* Edward Bernds; Movie Sound Man, Director

Edward Bernds, 94, one of Hollywood’s first sound men, who went on to direct Bowery Boys and Three Stooges movies. Born in Chicago, Bernds became hooked on the newfangled medium of radio as a teenager and by age 20 was chief operator at Chicago’s station WENR. When talking pictures began in the late 1920s, Bernds hurried to Hollywood to become a sound technician. He handled sound for Frank Capra’s classic films of the 1930s, including “It Happened One Night” and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” and then began directing two-reel shorts and eventually feature motion pictures. In the 1940s, Bernds directed several of the “Blondie” films starring Penny Singleton. A decade later he directed eight of the Huntz Hall and Leo Gorcey Bowery Boys romps, including “The Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters” and “Bowery to Bagdad.” Next came the Three Stooges, with such films as “The Three Stooges Meet Hercules” and “The Three Stooges in Orbit.” Bernds scripted several of those films as well as directing them. He also co-wrote a script for Elvis Presley, “Tickle Me.” In 1997, Bernds’ pioneering role in motion picture sound was recognized with a special award for technical achievement from the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures. On Saturday in Van Nuys.