Newsreels 1950-1955
1950/12/21 War or Peace? 1950 Fateful Year - 1950 in Review (1) Nationalist China seated in UN, Malek departed, absent when Korean War began (2) "Communism" - Berlin, France, Japan, Union Square in New York, spy Gubitchev deported (3) "Korea Invaded" - MacArthur, savage war of attrition on narrow beachhead, scores died, atrocities, rapidly narrowing perimeter, but 12 nations rallied, led by Canada, Inchon landing, air cover of B-29s dropping bombs, allies pushed north, "then, it happened" and UN armies forced into retreat, paid heavily in casualties, Chosin resorvoir (4) "Atom Bomb" - symbol of modern destruction, pilgrims to Rome, men of all faith prayed for peace, UN symbol of man's hope for tomorrow (complete newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 23-415 National Archives, College Park MD
1952/05/12 New Commander. Gen. Clark Succeeds Ridgway As UN Chief (1) Gen. Clark Succeeds Ridgway As UN Chief in Far East, takes over Korean War and truce talks, 250,000 men under his command (2) first pictures of B-60 bomber, successor to B-36, with 8 jet engines. SOURCE: 200 Universal 25-560 National Archives, College Park MD
1952/06/16 Atom Sub. President Officiates At Laying Of Keel (1) Groton CT ceremony with Truman dedicating USS Nautilus sub, to be completed in 1-2 years (2) "Koje Mop-Up. Paratroopers Finally Subdue Riotous Reds" - rioting red prisoners in stockade in Korea (3) News In Brief - guided missile bomb released from B-29 - Guizon bomb (4) New York commuter strike, people turned to buses and cars, cause traffic jams (5) 44th annual Rose Festival in Portland OR, parade of floats (6) Sports - Tottenham Hotspurs and Manchester United soccer teams play in Yankee Stadium, spurs win 7-1; rodeo hosted by Oregon State College as part of the Rose Festival (complete newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 25-570 National Archives, College Park MD
1952/08/07 Korea See-Saw Battle For 'Baldy' Ridge Rages (1) "fighting surges on the front lines in Korea" - battle for Baldy Ridge is background for truce talks, has changed hands 6 times. SOURCE: 200 Universal 25-585 National Archives, College Park MD
1952/09/22 Politics. Ike Stumps Midwest; Adlai's Son A Marine (1) Adlai Stevenson attends graduation of son Adlai III from OCS, in New York at AFL convention; Ike in midwest, speaks that he has confidence in Senator Nixon (2) "Guided Missile. Navy launches Robot Warfare In Korea" - propeller planes take off from carrier USS Boxer, a semi-obsolete Hellcat without a pilot is catapaulted from carrier deck (3) News In Brief - strategic air base only 900 miles from North Pole, at Thule, started 18 months ago but kept secret, Operation Bluejay was construction program. SOURCE: 200 Universal 25-598 National Archives, College Park MD
1952/09/25 Politics. Ike Okays Nixon; Adlai In Baltimore (1) Ike greets Nixon at Wheeling airport at night, shake hands; Adlai Stevenson in Baltimore, speaks on taxes (2) "Space Pioneers Mice And Monkeys Soar 38 Miles In Rocket" - at White Sands a rocket prepared for 2 white mice and a monkey named Albert, small rocket blasts off, to 38 miles up, camera in rocket shows weightless mice, parachute to ground, Albert is "world's first space cadet" (3) "Farouk's Palace" - exiled Farouk's palace opened, American comic books, 1000 ties. SOURCE: 200 Universal 25-599, National Archives, College Park MD
1953 anniversary of 1953 East Berlin uprising (1) anniversary of 1953 East Berlin uprising celebrated in West Berlin, mayor Willy Brandt lays wreath, old film clips of '53 uprising (partial newsreel from 1959) SOURCE: 200 Universal 32-49, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/07/15 President. Foreign Students Hear Peace Hopes (1) Ike speaks to foreign students at White House (some glitches in his voice) (2) Indo-China battle near Saigon between Diem's forces and enemies as "American training pays off" (3) Air Force Academy first graduating class - giant bombers fly over (4) Mt. Blanc cable car to highest point in Europe (5) sports: Sacramento Little League with heavyweight champ Max Baer as umpire (6) Ike at White House with guests for celebrity golf match (7) baseball All-Star game won by Stan Musial homerun (complete newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-691, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/07/18 At the Summit (1) Big 4 arrive at Geneva summit conference: Eden, Faur (pronounced "four"), Ike speaks at airport " I come armed with good will of America"; Khrushchev and Bulganin, armillary sphere outside Geneva (2) Chicago air crash killing 22 of 43 aboard (3) Des Moine Iowa visit by Russians to farms (4) Miss Universe parade, led by 1954 Miss Universe Miriam Stevenson (partial newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-692, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/07/21 Ike's Challenge (1) Geneva summit conference - square table - Ike proposes Open Skies "a precedent-shattering proposal" to verify disarmament with aerial photographs (2) Morocco riots overrun Casablanca due to discontent with French rule (3) Russians visit Iowa farm, sundaes served in air-conditioned comfort (4) air show in Moscow, with new Bison bomber, helicopters (5) sports: Tour de France bike race; running of the bulls in Pamplona Spain (complete newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-693, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/07/25 Ike Returns. Sees Progress at Geneva Conference (1) Ike returns to U.S. after Geneva summit conference, to cheers of 5000 at airport, welcomed by Nixon, ike speaks in rain "there is evidence of new friendliness in the world" (2) Hercules C-130 plane first test flight, built at Marietta GA (3) Big Red One division arrive at Brooklyn Army base (4) 9th annual toy review in manhattan, model aeobatic plane (partial newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-694, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/08/04 Far East parley. U.S. and Red China Confer in Geneva (1) Geneva Conference in Far East with China, and Red China announced11 fliers released by China, young interpreter reads statement (2) 12th Marines train in Japan with rockets and artillery (3) Russians visit Iowa farms, Corn Palace in Mitchell Iowa (4) children's art festival in New York with art from American and Russian children (5) Milford NJ car-airplane built for $300 (partial newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-697, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/08/08 Journey Bound. Fliers Freed After Two Years Captivity (1) 11 fliers cross bridge to Hong Kong from B-29 shot down, on leaflet-dropping mission, led by Col. John Arnold, take baths, drink coke, "a warning of the ruthless enemy we face" (2) Quito Honduras meeting between heads of state of Ecuador and Honduras (3) airplane crash at Midway field in Chicago (4) Turin italy - Clare Booth Luce (ambassador to Italy) and delivery of F-86 built in America and assembled at Fiat plant that will soon make planes for NATO (5) Navy graduation, even of Landy, throw hats in air (6) Koreans given livestock by Texas 4-H clubs (partial newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-698, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/08/11 Hoover 81. Shrine made of Boyhood Home (1) Herbert Hoover is 81, at Newburg Oregon boyhood home (2) Ike at Gettysburg farm, signs bills, with Holstein heffer, drives golf cart (3) Chinese junk sailed from Japan to San Francisco, "with 5 free Chinese refugees from the Reds" (4) X-1 rocket plane test drop; rocket sled tests at Edwards AF base, dummies ejected from rocket sled in slow motion (5) Merry Moppets fashion show in New York (6) sports: football Steelers vs Rams preseason night game (complete newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-699, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/08/15 Storm Havoc. Hurricane Kills 43, Damage 15 Millions (1) hurricane Connie hits Carolinas, much crop damage, veers north, sideswipes NY, floods in suburbs (2) Flying boxcars collide, 66 die in ?Germany (3) Korea demonstrations support Syngman Rhee who wants arms inspectors to leave the country, and U.S. troops use tear gas (4) 11 American fliers return to Travis AFB (5) sports: soapbox derby in Akron Ohio, at Derby Downs only used once a year for this event (6) college allstars vs Cleveland Browns football game (complete newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-700, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/08/18 Air Defenses (1) radar scanners, Chicago Nike base, ocean radar earling warning Texas tower 100 miles off east coast being constructed (2) more violence in South Korea, tear gas (3) 5000 Indians march against Portuguese at Goa, guards fire guns killing 22 (4) helicopter school in Italy for Alps rescues (5) dog given medal for saving life of his master (partial newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-701, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/08/22 Northeast Devastated by Floods (1) Floods after hurricane Connie in northeast worst in American history, 35,000 homeless, roads and railroads and communications paralyzed, hundreds of bridges must be replaced, over 200 dead, "the nation has been struck a staggering blow" (2) "1,000 Dead in Moroccan Uprisings" - French troops pour into Algeria and Morocco "as revolt spreads throughout North Africa" (3) Ike golfs with grandson 7-yr old David, also fish (4) small balloon plane (partial newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-702, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/08/25 Flood Relief. President Inspects Area and Speeds Aid (1) Ike inspects flood damage in northeast after hurricane Connie, damage in billions, and the digging out begins (2) "Rebellion Spreads in North Africa" - 1700 dead fighting French soldiers in Algeria (3) Saar elections (4) train from Boston to Montreal derailed near Lowell MA (5) new Marine tank destroyer (partial newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-703, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/09/01 U.S.S. Forrestal. Faulty Bearings Mar Super-Carrier's Test (1) USS Forrestal ready for shakedown cruise, built over last 3 years, CV-69 aircraft carrier (2) entire tribe of Berbers surrenders in North Africa - Algeria vs. France (3) Audie Murphy at VFW parade and premier of "To Hell and Back" film. (partial newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-705, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/09/05 New York City (1) car show in NY of idea cars (2) Austria - "hotel on wheels" RV vehicle (3) "French Look" in 1956 styles - Algeria vs. France (partial newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-706, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/09/12 Moscow Parley. P.O.W. issue Stalls Russo-German Talks (1) Adenauer becomes first German chancellor to visit Moscow, met with Bulganin (2) "Maneuvers. Nato Troops Hold War Games in Italy" - tanks, jets - "The free world's first line of resistance should the spirit of Geneva prove an illusion and the efforts for peace come to naught." (3) Ike meets political leaders in Colorado (4) Queen Beatrix of Holland christens a new destroyer (5) Miss America in Atlantic City (partial newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-708, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/10/27 The President. 1st Pictures of ike Since His Illness (1) Ike poses for 1st pictures in Denver since Sept 24 heart attack (2) antitank T-101 vehicle with 90mm gun (3) fall fashions by Paul Gillette (partial newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-721, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/10/31 Deadlock. East-West Tensions Stymie Geneva Meet (1) Big 4 Foreign Ministers conference at Geneva, including Israel, Czechoslovakia; Dulles attacks Russia (2) San Francisco Radiological Defense Lab (3) doodle bug bikers (partial) (4) JATO helps radio-controlled plane take-off, with pictures from the drone (partial newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-722, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/11/14 Ike Returns. Thousands Hail Him at Capital. (1) Ike returns from 7-week hospital stay in Denver, speaks at Washington airport; also parade held in Gettysburg, crowd sings happy birthday to Mamie (2) new B-52 goes into service (partial newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-726, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/11/28 Chicago Fire. City Gets Revenge On Mrs. O'Leary (1) Chicago skyline, Mrs. O'leary home, drawings of Chicago fire of 1871, house put to the torch to make way for freeway (2) Volga river hydroelectric project under construction (3) Eugenie the sea cow at Chicago aquarium (4) AF vehicle rodeo (5) sports: football Army-Navy game; Notre Dame vs Southern Cal (complete newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-730, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/12/05 Labor Merger. AF of L and CIO Join Forces (1) NY meeting of CIO and AFL for merger, Walter Reuther and George Meany, and Ike from his office speaks (Ike's voice over pictures of the convention) (2) largest jet helicopter unveiled (3) British jet transport Comet 3 (4) Conant rejects Berlin change (5) Modern Screen awards (6) orange cow in NY with bathing beauties for PR stunt (7) Arthur the robot built by high school youth (8) sports: Rams vs Colts football (complete newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-732, National Archives, College Park MD
1955/12/19 U.S. Jet Planes Go To Airforce of The Netherlands (1) "New wings for NATO" - 200 Thunderstreaks to go to Dutch - "American planes, Dutch pilots, flying for freedom." (2) Estes Kefauver announces candidacy for 1956 presidential race, waves coonskin cap (3) Prince Rainier visits NY looking for a wife. (partial newsreel) SOURCE: 200 Universal 28-736, National Archives, College Park MD
This DVD60 includes 2 hours of Universal Newsreels reproduced from reference cassettes at the National Archives, College Park MD, and is available from the University of San Diego Bookstore.