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from Dick, Apr 30, 2005
I worked in the photo lab from 1969 to 1984. Every time the machine broke down, they had to call me in from the Cape and pay me 4 hours O.T. I was raised on Cape Cod, graduated from High school in 1959. Joined Air Force in 1960-64. Spend my final year of service in Thule Greenland were I took up Photography. I returned to the cape in 64, worked for Coke, married Beverly Smith, had 2 children, and continued my photo career, buying up a local studio, and moving the equipment to my home cellar. Had a working business and did a lot of pictures for a local news writer who just happened to live next door to Tanner. He asked her if she knew anyone who had a photo background that would be interested in working at the station. They were doing the news on black and white film, but were just about to change to color and wanted someone who could learn to run the machine that they were having custom made. I had been with Coke for 5 years, had a route in Provincetown, and was making very good money. My studio was going great and I was the leading wedding Photographer for 30 miles. It would mean a pay cut, but also less heavy lifting. I would run the darkroom, take publicity PICS for the station, process and edit the newsfilm. I decided to give it a shot, met with Tanner and started in the studio as cameraman while the machine was being built. I also started collecting old cameras, started The Photo Collectors Club of New England, who's members now number in the hundreds and still meet every month near Boston. I am an honorary member. The local newspapers and Yankee Magazine have all done articles as have the Collector mags. Bob Bassett had me on Community twice. I have a copy of the second program. I have written 2 books about cameras, 3 about Cape Cod, covering it's history and including old pictures I have of the building of the Canal and the Bridges, along with slides and pictures I had taken during the 20 years I lived there. I then went back and took digital pictures of the whole Cape and New Bedford. I am selling all the books on e-bay from time to time. I print them on my computer, have the covers laminated and bound. | |
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from Dick, Apr 30, 2005
In 1984, I moved to Florida, got a job selling crackers and worked it for 10 years, going out on disability a few years ago. I remarried a friend of the family 16 years ago and we are happy here. Both of my kids live nearby. My son has been at Disney Parks for 20 years and has a great position. My daughter works at the cruise line terminal as a profession bus driver. and 2 of Barbara's live nearby. Her oldest lives in Hawaii. I stay active, have a booth a a local flea market selling toys and collectibles on weekends. I was at Bassett's fumeral memorial. Traveled all night got to hotel like 1 am. I know i have pictures of it. Nice seeing Julie Okine again, Ben Etc. from Dick Sanford, Jan 18, 2016 I am now 74 and still living in Palm Bay Florida. I buy old video game systems on ebay and repair them for resale on ebay. Have had a few health issues, but still being as active as I can. Still married to Barbara, 27 years now. My 2 kids are in Florida as are 2 of her 3. Do not leave the house often unless we go to a Dr. apppointment. from Dick , Mar 29 2017 I just found tons of info on face book and found your site again. I turn 75 next month and after some heart operations I am in fairly good health. I spend my days watching tv but I am also running a very good ebay business rebuilding and selling old video game systems from the 70s. It gives me something to do. I have been married to my second wife, Barbara, for 27 years. We live a very peaceful life in Florida with 2 of her kids nearby and my 2 living near Orlando. Never expected to live this long. | |
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Stories We Heard
from Dick, May 4, 2005
It was shortly after I started in the photo lab that I showed Louis Martin (Carpenter) how to develop black and white roll film. I would develop the film from my studio while I was not busy there at night and do my printing. One Saturday I returned from a wedding I had been shooting all morning and processed 3 rolls of the 5 I had shot, only to find they were blank. I was very upset. I made new chemicals and did the rest of the film and it was perfect. I knew that someone had been in the darkroom and had poured the fixing solution back in the developer bottle, making it useless. I confronted Louis who said he had been there and his negatives were fine. Lucky for me I had also taken some color pictures of that wedding and offered the bride all the pictures she wanted free. Her marriage did not last a year. Lee was always coming into the lab and would see my stuff and threaten to fire me, but he himself would use the lab for doing color pictures, during his work hours. Everyone knew I was a camera collector and I would travel across the country to camera shows on my vacations. One time I had to work the weekend and there was a show in Hartford so I planned to go. I called in sick on Saturday and planned to get back to the station for the film run at 9 p.m. Sunday. The news did not go on till 11. I did not anticipate the traffic backup coming out of Hartford. It was miles long. I traveled the breakdown lane for over an hour at very high speed. I did make it back for the show and thought everything was fine. Monday morning I got a call at home asking me to come to the station early to see Lee. Well, it seems the station had gotten a publicity flyer announcing the camera show. Lee had called the promoter of the show who's name was on the flyer and was told yes I had been there Saturday. So he had me in Vance's office on the carpet and said he was going to fire me, but knew my family counted on my income so he ended up putting me on the midnight shift, projectionist. This worked out even better, I now had every day off as well as weekends. I opened my studio downtown, slept from 4-11 and worked 12-8. I got to use the lab and to sleep in the lounge from 2-5 am. I would often pass him on my way home and talk to him on my CB After the station changed hands he put me back in the lab, shortly before he and Vance left. I later would have to learn to work video tape when film became obsolete. I was also forced to take the job in Providence or be without a job when the operation moved. from Bob Neary, Feb 16, 2010 Many fond memories of Dick Sanford, but remembering this one at the moment: He got the call late on Saturday nite that he had to work Sunday AM (probably on Duckpins for Dollars) or, "Lee Tanner said: 'don't bother showing up on Monday.'" Sunday was his wedding anniversary and he'd gone out of his way to make it a big deal. He sure was not happy with Mr. Lee Tanner for a long while after that. |
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