"Dan Symmes, among his other talents, a wizard of strereoscopy"

Andre de Toth (director of HOUSE OF WAX)

Daniel Symmes, one of the great modern-day 3-D pioneers and historians passed away September 11, 2011 after suffering a heart attack at his home in Woodland Hill's, CA.

Dan served in the U.S. Army 1968-70, 101st Airborne/Vietnam, earning a Bronze Star for his service Immediately out of the army he was hired as cameraman/3D consulant for a 3-D film "The Stewardesses" in 1970. It earned $27M dollars at the box office in 1972, an amazing success for it's time.As co-founder of the 3-D Video Corporation in the early 1980's Dan brought together several up-and-coming 3-D professionals to create 3-D video, films and comic books for the masses and developed the first practical 3-D system for broadcast TV. He pioneered the techniques for correcting 3-D defects of 3-D films in post production (and now standard practice in the industry). In 1987 he formed Spatial Technologies Inc. (STI), and assumed the assets of 3-D Video. He also founded DIMENSION 3 as sole owner in 1973.

Dan was known for many firsts in the 3-D industry, including the first over-the-air 3-D movie (B&W) broadcast "Miss Sadie Thompson" (Select-TV 1980), the first over-the-air 3-D movie (color) broadcast "Kiss Me Kate" (Select-TV 1981), first over-the-air 3-D movie broadcast (free TV, 1981), first network 3-D TV show episode (MORK AND MINDY, 1982), first live 3-D TV show broadcast (KTZO, 1982), first working 3-D TV patent (1987), highest rated prime-access program in history "EYE ON LA" 3-D Hawaiian Swimsuit Spectacular in 1987 hosted by Chuck Henry, the first national 3-D broadcasts on two networks (ABC/NBC 1997), and the first live-action digital 3-D feature film NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD 3-D in 2005.

Other projects included the worldwide 3-D broadcast of John Wayne's only 3D film "Hondo" in 1991, the NBC Saturday morning cartoon series "Yo Yogi" in 1992, "3rd Rock From The Sun" for NBC in 1997, and also in 1997 the landmark “ABC 3-D Week” consisting of 3-D episodes of "Family Matters", "Coach", "The Drew Carey Show", "Sabrina The Teenage Witch", "Step By Step", "Home Improvement", "Ellen", "Spin City", and "America's Funniest Home Videos" along with segments for ABC's "TGI Friday" campaign. "The Drew Carey" Show was the first three-camera 3- D TV production in history.

Dan also shot many behavioral 3-D videos over the past 12 years for the Department of Defense and various corporations and shot numerous 3-D series in Chile, Indonesia, Portugal, and India. Throughout his career Dan designed his own custom 3-D rigs capable of mounting a myriad of film and digital cameras.

As a passionate historian and 3-D expert Dan co-created the "WORLD 3-D FILM EXPO I and II" at Hollywood's famous Egyptian Theatre for both 2003 and 2006. He then became President and Chairman of the Board of the 3D FILM PRESERVATION FUND. Dan recently worked as a Stereographer on several projects, including the Beijing-produced "The Monkey King 3-D", 2nd unit 3-D on "Pirates Of The Caribbean 4", and shot stereoscopic behind-the-scenes footage for "Transformers: Dark of the Moon 3-D".

Member of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), expert SCUBA certified, Director of Photography (local 600, retired), co-author one book (AMAZING 3-D, Little, Brown & Co., 1982-83), author of many articles (ENCARTA 2001-2004).

Dan was the real deal; he hated Kool-Aid and told it like it was, sometimes going against the popular current 3-D wave. He will be missed.