This color travelogue film from the late 1950s by Norman Schley – a filmmaker from Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA who made a series of travel films under the moniker “Schley Ride” and/or “Picturelogue inc.” This particular account is part of a larger series by Schley called “Vacation Varieties.” This installment depicts warm weather getaways across California, Arizona, and Texas highlighting recreational activities, such as swimming, at all-inclusive style resort hotels. Norman Schley narrates this film taking time to express his amazement and happiness at experiencing warm weather in October, a stark contrast to his falls in Wisconsin. This film features lots of architectural styles, automobiles, and fashion typical of late 1950s America.
Opening credits (0:06). Map of the United States, pointer indicates California (0:35). 1950s vintage cars zoom along underpass of San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (0:45). Busy street in San Francisco and (1:08). Washington and Jackson, Powell and Market Cable Car on cable car turntable (1:19). Flower stand on street corner (1:49). View from lodge window of Carmel Bay (2:07). Bustling food establishment in Del Monte, Monterey (2:34). Water crashes along rocky shores at Midway Point (2:41). View of Monterey City on Monterey Bay (3:06). Small fishing boats in Monterey Harbor (3:14). Exterior of Ambassador Hotel Los Angeles (3:54). Ambassador Hotel recreation area and sunbathers (3:59). Young men dive from diving board (4:51). Scenes of celebrity swim instructor Crystal Scarborough with baby swimmer Dennis McShane (6:19). Map of the United States, pointer indicates Arizona (9:44). Giant Saguaro Cactus stands tall in desert country of Phoenix, Arizona (9:55). Desert plant life (10:02). Cactus plant in bloom (10:36). Camelback Inn casitas in adobe style and estate grounds (10:57). Petunia and geranium blooms (11:52). Camelback Inn swimming pool decorated with colorful umbrellas (11:57). Piano accordion player walks along the poolside (12:18). Lloyd Bourne plays tennis on clay courts for guests (12:46). Two young women guests mount horses and go off on a trail ride (13:19). Phoenix State Fair Grounds (13:41). Opening ceremony of Phoenix World Championship Rodeo – parade procession (13:46). Competitors ride on horses into opening ceremony (14:11). Bronc riding competition – cowboy struggles to stay on horse (14:20). Calf roping (14:42). Two ladies compete with skunk and bucking automobile (12:51). Team roping competition: two cowboys on horseback chase after bull (15:47). Various scenes of competing teams in bulldogging/ calf wrestling competition (16:16). The Hendricks Brothers, identical twins, do tricks like standing on horseback and completing jumps (16:49). Bull riding competition (17:15). Clown tries to distract and lure the bull once the rider is thrown (17:27). Young boy in cowboy boots is hoisted onto a horse’s back for ride with family along trail at Camelback Inn (17:53). Portrait of young boys in front of cactus (18:31). Views of the San Marcos Hotel pool from distant overlook, San Marcos Mountains in the distance (18:43). San Marcos Hotel grounds in Chandler, Arizona (19:29). John Quarty hosts cocktail party for guests (19:39). Uniform shrubs and trees along green lawn (19:57). Orange tree (20:03). John Quarty talks with army colonel who is staying at the hotel (20:13). More scenes from the hotel pool (21:04). Thermometer collecting daily temperatures (21:33). Map of the United States, pointer indicates Texas (21:47). Shamrock Hotel in Houston by wealthy oil man Ben McCarthy (22:06). Residential neighborhood of San Antonio (22:18). Neon sign for The Westerner Courts (22:22). Rowdy young people at the pool (22:39). Shuffleboard court, crowd gathers around (22:53). Man sets up for golf swing (23:23). Lost Valley, Texas – smiling young women in typical 1950s bikinis by the pool (23:41). Rowdy young men push each other off of a diving board (24:02). Horseback riding through Texas Hills (24:13). Kids play in a tree-shaded river/stream (24:48).
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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
