Alexander F. Victor was born on June 20, 1878 in Bollanäs, Sweden (Denham, 1). As the son of an army officer, he spent many of his early years traveling throughout Sweden. When he was 12, his family moved to Nassjo, where Victor met Solomon Andree and was introduced to physics. Victor excelled in physics where he failed in most other subjects (Denham, 1).

At the age of 15 Victor became an assistant editor for a local weekly newspaper. In 1894 Victor saw his first magic show. A few months later Victor ran into the same magician, “The Great Stephanio,” and coerced him into hiring him. The next year, while traveling in Paris with Stephanio, Victor saw his first motion picture, and was enthralled. Motion pictures were incorporated into the magic show, and allowed the show to continue after Stephanio’s death in 1895. Victor then traveled to India with the magic show, thus becoming the first to bring motion pictures to that country. Victor stayed in India for three years, becoming an accomplished magician (Denham, 3). Victor brought his show to America in 1900, and continued to work in show business until 1908 when a fire in a Toledo, Ohio warehouse destroyed all of his magical paraphernalia.

Victor then moved to Davenport, Iowa where he invented the first electric washing machine for the White Lily Company. His love for film also pushed him to invent an amateur Motion Picture Camera and Projector (also known as the Animatograph). Alexander F. Victor founded the Victor Animatograph Corporation in Davenport, Iowa in 1910, the same year he began his association with Samuel G. Rose. The world’s first 16mm motion picture projector was manufactured by Victor Animatograph Company and sold to J.H.C. Petersen of Davenport, Iowa on September 1, 1923. This a point of some contention. It has been said that Eastman Kodak invented a 16 mm movie projector some two months earlier. Nevertheless, Victor believed that he was first. In "The History and Origin of 16 Millimeter," a condensation of an address by Mr. Victor at ceremonies celbrating the 'coming of age' of the 16 millimeter industry in Davenport, Iowa on August 12, 1944, Victor states, "In 1923 I designed and placed on the market the world's first 16 millimeter projectors and cameras. The Eastman Kodak Company made the world's first 16 millimeter film." Future research may resolve this question.

The Victor Animatograph Corporation consolidated with the Kalart Company of Plainville, Connecticut on May 31, 1957. Sam G. Rose continued to act as the president. The Victor Animatograph Corporation soon became a leader in the field of motion picture technology. Victor died on March 29, 1961, and in 1964 was named posthumously to the Society of Motion Picture Engineers Honor Roll.

The Ferd Haak Building, also known as the Victor Animatograph Co. was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Available at: http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/IA/Scott/state3.html.

This biography is primarily based on the article by Edwin S. Denham, “Alexander F. Victor: Imagineer and Idea Man.” 16mm Becomes of Age.