Based on the holdings of the defunct General Newsreel Co, Yesterday’s Newsreel was a TV series that actual vintage news footage with modern narration. This episode begins in 1932 to 1936 and Charles Lindbergh Jr. appears on screen in his home in Hopewell, NJ (:42). Viewers are shown the ladder (:51) in which his son had been carried down to his death on March 1st, 1932. It leads to two and a half years later at the county courthouse and David T. Wilentz (1:03) handles the case. Supreme Court Justice Thomas W. Trenchard presides over the case (1:12). Charles Lindbergh himself (1:18) appears walking into the courthouse. The handwriting experts (1:32), including Albert S. Osborn, spoke in front of the jury. Colonel Schwarzkopf of the NJ State police is exiting the courthouse (1:50). Images of the inside of the building in which the historic trial was held appear such as the seats for the jurors (2:00), the witness chair in which Bruno Richard Hauptmann claimed his innocence (2:03) and the electric chair that would be used for his execution (2:19). Trenton Prison is shown (2:26) on April 3rd 1936. Footage of Hauptmann’s wife in her car and promptly leaving after the execution concludes this segment (2:34). We go next to 1921 with Vie Quinn (2:41) and dance partner conducting the moves of the ‘Ragtime Jazz’. The outfits worn by the pair were created by Quinn (3:00) and we are also able to see the formal attire of the time (3:12). In ‘1929-1949 Lungs of Iron’ (4:04) the “Boston Breather” which had been invented by Philip Drinker is depicted. A demonstration of it’s use in a Boston hospital follows (4:09). The modernized version (4:23) was made mostly from plastic and this made patient transfer and mobility easier.
The next piece is the ‘Glassless Comic’ in 1915 and it is Harold Lloyd acting in the film ‘Just Nuts’ (5:28).
‘Personalities’ in 1925 begins with Major Bowes Amateur Hour (6:02) which was created and hosted by Edward Bowes. Pictured with her daughter, is actress Mae Marsh (6:15), whom was known for her role in DW Griffith’s ‘Birth of a Nation’. A rare shot of Andrew Carnegie (6:30), the famed philanthropist follows.
In 1928, the steamship Robert E Lee (6:46) sinks in the shores of Massachusetts. Coast Guard ships (7:02) rescue 25 of 270 passengers and the survivors are shown. Rescue crews head for the sinking craft, yet one capsizes on film tossing men into the waters (7:30). Two perish in an attempt to swim to shore (7:55) and the rest are saved by State Trooper Horgan and volunteers (8:06).
‘1933 Aviation’ looks at the introduction of female hostesses to airlines (8:31). They were picked as Graduate Nurses and for their looks and had to remain single or once married relinquish their title (8:56).
‘1928 Fashions of the Day’ focuses on the hairstyles of the time, such as the boyish bob’s, tight “curls and swirls” and flowery clips to hold the short-cropped hair in place (9:48). The Hollywood version (10:14) and the style known as the ‘peacock’ are depicted as well.
For ‘Sports 1929’ Walter Hagen is swinging a club and aiming to win the British Open for a fourth year (10:41), which he does (11:08). The film switches to footage of Miss Maribel Vinson, the nine-time winner of National Queen of figure skating (11:17). She demonstrates moves like the ‘flying jump” (11:39) and this episode concludes.
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