ASTOR footage - Help needed
SWS recently came into possession of two large rolls of film.
The first, slightly bigger one is in a blue plastic case with no paperwork. However on the leader to the actual reel is written…
Revised Version 1969.
Copy Noq Electronic Industry
”The Astor Story”
Future Unlimited
Print Head
The second reel is in a grey metal tin case, with a printed label inside which reads,
SUPREME SOUND STUDIOS
11-15 YOUNG STREET,
PADDINGTON
PHONE:31-0531“ALOHA ASTOR”
REEL 2. EDITED VERSION
MR PETER WARNER.
The actual celuloid has sprocket holes on one side only, and I think it is 16mm with a sound track integrated, but I’m not sure.
So it looks like these are finished films about the famous ASTOR, a William Fife III designed and built schooner. She was commissioned by Sir Alex MacCormick, a Sydney surgeon who was prominent in the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and then the Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club and launched in 1924
Cover of the Australian Motor Boat and Yachting Monthly, featuring a painting by John Allcot of ASTOR when originally called ADA. Australian Motor Boat and Yachting Monthly
When ASTOR was launched in 1924 it was named ADA. The carvel planked hull was 73 feet long on deck and about 86 feet overall including the bowsprit.
Peter Warner owned the yacht from 1960 to 1965. He renamed it ASTOR after the brand of his household appliance company and skippered it in the annual Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. ASTOR won line honours on three occasions in 1961, 1963 and 1964. She also raced in the 1961 Trans-Tasman race from New Zealand to Australia, and the 1963 Trans-Pacific race from Los Angeles to Hawaii.
Which part of Warner’s custodianship these films cover is unclear. However the word ‘Aloha” hints that it might be about the Trans Pac Race? So what we are hoping to find is an SWS reader with the expertise and technology to transfer these reels into a digital format so that we can share them with our community!
ASTOR Racing against your editor at Hamilton Island Race Week 2004- Image Andrea Froncolini