Bradley Barnes Suster Collection
Inclusive Dates
1942 – 1982
Bulk Dates
1950 – 1982
Preservation Sponsor
Bradley Suster
Abstract
This collection of home movies was shot by Illinoisans Barbara Suster and her nephew John Edward III (Rip) Suster in the Chicago area between the 1950s and early 1980s.
Description
The 16mm home movies taken by Barbara Suster feature parades, her many pet cats, and outings with her siblings' families, mostly around La Grange and Des Plaines, Illinois.
The films shot by Rip Suster depict celebrations and milestones in his life with wife Susan (Dodge) Suster, focusing primarily on the years around the births of their children Bradley (8/5/1968) and Wendy (2/12/1971). Includes scenes of family life in Chicago and Winnetka, holidays in Oak Brook, vacations to Green Lake, and a Miss Nude America contest in 1972.
The films shot by Rip Suster depict celebrations and milestones in his life with wife Susan (Dodge) Suster, focusing primarily on the years around the births of their children Bradley (8/5/1968) and Wendy (2/12/1971). Includes scenes of family life in Chicago and Winnetka, holidays in Oak Brook, vacations to Green Lake, and a Miss Nude America contest in 1972.
Series In this Collection
Intellectual organization and arrangement
Organized into two series based on filmmaker: Barbara Suster films and Rip Suster films.
Collection Items
Film
1950: Madison - Denmark Wedding - Mom & Cap in Yard - Rover & Glamor Puss - New York - Thanksgiving - Stranger
1950
Film
1951: Later flowers - John's home and family - Memorial Day parade - Our house - Rover drinking milk - Imigs at their house - The Wilson's house
Film
1951: Suzy - Flash & Doug - the Zoo - Kiddie Park - Mom's Club - John's family - Fall in the yard
Film
1951: Christmas at La Grange - Suzy - Doug & parakeet - Family and 1367 tree - Flash & gold fish
Film
1954: Toby & hats; John's family and new car - 1955: Suzy and John in snow; Summer - Barnes Elgin farm
1954 – 1955
Film
1955: Mom and Flash - Sept. 16, 1955-Kittens - Christmas-1955-Kittens - Rocky & Chessie September 1956 - August 1960, Des Plaines Parade
To request more information about the items in this collection, please contact the archive at
info@chicagofilmarchives.org.
Items with Viewable Media
-
SERIES I: Barbara Suster Films
- 1950: Madison - Denmark Wedding - Mom & Cap in Yard - Rover & Glamor Puss - New York - Thanksgiving - Stranger
- 1951: Christmas at La Grange - Suzy - Doug & parakeet - Family and 1367 tree - Flash & gold fish
- 1951: First Spring Flowers - Cats - Douglas - Kittens & Stranger
- 1951: Frontier Days Parade - Thanksgiving
- 1951: Later flowers - John's home and family - Memorial Day parade - Our house - Rover drinking milk - Imigs at their house - The Wilson's house
- 1951: Suzy - Flash & Doug - the Zoo - Kiddie Park - Mom's Club - John's family - Fall in the yard
- 1952: Colorado Sightseeing in February & 1007 in June
- 1952: Stofft's - Doug & bird house - Flash & milk bottle - Sylvester
- 1952: Toby, family in yard - Suzy at Kiddie Park - La Grange pooch - Suzy and roller skates
- 1953: June-Wellesley Reunion
- 1954-1955: Colorado Springs
- 1954: Toby & hats; John's family and new car - 1955: Suzy and John in snow; Summer - Barnes Elgin farm
- 1955: Mom and Flash - Sept. 16, 1955-Kittens - Christmas-1955-Kittens - Rocky & Chessie September 1956 - August 1960, Des Plaines Parade
- 1956: Colorado Springs Skiing
- 1942?: Suster early Christmas
- 1943?: Early Suster family
- 1968 Dec - 1969 Feb: Brad
- 1969 - 1970: Green Lake (Knockwood) - Oct 1969 / Green Lake (Snowmobile) - Feb 1970 / Old Man Feeding Birds in Park / Night Sky Shot
- 1969 - 1970: Visit w/ mom Barnes - Nov 1969 / Thanksgiving @ Oak Brook - Nov 1969 / Christmas w/ [Charmaty?] - Doc 1969 / Visit by Ken & Sandy - Dec 1969 / Brad molesting Lara - Sept 1969 / Brad's 1st haircut - May 1970 / Brad's 2nd birthday- Aug 1970
- 1969 Aug: Brad's 1st B-day / Brad's 1st Real Walk
- 1969: Green Lake
- 1969 Mar - July
- 1970: 1st Green Lake / Christmas in Oak Brook
- 1970: Anne Hathaway Cottage
- 1971: Christmas
- 1971 Feb: Wendy Comes Home from Hospital / Tour of 2512 N. Lakeview
- 1971: GL / Church Rd 71 (Back Rm)
- 1971 Mar: Wendy in crib / Brad in bed / Tour of 2512 N. Lakeview / Western Springs
- 1971: Nancy + Roger Engage 1/71 / Wendy 2/71
- 1971 Summer: Brad + Wendy
- 1972 Aug: Brad's 4th B-day + Brad & Wendy
- 1972?: Brad's Baptism Party @ Oak Brook / Wendy in Crib
- 1972 Dec - 1973 Feb: Christmas '72 / Wendy's B-day (#2)
- 1972: Downhill Racer - GL
- 1972 Feb: Wendy's Bday #1
- 1972 Jul: Miss Nude America
- 1972: Wendy Walks / Brad bikes / Brad's B-day #4
- 1972: Xmas / Ann + Bill
- 1973 - 1974: Christmas 73 / Wendy's 3rd B-day / Brad shoots baskets / '74 Christmas (Pt. I)
- 1973 Aug: Brad's 5th B-day
- 1973: Wendy's Birthday (#2) 2/73 / Easter Egg Hunt
- 1974: Christmas (Pt. II)
- 1975 Dec - 1976 Feb: Christmas '75 / Wendy's Birthday 2/76
- 1975: Wendy's 4th B-day / Christmas
- 1976: Wendy's 5th Birthday / Brad's 8th
- 1977 Feb: Brad Playing Hockey (Mites)
- 1978/1/1
- 1978: Wendy's 7th Bday
- 1980 Jul: River Raft Trip
- 1980 Jun: Wendy Pitching in Pee Wee League
- 1982?: Baseball
SERIES II: Rip Suster Films
Collection Identifier
C.2021-05
Extent of Collection
14 reels of 16mm film totaling 4922 feet; 37 reels of Super 8mm film totaling 3040 feet.
Language Of Materials
English
Subject
Custodial History
Donated to CFA by Bradley Barnes Suster in 2021. The 16mm home movies were shot by Suster's great aunt Barbara Suster between 1950-1960; those films were previously kept in storage in a garage in Connecticut. The Super 8mm films were shot by Suster's father, John ("Rip") Suster, between 1968 and 1982.
Access Restrictions
Appointments must be made with Chicago Film Archives for on-site access. Due to the fragile nature of the films, only digital copies will be provided for on-site viewing.
Use Restrictions
Chicago Film Archives holds the copyright for the films in this collection.
Creators
Suster, Barbara
(was created by)
Barbara J. Suster was born in Des Plaines, IL in 1921 to John Edward Suster and Rosalia (Doubek) Suster. She had two sisters, Viola Imig and Mary Bond; and a brother, John Suster II. She worked as a treasurer for the Newcomb-Macklin Company, a family picture-framing company at 400 N. State St. in Chicago, for 15 years. She loved her flowers and cats, which she had many of over the years, including Glamor Puss, Stranger, Sylvester, Rocky, Chessie, Rover (who drank milk from a glass using his hands), Flash (who drank milk from a bottle), and Toby (who she enjoyed dressing up in hats). She passed away in 1985.
Suster, John Edward III
(was created by)
John Edward (Rip) Suster III was born in 1940 in Glendale, California. He moved to La Grange, IL when he was three years old and had two siblings, Dewey Suster and Suzanne (Quinn) Suster. He graduated from Lyons Township High School and then went on to DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana for his BA. He earned his MBA from Northwestern University in 1967. He married his high school sweetheart Susan Dodge in 1962 and they had two children, Bradley Barnes (b. 1968) and Wendy Suster (b. 1971). The family lived at 2512 N Lakeview in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago until 1971, when they moved to Winnetka, IL. Rip worked as an accountant for Arthur Andersen before joining his wife Sue at Winnetka's Village Carpets and Rugs when she became owner in 1981 and called on her husband to help her run the store. They retired in 2016 and live in the Village of Winnetka.