Skip to main content

Sea of darkness ; Oil well #4

 Collection
Identifier: Film Collection no. 118

Scope and Contents

SEGMENT 1: Sea of Darkness is the title of the main portion of this broadcast, the second program in a series on "waters." Albert E. Parr, Director of the AMNH and a marine biologist, is interviewed by Charles Collingwood on the subject of the Atlantic Ocean. The discussion includes an analysis of the Atlantic from Labrador to Puerto Rico, and legends about the ocean. A scale model of the ocean floor and other visual aids are used to illustrate topographical features, particularly the continental shelf. The viewer is taken on a journey under the ocean to Mt. Bermuda, which lies directly below Bermuda. Bruce Hasten of Columbia University is also interviewed. The second half presents a 1952 film by Alain Bombard about his voyage across the Atlantic Ocean on a 15-foot raft without food. He set out to prove that man could survive on food from the sea. Although Bombard's film depicts his weight loss and physical weakness as the film progresses, it does seem that a human can live on a couple of cups of salt water and fish and seaweed each day. There are also shots of an albino whale. SEGMENT 2: Oil Well #4. This segment presents an update on the Adventure oil well in Purcell, Oklahoma. Robert Northshield discusses the progress of the drilling.

Dates

  • 1955

Creator

Language of Materials

English

Conditions Governing Access

Not available through interlibrary loan. Contact AMNH Library Special Collections for terms of access.

Extent

1 Film Reel (30 minutes) : sound, black and white ; 16 mm.

1 Videocassette (U-Matic (30 minutes)) : sound, black and white ; 3/4 in.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

3/4 in., U-Matic, viewing copy

Other Finding Aids

Finding aid: script.

General

Original format: 16mm kinescope.

General

Originally aired December 18, 1955 as part of the CBS/AMNH Adventure television series.

General

http://libcat1.amnh.org/record=b1139428

General

Charles Collingwood, host; John Cosgrove and Jerome Bender, directors; Charles Romine, producer; Shelby Gordon, assistant producer; Frank de Felitta, script editor; David Ebin, writer; Grover Cole, production design; John Myhers and Carol Somers, narrators; Eugene Cines, music; Carl Schutzman, technical director; John Pickette, set director; Hal Anderson, light director.

Title
Sea of darkness ; Oil well #4, 1955
Author
Iris Lee
Date
2018
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Museum Archives at the Gottesman Research Library Repository

Contact:
American Museum of Natural History
200 Central Park West
New York NY 10024 USA
(212) 769-5420