Who invented plastic? New documentary shines spotlight on the genius we hardly know

In the breezy and informative 58-minute documentary “All Things Bakelite: The Age of Plastic,” we’re introduced to the man whose name should be as well-known as Edison or Westinghouse or Bell or Tesla or Ford: Leo Hendrik Baekeland.

“Ben. I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening? Plastics.” — Mr. McGuire, to Benjamin Braddock, in “The Graduate”

Take a moment to look around you. Chances are great you’ll see a number of items made of or at least containing the ubiquitous and useful and incredibly versatile and also problematic synthetic polymer known as plastic. From beverage bottles to food wrappers, from automobile parts to outdoor furniture, from produce bags to your computer keyboard, plastic is such a key ingredient of so many elements of everyday life it’s hard to imagine a world without plastic — and yet it’s been around for only a little more than century.

In the breezy and informative 58-minute documentary “All Things Bakelite: The Age of Plastic,” we’re introduced to the man whose name should be as well-known as Edison or Westinghouse or Bell or Tesla or Ford: Leo Hendrik Baekeland, the eccentric and brilliant Belgian chemist who invented Velox photographic paper in 1893 and then topped that breakthrough innovation in 1907 with his creation of Bakelite, the first nonflammable plastic that retained its shape after being heated. Plastic eventually became a key ingredient in electrical insulators, telephone casings, radios, kitchenware etc., etc., to the point where it was hard to imagine a world WITHOUT Baekeland’s invention.

“All Things Bakelite” draws upon interviews with descendants of Baekeland and experts in the field such as research chemists, along with instructive graphics, dramatic re-creations and excerpts from Baekeland’s extensive journals. (You gotta love it when a genius keeps a daily diary.) Unfortunately, the filmmakers also indulged in whimsical but not entirely effective devices, including a cheesy guy in a tuxedo running around Times Square asking people, “What is Bakelite?” (Spoiler alert: nobody knows), and some oddball musical numbers about plastic. With such a short running time in the first place, these gimmicky sidebars only serve to distract us from an inherently compelling story.

The doc is most interesting when chronicling Baekeland’s story, laying out how he was able to succeed in creating a useful plastic while so many other esteemed scientists couldn’t get the formula quite right. And it’s cool to hear from designers and artists talking about the role of plastics in the streamlined, Art Deco movement. We also learn Baekeland was something of a recluse who loved his family but preferred to spend time alone with his work, and that he had to deal with copyright infringements and legal entanglements that took him away from his work. Baekeland did well for himself, but he was not a self-promoter and businessman on the level of a Thomas Edison or a George Westinghouse.

Of course, the durability of plastic is an immense double-edged sword. “All Things Bakelite” devotes only a relatively brief segment to the fact that plastic doesn’t decompose and is the source of worldwide pollution, toxicity and solid waste. “It’s probably a good thing that Leo Baekeland could not foresee the misuse of plastic today,” says Hugh Karraker, the great-grandson of Baekeland. “Bakelite is not biodegradable. It’ll be with us forever.”

As Seen On The Chicago Sun Times

If you’re reading this on any device that involves plastic, or you’re using eyeglasses to do so, and maybe enjoying a beverage out of a plastic bottle, you have old school inventor Leo Baekeland to thank. And I know that not because I paid any attention at all in science class, but because I just watched All Things Bakelite, a fascinating documentary on the invention of a substance that I can just about guarantee that every single one of us takes for granted.

But lest you think this is a cut-and-dry science doc, let me assure you that it is not. As informative as it is, All Things Bakelite has a lot of charm to it, and includes many surprise elements. There are wonderful old home movies, journal entries, very brief recreations to help us understand the origins of the entire story, beautiful archived images, and even performances of original music! (And, for my fellow obsessed recyclers out there, there’s even a section about the downside of plastic these days, which I appreciate, even though, in my opinion, its upside is greater. One of the experts in the film, retired research chemist Burt Wagner, wisely acknowledges, “Plastics is both the finest and the worst expression of humankind.”)

Mr. X saw the film with me, and even he was impressed with the panoply, and many of you know how rare that is! He was especially in awe of how much “the visuals popped.”

Being an antiques lover, I’ve always been aware of retro Bakelite products, mostly jewelry and kitchenware, because of their value as collectibles. But that’s where my knowledge ended. I had absolutely no idea that Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland had invented the product that is basically what all plastics of today are based on. It boggles the mind. How did someone even think to do that in the first place, let alone figure-out the how???

Of course, I can never explain the entire tale as perfectly (or even close to it,) as the two men behind this revealing documentary, Executive Producer Hugh Karraker, who is the great-grandson of Leo Baekeland, and John Maher, who is both the Director and Director of Photography of All Things Bakelite.

Being curious about what inspired them to make this film, I tracked them down for a little tete-a-tete. A-tete! (There were two of them and one of me; hence, a trio of tetes!!!) So now you all get to be privy to some of that conversation, as well.

Hugh Karraker, a long-time New York actor, and prolific film director John Maher, both Connecticut residents, met when Hugh and his wife danced the Lindy Hop in a previous film of John’s. (Now I’m going to watch that one, too!) Since All Things Bakelite is about Hugh’s ancestor, the germ of the idea came from him. And then John, a lifelong cinematographer, (whose first job out of high school was shooting Yankees games—how did I not know him back then?,) took the ball and ran with it.

The duo did research for about a year, and then took twice as long to bring the whole concept to the screen. John told me, “We took our time. I think of filmmaking as kind-of like rock-climbing in that you get yourself up a little higher with each piece of information or each interview, and when you get your eye up a little higher, you see a little further down the line, and that leads you to the next interview or the next question.”

And Hugh explained that they had a “connection with the Union Carbide people in New Jersey.” That’s the company Bakelite was sold to back in the day, and I’m sure their assistance with the project was appreciated.

I wanted to make sure I understood the history of Bakelite correctly, (because my academia-oriented self is still always concerned there will be a pop quiz right around the corner,) so I asked John to tell me exactly what part of the plastics world Bakelite occupies. He answered, “I think it’s considered the first real, genuine, wholly synthetic plastic. It’s really the thing that got the ball rolling on all these other plastics that exploded out into the world, particularly around World War II, and after.” Impressive.

Leo Baekeland invented Bakelite in 1907, but, as John explained it, it didn’t become really famous in the non-scientific world, “until Andy Warhol started to collect it in the ’60s or ’70s. He was one of the first collectors of it, and he suddenly made it hip.”

Hugh even gave me a little lesson on how to authenticate Bakelite. He told me, “It has a weight to it, it’s heavy. If you rub it, it smells like formaldehyde.” (And as someone who’s not only Baekeland’s great-grandson, but has viewed over two thousand items made of the material when he visited a collector in Belgium, he should know!)

Getting back to the actual documentary on the subject, I feel that All Things Bakelite is the perfect length, with the chronology being spot-on. It also features an excellent mix of experts; they’re all different ages and nationalities, and come from various geographical areas.

Director Maher gives major kudos to everyone who worked on the film, in any and every capacity. He lauds them as a “very strong team.”

Since Mr. X and I were uber-impressed with the cinematography, I complimented John on that aspect of his work. He said, “I think it’s important that people be lit well, and that we have very strong compositions. It’s a visual medium, so I really wanted to get people to see things visually.” (Where was he when I was doing my TV show, with the worst lighting known to man???)

Hugh added that as a professional actor, having worked with lots of directors and photographers over the years, he rates John “primo,” an assessment I can agree with after seeing this documentary.

I loved that one of the speakers, IBM Research Chemist Jeanette Garcia, refers to what Leo created, as an “elegant molecule.” She makes it sound so attractive, that now I’ll have to find a way to elevate my own vocabulary by working that term into it.

A couple of the other experts who help us understand the magnitude of the invention of Bakelite in the film are Pratt Institute Professor of the History of Design, Dr. Katarina Posch, who declares, “Plastic is the material of dreams,” and cultural and design historian Stiles Professor in the Department of American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, Jeffrey Meikle. (I’m wowed by their long titles alone; my lone one, as you know, is simply “Major Celebrity!”)

Messrs. Maher and Karraker and I had a funny moment, towards the end of our conversation, about one thing in the film that I really wanted to get to the bottom of. It’s such a minuscule item that I couldn’t imagine anybody else would even notice it, but I thought, “I have these gentlemen here, so why not ask them about the situation that I’m so curious about?” I thought they would think I was crazy for asking about it, but, thank goodness, they chuckled at my inquiry. And…they actually knew what I was talking about, and had an answer!

And the visual in question is this: Austrian expert Burt Wagner had a blue paper clip on his thumb for part of his sections, and you know how nutty I am about things like that, so I was wondering if it was a medical issue, a nervous habit, or something to do with actual Bakelite. To my absolute delight, John laughed and explained that Mr. Wagner had just picked it up for no particular reason, and he decided to keep it in the film. I think John and Hugh were surprised that anybody else had noticed it, and wanted to discuss it, but it gave us all a little bit of mirth over the topic. (And now you know to look for it, as well!)

While Hugh continues to showcase and promote his great-grandfather’s incredible invention, John will be working on a film for the anniversary of 9/11, and at the same time, on a short doc based on a book about Bakelite, which that author refers to as “the material that makes metal ashamed of itself.”

On that note, all that’s left for me to do is thank Leo Baekeland, because I cannot even begin to imagine a world without plastic! And thanks also to John Maher and Hugh Karraker for making us aware of this extreme contribution to society.

All Things Bakelite rolls out worldwide tomorrow, June 29, 2021, on iTunes, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, and VUDU. (It’s also available for private screenings, so it would be perfect for educational purposes, or just gatherings of intelligent people!)

Originally Seen on It’s Not About Me TV

A mind-expanding and emotional film about visionary Leo Baekeland the creator of PLASTIC. Directed by documentary filmmaker John Maher(Throw it Down) and Executive Producer Hugh Karraker, Leo Baekeland’s Great Grandson. Opening Worldwide June 29.

On June 29 the documentary film “All Things Bakelite” will be showcased worldwide. In partnership with Bitmax, Executive Producer Hugh Karraker is bringing Leo Baekeland’s story to six continents via streaming platforms such as iTunes, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, VUDU, and more.

In 1907, Leo Baekeland changed the world forever. Baekeland was a Belgian-American chemist best known for the invention of Velox photographic paper in 1893. He moved to Yonkers, New York, built a mansion with a laboratory on the Hudson River where he invented Bakelite in 1907.

The creation of Bakelite, a synthetic plastic, was revolutionary because of its electrical nonconductivity, heat-resistant properties, and ability to mold easily.

Among the prestigious list of experts who are interviewed in the film are Pratt Institute Professor of the History and Theory of Design Dr. Katarina Posch.

Dr. Posch believes Bakelite is the first Industrial Design Style created in America. It speaks of the American culture of the last 100 years. Bakelite ‘looks precious’. It has a beautiful surface that can be marbleized, molded, and streamlined.

It doesn’t show the bones of design, but its surface, sleek, shiny, jewel-like, ‘glamourous’ with open-ended potential.

My conversation with the film Director, and Director of Photography, John Maher, and Executive Producer Hugh Karraker, left me singing the praises of BAKELITE and its creator Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland’s genius.

What inspired you to make the film?

Hugh Karraker: My mother’s lifelong wish was to document the work of her Grandfather, Leo Baekeland. I wanted to do this to honor my Mother. The film is dedicated to her.

 

How do you begin to structure a documentary feature?

John Maher: Ask the right questions. Hugh and I came up with hundreds of questions to ask ourselves and potential contributors. The right questions lead to little pictures that lead to little stories that you can expand upon.

Hugh Karraker: Leo also helped out by leaving 62 journals. He kept a journal for most of his life and thankfully it was filled with insightful musings and quotes that we use in the film. The journals were also a window into the heart and mind of a brilliant creator and visionary.

 

I know from watching ‘Throw It Down’ that you always give your films a theme. What is the theme of ‘All Things Bakelite’?

John Maher: I’m going to say, heart. Not just the heart of Leo, but the heart of Bakelite. More than one hundred years ago It was a completely new man-made product that solved problems confronted by the electrical, automotive, and construction industries. Mistakes were made when it was young (referring to pollution), but the invention had the power to mature and evolve into something that better understands its potential. It has reinvented itself, is moving forward to stop pollution, and contributes to aerospace, automobiles, computers, and technology.

Others on the prestigious list of experts who appear in the film are Jeffrey Meikle, a cultural and design historian, currently the Stiles Professor in the Department of American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin; Jeanette Garcia, IBM Research Chemist, and New York jewelry artist Jorge Caicedo.

Jorge Caicedo felt that Bakelite’s uniqueness and character caused him to ‘fall in love at first sight’.

As Seen On Flying Cloud Studios

In 1907 a man named Leo Baekeland changed our world forever. Leo was a Belgian chemist best known for his invention of Velox Photographic Paper in 1893. In 1907 Leo was deemed “The Father of the Plastic Industry” for his invention of Bakelite, an inexpensive, nonflammable, and versatile plastic which started the modern plastic industry we know today.

Now there is an amazing documentary about Leo’s life and his invention Bakelite called “All Things Bakelite: The Age of Plastic.” We have on the show today two men who brought this project to life. We have the Director of the film John Maher, and the Executive Producer of the film Hugh Karraker. Hugh is also the Great Grandson of Leo Baekeland. Together they talk about the movie, Hugh’s incredible great grandfather and how he changed our lives forever with his invention of plastic.

Listen To The Full Interview Here: It’s Emma’s World

Documentary film All Things Bakelite: The Age of Plastic presents the story of the first and most beloved of polymers, which enabled a new era of elegance in the design of common objects. Along with the engrossing tale of the making of Bakelite is also the history of the eccentric genius chemist who invented it, Leo Baekeland, who is now regarded as the father of modern plastics. His painstaking research and experimentation over many years led to a process in 1907 that produced a strong but workable substance with a beautiful finish. The world was transformed, and all around us now are materials made possible by his discovery.  

Documentary film All Things Bakelite: The Age of Plastic presents the story of the first and most beloved of polymers, which enabled a new era of elegance in the design of common objects. Along with the engrossing tale of the making of Bakelite is also the history of the eccentric genius chemist who invented it, Leo Baekeland, who is now regarded as the father of modern plastics. His painstaking research and experimentation over many years led to a process in 1907 that produced a strong but workable substance with a beautiful finish. The world was transformed, and all around us now are materials made possible by his discovery.  

Baekeland was an introvert who loved the time spent in his lab, vastly preferring to work on chemistry instead of dealing with people. When Bakelite exploded in popularity, he became quite wealthy but struggled with the demands of running a business. 

Interestingly, while plastics of all sorts are now quite common, there is a great interest in vintage artifacts made of old, original Bakelite. Somewhere along the path of cheap plastic bags and brittle, boring radio knobs, the design and art were lost, but the old pieces are informed by the Art Deco designs of the time and are quite amazing objets d’art. Bakelite is still used as an art medium now, in fact. 

Over 100 hundred years down the line, of course, we know that plastics took a toxic right turn into disposable packaging and for single-use items that threaten to destroy the environment. One would like to think Baekeland might have thought twice about monetizing  Bakelite if he had any inkling of what would be done with his process over time. He sold his company to Union Carbide, and it used Bakelite as a blueprint for products that resulted in our plastic-haunted world. 

The film is short, clocking in under an hour, but every minute is filled with entertaining and fascinating discussions and interviews about Bakelite and Baekeland, featuring among others some members of the Baekeland family. plus some jaunty musical interludes. It is reminiscent of two English documentary TV programs, Connections and The Secret Life of Machines. If you are any kind of nerd,  who loves to learn while being amused, All Things Bakelite: The Age of Plastic will delight you.

As Seen On Film Threat