What's On This Film?
Here are 13 more home movie reels (totaling about 55 minutes) of a middle-American family from the Detroit, Michigan area. Identifiable persons and locations are listed here in order to assist those interested.
00:15 “Easter 1960 • Alma & Donald • Cottage”
Opens on the Irwindale house in Pontiac (now Waterford), Michigan. Dave, Rick, and Beth Anne come out the front door in their best Easter Sunday clothes with Mom (Beth) behind. Likely that same day, the family is joined by Mom’s uncle Donald and family for lunch outdoors. Donald Macdonald, Alma Macdonald, Aldon, Glenn, and Elaine. We also see Dad (Henry), Beth Anne, David, and Mary McGarrity Macdonald (aka Nana, Nan, Mary, and Mamie).
01:26
East Tawas, Michigan. Swimming in Lake Huron off Tawas Point. Dad, Dave, Bruce Carr, Beth Anne.
02:34 “Summer 1960 Vacation”
At East Tawas, mom’s side of the extended family, the Macdonalds. Clowning with Uncle Chet & Auntie Rho Dundas, Uncle Don and Auntie Vi Forrester, Uncle George and Auntie Maggie Wangler, Uncle Jug (aka Jim, James, Jughead) Macdonald, Dad, and Nan. Dave is promoting some canned item to the camera like an ad pitchman. Doug Wangler, Sally Forrester, Tim Wangler. Bruce Carr and Dad play catch. Patty Carr.
05:41
At another lake (probably at Dodge Park #4 on Cass Lake), Rick and Bruce McTeer dig in the sand. Betty McTeer, her daughters. Janie(?) McTeer.
06:52 “Ricky's birthday • Christmas 1960”
The house has been painted a copper color and there is a new addition. Rick shows off his new “Little Leaguer” baseball outfit and swats a few in the front yard. Beth Anne. Inside, Dad lights the birthday cake. Mom cuts the cake.
09:15
The Christmas tree, 1960. The ill-fated toy gas station, Aurora H.O. Model Motoring slot car set. As was the tradition, Dad or Mom filmed the tree and stockings just as Santa left them and before the kids came in, then filmed the kids as they entered the room and reacted. Opening presents.
11:30 “Dot & Geo. visit • Vacation 1961”
Dot (Dorothy) was mother's college roomate. She is here at the Irwindale house with husband George and their sons. We have a picnic.
12:26
On the sand at Tawas Point in East Tawas Michigan. Uncle Jug, Dad, Bruce Carr, Uncle Chet, Rick, Beth Anne, Aunt Diane, Dolores Carr, Dave, Carol Carr, the Cheez-Its, Patty Carr, Janet Carr, Nan, Auntie Rho.
15:58 “Vacation 1961 • Bridge & U. Penn.”
The Mackinac Bridge, Michigan. Driving in the Upper Peninsula, Tahquamenon Falls. The Soo Locks at Sault Sainte Marie which connect Lake Superior and Lake Huron, between Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Ontario, Canada.
20:00 “Christmas 1961, New Year’s Eve 1961”
Christmas tree in the new family room at Irwindale. The new fireplace. The Rollfast bicycle I got for Christmas and rode once. Grandpa and Grandma (Edwin and Clara) and Aunt Bernieta. Beth Anne, Dave, Rick sledding.
22:05
A New Year’s party for adults at church held at the home of Richard and Marge Bryan in Pontiac (now Waterford). Mavis Russell, Mother, John Torok, shuffleboard in the basement(!), Jim and Anita Bunton, Dan Swift, Sally Nelson, Donna and Dave Miller, Fred and Clara Harrell, John Torok, mom, Mavis Russell (pregnant with Kristen), Dick Bryan, Dorothy Swift, Norm Russell, and Marge Bryan.
24:21 “Niagara Falls–Labor Day with the family • Summer 1962”
Mom at the motel at Niagara Falls. Ralph and Melva Davidson. Dad playing a visual gag with a tree near the falls. The “Maid of the Mist” at Niagara Falls. The falls.
26:06
Labor Day family get-together in back yard at Irwindale house, mom’s side of the family (the Macdonalds's) mostly, but grandparents on dad's side there too. Aunt Diane, Grandpa, Auntie Rhoda, Grandma, Beth Anne, Uncle Chet, Pa (Roderick Macdonald), Nan, mom, Rick, Dave, and Uncle Jug. The family's 1930 Model A Ford, Beth Anne's playhouse in the backyard, the swamp, the “boogie-woogie.”
28:00 “Christmas 1962 • ‘red P.J.’s”
We become a “two-tree” family this Christmas with the the purchase of one of the new silver artificial trees which is posted in front of the living room window. Gifts for extended family and others are placed here. The piano. Mother's new Early American end tables. The real tree in the family room, The World Book Encyclopedia set. In the tradition, the kids enter the family room on cue to be dazzled by a great many gifts.
28:39
At the Wrobbel’s (grandma & grandpa’s) on Christmas afternoon, Herb Smith, Ruth, Dave, Linda Smith, Grandpa, Aunt Bernieta, cousin Paul, Beth Anne, mother, Aunt Georgette, Uncle Harry, Rick, cousin Mark.
31:03
And on to the Macdonald family on Christmas night, this year being hosted at the Warren Michigan house of Uncle Chet and Auntie Rhoda Dundas. We see Uncle Chet, Auntie Maggie, Rick, cousin Tim, Dave, cousin Jim, Beth Anne, Aunt Diane and Uncle Jim (Jug, Jughead), Doug, mom and her mother who we called Nan, Auntie Maggie (Mary Margaret Wangler), Uncle George Wangler, Auntie Rho (pregnant with Jeff Dundas). Uncle Chet sits on Pa’s lap. .
32:48 “Spring ’63, ‘Hello Uncle Jug’”
Likely filmed at a Memorial Day get-together of the Macdonald family, this film was made to be sent to Uncle Jug (Jim, James Macdonald) who had been away for awhile serving the military in Korea. It was a sort of video “letter from home.” Filmed at the Dundas house in Warren Michigan, we see Jim Wangler, three of the sun-bathing Macdonald sisters, Rhoda, Beth, and Mary Margaret, Nan, Dave, Uncle Chet, Beth Anne, Individual close-ups start with Pa and Uncle George. We all line up holding cards with the message “Hi Jug Head We Love You” and we see also Doug, Rick, Tim, and the baby Jeff. Uncle Don, Auntie Vi, and cousins Sally and Tracy are living in Arizona at this time and are not at this get-together. Dad (Henry) who filmed all the preceding, finally gets screen time hitting golf balls. Vernor’s Ginger Ale.
36:25
A visual gag is filmed in which an amazing amount of family members seem to emerge from Nan and Pa’s sky blue Buick Skylark. And from the trunk!
37:30 “Niagara I • August 1963”
In the pool at the Park Lane Motel at Niagara Falls we see Beth Anne and Rick. Dad walking to the room. The Niagara Falls rapids. Dave, Rick, mom, and Beth Anne looking at the rapids. Niagara Falls. More views of Niagara Falls.
44:20 “The Falls - August 1963”
Beth Anne headed for the motel pool. Rick displays his diving skills for mom and brother Dave. More views of Niagara Falls. The “Maid of the Mist.” The Rainbow International Bridge. Seagram Tower Hotel.
49:00 “Niagara II, Aug. ’63”
The film box says Niagara but this is family footage at the Irwindale house. Beth Anne, Auntie Rho, Rick, Dave, and Uncle Chet are on the one side of the living room and on the other, Grandpa (Edwin), Nan (Nana, Mary, Mamie), Grandma (Clara), the infant Jeff, Elaine Macdonald (mother's cousin), mom, her dad (Pa), and his brother Donald. Aldon Macdonald and Alma Macdonald complete the group. With mother at the camera we see dad with Dave and Rick.
51:14
Without sufficient room at the dining table, kids were often set up at card tables nearby or in other rooms. And here we are, Dave, Rick, Elaine, and Beth Anne.
51:24 “Christmas ’63”
The Christmas tree and another big haul of presents from Santa filmed Christmas morning before the kids get at them.
52:01
The children are let loose on the presents, Beth Anne, Rick, and Dave. Posing on the sofa, or as mother always called it, the davenport. Some double exposure interference. Rick displays his Spacephone walkie talkie kit, Beth Anne holds a doll, and David shows off his Hubley Metal Kit of the Model A Town Sedan.
52:55
The Toroks visit: Skip Torok, Ann Torok, Ralph, John, Sybil, A view out the front window at the Scott’s house. The last, brief scene shows the four Macdonald “girls” singing, Rhoda, Beth, Violet, and Mary Margaret.
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