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1,749,187, March 4, 1930. To synchronize the smell with the movie, Leavell used a spring-loaded lever arm to detect notches cut into the edge of the motion picture film; a notch moved the lever arm and triggered the compressed air. As in Mayer’s cartoon, a projectionist stood by to open valves to the appropriate odor tanks. Driven by compressed air, the scent emerged into the theater from mushroom-shaped vents beneath the seats—a standard ventilation method at the time.

Walt Disney got excited John Canemaker, “The Fantasia That Never Was,” Print 42 (1988):76–87, 139–40.

“was on the verge” “The Smellies,” Time, April 18, 1949, p. 30.

“A young man meets” Felix Aeppli, Der Schweizer Film 1929–1964: Die Schweiz als Ritual, vol. 2, (Zürich: Limmat Verlag, 1981) p. 333 [my translation].

garnering a mention B. R. Crisler, “Week of Minor Wonders,” New York Times, February 25, 1940.

On the evening of “Today’s Program at the Fair,” New York Times, October 19, 1940.

“At the conclusion” Hervé Dumont, Geschichte des Schweizer Films: Spielfilme 1896–1965 (Lausanne: Schweizer Film Archiv, 1987), pp. 157–58 [my translation]. Dumont lists the first showing of My Dream as October 10, 1940, but also says it ran from June to July 1940. It is unclear from this whether the bust took place after the first performance or at the end of the first run.

to promote his inventions “Smellovision” item in “Sidelines” column, Los Angeles Times, February 3, 1946; “The Smellies,” Time, April 18, 1949,p. 30. On February 23, 1941, the New York Times in its “Reported from the Field of Science” column credits Laube and Barth for inventing the “smellies.” Soon after, a Swiss film encyclopedia credits them with inventing “Duftfilm” Charles Reinert, Kleines Filmlexikon: Kunst, Technik, Geschichte, Biographie, Schrifttum (Einsiedeln-Zürich: Benziger & Co., 1946), p. 85.

risk-taker and a feisty competitor Michael Todd Jr. and Susan McCarthy Todd, A valuable property: The life story of Michael Todd (New York: Arbor House, 1983).

bring aroma to movies and television A Swiss newspaper reported on Laube’s press demo of a video and smell system in a New York hotel room: “Fernriechen auf dem Weg,” Die Tat, February 1, 1956.

To secure international rights Laube applied for a European patent in June, 1955; it was issued on January 21, 1959: Hans Laube and Bert Samuel Good, “Motion pictures and the like with synchronized odor emission,” European patent GB807615. Laube filed the second U.S. application in June of 1956.

Motion Picture Daily hinted “ScentoVision to Be Installed in Theatre in 9 Months, Ruskin Says,” Motion Picture Daily, September 14, 1956.

mentioned in the New York Times “Odors Added to Films and Video, Even Those of Oranges or Ham,” New York Times, November 23, 1957.

project called Scent of Danger “Brand-new ‘Scent’ on the Todd Roster,” New York Times, September 28, 1958.

Glenda Jensen, then a secretary Glenda Jensen, “Working for the Michael Todd Corporation and a Little Bit of Cinemiracle Too,” The 70mm Newsletter, March 15, 2005; interview with Glenda Jensen, April 18, 2006.

Elizabeth Taylor was cast Hedda Hopper column, Los Angeles Times, November 8, 1958.

a public-relations executive “Kill That Butt, the Smellie Is Starting,” Film Daily, September 10, 1958.

revealed the cast “‘Does It Not Betray Itself by Its Smell?’” Film Daily, April 14, 1959.

movie’s ad slogan “Movies…Talkies…and Now—Smellies!” Los Angeles Times, April 26, 1959.

odors in his machine Herb A. Lightman, “This Movie Has Scents!” American Cinematographer, February 1960, p. 92.

Laube shuttled Interview with Carmen Laube, April 24, 2006, and with Novia Laube, April 27, 2006.

on a daily basis Interview with Hal Williamson, April 28, 2006.

needed extra time “‘Smell-O-Vision’ to Get Film Test,” New York Times, August 19, 1959.

second U.S. patent “Motion pictures with synchronized odor emission,” U.S. Patent 2,905,049, issued September 22, 1959; mentioned in “Times Square Conveyor System to Replace Shuttle Is Patented,” New York Times, September 26, 1959.

“rushing plans