Russell M. Saunders film collection
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Scope and Content
The film portion of the Russell M. Saunders film collection consists of 90 to 100 reels of 16mm film (roughly 10,000 feet of footage) and over 100 reels of 8mm film. Some of the content is "home movie" footage of Muscle Beach from the 1950s and 60s, including muscle men, beauty contests and acrobatic acts performed for beach crowds. Most of the footage was shot in various places in Southern California, but some reels were shot in Hawaii, Oregon, New York and Canada. All other footage includes, but is not limited to, stage performances, circuses, Olympic tryouts, ice skating performances, water skiing, surfing and various commercially-made productions featuring Russ Saunders and his performance troupe. Most of the films show men, women and children involved in acts such as adagio, acrobalance, acrobatics, teeterboard, ballet, trapeze, gymnastics, trampoline, uneven bars, rings, tightrope, ice skating, water skiing, tandem surfing, cannon jumping, Olympic diving and various other variety and circus performances, including some with animals. The collection also includes nearly 500 slides and some reels of 1/4" audio tape.
The 16mm film has been examined and cataloged at the reel level; the 8mm film reels and the slides, however, have not been cataloged individually.
Dates
- Creation: 1939 - 1980
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access. The collection is housed in the Hugh M. Hefner Moving Image Archive, located in the basement of the Norris Theater Complex. Access to select films (those that have been digitized) is available there.
Conditions Governing Use
The collection contains film and audio footage. Please consult the Regional History Curator for license and copyright information.
Biographical Note
Russell M. Saunders was born in Manitoba, Canada on May 21, 1919. He grew up on a farm outside of Winnepeg and developed his acrobatic and gymnastic skills at a summer camp and by watching movies at the local theater. Saunders moved to California before World War II and began working in water shows and as a stunt double in Los Angeles. During World War II, he served in the Armed Forces Aquacade as a diver. After the war, Saunders became one of the star performers at Muscle Beach in Santa Monica, where he also taught acrobatics and gymnastics for free. He met Paula Boelsems in 1940, and they performed together for the next fifty years. In 1975, they became the first two American judges accredited by the International Federation of Sports Acrobatics. Saunders was also a renowned stunt man who doubled for many of Hollywood's most famous actors, including Gene Kelly, Alan Ladd and Jack Benny. He passed away in Los Angeles on May 29, 2001.
Extent
8 Linear Feet (8 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Russell M. Saunders film collection consists of slides, 16mm and 8mm films of performers at Muscle Beach in Santa Monica and other acrobatic, gymnastic and/or athletic acts in a variety of locations. Most of the films show men, women and children involved in acts such as adagio, acrobalance, acrobatics, teeterboard, ballet, trapeze, gymnastics, trampoline, uneven bars, rings, tightrope, ice skating, water skiing, tandem surfing, cannon jumping, Olympic diving and various other variety and circus performances, including some with animals. Russell M. Saunders was one of the star performers at Muscle Beach in Santa Monica, where he also taught acrobatics and gymnastics for free.
Acquisition
The Russell M. Saunders film collection was donated by Paula Boelsems in 2005.
Genre / Form
Geographic
Topical
- Acrobatics -- Archival resources
- Aerialists -- Archival resources
- Amateur films -- Archival resources
- Beaches -- California -- Santa Monica -- Archival resources
- Beauty contests -- Archival resources
- Bodybuilding -- Archival resources
- Circus -- Archival resources
- Circus performers -- Archival resources
- Gymnastics -- Archival resources
- Stunt performers -- Archival resources
- Trampolining -- Archival resources
- Tumbling -- Archival resources
- Title
- Finding Aid of the Russell M. Saunders film collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Rebecca Hirsch
- Date
- 2011 February
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Sponsor
- Collection processing and creation of the finding aid was funded by the generous support of the National Historic Publications and Records Commission.
Repository Details
Part of the USC Libraries Special Collections Repository
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles California 90089-0189 United States
specol@usc.edu