PPLD Digital Collections

A group of men pose for a photo dressed in three-piece suits and comfortably gathered on a movie-studio living-room set. J. Don Alexander pets a dog on the left. Note on back reads "AF Co [Alexander Film Company] 1st training group Feb. 1924." 1

A group of motorcyclists compete at the Roswell race track, just north of Alexander Industries water tower in the background on North Nevada Avenue. 1

A makeup artist works on the face of an actress while surrounded by a camera crew. 1

A man at Alexander Film Company loads equipment for shooting a movie on location into an early 1950s GMC Suburban van bearing a 1957 Colorado license plate. 1

A man at Alexander Film Company loads equipment for shooting a movie on location into an early 1950s GMC Suburban van. 1

A man dressed in a suit and cap poses with a hand-cranked motion-picture camera mounted on a tripod. 1

A man dressed in a tuxedo and top hat addresses a crowd with the head of a rocking horse in the background. Identified on the back of the photograph as "Don Alexander, Jr." 1

A man holding a stack of punched data cards stands at a large Remington Rand numerical collator machine used to tabulate data at Alexander Film Company. Identified on back "Accounting Dept." 1

A man holds a Bell & Howell Optronic Eye Autoload 8 mm camera to his eye. 1

A man identified as John Bennett of Alexander Industries [on the right] jokes with the man on his left. 1

A man in a three-piece suit and holding a metal can for a reel of movie film stands in front of the Alexander Art Department and Laboratory building in Spokane. 1

A man sits at a desk operating Fish-Schurman Corporation audio tape duplication equipment. Identified on back as "Editing". "AFCO Alexander Film Co." in lower right corner of print. 1

A man sits on a stool at a desk while another man stands beside a desk. Both men have their backs to the camera. A sign that reads, "shot orders" is to the left of the man on the stool. 1

A man stands at a bank of multiple Magnasync recording amplifiers with film reels transferring soundtracks to motion picture film at Alexander Film Company. Identified on the back of the photograph as "Sound Dept." 1

A man stands at a bank of multiple RCA sound recording machines with film reels transferring soundtracks to motion picture film. Identified on the back of the photograph as "Sound Dept." "AFCO Alexander Film Co." in lower right corner of print. 1

A man wearing a white chef's uniform stands at a table in a kitchen preparing food. Identified on the back of the photograph 1

A motion picture camera on a small truck films a man and a boy standing in front of a tree. A boom microphone on a long pole hangs overhead while a production crew looks on. Identified on the back of the photograph as "Crew on location." 1

A portrait of J. Don Alexander (1885-1955) wearing a hat and fur-trimmed jacket and smoking a cigar. Note on back "J Don Alexander at time of founding Alexander Film Co 1919"--date is believed to be misidentified. 1

A portrait of J. Don Alexander holding a trophy. He is wearing a hat and a flower on the lapel of his suit jacket. 1

A portrait of J. Don Alexander sitting in the open cockpit of an airplane, wearing a backwards cap. 1

A shirtless man sits inside of a helicopter while a man in a plaid shirt leans in the doorway. Identified on the back of the photograph 1

A single-engine biplane flying overhead. Note on back reads "TravelAir, OX5-powered". 1

A single-engine biplane in flight. Note on back "Early Long-wing Alexander Eaglerock, ox5 engine". 1

A single-engine high-wing monoplane in flight with Pikes Peak in the background. Aircraft appears to have partial tail number of “077”. Written on the back of the photograph 1

A single-engine monoplane flying overhead. Note on back "Pike's Peak Air Commerce Ryan B-5, over Alexander airfield -- probably in the early 30's".. 1

A stern-looking motion-picture director and his film crew pose for a photo in a studio. One man operates a studio light above the head of the seated director who is flanked by two men operating hand-cranked motion-picture cameras mounted on tripods. 1

A woman sits at a desk splicing motion picture film. 1

A woman sits at a desk, paging through a rotary filing system. 1

A young girl poses on a movie set as a man operates a motion picture camera. The man with the pipe standing next to the cameraman is identified as Don M. Alexander. 1

A young man, identified as Louis Marold, pours a foamy beverage from a wooden keg into a carafe being held by a man in a suit at an Alexander Industries picnic. Other men are seen standing in the background at the outdoor event. 1

Abandoned fabrication buildings at the defunct Alexander Aircraft factory (production ceased in 1932) with automobiles from the early 1930s parked in front and hydrant in foreground. 1

Alexander Eaglerock biplane in flight with Pikes Peak in the background. These aircraft were built at the Alexander Aircraft Company factory in Colorado Springs in the late 1920s. 1

An actor and actress stand on a film set surrounded by men operation lights and motion picture cameras. 1

An airplane in flight near an airfield. 1

Artist's drawing of a film processing and drying room. 1

Artist’s drawing of a room where motion picture editing, art illustration and copy-camera activities are conducted 1

At the Colorado Aviation Historical Society (CAHS) Hall of Fame induction, 1972. Present are 1

Biplane parked in front of building in snowy field with cars parked around. Identified on the back of the photograph as, "Englewood flying field, four miles east of Englewood, used by Alexander Brothers." 1

Briefcase-sized wooden box sits on top of a desk. Item is identified as "The Alexander copying machine". 1

Caption under photo "The Studio Covers 26,000 Square Feet, Furnishing Ample Capacity for Staging the very Largest Productions". Handwritten under caption "Alexander Film Co Denver". 1

Collage of portraits of J. Don Alexander wearing boater hat (1885-1955) on left and Don M. Alexander as a child (1893-1971) on right with early slide projector on a card used to advertise in Keokuk, Iowa. 1

Don M. Alexander as a young boy. He is sitting on the steps of a porch holding a black dog. 1

Drawing of layout of studio buildings. 1

Early slide projector used by J. Don Alexander and Don M. Alexander in Keokuk, Iowa, ca. 1900. The brothers would "throw" advertising slides across the street. 1

Engraving on cup "Sales Champion of Alexander Film Co. for three months / 1923" 1

Exterior view of the Alexander Industries administration building. Printed on the front of the card 1

Five Eaglerock Long-Wing aircraft fuselages parked in front of the Alexander Aircraft Company factory in Colorado Springs waiting for wings to be installed. 1

Five Eaglerock Long-Wing aircraft fuselages parked in front of the Alexander Aircraft Company factory in Colorado Springs waiting for wings to be installed. Photo identified on back. 1

Five men at wooden workbenches in a cluttered basement assembly shop with electrical cords and sockets and wires hanging from the ceiling and on the walls. Written on back "A corner of factory / Alexander Electric Co / Spokane Wa". 1

Five men stand outdoors near a motion picture camera on a tripod. Identified on the back of the photograph as "on location". 1

Four men and one woman perform work in a photo processing laboratory at Alexander Film Company. Identified on the back of the photograph 1

Four men sit in cramped quarters working at drafting/illustration tables with desk lights surrounded by paint brushes. Hanging on the wall is a calendar displaying January 1923 and several hand-illustrated advertising panels for businesses. 1

Four men stand outdoors near a motion picture camera on a tripod. A jeep with two passengers sits at the top of the hill above them. Identified on the back of the photograph as "Location shot." 1

Group photo in front of Alexander Film Company headquarters in Denver. Sign hanging from balcony "Welcome Master Salesmen and Master District Managers / Alexander Film Co." 1

Identified as the fireplace in the library of a residence at 1830 Wood Avenue. 1

In a photo taken from an overhead boom, twenty-seven men and one woman stand around a circa 1960 4-door rear-engine Chevrolet Corvair sedan automobile. Identified on the back of the photograph 1

J. Don Alexander (1885-1955) leans on a sign that reads 1

J. Don Alexander (sitting on the far left) is shown at a banquet table in Venice in 1954. He is wearing a tuxedo. Alexander addressed the executive board of International Screen Advertising Services. 1

J. Don Alexander and two men on a small wooden sail boat. 1

J. Don Alexander is smoking a cigar and surrounded by men and women seated on a hillside at an Alexander Industries picnic. Picnic baskets are visible on the right. 1

J. Don Alexander is surrounded by men and women seated on a hillside at an Alexander Industries picnic. 1

J. Don Alexander talking before executive board of International Screen Advertising Services in Venice 1954. Final banquet. 1

J. Don Alexander, right, stands on a corner sidewalk in front of a music store posing with a hand-cranked motion picture camera on a tripod operated by another man smoking a cigar. A leather case at their feet reads "Alexander Film Co." 1

John Huiskamp Alexander (1929-1977), son of J. Don Alexander. John is 11 years old at the Miami Military Academy in Florida. 1

Line drawing showing three views of the Alexander Bullet airplane. 1

Man identified as J. Don Alexander is holding movie camera on deck of a yacht. Pennant on bow has lettering "S. Y. C." 1

Man identified as J. Don Alexander standing on side of snow-covered road with a shotgun. 1

Men and women employees of Alexander Industries pose before a mural. Other items on the wall include two company April Showers posters from 1927 and 1928. 1

Men and women sit at desks filming title boards with motion-picture cameras and lights mounted above in a copy-camera configuration at Alexander Film Company. Identified on the back of the photograph as "Titleboard room." 1

Note on back "Photos taken of Alexander Eaglerock owned by Regan Ormand and associates. In July, 1976, it was the only flyable Alexander aircraft. Others are now flying (1982)." 1

Note on back "Photos taken of Alexander Eaglerock owned by Regan Ormand and associates. In July, 1976, it was the only flyable Alexander aircraft. Others are now flying (1982)." Tail number NC6601. 1

Ole Olsen's artist conception of the early Alexander Bullet. Written on the back of the photograph 1

Photo of a motion-picture film set with caption below reading "A magnificent studio, capable of housing six Companies working at one time". Handwritten under caption "Stage 105 x 85 feet / Alexander Film Co Denver". 1

Photograph of a biplane flyover with note on back "A-2 Eaglerock over Curtiss O-1 Falcons". 1

Photograph of a single-engine high-wing monoplane. Written on the back 1

Portrait of Don M. Alexander with a a tobacco pipe in his mouth. 1

Portrait of Don M. Alexander. 1

Portrait of J. Don Alexander (1885-1955) wearing a pilot's helmet and sitting in the cockpit of an airplane. 1

Portrait of J. Don Alexander smoking a cigar. 1

Portrait of J. Don Alexander. 1

Portrait of Leroy Benschneider (1905-1985). Identified on the back of the photograph 1

Portrait of an unidentified woman. Identified on back as "Model." 1

Seven men and one woman stand in front of an airplane. Written on the back of the photograph 1

Six men and a dog stand outside Alexander Film Company in Denver, Colo. Identified on back "J. P. Stahl, Ellen M. Woolsey, W. C. White, Mrs. T. P. Stahl, T. L. Hannah, A. M. Glanke". Sitting is J. Don Alexander. 1

Sixteen men sitting in various types of chairs. Many have a book open. 1

Special luncheon served to the members of Publicity-Tourist Bureau, Spokane Chamber of Commerce, in Elizabethan Suite, Davenport Hotel, on December 31, to mark the closing meeting of the year and the Bureau's 51st session in 1921. 1

Store display with film boxes and camera flash. 1

Studio portrait of Don M. Alexander with a tobacco pipe in his mouth. 1

Studio portrait of John Huiskamp Alexander (1929-1977), son of J. Don Alexander. 1

Tail number NC6601. Note on back "Photos taken of Alexander Eaglerock owned by Regan Ormand and associates. In July, 1976, it was the only flyable Alexander aircraft. Others are now flying (1982)." 1

Thirteen men and 2 women pose for a photo. No identification on back, but seems to be the same group as 056-11317. 1

Thirteen men and 2 women stand infront of a concrete pool. No identification on back, but seems to be the same group as 056-11318. 1

Three men look over a drawing together. Identified on the back of the photograph as "Art Dept." Drawing is of "How to wash up in the morning." 1

Three men operate equipment transferring sound tracks to motion picture film. Identified on the back of the photograph as "sound dept." "AFCO Alexander Film Co." in lower right corner of print. 1

Three men stand at counters performing shipping preparation. Identified on the back of the photograph as "shipping dept." "AFCO Alexander Film Co." in lower right corner of print. 1

Three men standing in front of an automobile. The man in the middle is identified as J. Don Alexander. 1

Twelve men stand in front of Alexander Film Company in Englewood, Colorado. Identified on back "Fred Grant, J. H. Williams, Odell, A. C. Smith, McKee, H. A. Young, Ballinger, Sisson, Brunson, La Salle, Eagle, Messer." 1

Two Smiles II yacht belonging to J. Don Alexander cuts through the water. 1

Two Smiles-II, the second yacht owned by J. Don Alexander -- usually kept on the east coast. 1

Two men at a motion-picture film editing machine at Alexander Film Company. Strips of 35mm film hang on racks on the wall. Identified on the back of the photograph 1

Two men in overalls look on as a third man plays with a dog in front of the Alexander Art Department and Laboratory building in Spokane. 1

Two men sit at the controls of electronic sound boards with knobs and toggle switches adjusting the levels at Alexander Film Company. 1

Two men sit by a motion picture camera near a set. A sign in the background reads, "MALTS / CURB SERVICE." 1

Two men work at the rear of long room lined with shelves full of rolls of labelled motion-picture film. One man appears to be splicing together film segments at editing equipment in the distance. 1

Two women and two children sit in a field. Gertrude Alexander, wife of J. Don Alexander. 1

Unidentified man wearing jodhpur pants and smoking a cigar poses on a corner sidewalk operating a hand-cranked motion picture camera on a tripod. Both the movie camera and leather case at his feet have annotations that read "Alexander Film Co." 1

View of the exterior of a two-story, brick building in Spokane, Washington, with sign over door reading “Alexander Film Co. Art Department and Laboratory”. Signs in the window read “Films and Developing & Printing”. 1

View of the exterior of a two-story, brick building. Window sign "Buy them here / Films / Have them developed here" and "Developing and Printing". 1

Woman identified on the back of the photo as C. Monel poses in Scottish kilt, scarf and cap; probably a model for Alexander Industries. 1

Women and men gather around a table on a film set. A crew of three men operate the lighting equipment and a motion picture camera. 1

Women and men working in a room with walls lined in shelving. The shelves hold motion picture film. Identified on the back of the photograph as "Playlet library." "AFCO Alexander Film Co." in lower right corner of print. 1

Women sit at desk doing clerical work at Alexander Film Company. The woman on the left holding a Rolodex has a desk nameplate that reads “Irma Walker”. A man in the background stands near filing cabinets. 1

Young girl holding a candlestick-style telephone sits at a work desk. A calendar hanging on the wall is turned to January 1914, advertising a “Hawkeye” company name and logo. 1

Young woman with ringlets has foot propped up on camera tripod. Young man wearing jodhpurs and vest is holding the camera and tripod. Written on the side of the camera "It Pays to Advertise". 1