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This color film, shot in 1967 and released in 1972, produced by John Barnes and directed by Michael Livesey and Robert Johnson in collaboration with P. Craig Smith of Northeastern State University for Encyclopedia Britannica Films offers a glimpse into the operations of the tugboat Teresa Moran, and its Captain Grover, a 30 year veteran of New York harbor (TRT 13:31).
Opening titles. “An Encyclopaedia Britannica Film” (0:08). A man walks through a wooded autumn area and starts a chainsaw. A handmade home stands in the background. His wife sits on a couch, his daughter plays piano. He is a tugboat captain (0:15). A red tugboat, the McAllister, passes in the background. “I’m a tugboat captain in New York Harbor” (1:14). The bustling harbor shows passing tugboats: “Anne Moran, Turecamo Girls.” A dispatch skyscraper. The “Teresa Moran” (1:21). Titles resume: “The World of Work: Tugboat Captain.” The boat’s crew look out over the harbor, hosing down the deck (1:52). The Statue of LIberty is seen in the distance. Closeups on the ship’s engine room with dials and gauges. Montage: Crew members work at the helm, controls in closeup, tying mooring ropes to a bollard (2:20). Men in hardhats push a derrick tanker, the Atlantic Cinderella, and help it retrieve a sunken chain and anchor from the water. Closeup on the muddy anchor (3:10). The Atlantic Cinderella unloads cargo and refuels (4:25). The tugboat continues on. A tarp is pulled over the side of the ship, then assists a foreign ocean liner in docking (4:32). The liner finds its berth with the help of the tug’s mooring lines (5:18). Views from the deck of the tug show its searchlight. They seek out a British freighter, the Gypsum Queen. Captain Grover leaves the helm and takes a break, passing through the engine room to the galley (6:13). Up on deck, Captain Grover boards a ship and aids in the docking process. He chats with the freighter’s captain (7:33). The docking pilot guides the craft toward a narrow pier (8:59). At dawn, a cloudy pink Manhattan skyline. Captain Grover boards the luxury liner Oceanic (9:38). Meeting with the captain of the Oceanic giving instructions via two-way radios (10:29). In broad daylight, more dockings continue (11:28). Tides and currents of the harbor in closeup. An ocean liner towers over the camera (11:53). Well-wishers wave at a passing vessel (12:23). Captain Grover expresses an appreciation of his independence (12:44).
The Teresa Moran aka Cape Henry was built in 1967 by Gulfport Shipbuilding of Port Arthur, Texas (hull #687), and went to work for the Moran Towing Corporation of New York, New York. The twin screw tug was powered by two sixteen cylinder EMD diesel engines with two bronze fixed-pitch propellers. She was renamed the Cape Henry in 1976, following a transfer to the Curtis Towing Company of Baltimore, Maryland. Her electrical service is provided by two 75kW generator sets. The tug's capacities are 54,155 gallons of fuel, and 32,493 gallons of ballast.
This film was photographed by Michael Livesey and Peter Henning, with narration from Randolph Hobler.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFilm.com