This 1938 black and white film about Santa Catalina Island was produced by Charles E. Ford, and photographed by Los Angeles photographer Robert Connell. A map shows the location of Catalina (:30). The SS Catalina steamship (Great White Steamer) is boarded by men and women in 1930s clothing, including hats. The view of the harbor buildings and the Santa Cruz Breakwater Lighthouse are shown (:33-2:15). Whales swim beside the ship (2:24). It passes Long Point and anchored sailboats (2:32-3:00). A Douglas Dolphin seaplane flies in and lands on the ocean (3:06-3:22). Steam pours out of the ship’s smokestack (3:28). The Catalina moves into a dock at the Bay of Avalon. A group onshore is shown singing to the arrivals. A coin is tossed into swimmers as it docks. Passengers wearing 1930s styles of men’s and women’s clothing disembark, crowding the dock (3:45-5:02). A woman in a 1930s bathing lies face-down on a towel. Kids play in a pool (5:23-5:27). A woman in a 1930s keyhole bathing waves. Kids make sand castles. A little girl pretends to eat sand from a spoon (5:32-5:43). Houses nestle in the hilly terrain (5:50-6:07). The El Encanto restaurant is shown in 1938 (6:09). The Hotel Saint Catherine, opened in 1918, included outdoor dining. Two women in 1930s shorts leave a bungalow. [The hotel closed in 1941 due to war] (6:15-6:42). People board an open-top bus to Catalina Bird Park. People look through wire fences at the different types of birds. A penguin waddles towards the camera and jumps in (6:44-8:16). People board a glass-bottom boat. They watch a diver through the glass as he waves up at them, gets an abalone shell, and brings it onto the boat (8:20-9:28). Sea lions bask at Seal Rocks (9:29-9:52). A 1930s motor coach takes tourists up the hills. Inside views are shown of the driver and passengers. They get out to look at Avalon below (10:01-11:04). 1930s-dressed golfers and tennis players are shown (11:06-11:36). A group goes horseback riding. One man wears a business suit. The women wear neck scarves (11:38-11:59). A couple carries rifles, mount horses, and fire at the running wild mountain goats (12:00-13:48). The sloping hills lead to yachts and sailboats (13:50-14:23). The isthmus resembles the South Seas. A movie set is shown used in Mutiny on the Bounty and Old Ironsides (14:24-14:33). The surf rolls past the rocks (14:40-14:50). Cowboys round-up cattle. Buffalo run up a hill. Cowboys drink coffee out of metal cups (14:54-15:24). A nighttime crowd with a large spotlight watch flying fish. A fisherman uses nets to catch them (15:27-16:13). A boat leaves the private member’s Tuna Club of Avalon. The rod, reel, and caught swordfish are shown up-close. At the dock, three large swordfish hang by their tails (16:15-18:18). People wave as the Catalina leaves (18:20-18:50). Many couples dance at the Avalon Ballroom (18:52-19:38). The flag is lowered and the twinkling harbor lights come on (19:39-20:23).
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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