Julian Gromer Collection

Collection Items

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On the Shores of Lake Michigan (Part 1)
Film
On the Shores of Lake Michigan (Part 1)
1948
On the Shores of Lake Michigan (Part 2)
Film
On the Shores of Lake Michigan (Part 2)
1948
African Life
Film
African Life
1947
African Prince, The
Film
African Prince, The
1947
Sunny Cuba (Part 1)
Film
Sunny Cuba (Part 1)
1946
Sunny Cuba (Part 2)
Film
Sunny Cuba (Part 2)
1946
John & Gary Gromer Home Movies 1948-1958
Film
John & Gary Gromer Home Movies 1948-1958
1948 – 1958
John & Gary Gromer Home Movies 1966-1972
Film
John & Gary Gromer Home Movies 1966-1972
circa 1966
Mighty Amazon, The (Part 1)
Film
Mighty Amazon, The (Part 1)
1957
Mighty Amazon, The (Part 2)
Film
Mighty Amazon, The (Part 2)
1957
Fabulous Gulf Coast, The (Part 1)
Film
Fabulous Gulf Coast, The (Part 1)
1954
Fabulous Gulf Coast, The (Part 2)
Film
Fabulous Gulf Coast, The (Part 2)
1954
In the Valley of the Hudson (Part 1)
Film
In the Valley of the Hudson (Part 1)
1951
In the Valley of the Hudson (Part 2)
Film
In the Valley of the Hudson (Part 2)
1951
Canada Coast to Coast (Part 1)
Film
Canada Coast to Coast (Part 1)
1956
Canada Coast to Coast (Part 2)
Film
Canada Coast to Coast (Part 2)
1956
Wheels Across Europe (Part 1)
Film
Wheels Across Europe (Part 1)
1971
Hawaiian Paradise 1941 (Part 2)
Film
Hawaiian Paradise 1941 (Part 2)
1941
Hawaiian Paradise 1941 (Part 1)
Film
Hawaiian Paradise 1941 (Part 1)
1941
Hawaiian Paradise 1966 (Part 1)
Film
Hawaiian Paradise 1966 (Part 1)
1966
Mountain Safari (Part 1)
Film
Mountain Safari (Part 1)
1973
Mountain Safari (Part 2)
Film
Mountain Safari (Part 2)
1973
Columbia River Adventure (Part 1)
Film
Columbia River Adventure (Part 1)
1950
Columbia River Adventure (Part 2)
Film
Columbia River Adventure (Part 2)
1950
Wheels Across America (Part 1)
Film
Wheels Across America (Part 1)
1968
Wheels Across America (Part 2)
Film
Wheels Across America (Part 2)
1968
Hawaiian Paradise 1966 (Part 2)
Film
Hawaiian Paradise 1966 (Part 2)
1966
Wheels Across Europe (Part 2)
Film
Wheels Across Europe (Part 2)
1971
On the Shores of Lake Michigan (Part 1) (2019 Preservation Print)
Film
On the Shores of Lake Michigan (Part 1) (2019 Preservation Print)
1948
On the Shores of Lake Michigan (Part 2) (2019 Preservation Print)
Film
On the Shores of Lake Michigan (Part 2) (2019 Preservation Print)
1948
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To request more information about the items in this collection, please contact the archive at info@chicagofilmarchives.org.
Items with Viewable Media
Collection Identifier
C.2007-08
Extent of Collection
28 reels of 16mm film totaling 36,035 feet, 4 audio cassettes, 3 reels of 1/4" audio, 1 VHS videotape, 14 folders of paper material and photographs
Language Of Materials
English
Custodial History
The films, photographs and papers were created by Julian Gromer who bequeathed them to his sons on 1974-03-23.
Related Materials
In 2001 John Gromer donated three of his father's films to the National Park Service: Thrills on the Colorado (1955), Grand Canyon Adventure (1959), and The Grand Tetons (1964). To view the films at NPS call 304-535-5050. In 2005 John Gromer donated three more of his father's films to the University of Iowa's Redpath Bureau Collection: Atlantic Coast Wonderland (1952), Jewels of the Pacific (1953), and Idaho Adventure (1958). The University of Iowa finding aid can be found at http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/spec-coll/MSC/ToMsc200/MsC150.13/MsC150.13_gromer.htm.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open to on-site access. Appointments must be made with Chicago Film Archives. Due to the fragile nature of the films, only video copies will be provided for on-site viewing.
Use Restrictions
Chicago Film Archives holds the copyright for materials created by Julian Gromer that are held in this collection. Determination of copyright of other materials for reproduction is the responsibility of the user.
Intellectual organization and arrangement
This collection is split into two series: I. Film and Audio Materials and II. Paper, Photographs, and Ephemera.
Creators
Gromer, Julian (was created by)

Julian Gromer (Sept. 19, 1907- Dec. 4, 1986) worked as a 16mm travelogue lecturer from 1938 to 1975. Before his work as a lecturer he worked as a typesetter for a publishing company. In 1938 he began lecturing with a 8mm film of a vacation to California. He quickly added 16mm films of vacations to Mexico and Alaska. At that time Gromer lived in Elgin, Illinois, and most of his lectures took place in the greater Chicagoland area at churches, civic organizations, school groups and private parties.

In August of 1941 he married Gertrude Radatz. They spent their honeymoon in Hawaii during which Julian shot the footage that became Hawaiian Paradise. He began lecturing with the film in October of 1941. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor greatly increased demand for the film and in 1942 he was picked up by the professional lecture booking agency, the Redpath Bureau. He made one last film before spending the rest of the war years in the U.S. Army signal corps where he shot 16mm training films. Gertrude took over lecture duties while Julian was in the service.

After the war Gromer recommenced his travelogues with a 1946 film on Cuba called Sunny Cuba. Until 1959 he averaged one new film a year making films about trips to Nigeria; around Lake Michigan; along the Columbia, Colorado, Amazon, and Hudson Rivers; the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf Coasts of America; across southern Canada; following sheep herders in Idaho; and to the Grand Canyon. In 1959 Gromer became co-owner of the Grand Rapids, Michigan based company Windoes Travelogues, Inc., which books travelogue lecturers. That year the Gromers – Julian, Gertrude, and their two sons John and Gary – moved to Grand Rapids.

Running Windoes Travelogues lessened the number of films he made. From 1960 until his retirement he made five more films. In 1964 he traveled to the Grand Tetons. In 1966 he retraced his journey to Hawaii and made a new version of Hawaiian Paradise. His final three films revolved around his work with Wandering Wheels, which was a Christian youth group that conducted cross-country bicycle trips for teenagers.

In 1975 Julian Gromer retired from filmmaking and lecturing and sold his shares in Windoes Travelogues to his son John. Until the end of his life in 1986 Gromer continued to advise his son on running Windoes and acted as a mentor to travelogue filmmakers.