“Kingdom of the Sea” was a syndicated, documentary TV show that ran from 1954-1959, and was hosted by Col. John D. Craig and the actor Bob Stevenson. Each episode was 25–30 minutes long. This episode “Ports of Call” examines various world ports from Panama to Hawaii, the Philippines to Singapore, Hong Kong, Singapore and Zanzibar.

This black and white episode of the syndicated 1957-1958 television documentary program, “Kingdom of the Sea” (TRT 24:19).

Opening titles: “Kingdom of the Sea” and “Ports of Call” (0:21). “Your Guide, Colonel John D. Craig” at a typewriter, at a waterfall, in a diving suit, and in a regular suit in closeup (0:33). Host Bob Stevenson, in a library setting, with a globe and a map of Mexico (0:45). Col. Craig is introduced (1:20). The Panama Canal. Gates open. A locomotive “electric mule” cable car (2:29). A large cruise liner, viewed from Honolulu, Hawaii (3:26). Diamond Head. Hotels of Waikiki Beach. Coin divers (3:41). Aloha Tower. A ship docked at Bishop Street. Catamaran sailboats. A crowd of surfers riding a wave (4:09). A wrecked battleship at Pearl Harbor (4:52). Leaving Hawaii (5:27). The coast of China at Kowloon and a “Night Star” ferry boat. A wooden junk boat (5:44). A sign: “Hong Kong Ferry.” Hong Kong architecture and surrounding urban skylines with mountains in the background (6:17). A parking lot of rickshaws (6:46). Sampan boats at Repulse Bay. A woman and child (6:51). Chinese actors in makeup and traditional theatrical costumes (7:43). The wake of a ship as it sails on towards the south Philippines. Dancers in Zamboanga City. A man and a woman dance in floral print outfits. A gong is sounded. A drummer and a young boy (8:07). A Bangka, resembling a double outrigger canoe. Men handling sacks of cargo (9:00). A ship, the “Lampung” docking in Singapore, then part of Malaya. The Fullerton Hotel (9:42). Tiger Balm Garden, aka Haw Par Villa (est. 1937) and its statues of the Buddha, monkeys, ostriches, an off-model Donald Duck riding a large rabbit, and other folkloric beasts (10:15). Sailing to India. Oxcarts and pedestrians on an urban street in either Bombay or Calcutta. Children stare into the camera (10:45). Public wash stalls and men doing laundry (11:29). A shell game busker with a pungi flute. A woman acrobat does cartwheels, balances a child, and spins a plate. A snake charmer tames a cobra in a basket (11:55). A map indicates Zanzibar. The House of Wonders. Pedestrians walk narrow streets and alleys. A rickshaw driver. A man with a bicycle in a market. A man sewing (13:15). A coffee vendor (14:54). A man inspecting an eggplant at a food stall (15:13). African tribesman dance. A high-jumping competition and a spear throwing competition in slow motion (15:31). A man climbs a coconut tree and shakes coconuts to the ground. Another man collects them. Husking coconuts on a spike (16:47). Splitting and carving coconuts with a machete. A man drinks coconut milk (17:34). Fishing from an outrigger canoe. One man swims out carrying a net, then others follow, chasing and striking fish within the circle of the net. The catch is laid out on a beach (18:00). Dhow sailing vessels on dry land, propped up with braces. A shipbuilder team repairs the dhow. A dhow at sea in a medium shot (19:38). A dhow in closeup (20:56). A cannon aimed at dhow ships at sea. A dhow in silhouette at sunset (21:19). Our hosts return (21:45). A look at a future episode on fishing. A fishing ship, the “Santa Elena.” A fisherman holds up his exotic catch, a large batoid (22:55). Bob Stevenson signs off (23:26).

This episode of “Kingdom of the Sea” was directed by Ed Leftwich for Emperor Productions, and presented by Guild Films. This episode and others were syndicated on television through the mid-1960s.

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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 http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com