[1959: Chicago: The Big Snow, The Gang's All Here]
Date Of Production
1959
Abstract
Home movie featuring a large snowfall in Chicago, as well as a roadtrip to Springfield, OH and camping in Indiana.
Description
January 1959, home of Walter and Norma Wittman, 3306 W. Pierce, Chicago. A large snowfall has occurred and daughter Joanna is bundled up and walking around in the backyard. She goes over to the side of the garage where Elisabeth is playing in a snow drift. Norma is shoveling near the back door of the house. John Safian, the church sexton for St. Simon’s Lutheran Church next door, is plowing in the alley and behind the garage. Walter shovels by the back door of house. Mr. Safian walks by the camera after putting the plow into the garage.
Walter has a sled for Elisabeth and Joanna to ride, but when he pulls them, they fall off the back of the sled. Trying it again, Elisabeth and Joanna sit on the sled, but then they fall off themselves. Elisabeth is eating snow as Joanna looks up to the camera.
Next, a snowball fight is takes place in front of 3306 W. Pierce. Participants include Miriam Wittman, Linda and her brother, Jimmy Lee. Next door neighbor Mr. Lameka, Marianne’s grandfather, comes out and tosses some snow at kids. Sara joins in the fight. Elisabeth is playing around a tree. Miriam comes up to the camera crying. Sara brings Joanna out. Camera pans over and Joanna is coming back from the street! Large chunks of snow are being thrown.
Later, June 1959, Elisabeth and Joanna are playing in front of the house. They look up and see friend Marianne Saunorus in her window on the second floor. Joanna is marching along the sidewalk, Elisabeth twirling. Through another first floor window on the building next to Marianne’s you can see two figures. These may be other friends, Patricia and Gracie Cabrerra.
Back on the front porch of 3306 W. Pierce, Marianne has joined Elisabeth and Joanna. Walter takes surprise film of Norma looking at her flower bed as she comes out from the backyard. Back on the porch, Joanna climbs down the stairs and then Elisabeth and Marianne are dancing. Joanna joins in.
Summer of 1959. In the back yard of 3306 W. Pierce, the girls and friends are playing. Elisabeth has a puppet. Linda Lee and her younger sister Lorraine are there, as well as Joanna and Miriam. Sara is playing dodgeball with Jimmy Lee and another friend, George. Another girl with brown hair, unknown, joins in playing.
Summer 1959, Wittman’s make a trip to see grandparents, Freda and John Sendelbach, at 414 Possum Rd., Springfield, Ohio. Walter is filming as they are getting ready to leave. Sara gets in the car as Jan the dog walks by. Norma comes out. Freda and John, wearing his railroad overalls, come onto the porch to say goodbye. Lots of hugs and kisses.
On the way back to Chicago, the Wittman’s stop at Brown County State Park, Indiana. They are traveling in a canvas top trailer that folds up for driving. Next, they are at a tower overlooking the park. Next girls and Norma are standing near a reservoir. The family is climbing a fire ranger tower, more views from that tower. Walter and girls are climbing up a road. They visit a “zoo” that has some caged animals and some deer. Walking in the woods, then they are going on another hiking path. Near the path is a stone outcropping and the girls go under it.
Next, Joanna and Elisbeth are playing in a kiddy pool. Walter, Sara and Miriam are swimming in a large pool. After a while Elisabeth joins them. Brief shot of Norma, then more of Joanna and Elisabeth in the kiddy pool.
Early morning at the campsite. Norma is returning from the restrooms with Joanna and Elisabeth. Family is sitting at a picnic table having breakfast. There is a tarp over part of the table and a Coleman Stove on the table. Walter packs up things into the trailer getting ready to leave. Then Norma joins him in shoving in the trailer “drawers” and then folding down the canvas top and support poles.
Walter has a sled for Elisabeth and Joanna to ride, but when he pulls them, they fall off the back of the sled. Trying it again, Elisabeth and Joanna sit on the sled, but then they fall off themselves. Elisabeth is eating snow as Joanna looks up to the camera.
Next, a snowball fight is takes place in front of 3306 W. Pierce. Participants include Miriam Wittman, Linda and her brother, Jimmy Lee. Next door neighbor Mr. Lameka, Marianne’s grandfather, comes out and tosses some snow at kids. Sara joins in the fight. Elisabeth is playing around a tree. Miriam comes up to the camera crying. Sara brings Joanna out. Camera pans over and Joanna is coming back from the street! Large chunks of snow are being thrown.
Later, June 1959, Elisabeth and Joanna are playing in front of the house. They look up and see friend Marianne Saunorus in her window on the second floor. Joanna is marching along the sidewalk, Elisabeth twirling. Through another first floor window on the building next to Marianne’s you can see two figures. These may be other friends, Patricia and Gracie Cabrerra.
Back on the front porch of 3306 W. Pierce, Marianne has joined Elisabeth and Joanna. Walter takes surprise film of Norma looking at her flower bed as she comes out from the backyard. Back on the porch, Joanna climbs down the stairs and then Elisabeth and Marianne are dancing. Joanna joins in.
Summer of 1959. In the back yard of 3306 W. Pierce, the girls and friends are playing. Elisabeth has a puppet. Linda Lee and her younger sister Lorraine are there, as well as Joanna and Miriam. Sara is playing dodgeball with Jimmy Lee and another friend, George. Another girl with brown hair, unknown, joins in playing.
Summer 1959, Wittman’s make a trip to see grandparents, Freda and John Sendelbach, at 414 Possum Rd., Springfield, Ohio. Walter is filming as they are getting ready to leave. Sara gets in the car as Jan the dog walks by. Norma comes out. Freda and John, wearing his railroad overalls, come onto the porch to say goodbye. Lots of hugs and kisses.
On the way back to Chicago, the Wittman’s stop at Brown County State Park, Indiana. They are traveling in a canvas top trailer that folds up for driving. Next, they are at a tower overlooking the park. Next girls and Norma are standing near a reservoir. The family is climbing a fire ranger tower, more views from that tower. Walter and girls are climbing up a road. They visit a “zoo” that has some caged animals and some deer. Walking in the woods, then they are going on another hiking path. Near the path is a stone outcropping and the girls go under it.
Next, Joanna and Elisbeth are playing in a kiddy pool. Walter, Sara and Miriam are swimming in a large pool. After a while Elisabeth joins them. Brief shot of Norma, then more of Joanna and Elisabeth in the kiddy pool.
Early morning at the campsite. Norma is returning from the restrooms with Joanna and Elisabeth. Family is sitting at a picnic table having breakfast. There is a tarp over part of the table and a Coleman Stove on the table. Walter packs up things into the trailer getting ready to leave. Then Norma joins him in shoving in the trailer “drawers” and then folding down the canvas top and support poles.
Run Time
17 min 30 sec
Format
8mm
Extent
209 feet
Color
Color
Sound
Silent
Reel/Tape Number
1/1
Has Been Digitized?
Yes
Element
Reversal Positives
Form
Subject
Related Collections
Related Places
Main Credits
Wittman, Walter (is filmmaker)
Wittman, Norma (is filmmaker)
Participants And Performers
Wittman, Norma (is participant)
Wittman, Walter (is participant)
Wittman, Elisabeth (is participant)
Wittman, Joanna (is participant)
Wittman, Sara (is participant)
Wittman, Miriam (is participant)
Do you know more about this item?
If you have more information about this item please contact us at info@chicagofilmarchives.org.