[Andy Benson Orchid]
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A short film that documents horticulturalist Andrew Benson, owner of Andrew Benson, Inc., working at his greenhouse located in Des Plaines, Illinois.
Credits
John Nash Ott Jr. (filmmaker); Andrew Benson (participant)
Complete catalog record
Date: circa 1954
Cfa collection: John Nash Ott Collection
Notes: This film shows hybrid orchid grower Andrew Benson as he rearranges a box full of orchids inside his greenhouse. He then presents two specimens for close ups, both likely Paphiopedilums or "slipper orchids." The film concludes with brief time-lapse footage of an unidentified plant as it begins to bloom.; Benson hunted for orchids throughout Colombian jungles and other tropical areas of South America, India, the Philippines, and the East Indies, and began to cultivate them at his Des Plaines greenhouse after the United States government imposed a blockade on wholesale imports in order to prevent spread of tropical diseases. He is credited with having cultivated more than 175 new orchid hybrids from only five distinct types.; Andrew Benson, Inc. also operated a greenhouse located in Jacksonville, Florida.
Subjects: Plants; Flowers; Consumer goods; Business; Business people
Places: North America > United States > Illinois > Des Plaines; North America > United States > Illinois > Winnetka
Cfa elements: Reversal Positive Print, 50 feet
Cfa records: https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/Detail/objects/36344
Cfa collection: John Nash Ott Collection
Notes: This film shows hybrid orchid grower Andrew Benson as he rearranges a box full of orchids inside his greenhouse. He then presents two specimens for close ups, both likely Paphiopedilums or "slipper orchids." The film concludes with brief time-lapse footage of an unidentified plant as it begins to bloom.; Benson hunted for orchids throughout Colombian jungles and other tropical areas of South America, India, the Philippines, and the East Indies, and began to cultivate them at his Des Plaines greenhouse after the United States government imposed a blockade on wholesale imports in order to prevent spread of tropical diseases. He is credited with having cultivated more than 175 new orchid hybrids from only five distinct types.; Andrew Benson, Inc. also operated a greenhouse located in Jacksonville, Florida.
Subjects: Plants; Flowers; Consumer goods; Business; Business people
Places: North America > United States > Illinois > Des Plaines; North America > United States > Illinois > Winnetka
Cfa elements: Reversal Positive Print, 50 feet
Cfa records: https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/Detail/objects/36344
Sources
- Chicago Film Archives · record ↗ — title, year, creator, length, format, color, sound, genre, description, credits, catalog record, video
Record added 2026-11-08 21:24:51