This Date in Panavision History: February 18

On Thursday, Feb. 18, 1954, Panavision officially became incorporated. Led by Robert Gottschalk and Richard Moore, the company had six co-founders in all, with Harry Eller, William Mann, Meredith Nicholson and Walter Wallin rounding out the group. Wallin would soon thereafter invent Panavision’s patented prism anamorphic system, which was famously used in the company’s APO Panatar 1.25x anamorphic optics.

February is an auspicious month in Panavision history. The very first C Series lens was completed on Feb. 13, 1967. That same lens remains in Panavision’s active rental inventory to this day, and C Series anamorphics continue to be a favorite choice for cinematographers. Historical credits include Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, shot by Conrad L. Hall, ASC; Jaws, shot by Bill Butler, ASC; and the original Star Wars, shot by Gilbert Taylor, BSC. Most recently (as of this writing), Kramer Morgenthau, ASC, chose C Series lenses for the Marvel feature Captain America: Brave New World.

Every piece of equipment in Panavision’s rental inventory contains a legacy. Each lens, each camera, each accessory is imbued with the creativity and passion of the crews who have used it before. And every time this gear goes out on a new job and passes through another crew member’s hands, that legacy continues to grow.