Hollywood dive movies?

[Sam Miller III]

There used to be an American TV program called Art Linkletters house party -- a segment was "Kids Say the darnest things!"

In November 2016 I can say "Trapezus finds and posts the darnest things"

I was never directly connected to the movie but had a later indirect connections.

The star Jane Russell retired from the movies and lived 20 miles south of my home on the Central coast of California
Her neighbors were close personal friends whom we visited on many occasions... On several of the occasions Jane was also a guest. One particular event we sat and chatted for a lengthy period about movies, Hollywood and things in general. She was a very gracious lady very religious totally unaffected by her past fame

My deep regret was I didn't have her sign one of the many movie posters that was floating around e bay....Just never occurred to me that she would not live forever

After she passed away Dan Orr then the president of DEMA or was is DAN ? wrote an article for some magazine about her and how much he liked her Some one informed him that I knew Jane and was also a close friend of her daughter in law Edda (Henrietta ).Waterfield. Dan sent me several copies of the article which I had Edda inscribe for Dan and I as a indirect memento of Jane

The producer John Sturgis retired to an American ex pat enclave in Baja California where John met my late cousin Jake and his wife Cathy. One can only spectate what happened but Jake and Cathy divorced .. Cathy took up with John and they were married .

John's heath began failing so the also settled on the central coast 7 miles north of my home. With in a short time John passed away as did Cathy ( who I really like as cousin - so full of life and adventure)

The passing parade of life ==The days of our dives

Next when time allows I will discuss Gary Cooper and his diving ....

Keep up the great postings...you are certainly a tribute to preserving dive history

SAM

 

[trapezus]

Dear Sam,
Always say ,You are a living history book. UNDERWATER is the best underwater film for all times.. Get to know Jane Russell , a great privilege. I've been diving for 41 years ,believe that the pleasure of diving with vintage equipment is great. American cinema used this hobby very well.I reproach my French friends,
They started but the movie industry did not show interest.I remember LES AVENTURIERS (Alain Delon-Lino Ventura). J Y Cousteau sequences caused many people to start this job.But it was all that..

 

[trapezus]

LES AVENTURIERS (1967)

Two adventurers and best friends, Roland and Manu, are the victims of a practical joke that costs Manu his pilot's license. With seeming contrition, the jokesters tell Roland and Manu about... See full summary »
Director:
Robert Enrico
Writers:
Robert Enrico (screenplay), José Giovanni (dialogue) | 3 more credits »
Stars:
Alain Delon, Lino Ventura, Joanna Shimkus |

complet film in youtube

 

[trapezus]

The Pearlers

 

[Sam Miller III]

The Wreck of the Mary Deare (original title)

1h 45min | Adventure, Crime, Drama | March 1964 (Turkey)



A disgraced merchant marine officer elects to stay aboard his sinking cargo ship in order to prove the vessel was deliberately scuttled and, as a result, vindicate his good name.

Director:
Michael Anderson

Writers:
Eric Ambler (screenplay), Hammond Innes (novel)

Stars:
Gary Cooper, Charlton Heston, Michael Redgrave |

trapezus, Nov 14, 2016 Report

 

[Sam Miller III]

The Wreck of the Mary Deare (original title)

The Wreck of the Mary Deare (original title)

1h 45min | Adventure, Crime, Drama | March 1964 (Turkey)

 

[Sam Miller III]

Gary Cooper, his wife Rocky and his then teen age daughter were pioneer divers and members of the local dive tribe.

It was Gary Cooper (aka Coop) and possibly his wife Rocky who created the concept of the back pack in about 1957. Coop and I strongly suspect Rocky wanted some method to eliminate the straps and bands common to that era of diving which cluttered the deck of his boat.
A single back pack that could be rapidly interchangeable with bare tank was the answer. He contacted Charlie Sturgil, a name unknown to most divers today but to divers of that era he was better known and certainly more respected than Cousteau. His garage was the temple of SoCal diving, his lathe and work bench produced many prototypes of equipment that eventually reached the commercial market.
Charlie went to work for three back packs for the Cooper clan. A rectangular piece of SS steel was bent into shape, two SS bands were rolled and a screw latching devise was designed -- and the back plate was complete - cost $25.00 hard earned California dollars !
A few years later Sportsways aka Waterlung a spin off company from Healthways (now all defunct companies) produced and marketed a very close cousin to the Cooper back pack a year or so later in late 1950s.

in 1950s and early 1960s Gary, Rocky and his daughter appeared on the cover of "Sports Illustrated" and the now defunct but in that era extremely popular over sized magazine titled "Life" setting on their boat in wet suits ready to go diving
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There were a number of movie stars who were divers in that pioneering era of B & W movies that maybe familiar names from the past.
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James Cagney was a diver.
He owned the land across from one of the first and most popular dive shops in Newport beach, Orange County California and was an occasional visitor in the shop.
When Cagney retired from acting and moved east he sold his boat the Veleron to Jack Kirk who converted it to a dive boat. It was the super boat of the SoCal dive fleet and was in service until a very unfortunate accident occurred a Santa Barbara Island and the widow brought suit against the world.
Jack sold the boat to a wealthy Hong Kong resident who sailed it to HK converted it to a home. The last time I was in Hong Kong I met with the pioneer HK dive Billy Lui of the famous Bunn's dive shop He made a search of the HK recorded boats in the harbor but no Veleron
The Lui brothers were true pioneers of diving in Hong Kong and the far east. They began diving with early Aqua Lungs which were very expensive due to import taxes, So they dissected a Mistral regulator, refined it and began producing ii in HK as the Bunn's regulator.
The late Dick Bonin, founder of SCUBA Pro, long term friend and fellow LB Neptune's club member and I were chatting about regulators at a club meeting. He indicated he and Gus had considered the Buns as a possible addition to their line as a double hose regulator, but two hose regulators were rapidly losing popularity and would have been a bad investment.
A few years later the now defunct British company Typhoon imported the Bunns regulator and renamed it "Sensiair" (S?)
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Recall Jeannie Crane ?
What a absolute natural beauty ! Harry Vetter (LA County UW Instructor &NAUI #4) and I had been spear fishing all day at Catalina island and decided to have dinner at the Isthmus. In walks Jennie and her husband John and sat down beside us. They also had been diving but at a different level that Harry and I. Created the basis for a great dinner conversation that lasted long into the night (but did not get us an invite to their boat )
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John Wayne on Bay shore drive three houses off Pacific coast Highway in Newport beach.
One of my diving companions at that time was Rufus "Ovie" Overlander who's father and uncle were involved in all of John Wayne's movies and docked their small runabout next to Wayne's "Goose." On occasion before we went diving or after we retuned, Duke as he was called by every one but me --It was too familiar so I always addressed to him as Mr. Wayne would walk down to the dock for a chat

Sons were all divers except his youngest son Ethan who was certified by a fellow LA County UW instructor

After Ethan was certified John went in to the AC for equipment and wanted a discount ...Ron indicated his shop was a professional shop and did not give discounts to any one and sent the Duke on his way--- I certainly miss Ron -- He was one of a kind!

 

[trapezus]

 

[trapezus]

LOVE IS FOREVER 1983


Michael Landon stars in this real life story about a journalist in Laos, and the extent to which he will go for his girlfriend.
Love is Forever 1983

Michael Landon stars in this incredible true story of an Australian news photographer and his heroic rescue of the girl he loves from a country torn by war and tyranny.

Director:
Hall Bartlett
Writer:
Hall Bartlett
Stars:
Michael Landon, Laura Gemser, Jürgen Prochnow |

 

[trapezus]

Fools Gold, 2008
Deep sea treasure hunter Matthew McConaughey, rekindles his relationship with estranged wife Kate Hudson during a quest to find a Spanish ship full of treasure. Surprisingly charming and funny, with a good supporting cast. Not exactly good diving etiquette, but some exciting scenes and good family entertainment.

A new clue to the whereabouts of a lost treasure rekindles a married couple's sense of adventure -- and their estranged romance.
Director:
Andy Tennant
Writers:
John Claflin (screenplay), Daniel Zelman (screenplay) | 3 more credits »
Stars:
Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Donald Sutherland