Archives West Finding Aid

A television series focusing on ordinary people living in the Pacific Northwest.Episode 1: A portrait of Kitty Prince who managed several presidential and senatorial campaigns in Washington State. After being diagnosed with cancer she became a ski instructor and tennis coach at the University of Washington where she advocated for women's equality in sports. Episode 2: Merlee Ledford, a student at the University of Washington and member of the Makah Tribe disccuses her relationship to and differences from other marginalized groups, the role of women and men in the Makah culture, her experience going to the University of Washington, and her plan to live in Neah Bay in the future. The film features scenes of Ledford at Neah Bay with her kids, the University of Washington, and the Ethnic Cultural Center. Episode 3: Theda Carl is followed through her daily life and physical therapy following her battle with Polio. Carl disccuses how she copes with disability, how people treat her in public, and fear of having to leave her apartment and eventually being sent to a nursing home.Episode 4: Sushma Sudana, who was born in Kenya and immigrated to Canada, discusses her career as a radio broadcaster, her experience with racism and prejudice in London, Hinduism and its importance in her life, the Canadian friends she made through mutual interests in food and movies, and the difference in experience she has from other East Indian people living in Canada due to language barriers. Epsiode 5: Larry Culp, the owner of the Green Front Café in Pioneer Square, discusses his concerns about the human cost of changes in old Seattle, the working class people who come to his bar, the importance of older generations, and local poverty. The film includes scens of people dancing and relaxing at Culp's bar.

A documentary featuring Guy Anderson, George Tsutakawa and Theodore Roethke, three artists who live and work in the Pacific Northwest. They discuss drawing their inspiration from nature, mountains, and the wildlife of the region as well as from from Japanese art.

A documentary questioning the necessity of the 'Trident' nuclear warhead submarine.

A documentary exploring the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, a tool to protect natural free flowing rivers. Under the Act, streamside development is controlled and developed with local participation, water quality is maintained, wildlife preserved and dams prohibited. It features numerous interviews with people living and working in riverlands.

Half-hour documentary focusing on the music and cultural traditions of a unique community of North Carolinians who settled in Darrington, Washington.

The story of three Croatian sisters, Maria Petrish, Alma Plancich and Binki Spahi, who came to Anacortes, Washington, seeking political asylum after the World War II. They tell their story of leaving the camps in Italy to make their way to America, only to be turned down at the Statue of Liberty. After reaching America the second time around, the three sisters worked in the fields with their mother, experiencing real freedom for the first time. They talk about the Croatian culture, the similarities and differences to America and especially to the Puget Sound area. Croatian dance ensemble, Vela Luka, is organized to keep traditional Croatian music and dances alive. The sisters talk about topics like marriage, religion, preserving Croatian culture and their appreciation of the opportunities and freedom given to them in America.

A look at Japanese arts and crafts in the Pacific Northwest, including pottery, traditional tea ceremonies, poetry, architecture and landscape design. Artists, craftsmen and architects, who either went to Japan to learn or are currently in Japan learning Japanese art forms, brought these influences to the Pacific Northwest region. The architecture, in particular, relies especially on its connection to nature. This concept of nature draws parallels to Native American culture and tradition in the Pacific Northwest.

Seattle artists Gertrud Pacific (Painter), Jacob Lawrence (Painter), John Gilbert (Actor) discuss their relationship with the city and the Pacific Northwest. It explores the importance of art for the growth of Seattle andmaking it a vibrant city.

A profile of mountaineer Jim Wickwire, the first American to summit K-2. It follows his journey to the K-2 summit in Pakistan, the Fairweather Mountains and Mount McKinley in Alaska, as well as, Mt. Everest and is narrated by Jim Wickwire himself.

A profile of Ivan Doig and his book 'Winter Brothers'. Ivan Doig talks about the historical diaries of James Gilchrist Swan that are featured in his book. Doig narrates the documentary as he visits the places Swan mentions in his diaries.

Screenwriter and novelist Charles Johnson, poet Colleen McElroy, and playwright Frank Chin talk about the Pacific Northwest, its multicultural communities, and the meaining and spirituality of the region for them personally and for their work as artists.

A look at art in the American West, featuring Seattle based artist Fred Oldfield, Glemma Goodacre from Boulder, Colorado, Fred Fellows from Bigfork, Montana, and John Clymer from Teton Village, Wyoming. The artists are interviewed about their work, as well as, the history and the present movement of Western art.

The composer Alan Hovhaness and his wife, Hinako Fujihara travel to San Jose to see the first performance of his Symphony No. 50, Op. 360, Mount St. Helens. The documentary details how, when, and where he wrote the symphony. He talks about how he came to Seattle and drew inspiration from the mountains and spirituality for hisSymphony No. 2, Op. 132, Mysterious Mountain . Alan Hovhaness talks about his writing process, for example how he wroteStarry Night while sitting between two truck drivers at a counter in a diner. Hovhaness explains that another reason came to the Pacific Northwest was because of his love for Japan and Japanese art.

Three Native American women find personal renewal in their heritage and crafts. Anita Cheer, of the Colville Confederated Tribes, learned about her heritage, legends, arts, crafts, traditional dances and songs and now passes her knowledge on to the children at school and at the Omak Stampede. Maria Parker, of the Makah Tribe, moved back to Neah Bay to become more involved in her heritage, especially in traditional basket weaving. Maria works as a language instructor for the Makah language program and used to work at the Ozette Lab doing replication work of the baskets. Fran James, of the Lummi Tribe, learned how to fish, spin, weave and knit from her grandmother on a small island named Point Transit. At cultural centers she trades her arts and crafts with other people from different reservations.

Numerous artists of varied media create art which comes from strong political and social concerns; concerns about war and the threat of nuclear disaster, poverty, environmental problems, and marginalized peoples working for equity and equality. The film discusses persuasive art and its critical vision, message, and aesthetics. Artists Edward Kienholz and Nancy Reddin Kienholz discuss art created out of a social conscious and its long tradition in America, as well as in the Pacific Northwest. Featured artists include Woody Guthrie, R.D. Ginther, Kenneth Callahan, William Cummings, Morris Graves, Jakob Lawrence, Roger Shimomura, Daniel DeSiga, Jesse Jaramillo, James Lavadour, Buster Simpson, Charles Schmidt, Elias "Dutch" Schultz, John O'Connor, Carl Smool, Marilyn Lysohir, and Rebecca Wells.

The history of Seattle theaters is hosted by the actor John Gilbert. The film traces Seattle's history from the opening of Squire's Opera House in the late 19th century to the experimental plays of the 1970s and 1980s. Notable theatres dicussed include the 1910 opening of the Nippon Kan Theatre, the Penthouse and the Showboat theatre, both opened by Glenn Hughes, the opening of the first African American theatre in Seattle by directors Burton and Florence James, and the 1962 formation of the city's first repertory theatre, the Seattle Playhouse. Includes interviews with actress Jessie Haas, University of Washington School of Drama Professor Donal Harrington, musical director Helen Taverniti, actress Sara Jackson, actress Roberta Byrd, art patron Bagley Wright, theatre critic Wayne Johnson, and artistic director Gregory A. Falls.

A cinematic portrait of Gary Smith, a musician and writer with multiple sclerosis. Once a ranger in the Grand Canyon area, he returns to explore the area in his wheelchair. He discusses his life and personal love for the canyon.

An exploration of the life of loggers and their families in the Pacific Northwest including the dangers of the job, the craft of carving wood and the poetry and songs that define the life of loggers. The growing criticism of logging on the one side, and the "logging culture" within communities and families on the other side, are central themes of the documentary.

A profile of Floyd Schmoe, the first park naturalist on Mt. Rainier, a marine biologist, a professor of forest ecology, a Quaker Pacifist and stretcher bearer in WWI, a humanitarian relief worker, and the author of nine books. At ninety years of age he continued skiing on Mt. Rainier, where he and his wife used to be keepers of Paradise Inn. As a marine biologist, he was among the first to create a method of taking underwater pictures to study the reefs and animals in the San Juan Islands. During World War II Floyd stopped teaching at the University of Washington to work fulltime helping those held in Japanese internment camps. Close to his 90th birthday Schmoe was given the Prestigious Order of the Sacred Treasure and named an honorary citizen of Hiroshima by Japan.

A documentary about four Soviet Jewish emigres living in Seattle.

A profile of Rebecca Wells and her roles as an actress, playwright, commentator, teacher, and toruing artist in Alaska. The film features the plays Gloria Duplex and Splittin' Hairs, both by Wells.

Twenty-seven children from the Pacific Northwest visit the Soviet Union in 1986. The children, age 10-15, use storytelling as a form of cultural exchange as they visit Moscow, Leningrad, and Odessa.

Celebrate the Women , a series of short programs made in honor of Washington State's centennial, features five notable women from the state.Episode 1: Helen Thayer moved to Washington from New Zealand. She represented the United States at the Olympics in multiple track and field events. Thayer was also first woman to ski alone to the magnetic North Pole and the first woman to climb Mount Rainier. The episode includes narration by Thayer who discusses her outlook on sports and mountain climbing.Episode 2: Helma Ward, a member of the Makah Tribe, related to the last living members of the Ozette Tribe, worked in museums and schools, specializing in the Makah language. Iinterviews with Ward who discusses religion, life in her reservation, and her vision for the reservation in the future.Episode 3: Mary Walker, the third white woman to cross the Rocky Mountains, kept intimate diaries about life in the harsh wilderness. The host, Suzi Hunt, reads passages from Walker's diaries, discussing the strain of her relationship with her husband, her pregnancy, the dangers and the cold weather while traveling, her interactions with American Indians, her life at the Whitman Mission of Waiilatpu (now Walla Walla) and later their new mission site near Spokane, where they stayed nine years and had six children.Episode 4: The suffragette, May Hutton, came west in 1883 with her husband Al Hutton and bought a piece of land. She published a satirical critique of large companies making profits of the miners before her and her husband became millionares. Their money allowed May Hutton to become involved in state politics as she moved to Spokane in 1906. Women'suffrage became her main cause and with her help, Washington women won the vote in 1910. In 1912 she became the first woman delegate ever to attend the Democratic National Convention.Epsiode 5: Roberta Byrd was the moderator of King TV's show Face to Face and the first woman and first African American to become principal at a large Seattle high school. Includes interviews with Byrd, where she talks about poverty, segregated education, and the Vietnam War. The episode also covers Byrd's participation in a boycott of the public schools.Epsiode 5: Teiko Tomita immigrated to Washington from Japan in 1921and wrote poetry about her experiences coming to age in the United States. In 1929 she moved to the suburbs of Seattle with her husband and four children. After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 she was forced to burn all her poems and was held in an internment camp, an experience that is heavily represented in her poetry. In 1985 she published her poetry in the US and Japan and they appeared in a play about the Japanese internment called Breaking the Silence.

A profile of Kitaro, a Japanese recording artist, composer, and record producer. The film focuses on his first North American tour in 1987 as part of the Hitachi Culture Special Tour, including the rehearsal and preparation process and his relatioship with his new North American band. The documentary also highlights the cultural exchanges and understanding that grew between the American and Japanese musicians.

The Rodenbergs, a family of seven who live in temporary shelter or in their car, came to Seattle seeking vocational training, an opportunity unavailable to them in the small community of Golden Dale. The Seattle public schools offer special help for the children of the homeless, providing counselors, clean clothing, food and books. There is also an after school program by Seattle emergency housing, which gives children a place to socialize. A camera team follows and interviews the family as they search for affordable housing, jobs, and temporary shelter. Michelle Turner and her three children are also profiled. They came from California to get away from Michelle’s ex-husband and are staying at the Bread of Life Mission for Women.

An exploration of American Peace Corps and Japanese JOCV Volunteers in Ghana. The organization works with villagers to develop small business enterprises or work as teachers, doctors, and health technicians creating better health and prosperity projects for communities. Depicts the oranizations setting up a sewing machine business, poultry farms, an adjacent water catchment system for drought periods, a new health care clinic, new housing, and a reforestation project.

The author N. Scott Momaday discusses his early life and reads passages from his Pulitzer Price awarded novel, House Made of Dawn, and his autobiographical book, The Ancient Child. He talks about his Kiowa descent and about growing up in Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico. His daughters are also interviewed and give further insight into his life as a writer and painter.

The heiress to King Broadcasting, Harriet Bullitt, sold the company to direct her energy and money into environmental causes in the Pacific Northwest. She discusses environmental awareness, her love for classical music and the classical King radio station, and her role in the Bullitt Foundation.

Dr. Michael Copass, the medical director of Seattle Medic One, Director of Medic One Paramedic Training Program, and a professor of medicine is followed during his daily work at Harborview Medical Center where he teaches medical students and paramedics in real life situations.

The life and work of Asunta Ng, editor and publisher of Northwest Asian Weekly. Ng was born in China, grew up in Hong Kong and came to the United States in 1971. She disccusses her views on Asian communities in the Northwest, her experience as a businessowner, and the role of her newspaper as a counterbalance to mainstream media.

Sister Kathleen Ross, founded Heritage College in Toppenish, Washigton, a cross-cultural college that offers educational opportunities for American Indians and Mexican Americans in the Yakama Valley.

The Seattle based independent record label Sub Pop and its founders, Jonathan Poneman and Bruce Pavitt discuss the history of the label, pop culture, Grunge, the roots of the Seattle and Pacific Northwest music scene and their effect on the music scene worldwide.

Charles Johnson, a Seattle-based writer and professor, talks about the importance of the Pacific Northwest and the cultural diversity of Seattle for him and his writing, as well as his views on spirituality, philosophy, literature, discrimination, segregation, and racism. Johnston discusses his book, A Middle Passage, cartoons he published, and the screenplay for Booker, a film about Booker T. Washington. He also discusses his new book Dreamer, about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ,and the new screenplays he will be working on, including one for director Spike Lee.

A profile of poet and author Raymond Carver, including interviews with his wife Tess Gallagher, his mother, family, friends, journalists, and critics.

A series of interviews with authors Terry Tempest Williams, William Kittredge, Rudolfa Anaya, Tony Hillerman, Maxine Hong Kingston and, Ivan Doig. They discuss literature of the American West, their lives and the impact that growing up in the West had on their work as writers.

The history of the Columbia River and the people living in the region. The film covers the enviromental stability of the river for the sorrounding landscape and wildlife.

A profile of Tom Robbins featuring interviews with his wife Alexa D'Avalon, the director Alan Rudolph, and and Seattle Weekly's arts director, Bruce Barcott.

A profile ofthe Pacific Northwest Ballet featuring its artistic directors Francia and Kent Rusell along with PNB dancers.

The history of mountaineering on Mount Rainier, the meaning of the mountain to the Pacific Northwest and the dangers of a volcanic eruption. The film also examines movements to preserve Mt. Rainier,its national park and the role of the moutain in art, advertising, and sport.

The British ship HMT Rohnawas the target of a German air assualt in 1943 and sank into the Mediterranean Sea with 2,200 men aboard. The film includes interviews with survivors, historic footage and photographs, along with reenactments. 1,015 US troops were killed in the disaster and 606 men were saved by the " USS Pioneer" . The film dicusses the decision to hide the Rohna tragedy from the public over concerns that a successful new Nazi weapon and its capabilities would discourage the Allies and bolster Nazi moral.

The Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, a performance hall that replaced the Seattle Opera House, became home to the Pacific Northwest Ballet and Seattle Opera along with other groups and artists. The 127 million dollar project was designed by LMN architects. Hall for All also looks at the history and reception of ballet and opera performances and at the Seattle Opera House. Includes interviews with Virginia Anderson, Director of the Seattle Center, Speight Jenkins, Director Seattle Opera, Kent Stowell and Francia Rusell, Artistic Directors Pacific NW Ballet, Patricia Barker, Principal Pacific NW Ballet, Owen Richards, Principal LMN Architects, and Bill Kortum,Project Superintendent/Skanska.

Includes coverage of of the bicylce racer Ron Storer.

Includes aerials of the Canyonlands National Park in Utah.