Bay of Gold

A Lee Mendelson Films production for Fireman's Fund American Insurance Companies, broadcast on local television in 1965. In his introduction to the film President of Fireman's Fund Mr Fred H. Merrill explains that: "It is the exciting story of the dynamic history of San Francisco Bay... From the discovery of gold to the present time San Francisco Bay has captured the imagination of people throughout the world." Narrated by Van Amburg, the film uses archival footage and photographs to present segments on: the 1849 California Gold Rush; the 1906 San Francisco earthquake; the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition; the construction of Golden gate Bridge in the 1930s; a whaling expedition from Point Molate on the Dennis Gayle (which includes scenes of whales being harpooned); yacht racing; Bay Area fog; the coastguard landing supplies on Mile Rocks Lighthouse (which became automated in 1966); harbor pilot Alan Clark bringing a luxury liner into dock on a tugboat; Alcatraz Island (which includes views of Jack LaLanne swimming handcuffed from Alcatraz to Fisherman's Wharf in 1955); the annual Blessing of the Crab Fleet; a crab fisherman sailing out under Golden Gate Bridge to check his pots and the issue of pollution. Bay of Gold was produced and directed by Lee Mendelson and Sheldon Fay Jr., with original music composed and conducted by Vince Guaraldi. The budget for this film in 1965 was $50,000. Please note that this 16mm film print had small segments of film missing from the introduction and picture quality in this opening scene is damaged. The TV Archive would like to thank Oddball Film & Video for loaning us their 16mm print of this film.