Magno Sound & Video

About

Production and Post Production for Film, Television and Digital Media

Story

Magno was founded in 1950 by Ralph Friedman, the sound man for the future television classic, Candid Camera. Ralph wasn’t pre-occupied with thoughts about the program’s eventual place in TV history, however: he was too busy dealing with complex audio challenges such as hiding a bulky broadcast microphone in the leg of a department store mannequin, or wiring a mailbox so it could “talk.”
In the midst of these challenges, Ralph realized he was witnessing – and participating in – the emergence of a new medium poised to define the next, exciting generation of mass entertainment. He also recognized that the burgeoning television industry would confront numerous challenges similar to the ones he had already faced, so created his own facility to handle them – Magno Sound. Magno set up shop in Times Square, ultimately moving to the historic building originally designed exclusively for motion picture companies – including Mary Pickford’s “Pickford Film Company.” 729 Seventh Avenue remains the company’s headquarters to this day.