Finding Aid of the Russell M. Saunders film collection
0323
Finding aid prepared by Rebecca Hirsch
Collection processing and creation of the finding aid was funded by the generous support of the National Historic Publications
and Records Commission.
USC Libraries Special Collections
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California, 90089-0189
213-740-5900
specol@usc.edu
2011 February
Title: Russell M. Saunders film collection
Collection number: 0323
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
8.0 Linear feet
8 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1939-1980
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.
creator:
Saunders, Russell M., (Russell Maurice), 1919-2001
Acquisition
The Russell M. Saunders film collection was donated by Paula Boelsems in 2005.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder# or item name], Russell M. Saunders film collection, Collection no. 0323, Regional History Collection, Special
Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
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.
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.
Conditions Governing Use
The collection contains film and audio footage. Please consult the Regional History Curator for license and copyright information.
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.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Boelsems, Paula
Saunders, Russell M., (Russell Maurice), 1919-2001
Acrobatics--Archival resources
Aerialists--Archival resources
Amateur films--Archival resources
Beaches--California--Santa Monica--Archival resources
Beauty contests--Archival resources
Bodybuilding--Archival resources
Circus performers--Archival resources
Circus--Archival resources
Gymnastics--Archival resources
Home movies
Santa Monica (Calif.)--Archival resources
Slides (photographs)
Sound recordings
Stunt performers--Archival resources
Trampolining--Archival resources
Tumbling--Archival resources
Home Movies - Acrobatic Performances #1
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: acrobalance and acrobatics practice in a gym with four men, a young girl doing gymnastics and tumbling,
men and woman practicing teeterboard, water-skiing, a young boy doing gymnastics, and a choreographed stage production with
tumbling.
Home Movies - Acrobatic Performances #2
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: ice skating show with Bill & Billy, synchronized swimming with paddleboard/surfboard, and a stage
performance with acrobalance and acrobatics acts.
Home Movies - Acrobatic Performances #3
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a man and woman performing adagio-ballet on stage, a man and woman going into a dive into a pool,
and a display board "Marineland of the Pacific."
Home Movies - Acrobatic Performances #4
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a man and woman on stage with spotlight performing acrobalance with the man playing a trumpet, a
muscle man flexing, and an adagio and acrobalance.
Home Movies - Acrobatic Performances #5
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of a man and woman performing acrobalance, acrobatic and teeterboard act with a carnival area in background.
Home Movies - Acrobatic Performances #5
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of people on a trapeze, shot from above.
Home Movies - Acrobatic Performances #6
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of a man balancing on tightrope/high wire and a close up of a man (Russ Saunders) balancing on the high
wire.
Home Movies - Acrobatic Performances #7
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of man and woman performing adagio at the beach and men throwing a woman.
Home Movies - Acrobatic Performances #8
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of an elaborate stage performance with adagio, diving, and several performers on stage with costumes.
Home Movies - Acrobatic Performances #9
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of men and women on stage performing teeterboard.
Home Movies - Acrobatic Practice
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: close-up shots of people hanging out in a backyard; men and woman practicing teeterboard, acrobatics
and acrobalance in a yard; trapeze and trampoline practice; and a woman swinging from a rope.
Home Movies - Circus and Acrobatics #1 (NEG)
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: acrobalance and acrobatics at circus with three men and woman, cannon jumping, clowns with children,
stage acrobalance performance, tumbling and gymnastics, feats of strength, a trampoline, and muscle men flexing and posing.
Home Movies - Circus and Acrobatics #2
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a circus, including acrobats, a trapeze, pageantry, a person shot out of a cannon, flips and tumbling;
a woman signing autographs; and people practicing acrobatics in a circus tent with no audience.
Home Movies - Circus and Acrobatics #3
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a Ringling Brothers circus; horses, flips and tumbling, acrobats and trapeze; a woman hanging by
her hair, juggling; an acrobalance act with two men; Muscle Beach; man and woman doing acrobalance and acrobatics.
Home Movies - Circus and Acrobatics #4
Scope and Content
Film contains footage shot in a racetrack area of a circus production with horses, pageantry and costumes, acrobats and trapeze,
clowns, animals, a lion tamer, a balancing act, spring board jumping, elephants, a tightrope act, a balancing bear, dogs,
and cannon jumping.
Home Movies - Circus and Acrobatics #5
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of a circus production with acrobalance and acrobatics, a tightrope, and a trampoline.
Home Movies - Circus and Acrobatics #6
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of acrobalance and acrobatics at Clyde Beatty Circus with two women and two men, a man on tightrope,
and cannon jumping.
Home Movies - Circus and Acrobatics #7
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of acrobat and trapeze acts practicing in a circus tent, shot from above and from the ground.
Home Movies - Circus and Acrobatics #8
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of men and women performing acrobalance, acrobatic and teeterboard acts at a circus.
Home Movies - Circus and Acrobatics #9
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of men and women performing acrobalance, acrobatic and teeterboard acts at a circus; men and women performing
teeterboard; and trapeze.
Home Movies - Circus and Acrobatics #10
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a woman swinging from rope, shot from above; teeterboard practice in a hangar-like building; a clown
waving at the camera; and a woman swinging from a rope and ladder.
Home Movies - Circus and Acrobatics #11
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: an outdoor stage show with trained animals; flipping, acrobatics, and tumbling; and a Mariachi band
performance.
Home Movies - Circus and Acrobatics #12
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: outdoor circus grounds with a man training ponies, trapeze practice, acrobat practice, and a woman
swinging on a ladder.
Home Movies - Circus and Acrobatics #13
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: behind the scenes at the exterior of a circus tents; a young girl on a horse; a family standing
with elephants; and a parade of circus performers and animals going into tents.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #1
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a man and a woman doing acrobalance, two men throwing a young girl, men throwing women, men and
young boys doing acrobalance, various shots of people on the beach, three men and a woman practicing acrobalance in an outdoor
circus/fair grounds, and people posing with an elephant.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #2
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a coastal area, a man golfing, Muscle Beach crowds, acrobalance and acrobatics, a group going to
the beach, rings, a group of people on the beach, people on the beach digging in the sand, a road trip, and horses and equestrian
groups.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #3
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of a beach ball with Russ Saunders credits, men and a young girl teeterboarding, and a man and a woman
doing acrobalance and acrobatics.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #4
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a circus with elephants and a teeterboard performance, a man and teenage girls in acrobatic and
acrobalance acts, trampolining, rings, a man and a woman doing acrobalance, and teen boys and teen girls doing teeterboard.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #5
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a man and a young boy performing acrobalance and acrobatics at Muscle Beach, adagio, parallel bars,
rings, and an acrobalance act on an auditorium stage.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #6
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: posing, acrobalance and acrobatics, rings, flips and men throwing a woman at a pool; a beauty contest
(Miss Muscle Beach); and men, a young boy and a young girl doing acrobalance and teeterboard.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #7
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of people at Muscle Beach on the high bar and the rings.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #8
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of the "Russ Saunders Production" title card and acrobalance, acrobatics and teeterboarding at Muscle
Beach.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #9
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of people performing on rings, parallel bars, trampolines, teeterboards, high bars and doing acrobalance
and adagio, and tumbling at Muscle Beach and two children hanging from a man's legs while he is hanging on rings.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #10
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of a teeterboard with two men and a woman and flips, acrobalance, acrobatics and adagio acts.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #11
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of acrobalance, acrobatics and adagio acts with men and a young boy and a beauty contest.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #12
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of a teeterboard with two men and a woman performing acrobalance at a grassy area in Muscle Beach, a
teeterboard with a young girl and a teenage boy, a person standing on another's shoulders (pyramid), and rings.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #13
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a man on rings at Muscle Beach; close-ups of various people on the beach; close-up of a man putting
powder on his hands; a person standing on another's shoulders, three people high; and a close-up of a man lighting a cigarette.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #14
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: men throwing a young girl at Muscle Beach, acrobalance and acrobatics at a gym with young boys and
girls [underexposed], and acrobalance and throws.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #15
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: wide shots of Muscle Beach, people playing games of chess at tables on the beach, a ping pong game,
volleyball games, weight-lifting, muscle men posing and flexing, and a little boy standing on a man's head.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #16
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of close-up shots of various people on the beach.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #17
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of two women getting on a diving board, people standing in a pyramid and acrobalance at beach.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #18
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of a man and a woman doing teeterboard at the beach.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #19
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of Miss Muscle Beach 1952, a beauty contest at beach with women on stage and teeterboard.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #20
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of a teenage boy and girl doing acrobalance and acrobatics in a grassy area at Muscle Beach and of teeterboarding.
Home Movies - Muscle Beach #21
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of men throwing a young girl at Muscle Beach, a man and a woman performing adagio and rings.
Beta Compilation: Home Movies - Muscle Beach #8, Home Movies - Muscle Beach #2
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: "Russ Saunders Production" title card; acrobalance, acrobatics and teeterboarding at Muscle Beach;
a coastal area; a man golfing; Muscle Beach crowds; acrobalance and acrobatics; a group going to the beach; rings; a group
of people on the beach; people on the beach digging in the sand; a road trip; horses and equestrian groups; wide shots of
Muscle Beach; people playing games of chess at tables on the beach; a ping pong game; volleyball; weight-lifting; muscle men
posing and flexing; a little boy standing on a man's head; a man skiing behind a speed boat and holding onto a hang-glider
in the ocean; the hang-glider "Golden West Water Ski School"; close-up shots of various people on the beach; two women getting
on a diving board; people standing in a pyramid; and acrobalancers at the beach.
Beta Compilation: Home Movies - Muscle Beach #9; Home Movies - Circus & Acrobatics; Home Movies - Acrobatic Performances #8;
Home Movies - Acrobatic Performances #9; Home Movies - Acrobatic Practice
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: people at Muscle Beach performing on rings, parallel bars, trampolines, teeterboards, high bars,
and doing acrobalance and adagio, and tumbling; two children hanging from a man's legs while he is hanging on rings; an elaborate
stage performance with adagio, diving, and several performers on stage with costumes; a teeterboard performance on stage with
men and women; close-up shots of people hanging out in a backyard; men and a woman practicing teeterboard, acrobatics and
acrobalance in a yard; trapeze practice; trampolining; and a woman swinging from a rope.
Home Movies - Hawaii Circus
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: four men and a woman performing on a teeterboard in a domed concert stage in a park, a man riding
a bicycle on a tightrope with two men hanging from the bicycle, a woman hanging from a rope and doing tricks, a large group
doing tandem surfing in unison, acrobalance and acrobatics on an indoor stage, and trapeze.
Home Movies - Hawaii
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: "villages" with grass huts and people dressed in Polynesian folk costumes, shots of gardens and
hula dancers and groups taking tours of the grounds, a man and woman doing adagio and acrobalance in front of a rock waterfall
on stage in front of empty auditorium seats, shots overlooking the ocean and a rocky shore, people on a boat in a lagoon with
dolphins and whales, woman putting a lei on the cameraman, sail boats, tandem surfing with a man and woman balancing on one
board, elephant water-skiing, and men and a woman in a circus area practicing teeterboard and acrobalance.
Home Movies - Portland
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of acrobat and trapeze acts shot from above at a circus and men and women performing acrobalance, acrobatic
and teeterboard acts.
Home Movies - Salton Sea
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a group of people on a speed boat in a lake with close-ups, people on a fishing boat, a woman water-skiing,
a man and woman doing adagio and acrobalance at a swimming pool, men flipping off a diving board, and young boys trying to
water ski in a pool by pulling a rope.
Home Movies - Spokane
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: an ice skating show, comedy diving, a sychronized swimming show, a woman doing a contortion act
on a surfboard in a pool, four men and a woman doing a teeterboard act on a stage, an acrobalance act at a nightclub, a young
boy playing with a monkey wearing clothes, a family playing in a swimming pool, a trampoline act in a nightclub, a close-up
of an acrobalance act, a woman water-skiing, "Squaw Valley Lodge," a mother and son playing by a pond with ducks, landscape
shots of a mountain area, shots of a monkey in clothes, a woman in a casino playing a slot machine, various shots of a woman
performer during the taping of a TV variety show, shots of a nativity scene, and shots of the TV show on television.
Home Movies - Winnipeg, Canada
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: the Opal Spring rock quarry, a group of men playing golf on a golf course, an unidentified city
street, a woman trying on a fur shawl in front of a mirror, a sign saying "Manitoba Historic Gateway to North & West," men
and women water-skiing in a lake, a man and a woman doing adagio while water-skiing, and crowds of people on the shore watching
the water-skiiers .
Macaroni Gym Show #1
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a group of young girls and boys on a park lawn area running and tumbling, the same group lining
up and doing cartwheels on the grass, a man and a young girl on a teeterboard, a man and a woman juggling, a group of boys
and girls playing in a swimming pool, and a team throwing their coach into the pool.
Macaroni Gym Show #2
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of an acrobatics team with teenagers practices acrobalance, acrobatics and standing in pyramids in a
gym.
Macaroni Gym Show #3
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of coaches and students of an acrobatics team practice jumping from a teeterboard in a gym.
Macaroni Gym Show #4
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a clipboard; several young teenagers in a park learning teeterboard jumping; several children catching
one jumper; and the coach, Russ Saunders, instructing his students.
Macaroni Gym Show #5
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of a class of young teenagers tumbling simultaneously and going into acrobalance and pyramids (all performed
for camera).
Macaroni Gym Show #6
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a class of young teenagers sitting on the floor of a gym and watching something off-screen, teenagers
clapping and close-ups of the teenagers.
Cristiani Family in "Equestrian Acrobats," The
Scope and Content
Film contains footage with voice over of: men doing acrobatic tricks and playing musical instruments, teeterboarders, men
doing acrobatics on trotting horses, girls jump roping on horses, and men jumping onto galloping horses.
Fritz & Fratz - Auf Tigerjagd
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of two children tricking a tiger into a trap.
Home Movies - Beauty Contests
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of various shots of women in beauty contests at the beach and body builders.
Home Movies - Beauty Contests
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of various shots of women in beauty contests at the beach and body builders.
Home Movies - Boat Launching
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of workers and crowds on a beach surrounding a large, long platform on wheels that stretches out to
the ocean and men digging underneath the platform.
Home Movies - Butt Shots
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a man and woman in their underwear performing adagio in a darkened room with a low light coming
from a lamp in the corner, women doing acrobalance and acrobatics at Muscle Beach, various shots focusing on women's buttocks
(some bare), and woman dancing for the camera.
Home Movies - Comedy Diving Show
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of a comedy diving show with a large stage with several performers, fireworks and the finale of the
show.
Home Movies - Comedy Diving Show #2
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of "DeWayne's Circus April 28-29," "Pop," a comedy diving performance at an outdoor pool, and dolphin
tricks.
Home Movies - Electronic Banner Ad
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of electronic banner advertisements for Pepsi, BF Goodrich, Lucky Strikes, and Schaefer Beer.
Home Movies - Free Boarding
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of a man and woman on surfboards holding onto ropes and following behind a speed boat.
Home Movies - Free Boarding
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of a man and woman on surfboards holding onto ropes and following behind a speed boat.
Home Movies - Gym Practice #1
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of men jumping and doing flips on a trampoline in a gym.
Home Movies - Harlem Globetrotters
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of the Globetrotters playing basketball against a team.
Home Movies - Ice Show
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of "Holiday on Ice 1962," a large choreographed ice skating production with costumes, animal costumes
and an audience.
Home Movies - Ice Skating Show #1
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of an ice skating show with costumes.
Home Movies - Malibu
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: groups of people standing or jumping on a large trampoline, a Barnum & Bailey circus, adagio and
acrobalance with a woman and a young girl, people on uneven bars, and men and women doing jumping tricks on trampoline.
Home Movies - Man in Costume
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of Russell Saunders dressed in a "feather" costume and walking in a large castle-like courtyard.
Home Movies - Men in Costumes
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of men dressed in ceremonial "Native American/Indian" costumes with red and yellow feathers performing
for the cameras by bowing and acting like they are fighting.
Home Movies - Nude Beauty Contest
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of nude men and women lining up on an outdoor stage with an audience and contestants posing for pictures.
Home Movies - Olympic Diving 1968
Scope and Content
Footage contains various shots of: men and women jumping off diving boards and towers in a indoor Olympic-size swimming pool,
including shots of the audience, the scoreboard, the award ceremony and the ranking podium with the winners presented with
their medals; winners and contestants posing for pictures and/or sitting a press table; and miscellaneous footage, including
shots of a railroad yard and buildings in an unidentified town.
Home Movies - Olympic Gymnastics 1968
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: men diving from the three meter tower with shots of judges and crowd, shots of the U.S. diving team,
the Olympic medal presentation ceremony, the men's and women's diving teams pose for cameras, the men's gymnastic floor exercise,
a man on the pommel horse, women on the uneven bars, the women's horse vault, the women's free floor exercise, and balance
beam exercises.
Home Movies - Olympic Tryouts, Gymnastics
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of a 1964 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) gymnastic meet and gymnastic tryouts for the
Olympics in San Fernando in 1964.
Home Movies - Risley Act
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of four people performing teeterboard, acrobatic and acrobalance acts on an indoor stage and of four
people performing teeterboard, acrobatic and acrobalance acts in an indoor hall space with an audience.
Home Movies - Star!
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: groups of ballerinas perform on a brightly lit stage [see also the film " Szony Dancers on Hollywood
Palace"]; an elaborate stage and costume with a female star; various people and little people surrrounding the woman and performing
adagio, acrobatics, dancing and juggling; and shots of the cameras and crew filming the performance.
Home Movies - Szony Dancers on Hollywood Palace
Scope and Content
Film contains footage shot on the set during the taping of the television show "Hollywood Palace" in which ballerinas perform
on a stage with cameras and crew taping them.
Home Movies - Szony Performances
Scope and Content
Film contains various shots: of a man and woman performing on a stage doing a choreographed dance sequence with the characteristics
of ballet and adagio, similar performances at different venues such as night clubs, shots of Times Square in New York, and
title cards with Francois Szony and Claire.
Home Movies - Trims
Scope and Content
Various trims and outtakes from the Russell Saunders collection.
Home Movies - TV Copies
Scope and Content
Film contains "copies" of television shows made by the camera filming the TV screen.
Home Movies - TV Stunts
Scope and Content
Film contains "copies" of television shows made by the camera filming the TV screen and footage of a person coordinating stunts
on the set of a show.
Home Movies - Water Skiing
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a group of people in a speed boat, shots of a pier and harbor, windsailing, teen boys fishing on
a dock, a plane on the water in the harbor, and water-skiing.
Home Movies - Water Skiing #2
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of a man water-skiing behind a speed boat and holding onto a hang-glider in the ocean and on a hang-glider
named "Golden West Water Ski School."
Magic Circus - #1
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a countdown, the title "Magic Circus," a magic act on a platform in the middle of a room with a
live studio audience, the "Russ Saunders Trio," acrobalance and acrobatic acts with two men and one woman, teeterboarding,
the Pillsbury Doughboy, a magic act with a leopard, and a clown.
Magic Circus - #2
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of: a countdown, the title "Magic Circus" and the Pillsbury logo, the Pillsbury Doughboy and a male
host talking, a magician performing on a platform in the center of a room with a live studio audience, and "Bauman's Leopards"--a
woman doing tricks with leopards in a cage.
Russ Saunders Title Card
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of the "Russ Saunders Productions" title card.
Varieties on Parade - Russ Saunders Troupe
Scope and Content
Film contains footage of the Russ Saunders Troupe performing acrobalance and teeterboard acts and additional dancers, chorus
girls, motorcycle riders, circus acts and variety performers.
Slides
Scope and Content
Series contains approximately 460 slides of various events and scenes including hula dancers, Native Americans, fireworks,
family vacation photos, and bodybuilders posing in a variety of settings.
