.

Albert and Annie seem to have separated in 1954. In 1957 Albert married Ivy Lucy Amy Platt.

Albert Aaron Goodman died on 5 December 1963.

Filmography

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