Loren L. Ryder Explained

Loren L. Ryder
Birth Date:	9 March 1900
Birth Place:	California, United States
Death Place:	Monterey, California, United States
Occupation:	Sound engineer
Yearsactive:	1932-1968

Loren L. Ryder (March 9, 1900 – May 28, 1985) was an American sound engineer. He won five Academy Awards and was nominated for twelve more in the categories Best Sound Recording and Best Effects.^[1]

After serving in World War I, Ryder studied physics and mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley, graduating in 1924.^[1] He went to work at Pacific Telephone & Telegraph where he developed an improved technique for transmitting images over telephone lines, using light valves.^[1] In 1928, Ryder joined Paramount Pictures where he worked in the emerging field of talking pictures.^[1] From and 1936 until 1957 he served as the studio's chief engineer and sound director.^[2] Some of his achievements included the development of the VistaVision wide-screen format and the production of the first full-length film using magnetic audio recording.^[2] Ryder was part of the production team who received an Academy Honorary Award at the 11th Academy Awards for their efforts on the Paramount film Spawn of the North.^[3] During World War II, General George S. Patton called upon Ryder's audio expertise to help disguise the sounds of American tanks at the Battle of the Bulge.^[2]

Selected filmography

Best Sound nominee

• Wells Fargo (1937)^[4]
• If I Were King (1938)^[5]
• The Great Victor Herbert (1939)^[6]
• North West Mounted Police (1940)^[7]
• Skylark (1941)^[8]
• Road to Morocco (1942)^[9]
• Melody Inn (1943)^[10]
• Double Indemnity (1944)^[11]
• The Unseen (1945)^[12]
• The War of the Worlds (1953)^[13]
• Rear Window (1954)^[14]
• The Ten Commandments (1956)^[15]

Best Effects

• Union Pacific (1939)
• Typhoon (1940)

Notes and References

1. News: Loren L. Ryder; Winner of 5 Oscars for Movie Sound . Los Angeles Times . May 30, 1985 . December 7, 2013.
2. News: Loren L. Ryder, an Engineer in Sound-recording for Film . New York Times . May 31, 1985 . Associated Press . December 7, 2013.
3. Web site: Special Award - 11th Academy Awards. Academy Awards Database. August 9, 2015.
4. Web site: The 10th Academy Awards (1938) Nominees and Winners . August 10, 2011. oscars.org.
5. Web site: The 11th Academy Awards (1939) Nominees and Winners . August 10, 2011. oscars.org.
6. Web site: The 12th Academy Awards (1940) Nominees and Winners . August 11, 2011. oscars.org.
7. Web site: The 13th Academy Awards (1941) Nominees and Winners . August 13, 2011. oscars.org.
8. Web site: The 14th Academy Awards (1942) Nominees and Winners . August 13, 2011. oscars.org.
9. Web site: The 15th Academy Awards (1943) Nominees and Winners . August 14, 2011. oscars.org.
10. Web site: The 16th Academy Awards (1944) Nominees and Winners . August 14, 2011. oscars.org.
11. Web site: The 17th Academy Awards (1945) Nominees and Winners . August 15, 2011. oscars.org.
12. Web site: The 18th Academy Awards (1946) Nominees and Winners . August 19, 2011. oscars.org.
13. Web site: The 26th Academy Awards (1954) Nominees and Winners . August 20, 2011. oscars.org.
14. Web site: The 27th Academy Awards (1955) Nominees and Winners . August 20, 2011. oscars.org.
15. Web site: The 29th Academy Awards (1957) Nominees and Winners . August 21, 2011. oscars.org.