This Day in History (1955): Cinerama Crews To 'Shoot' Area

From the Jan. 5, 1955, edition of the Arabian Sun and Flare

Cinerama crews are slated to photograph Dhahran and the adjacent area, including Tapline, for a Cinerama production on the "seven modern wonders of the world" this week.

Radio commentator Lowell Thomas, who heads Lowell Thomas Productions, flew in to Dhahran Dec. 27, saw the King on the 28th, and left for Pakistan via Bahrain on the 29th.

After discussing the project with the King, Thomas contacted his ground crew, which uses a DC-4 in Aden, and this crew flew to Riyadh to shoot various scenes, including a camel race and Nassiriyah Palace.

Thomas said the production's episode in Arabia will show "the Arabia of the Arabian Knights in juxtaposition with the modern Arabia."

In addition to the 14-man crew with the DC-4, there is a B-25 crew for aerial shots.

Caption from top photo: Lowell Thomas (center, who heads up the Cinerama company "shooting" in Arabia, arrives at Dhahran for a two-day visit At left is president R.L. Keyes, and to the right, Air Base executive officer Col. George Humbrecht.

Also on this date

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1822 — The Government of Central America votes for total annexation to the First Mexican Empire