Amos Burg (1901-1986) was a cinematographer, lecturer, explorer, author and photographer. He was born and raised in Portland. In the late 1920s he learned filmmaking from Jesse Sill, pioneer Oregon filmmaker. For one of Burg’s first independent assignments, in 1928, Sill sent him, with his friend Fred Hill, to Alaska to cover the migration of the caribou. It was the start of a career that lasted more than 50 years. Burg visited every continent, made nearly 50 films, and gave illustrated lectures of his travels to the National Geographic Society and the Explorers Club, among others. He canoed nearly every major river in North America, including the Columbia, Yellowstone, Colorado, Missouri, Mississippi, Yukon, Snake and the Mackenzie and Canoe rivers of Canada. He wrote articles for National Geographic magazine and other publications. He filmed the coronation of King George VI of Great Britain. In Japan in 1940 to make a film about children for Encyclopaedia Britannica Films, he was arrested as a spy, but released immediately. Eventually he settled in Alaska, making films for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, from where he retired in 1974. He died in Alaska in 1986.
The collection contains materials from Burg's 50-year career in motion pictures. Included is black-and-white and color footage from around the world: Scandinavia, Spain, Thailand, Venezuela, Britain, Indonesia and much of the United States, especially Alaska. There is a concentration on the children and natural resources of these areas. The collection includes Burg's short film,
The films have been individually numbered. They are arranged into the following four series:
Preview videotapes are available for materials as noted in this guide.
Most of the collection is unprocessed and therefore not available to the public at this time. Processed materials are listed in this guide and can be accessed through videotape viewing copies in the Research Library. Other materials will be added to this guide as they are conserved and cataloged.
The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Amos Burg Motion Picture Collection, Oregon Historical Society Research Library. Individual films may be cited by archive number or title.
The films were given to the Oregon Historical Society by Amos Burg, and after his death, by his widow, Carolyn Burg. See accession records at the Research Library for details on specific donations.
Much of the collection was in delicate condition, either from being on nitrate filmstock or suffering from mold due to storage conditions, before being given to the Historical Society. As of 2004, the 16 mm films are being conserved, and copied onto videotape for public viewing. Those films for which work has been completed are listed in this guide. As funds become available, the nitrate films will be transferred to safety filmstock, viewing copies will be made, and the films will be added to this guide.
Oregon Historical Society Research Library Collections include Amos Burg's still photographs in Organized Lot 450, his papers in Mss 1759, and a 1984 oral history interview with him ( SR 464).
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Copies: reduction original, contact print, and duplicate negative.
Shows a journey along the Yukon River as Amos Burg and Fred Hill travel downriver by canoe from Little Salmon in Canada's Yukon Territory to Purgatory in central Alaska. It includes many scenes of the natives, their villages, fishing and pets, mostly dogs. Also included are several types of gold mining. Photographers: Amos Burg and Fred Hill.
Copies: reduction original, contact print, and duplicate negative.
Exploring Alaska's rivers and waterways from aboard ships and small boats. Photographers: Amos Burg and Fred Hill. Appearing: Amos Burg and Fred Hill.
Copies include a duplicate negative.
Documents the relocation of caribou from King Island near the Bering Strait to Nunivak Island, farther south. Photographers: Amos Burg and Fred Hill. Appearing: Amos Burg and Fred Hill.
Scenes around the Norton Sound area of Alaska, including Inuit and native villages, livestock, boats and native peoples. Photographers: Amos Burg and Fred Hill. Appearing: Amos Burg.
A retrospective celebration of the work of Erpi Classroom Films and Encyclopaedia Britannica Films under the National Defense Education Act (1958). Includes samples of the types of films made by Erpi and EBF for use in classroom situations: live action, x-ray, strobe and time-lapse photography, microphotography, traditional animation, clay animation, puppetry, fiction, historical recreations, and documentary. Includes footage of Eskimo children at play, taken by Amos Burg in 1941 and used in
Eskimo life on Nunivak Island off the western Alaskan coast. Portrays the activities of the children in describing how Eskimos solve their basic problems of food, shelter, and clothing. Presents such phases of Eskimo life as handicraft, work, household duties, hunting, drying fish, visiting the trader's store, gathering driftwood, playing games, and telling stories. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Scenes of life on Nunivak Island. Includes many close-ups of faces. Shows several villages, many scenes of children at school and at play, and the unloading of barges from a supply ship just offshore. Also shows preparing reindeer meat for transport to the supply ship. Photographer: Amos Burg. (Outtakes from MI 06834.)
Characterizes the far western states as a region of contrasts in climate, topography, people and population densities. The film emphasizes the importance of mining and lumbering, growth of industry and commerce, the area's interdependence with other regions, and its strategic position as gateway to the Pacific and Asia. Explains how irrigation and contrasting climates have influenced varied and large scale agricultural production. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Represents the northwestern United States as the bread basket of the Nation and stresses the importance of the Northwest's agricultural and mineral resources. Animated maps illustrate the region's geographical characteristics, population trends, extent of resources, and interdependence with the rest of the nation. Shows agricultural, mining and lumbering activities, and recreational facilities. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Surveys the islands of the Caribbean, concentrating on the Greater Antilles: Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. The film covers tourism, native traditions, the influences of slavery and the colonial powers, population problems, climate and geography, and economic conditions. Photographer: Amos Burg.
A riverboat trip along the Magdalena River in Colombia. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Scenes around coastal Spain. Includes many scenes of sunsets over the ocean, dancers, ox wagons and pack donkeys, and parades and religious processionals. Possibly filmed for Encyclopaedia Britannica film,
A view of Alaska, its climates and scenery, its geography and natural resources, its cities, and its people and their jobs. It indicates that many obstacles must be overcome before Alaska can reach its full potential of wealth. Photographers: Bill Baker and Amos Burg.
Depicts modern life in the Scandinavian countries of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. The similarities and differences between these neighboring countries are illustrated by specific examples. The success of the Swedish social welfare system is explained. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Shows the physical geography of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and reveals ways in which the land has influenced the way of life and the national character of the British people. Examines the chief economic activities of the British Isles; points out that this land, where the industrial revolution began, is today at the crossroads in a rapidly changing post-war world. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Scenes along the Inside Passage in southeast Alaska. Includes sailing yachts, water traffic, scenery, and a native village. Many of the clips are of animals, including deer, birds, porpoises, bears and fish. Also includes a family raising a pet fawn. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Beluga whales preying on salmon in the Bristol Bay fishery are harvested for study of their eating habits. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Documents the measures taken by the Kitoi Bay Research Station and hatchery to improve and expand the salmon runs of Afognak Island. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Presents a story of a guided hunt on horseback in the Alaskan Range for moose, Dall sheep, caribou and grizzly bear. Gives hints on hunting, skinning and preparing the hides and trophies. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Outlines the harvest and canning of Alaska's salmon, its migratory routes in the Pacific and its economic importance to Alaskan coastal communities. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Possibly from
A trip along the Mackenzie River in northern Canada to its mouth on the Arctic Ocean near Tuktoyaktuk. Includes scenes of wildflowers, bison, fishing, a parade in an unidentified town, and children pitching pennies. In the final scenes, Burg meets with scientists and rows away in a canoe. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Presents an adventurous fishing trip by canoe and rubber raft down the Delta River from the Tangle Lakes to the Richardson Highway. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Presents a view of the Bristol Bay area, especially the towns of Dillingham and King Salmon. Shows the people and their primary industry, the salmon fishery. Discusses the history, management, harvesting and processing of this resource. Photographer: Amos Burg.
No viewing copy.
Production materials. Title rolls for
Production element. [No viewing copy.] Photographer: Amos Burg.
Production element. [No viewing copy.] Photographer: Amos Burg.
By canoe and small boat down the Columbia River in British Columbia. Appearing: Amos Burg. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Scenes of life in Indonesia and Thailand, including traditional buildings, a ritual wrestling match, water buffalo, native dancers and drummers, several kinds of watercraft, and a Muslim preacher. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Clips and trims from film made for the McCormick Steamship Co., later part of Pope and Talbot. Includes scenes of a sailing ship, the McCormick offices, the San Francisco harbor and docks with horse-drawn and motorized lumber delivery, oil derricks, a produce market and porpoises swimming near a moving ship. The final clip runs upside down and backwards. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Clips and trims from film made for the McCormick Steamship Co., later part of Pope and Talbot. Includes scenes of passenger travel: a crossing the equator party, feeding seagulls, building a model sailboat and relaxing on deck, watching porpoises, and looking at the scenery. Also shows men navigating by sextant. Repeats some images from MI 01583. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Clips and trims from film made for the McCormick Steamship Co., later part of Pope and Talbot. Includes scenes of docks, the McCormick Steamship Co. offices, truck traffic near the docks, loading grain onto ship from grain elevators and in sacks. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Clips and trims from film made for the McCormick Steamship Co., later part of Pope and Talbot. Includes scenes of a man transferring from a steamship to a smaller boat, possibly a pilot boat; loading the S.S. Emergency Aid ship; San Francisco harbor and docks; a public produce market; and a ship repair yard. Longer versions of some senes from MI 01583. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Probably made in connection with the McCormick Steamship Co. film. Scenes of the lumber industry including a mill and company town, log trains, felling trees, moving logs, and barging chips and sawdust. Photographer: Amos Burg.
MI 4307 is a silent copy; probably made as a check print during the reduction copying process.
Re-creation of Buzz Holmstrom's 1937 solo trip down the Colorado River from the conjunction with the Green River to the barrier of Hoover Dam. Nominated for an Academy Award. Appearing: Buzz Holmstrom. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Appearing: Amos Burg and Buzz Holmstrom. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Clips from several of Burg's films: MI 06831 and MI 06832 [Colombia and Venezuela – outtakes]; MI 01580 [Yukon river trip] :
Possibly from
Scenes of Eskimo village life, including moving supplies from cargo ship to village using small boats, tractors and flatbed trailers, a cemetery marked with whalebones, the monument marking the site of the Will Rogers/Wiley Post airplane crash, and polar bears in a zoo. Photographer: Amos Burg.
Promotional overview of Juneau as a tourist destination, produced for the Alaska Territorial Centennial celebration. Director and photographer: Amos Burg. Sponsor: "Juneau Chamber of Commerce and the people of the Gastineau Channel area."
Scenes include aerial views of the Juneau area and the surrounding mountains. Also includes logging and recreation. Director and photographer: Amos Burg. Sponsor: "Juneau Chamber of Commerce and the people of the Gastineau Channel area."
Promotional film for sustained yield use of the forests in the Chuska Mountains of the Navajo Reservation in northeastern Arizona. Includes an explanation of the economic benefits of a tribal owned enterprise, especially employment. Written, photographed and produced by James A. Brill and Amos Burg.
A fishing trip onboard a processing ship for king crab showing the production line from the crab being caught in a net to the meat being packaged for consumer sales. Photographer: Edward R. Johnston.