Guide to the Edwin G. Beu, Jr. Alaska home movie and camera
1958-1959
Collection number: HMC-0677.
Creator: Beu, Edwin G., Jr.
Title: Edwin G. Beu, Jr. Alaska home movie and camera.
Dates: 1958-1959.
Volume of collection: 0.85 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Collections materials in English.
Collection summary: Home movie production with soundtrack of Anchorage resident.
Biographical note:
Edwin G. Beu, Jr. was born in Harper, Kansas, in 1926, and grew up in Marion, Kansas. He served in the Navy in World War II and later married his first wife, Marsha, in 1949. They had two sons and a daughter. In 1957, Beu came to Alaska to work for the Anchorage Daily News as its advertising director. He later worked for KFQD, the Anchorage Police Department, and the Council on Alcoholism. Beu has also been active in civic organizations, including the Anchorage Lions Club, the Anchorage Senior Center, the National Rifle Association, and the American Legion.
Collection description:
The collection consists of the edited Alaska home movie production and related moving picture camera of Edwin G. Beu, Jr. The collection contains: the edited home movie film (16mm color Kodachrome, 800 feet, 22.5 minutes); movie soundtrack reel (.25 inch reel-to-reel tape on seven inch reel); two MiniDV master tapes of the movie with soundtrack (original and re-synchronized versions); two VHS videocassette reference copies of the movie with soundtrack (original and re-synchronized versions); and a Revere 16mm Model 103 hand-held moving picture camera, used to take the film footage. The home movie, created to show relatives and others why he came to the Alaska Territory, is entitled, “A Look at Alaska.” The movie was photographed by Ed and Marsha Beu. The soundtrack was created with the help of volunteers from KFQD, including narration by Allen Walters, and sound by Scotty McCulloch. The film includes footage of the following: Downtown Anchorage; Merrell Field; the float plane base at Lake Hood in Spenard; Anchorage International Airport; the view from the Hillside Apartments; Chugach Elementary School; Anchorage High School; Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet from the Seward Highway; the Alaska Statehood Celebration held on June 30, 1958; the Fourth of July Parade in Downtown Anchorage in 1958; and a trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks via the Glenn and Richardson highways showing the Matanuska River Valley, Matanauska Glacier, Gulkana River, Tanana River, Fairbanks homes, the steamboat Nenana, Wickersham Hall at the University of Alaska, Fort Greely, Black Rapids Glacier, Rainbow Mountain, Sheep Mountain, and Lake Ida. The film also shows footage of a snowball fight among neighborhood children in Anchorage, snow sledding, winter scenery, sunsets, wildlife, hiking, camping, and fishing.
Arrangement: Collection is arranged by media type.
Digitized copies: This collection has not been digitized. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.
Preferred citation: Edwin G. Beu, Jr. Alaska home movie and camera, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.
Acquisition note: The collection was presented to the archives by Edwin G. Beu, Jr. in 2004.
Processing information: This collection was described by Jeffrey Sinnott in 2004. The collection description was revised by Mariecris Gatlabayan in 2011.