Assignment Four - A Family on Fell Street

KRON-TV Assignment Four documentary film from 1968, narrated by Phil Wilson, which looks at the living conditions, social outlook and aspirations of the Diggs family, who live on Fell Street in San Francisco's Western Addition neighborhood. Includes scenes of: widower Louis Diggs (originally from Texas) discussing his family's quality of life; Louis working as a handyman and relaxing at home; eldest son Larry Diggs reflecting on how different generations within his community cope with hardship and negative prospects; Larry working with kids as a counsellor at Youth For Service and visiting Andrew Jackson Elementary School; daughter Cherie Diggs attending Zion Lutheran Parochial School and shopping for the family; Larry's younger brother Joe Diggs attending George Washington High School and walking around Golden Gate Park, as he describes his current state of affairs and street views of the Western Addition. In the introduction, Wilson identifies many in this community as being "the slum dwellers, trapped by poverty, ignorance and bigotry in crowded, crumbling ghettoes." This film was directed by Merle Ellis, written and produced by Ira Eisenberg, filmed by John Hines and edited by Jay Hansell.

Note that Eisenberg made a follow-up companion piece to this film 7 years later in 1975, called The Fillmore Revisited. You can also view edited segments from that Assignment Four production in DIVA.