These films were shot fully, or in part, around the wider Palm Springs area. The captions in [brackets], whenever possible, include labels from the original item in “quotation marks.” We add estimated dates and other details. For best viewing experience, choose the 720p or higher setting on the player.
#161. [“Palm Springs Parade,” April 1958.] 8mm. Color. Silent. Footage of the Desert Circus parade themed “Salute to Texas” and includes a float for a local publication (The Desert Sun?), mounted officers, The Holiday House, Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce, the Elks or American Legion, Western Hills Hotel, baton twirlers such as Donna Klaus’ Topperettes from Riverside, and other Texas-themed fare. (Devin was in the parade circa 1977-1979.)
#156. [“Gary’s House and Dinner at Home,” 1950s.] 8mm. Color. Silent. A Palm Springs House Party. Note the Palm Springs High School lettermen jackets and sweaters, Stockers Palm Springs Jacket, and high school party atmosphere at Gary’s House. See also #148, #150, #151, #152, #153, #154, #155, #157, #158, and #159 on this page for more from this collection.
#154. [“End of Parade,” April 1955.] 8mm. Color. Silent. Footage of the Desert Circus parade including lovely footage of the Holiday House float. See also #148, #150, #151, #152, #153, #155, #156, #157, #158, and #159 on this page for more from this collection.
#76. [Indian Wells, Desi Arnaz’s Western Hills, Higgins-Ladd Hardware in Palm Springs, post-1957.] 8mm. Color. Silent. Desi Arnaz’s Western Hills Hotel in Indian Wells, CA, was completed in 1957. It is now called Indian Wells Resort Hotel. There is also a nice shot of the Santa Rosa Mountains from an intersection presumably in Indian Wells, and a huge saguaro cactus.
#172. [“Palm Springs area, Snow Play,” ca. 1950s.] 8mm. Color. Silent. Having a little drinking party perhaps in Whitewater? Further description forthcoming.
#145. [“1965 — Ruby & Orville’s, Vacation from Vancouver to Palm Springs When We Took Blanchards Along, and Henry Took Pictures.”] 8mm. Color. Silent. Family travels by car from Vancouver to Palm Springs where they attend a service at Community Church of Palm Springs, a colorful unidentified hotel, an juried art show in the remnants of the old Demuth Park location downtown (where Indian Canyon and Palm Canyon meet – thank you to Tom Dolle who identified this for us) a year after it moved to its current location, Andreas Canyon on the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Reservation, and a groovy midcentury building under construction (we’d love help identifying it) and at a PS home with the name “Waggoner,” before they move on to what looks like Modesto.
#35. [“Claudia,” Palm Springs, ca. 1947, 1953, 1960.] 8mm. Color and B/W. Silent. These little films featuring “Claudia” seem to have been shot here, but the footage contains mainly domestic scenes, and a day at what looks like the Salton Sea.
DO#1. [Silver Spring Maryland Family — California Trip, 1949.] 8mm. Color. Silent. To watch more of Devin Orgeron’s collection of home movies, see.
#259. [“Karen’s Graduation, End-Ray Going Back to LA…Chris, Vince Robinsons’ (?) Confirmation, Odds & Ends, Palm Springs,” late 1960s.] 8mm. Color. Silent. Close up of attendees of high school graduation in stands, events stage (which high school? grads wear blue and white), graduation ceremony, people at a BBQ in a driveway, sledding in California mountain snow, Fort MacArthur banner for an event, San Pedro parade (holiday?), family posing in Sunday bests on sidewalk, same cutting a cake and celebrating (celebrating confirmation?), and then a long POV shot from a car driving through Palm Springs capturing signage including the El Mirador marquee listing Eddy Howard as the entertainer, Don the Beach Comber, Villa Hermosa, The Hicks Center, banners hanging across Palm Canyon promoting Desert Circus, Desert Garden Date Shop, the Chi Chi club (Joe. E. Lewis on marquee), The Desert Inn, J. W. Robinson department store, Sahara Park, and Ocotillo Lodge, and then they stay at a local a camper/RV park, Desert Hills Trailer Park at 67-751 Highway 111 in Palm Springs (now Cathedral City). Footage continues to the Indio Date Festival.
#169. [Horseback Riding, Ramona Pageant, Sequoia, San Francisco, ca.1940s.] 8mm. Color. Silent. At about minute 6 this group of revelers on a great California vacation attend the Ramona Pageant in Hemet, and film some participants. Please see our note about the Ramona Pageant below in the caption for #263.
#181. [“Lena Horne Party, Chi Chi Palm Springs, Stars,” Hearst Newsreel B-roll, February 2, 1958.] 16mm. B/W. Silent (sadly). Footage of a party at Chi Chi Club in Palm Springs which includes footage of Lena plus her husband Lennie Hayton, Johnny Mathis, Army Archerd, Spike Jones and his wife Helen Grayco, Judith Exner, Joan Collins, Danny Thomas, David Janssen, Joe Dimaggio, Linda Darnell, Darnell’s husband Merle “Robbie”, and others. From the Edwin W. Pauley home movie collection, but produced by Hearst International News.
#224. [“Mt. Shasta, Salton Sea, Spanish Trail Motel, Nopales, Mexico. February 1970.”] 8mm. Color. Silent. Includes great footage of SaltonSea and Nopales street scenes, a roadrunner and other yet-to-be-identified locations.
#179. [“New Mexico to Palm Springs, 1962.”] 8mm. Color. Silent. Travelers on a bus trip to New Mexico (perhaps Gallup?) during the holidays, visiting people, hotel stays, Knott’s Berry Farm and interaction with performer, then possibly through Banning Pass to Palm Springs including terrific footage of Palm Canyon Drive, festooned with Christmas decorations, the Plaza, Spa Hotel and places like Palm Springs Camera, Desmond’s, City National Bank, Prego, Canyon Country Club. 8mm, color.
#246. [“1963, Carol Leaving L.A. on Train, Traveling East Through Rockies and Denver in 1963 Ford XL, Oklahoma State Capitol, Oil Wells, Governor’s Mansion, Carlsbad, N.M., Carlsbad Caverns, San Diego Zoo, IndioDateFestival.“] 8mm. Color. Silent. After seeing “Carol” off on the Santa Fe Railroad in Los Angeles the (R.H. Widmer?) family’s road trip around the West including Arapaho National Forest, the Continental Divide, Denver buildings, Oklahoma City, Carlsbad, NM and Caverns San Diego Zoo, ending at the IndioDate Festival (including the festival princesses, elephant, helicopter, rides and more).
#258. [“1967 – October and December — Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree, Cha Cha, Sun City, Arizona. Snow, Birds, Cats — Dubby, Hawk, Bunny, Birds, 1968 Rose Parade, (Construction Machines).”] 8mm. Color. Silent. As mentioned on the label, footage includes Yucca Valley (with Desert Christ Park), and Joshua Tree. The film also includes images of various wild (especially birds and also a bunny) and domestic animals, Sun City during the “snow storm of the century” that hit Arizona on December 13, 1967, the Rose Bowl Parade on January 1, 1968 (including a neat Kodak float), and construction of additions to Sun City.
#178. [“Palm Springs.”] 8mm. Color. Silent. An amateur 8mm film commercially distributed by Finley Holiday Films in the 1950s. Further description forthcoming.
#279. [“Palm Springs – 1951, Stevie, Buzz, Susie Swimming, Shadow Mountain – Clocks, Easter Breakfast.”] 16mm. Color. Silent. From Edwin W. Pauley’s home movie collection (see also #181 on this page). Stevie, Buzz, and Susie Pauley; on March 25, 1951 children and an Easter egg hunt at The Desert Inn (where the Pauleys were staying that weekend according to The Desert Sun, March 30, 1951) plus poolside fun and diving at Shadow Mountain Resort in Palm Desert and then back at The Desert Inn including slow-motion footage of the kids diving.
#311. [Kids in Halloween Costumes, Mojave Desert and Scotty’s Castle, late 1960s.] 8mm. Color. Silent. Footage includes kids in Halloween costumes goofing around for the camera, and a drive through Mojave Desert to Scotty’s Castle in Death Valley.
#319. [“Desert, Kids, Pups,” May 1967.] 8mm. Color. Silent. Woman and girls in matching outfits pose seated on the ground with what looks like a Corgi and her puppies on the side of the road with desert behind them. A cameraman stands by taking still photographs, and then POV from the car of the road around Palm Springs and/or high desert, a desert house, girls posing next to a welcome sign, and posing the baby in a field of flowers.
#355. [U.S. Women Olympians at Desert Inn, Desert Driving, Helms Athletic Foundation, 20th Century-Fox Lot, December 1956 and/or January 1957.] 8mm. Color. Silent. Starts with a few seconds of Our Lady of Solitude Church, then great footage of three women (1956 and 1960 U.S. Olympian/hurdler Irene Robertson and Olympic games alternate Rose Caccamise and her mother Nellie) at Desert Inn, frolicking in the pool, riding bikes, etc., then at Helms Athletic Foundation in Culver City, CA, posing with Helms’ managing director and co-founder Bill Schroeder and Los Angeles Mirror sports writer Maxwell Stiles), and at 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation and studio lot, posing with Stiles again. See also #361 on “A Short Drive” and #373 on “A Flight Away” for more personal Caccamise home movies, and for more films of the 1956 Olympic trials in DC, see also #365, #366, #367, #368, #396, and #736 on “Holidays, Special Events, Parties, & Weird Stuff.”
#357. [“Kiwanis Club of Banning Extends Greetings to Lethbridge,” 1930.] 16mm. B/W. Silent. A booster film about a meeting between the Kiwanis Club of Banningand Canadian government official Lethbridge. Opens with inter-titles (included throughout) and greeting by club president John M. Westerfield, a map of the Banning area and a bi-plane taking off and cameraman shooting aerial footage of the town and local farm land, back to map showing how one arrives from the west and footage of Ford Model Ts or As driving through a tree-lined road, higher elevation of Mt. San Gorgornio and orchards, pointing to map and Mt. San Jacinto, on the map driving south and that landscape from an elevation (mountains, farms, desert/flowers, a man walking up sand dunes, a beautiful canyon (help us identify!), the view of Palm Springs from Palm Canyon?, club directors doing a skit, close up of young women (legs and faces) as they pass City Bank of Banning, former Lieutenant Governor John P. Phillips in a skit at The Little Store of John _______(?), men assembling for a U.S.-Canada a cultural exchange/celebration in what might be their clubhouse?, outside at a Memorial Day ceremonial flag raising, folks placing of wreaths, flowers and flags on graves in San Gorgornio Memorial Park cemetery, close up on Hubert N. Passells’ gravestone (died 1921), some soldiers or returned vets marching with American, British (and another) flags.
#328. [Father and Son Fishing, and (Indio?) Family Celebrates Easter, ca. 1970s.] Super 8mm. Color. Silent. Boy in a helmet fishes with his father, then the family unit arrives at a rural home adjacent to a date palm orchard, we believe to be in Indio, where kids hunt for Easter eggs and the whole group poses for a picture with rows of date palm trees behind. Same family (and cute boy) as #310 on our “A Short Drive” page.
#263. [“Cape Cod, Hemet — Ramona Pageant, Rancho Calif., 1970.”] Super 8mm. Color. Silent. POV from plane (Grand Canyon, patchwork of fields, etc.), a neighborhood in Massachusetts, POV from a car capturing roadside and I-95 signage (Berkshires, Boston, Hyannis, etc.), Plymouth sites, Provincetown and Cape Cod sites, Hyannis Club, Christopher Ryder House, Belmont Stakes race, New York City streets and sites, then finally POV from plane on way to California, the Ramona Pageant (Hemet) players and scenes from the play, and finishes with a wander around the Rancho California Inn in Temecula.
The Ramona Pageant is based on the popular but controversial novel, RAMONA, published in 1884 by Helen Hunt Jackson. It presents a romanticized account of a real half-Cahuilla woman named Ramona Lobo whose husband was murdered by white settlers. The novel was intended to shed light on abuses against Ramona and Native Americans generally. Although the pageant’s main and side characters were seemingly still played by white actors in 1970 when this home movie was shot, by at least the 1990s until the present some of the cast — including the co-leads — have actually been Native American actors, and there have been bird singers, dancers and such. Ramona’s descendants still live here, and we post this respectfully as a historical artifact of the pageant.
To read more about the history of the pageant here are two sources of many: Lorimer Michelle Marie. 2016. Resurrecting the Past : The California Mission Myth. Pechanga Calif: Great Oak Press.
DeLyser Dydia. 2005. Ramona Memories : Tourism and the Shaping of Southern California. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
#260. [“Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), April 1977; (McDonald’s) in San Bernardino, Palm Springs, Rose Bowl — Flea Circus, Newport Beach, Rodeo Drive, San Diego, June 1978.”] Super 8mm. Color. Silent. April 1977: Airport and POV shot from plane on way to Dominican Republic, resort, pool, Santo Domingo cityscapes and sites with a local friend or guide, jai alai court, beautiful beaches. June 1978: POV from plane on way to Palm Springs area, the old Hadley’s Fruit Orchards, San Jacinto mountain, POV shot by car of Palm Springs including Bob Hope’s house under construction (finished in ’79), a stop at City Hall, a park or golf club?, Eisenhower Medical Center, The Springs in Rancho Mirage. The road trip continues to Laguna Beach and Newport Beach locations, Dana Point beaches and jetty, Santa Monica beach and walking path, Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, the Flea Circus (swap meet) at the Rose Bowl, San Diego harbor, mission, lighthouse, etc.
#215. [“Ocotillo Wells, ’76, On Top of Mountain, Bare Backyard,” 1976.] Super 8mm. Color. Silent. Two women dune buggy enthusiasts on top of the mountain in Ocotillo Wells, a dirt track, dune buggies. See also #216 below for more!
#216. [“__ Competition, Hills,” ca. 1976.] Super 8mm. Color. Sound. Dune buggies on the side of, and at bottom of, a giant sand dune (most likely Ocotillo Wells — see #215 above) plus a long POV shot of the race from inside a dune buggy (with commentary)!
#245. “Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.” Super 8mm. Color. Silent. An amateur 8mm souvenir/tourist film commercially distributed by Finley Holiday Films in the 1960s. Great shots of the older gondola and views of Palm Springs back when it was less built up.
#262. [“Palm Springs, Hearst (Castle), Gold Beach, Oregon,” late 1960s.] Super 8mm. Color. Silent. Documentation of the Palm Springs Mounted Police Rodeo including opening ceremony, bronco riding, cattle wrangling, barrel racing, etc. Includes an Eva Gabor sighting! Other footage includes exteriors and pool at Heart Castle, and two Coast Guard boats conducting terrifying maneuvers in rough sea off Gold Beach, Oregon.
#265. [“Music Center, Yucca, Flowers, Golf,” mid-1970s.] Super 8mm. Color. Silent. Woman hanging laundry, group of ladies dressed nicely walking around the Los Angeles Music Center plaza, and a poster for the play, The Great White Hope, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, green fields of pretty flowers, poppies, mountains, woman with 8mm camera in Yucca Valley and/or Joshua trees, then we’re off to the star-studded Colgate-Dinah Shore Golf Classic on April 10, 1973, at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage. In the footage we see Ray Bolger, John Denver (?), Fred Astaire, Jill St. John, Arnold Palmer, Dinah Shore, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Frank and Barbara Sinatra, Glen Campbell, Cliff Robertson, and others.
#39. [“Mojave Desert, Wax Museum,” ca. 1970s.] Super 8mm. Color. Silent. Beautiful desert driving scenes, Joshua trees, and a desert portrait outside of the car. These views are followed by some shots of Movieland Wax Museum (founded, 1962 and closed in 2005). Liberace’s car, Mae West, Yul Brynner, the Star Trek set, That Girl (Marlo Thomas), Bonanza, Ben Hur.
#352. [“Desert Artist Gil III (October 1964), Brawley Rodeo (November 1964).”] 8mm. Color. Silent. Unidentified (help us) painter in a desert landscape in our area (we think this is near Anza Borrego?) and footage of the Brawley Cattle Call Rodeo and surroundings.
#362. [“Palm Canyon,” 1935.] 8mm. B/W. Silent. Group of hikers picnicking in Palm Canyon. Lovely views of the group from above, in the canyon’s picnic area, rain clouds (!), and the view from parking area of Palm Springs in the far distance. The rest of the film is of a little blond toddler in the snow, sledder and snowy landscape near and on Lake Tahoe (?), huge, amazing mansion or hotel lakeside (perhaps Lake Arrowhead?), and then toddler again probably in summer as she’s in a swimsuit.
#360. [“End of Camel Race, Kern River, Bobby Thrown in Water,” ca. late 1960s.] 8mm. Color. Silent. Footage from the Indio Date Festival! Camel races at the Date Festival in Indio, Ca. Date fields in background. Started in 1921, the Date Festival still runs today (and the camel races are part of it). Some equestrian demonstrations in the same arena. This is followed by some lake scenes…. Girl being chased by man who grabs her in his arms and dunks her in the river. Sitting around campsite (camper in background). Playing with dogs.
#375. [“‘Xmas 1953 — Credit Club Xmas Party (Work), Xmas 1954, Crystal Lake Mountains — Snow 1955, Kussen (Johnson Dog), Beach, Memorial Day, Boys Choir (James), Ray’s Folks, Palm Springs, Calif.; December 1955-’56.”] 8mm. Color. Silent. On this long reel is a bit scratched up and dirty, but it includes holiday parties, road trips, and vacation footage of a group of young people hanging by a motel pool (help us identify!) in Palm Springs and exploring a bit. Cross-listed under “Melissa’s Obsession: Work and Social Club Parties” and “Holidays, Special Events, Parties, & Weird Stuff.”
#369. [“Indio Parade and Circus” January or February 1958.] 8mm. Color. Silent. Parade for the 1958 Indio Date Festival. Footage includes floats, princesses, horse and riders, ropers…dogs and cave people, a circus and trapeze act, a camel race, and terrifying diving and aerobatics demonstrations.
#157. [“Kenny and Gary’s Party, 1954.”] 8mm. Color. Silent. Young people in Palm Springs throw a Hawaiian-themed party — with a band! Footage is a bit dark, but don’t you want to go to this party? This party house was in the Little Beverly Hills neighborhood which at the time was called “Enchanted Village.” See also #150, #151, #152, #153, #156, #158, and #159 on this page for more from this collection.
#385. [Fishing at Lake Hemet, ca. 1960s.] 8mm. Color. Silent. A fishing party enjoying LakeHemet. The film has scratches across the middle throughout the entire reel. Was it dropped in the sand? Was it stored or run through a projector improperly? We don’t know! It’s trippy nonetheless.
#406 [Palm Springs, Apple Valley, Universal Studios, Rose Bowl, Winter 1967-1968.] 8mm. Color. Silent. Regional footage includes the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, down Palm Canyon, including at night, Rimcrest Hillside Condos, and then out in Apple Valley, perhaps Lake Arrowhead, Universal Studios, Descanso Gardens (La Cañada), and a bunch of the 1967 Rose Bowl and parade.
#384. [Salton Sea Fishing Trip, 1960s.] 8mm. Color. Silent. Lot’s of fishing footage. This is followed by scenes of the area around the Salton Sea: Desert Shores (Rancho Marina: now an RV Park); Marina is gone; Windjammer is closed; Desert Shores Trailer Park is actually in Thermal and still in business; Mudsucker Mike’s seems to be gone; Marina Mobile Estates has been abandoned, although people lived there through the mid-90s; ends at what is likely the Mobile Estates and a nice pan out to the sea.
#153, #158, #159 and #150. [Palm Springs Family Films, 1954-1955.] 8mm. Color. Silent. A local family’s films of various quality. See also #148, #151, #152, #154, #155, #156, and #157 on this page for more from this collection.
#155, #148, #151. [Palm Springs Family Films, 1950s.] 8mm. Color. Silent. Local family having fun with babies and the pool! See also #150, #152, #153, #154, #156, #157, #158, and #159 on this page for more from this collection.
Reel RR#1. Rockwell Family Home Movie in Big Bear and La Quinta Cove, ca. 1957-1958. Home movie footage of the Rockwell family spending time in Big Bear as one of the Rockwell boys flying a kite on Avenida Carranza in La Quinta cove. Digital file donated by Rhonda Rockwell of Palm Springs.
#152. [“Xmas Party at Jo’s House, 1955.]. 8mm. Color. Silent. Holiday party: tree and presents, being drinking and chatting in the kitchen, adults and kids in the living room, opening presents, decorating the dog, etc. See also #148, #150, #151, #153, #154, #155, #156, #157, #158, and #159 on this page for more from this collection. Crosslisted on the “Holidays, Special Events, Parties, & Weird Stuff” page.
#449. [“Halloween, Hank’s & (Unclear),” 1960s.] 8mm. Color. Silent. Halloween, Christmas, and more. Aside from holiday celebrations, this longish home movie includes footage shot around the local Beaumont-Cherry Valley area. Crosslisted on the “Holidays, Special Events, Parties, & Weird Stuff” page.
#408. [“Palm Desert to Panama Canal,” ca. 1960s.] Super 8mm. Color. Silent. This over 30-min. home movie starts in Palm Desert at a nice midcentury home (great breeze walls!), then travels to San Francisco and off to the Panama Canal.
#438. [“Palm Springs – Thanksgiving Weekend 1962” plus Erawan Garden Hotel (March 1963) and L’Horizon, May 1963.] 8mm. Color. Silent. Mytinger Family Home Movies. Great footage of the Mytinger family and friends staying at the Desert Isle Hotel and Apartments in Palm Springs, at the former Erawan Garden Hotel in Palm Desert (then Miramonte Resort & Spa, and Tommy Bahama’s, and the property is officially in Indian Wells now), and and L’Horizon. Crosslisted on the “Holidays, Special Events, Parties, & Weird Stuff” page.
#444. [Rolling Hills, Erawan Garden Hotel, Sandra’s Graduation from Univ. of Colorado and Stewardess School, early 1960s.] 8mm. Color. Silent. Mytinger Family Home Movies. Images of the family in their Rolling Hills (in the Palos Verdes Peninsula) home; vacationing at the former Erawan Garden Hotel in Palm Desert (then Miramonte Resort & Spa, and now Tommy Bahama’s); the Mytinger daughter at University of Colorado Boulder and her graduation from there and flight attendant school, etc. See also #438, #439, #440, #443 and #498.
441. [Outtakes for The Happy Wanderers, Episode 121, “Hermit of Palm Springs,” 1965.] 16mm. Color. Silent. Episode about unhoused local “Hubcap Willie” McDavid filmed at his shanty; a hay ride led by former, controversial former mayor Frank Bogert (man on horse with green windbreaker and straw hat) and a “Fireside Sing” at an unidentified location but we think around Smoke Tree?; a ride on the tram and views from the station at the top; Henrietta getting a facial at Palm Springs Spa Hotel as well as a workout session in its gym and pool led by Dr. Anne-Marie Bennström; Charles Farrell playing tennis at the Racquet Club; and tennis courts and pool at the Tennis Club. (Is it possibly Barbara Pauley in the orange top among the women watching Farrell play? — See reel #279 on this page.) For more of The Happy Wanderers, see also #502 and #665.
#665. [Outtakes for The Happy Wanderers, Episode 123 “Ghosts of Indian Cove,” ca. 1967.] 16mm. Color. Silent. Footage includes Big Rock Airport, The Integratron, and George Van Tassel, Desert Christ Park in Yucca Valley, Pioneertown, etc. See also #441 and #502. The Happy Wanderers was a nationally syndicated travelogue television show that originally aired on KCOP and then KNBC and KTLA in Los Angeles, California, in the 1960s and early 1970s. It was hosted by Slim and Henrietta Barnard.
#513. [Marineland and Joshua Tree/High Desert, 1960s.] 8mm. Color. Silent. Young duo stay in Joshua Tree or elsewhere nearby high desert, and continue on to the former Marineland on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
#555. [Palm Springs Vacation, ca. 1960s.] 8mm. Color. Silent. We haven’t worked out yet what Palm Springs hotel this is (maybe Desert Isle?), but these folks relax in and by the pool and sunbathe, etc.
#520. [“Palm Springs April ’60, Betty Bieryla Homecoming.”] 8mm. Color. Silent. Pool fun and women (friends or family?) and a quick shot of the former Desert Leisure Hotel in Palm Springs. See also #522, #526, and #535 for more from this family.
#522. [“Film of Baby & Homecoming & Palm Springs, 4-’60.”] 8mm. Color. Silent. Woman posing with baby and little boy, a day at a (local-ish?) amusement park, then pool fun in Palm Springs. See also #520, #526, and #535 for more from this family.
#667. [“California Snow,” ca. January 10, 1949.] 8mm. Color & B/W. Silent. Footage starts with black/white images of a pool party, then switches to the January 1949 Southern California snow storm as it effected the Banning (note the Banning Union HS bus!), Cabazon, (and Beaumont?), and Palm Springs area. The family stops at Taylor’s Service/Post Office/groceries/gas likely near Banning, and “California’s Famous Cactus Garden” in Cabazon as they travel through — along the San Gorgonio Pass we think — and then into Palm Springs.
Stumpf#22. [“Ocotillo Wells, Scouts (at) Orange County Fairgrounds, New Year’s Eve ’72.”] Super 8mm. Color. Silent. Stumpf family films. POV footage from a car through Texas, at the beach, and then POV again in the desert around Ocotillo Wells; then they attend a Boy Scout jamboree in the Orange County Fairgrounds, a parade, and then a New Year’s Eve party which is the same NYE Party as in #538 (McCormick family films). Crosslisted on the “Holidays, Special Events, Parties, & Weird Stuff” page.
Stumpf#1. [“June 1972, Palm Springs.”] Super 8mm. Color. Silent. Stumpf family films. Stumpfs on the tram in Palm Springs and then ends at the same pool party as in #536 in the McCormick family films.
#743. [Vacation Reels: Trip to Catalina, Fun on Yacht, Beach Resort (Mazatlan?), Skiing on June Mountain Ski Area, El Mirador Hotel in Palm Springs, 1920s-1950s.] 16mm. B/W and Color. Silent. About the El Mirador footage: The fashion shows happened every Saturday at noon during the season. We found this particular show advertised in the Desert Sun in 1953. It features aloha-wear designed and/or imported by Waltah Clarke (the man in the palm hat next to the Ukelele player). Clarke had a shop in the hotel where he sold his wares (he was an incredible entrepreneur), and these shows helped spread his aloha gospel and did a lot for the EL Mirador’s public profile. Further description forthcoming.
#737. [“Landscape on Hwy. 111 – 1968; Outside Near Palm Springs; Chet’s Grandson and Parents […]; Along Hwy. 74; Hawthorne Parade […] 7/’67; Camp Out; Have Badge, Will Travel (Abbott and Costello film) […].] Super 8; Color. Silent. Further description forthcoming.
#739. [“Around the Trailer Court; Vernon’s Visit; Camping Out; Las Vegas; Airplanes; Death Valley; Calico Ghost Town; (Grand?) Canyon – Going In and Out; Calif. Hwy. 88; Lone Pine Camp; Grandkids; Scenery Along Ocean by Marineland and San Pedro, Also Long Beach; Trailer Court,” 1960s.] Super 8mm. Color. Silent. Further description forthcoming.
#708. [“Portnoy Family Palm Springs”, early 1950s, “Helen, Barkey, & David in Burbank 1963.”] 16mm. B/W and color. Silent. Portnoy family members (we’re fairly certain here, but help us if you know this family!) The Portnoy family lived in Palm Springs for many years in this house at 675 S. Camino Real. The older daughter is Sylvia — she was manager and buyer at a local women’s clothing store called Taffy’s on North Palm Canyon. The teenager is Helen Portnoy who went to Palm Springs Public High School. The man is Louis Portnoy and the older woman is his wife Jennie. They started coming here in the 1940s. Louis was a WWI vet who was very active with the local American Legion post 519. He died here in 1985. Jennie died in 1980. Not present on screen is a third daughter named Gloria who worked at Bullock’s, but the young man may be her husband Marlowe A. Mogul.
#412. [Palm Springs Golf Games, Pre-April 1969.] Super 8mm. Color. Silent. This home movie begins with what appear to be wedding guests leaving a Bolindale Christian Church (Bolindale, Ohio), then captures a man and woman playing golf at Canyon Country Club (now Indian Canyons Golf Resort) — you can see the backside of the Canyon Hotel in the background, relaxing with friends by the Canyon Hotel pool, and playing more golf (on a very windy day). Thanks to a generous grant from the California Revealed Initiative of the California State Library, this film has been digitized and preserved.
#413. [“Strange Hotel Palm Springs/That Special Canyon in Palm Springs, San Diego, Feb. ’85.”] Super 8mm. Color. Silent. Home movie footage includes two women traveling together to San Diego, their hotel and the harbor, and then their stay in what likely was The Riviera Hotel (now Margaritaville Resort) in Palm Springs, and a hike into Tahquitz Canyon, hanging out by the pool, and more. Thanks to a generous grant from the California Revealed initiative of the California State Library, this film has been digitized and preserved.
#416. [Camping Life: Palm Springs and Other Location in California or Colorado, July 2, 1968.] 8mm. Color. Silent. This home movie captures lovely sunsets, unidentified Palm Springs hotel or camper/ trailer park pool, camping trailers in a wooded area (California or Colorado?), a river in a green gorge (at dusk, a bit dark), a woman and dog in a field of pretty flowers, same river in daylight, another campsite on the riverbank, more of the river, a field of poppies on a hillside, relaxing at a campsite picnic table. Thanks to a generous grant from the California Revealed initiative of the California State Library, this film has been digitized and preserved.
#428. [Birthday Party, Fishing, Camping, Rowing — Salton Sea, late 1960s.] Super 8mm. Color. Silent. Footage covers a young boy’s large birthday party held in what looks like a community room (perhaps at Salton Sea); landscape shots of the Salton Sea at dusk, and activities including people fishing, water-skiing, rowing a small boat, campers and trailers, and camping right at and on the beach. Film is a bit dark in the beginning. Thanks to a generous grant from the California Revealed initiative of the California State Library, this film has been digitized and preserved.
#497. [“Palm Springs, Marineland, June 1959; Produced by George, April 4th & 5th, 1959.”] 8mm. Color. Silent. Created by we think a young filmmaker named George (last name unknown), this edited home movie captures a family staying at Lantana Lodge (now condos) in Palm Springs. He takes in the scenery, hotel, and the family playing in its pool, sunbathing; the family then goes to the long gone Marineland of the Pacific in Palos Verdes Estates (Calif.) where he records many exhibitions by the park’s captive sea life and grounds. Thanks to a generous grant from the California Revealed initiative of the California State Library, this film has been digitized and preserved.
#502. [Outtakes for The Happy Wanderers, Episode 164 “Riverside Honeymoon,” ca. mid-1960s.] 16mm. Color. Silent. This 16mm reel of outtakes for episode 164 “Riverside Honeymoon” of The Happy Wanders features speed boat races on Ski Land Lake in Perris, California, ca. 1967 (episode aired on KTLA, April 1967.) The Happy Wanderers was a nationally syndicated travelogue television show that originally aired on KCOP and then KNBC and KTLA in Los Angeles, California, in the 1960s and early 1970s. It was hosted by Slim and Henrietta Barnard. Includes moments from many races, spectators, and even glimpses of Henrietta Barnard at about minutes 12:55 and 13:36. Image of a sign states the National Drag Boat Association (N.D.B.A.) Race Schedule ran one Sunday a month, February through November. See also #441 and #665. Thanks to a generous grant from the California Revealed initiative of the California State Library, this film has been digitized and preserved.
#745 [“California Southland” Outtakes, pre-1951.] 16mm. Color. Silent. Outtakes (including the opening and closing titles) from a longer amateur film of the same name by Ted Shaw, Jr., of Chicago, IL. Footage includes: the sites around Emerald Bay Beach, Three-Arch Bay and Laguna Beach: sea life, sunbathing, flowers right outside the Victor Hugo (now Las Brisas) restaurant and beach walk, Hotel Laguna in the distance, mountains, and then further away an orchard/farm, in traffic with a cavalcade of lovely old late 1940s or very early 1950s, visiting a young woman with baby goats and a dog on a farm with mountains in the background, a woman fondling some California poppies, a people walking through probably cherry or almond trees in bloom, more trees, then to Desert Beach marina at the Salton Sea, speed boat action on the water and the peer, the marina building and beach-goers; next a crowd and captain (possibly Captain Leroy Mussetter) on deck of the ship S.S. Avalon (which ceased doing the LA-Catalina run in February 1951) as it leaves The Catalina Terminal (located at 100 W. Water Street, Berths 184 and 185, Port of Los Angeles, Wilmington, CA) for Catalina Island, other ships in the harbor, oil wells, nice shots of passengers, the shore; then a bunch of lovely footage of the town of Avalon on Catalina: the Casino, harbor, kids diving for coins, people disembarking, nice shots of the beach front shops, harbor, Casino, from up higher up a mountain (maybe from Wrigley Mansion), the town, Wrigley Mansion, more Casino and boats and harbor, the ring road, and lots of other lovely footage of the town, the Bird Park, the ride back to LA, and even a closing “The End” title.
About the filmmaker: Shaw was a businessman who traveled the world with his wife, Ruth, and created 16mm travelogues along the way. He was recognized by the Amateur Cinema League for his 1937 film, Chicago, Vacation Center of the Nation. Click here for more about Shaw and here to see other films he made.
