Swiss Family Movie Sites Revisited - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie

[Jazz557]

Swiss Family Robinson - behind the scenes photo. The shipwreck at the end of the service ramp at Belle Garden bay, Tobago 1959.

The shipwreck was anchored onto the rocks with steel bars (some of which are still underwater - verified by Mr Norman ‘Taw’ Hade, Belle Garden fisherman and diver - October 2019. The stern of the shipwreck was on the large rock close to the cliff, with the bow out in the water.

The concrete blocks used as the foundation for the service ramp are still there - some still embedded with pieces of 4” by 4” wood.

Belle Garden bay where the Disney Company did their filming in 1959, has since been renamed, Shipwreck Bay.

[Jazz557]

John Dial Beach, Hope Bay 2019

Swiss Family Robinson movie - The sequence with the Robinson boys, Ernst (Tommy Kirk) and Fritz (James MacArthur) getting into difficulty controlling the canoe as it races towards the rocks and flips was filmed at John Dial beach, Hope Bay.

The part of the scene with the canoe smashing into pieces against the rocks and the boys wading out of the water, was filmed amongst the large rocks closer to the cliff at John Dial beach.

Crown Point businessman, Mr Joseph Alfred witnessed the building of the pipe ramp as well as the filming done at John Dial, Hope Bay in 1959. Back then, Mr Alfred was a schoolboy living in a house on top of the cliff overlooking the filming location.

[Jazz557]

The part of the scene with the canoe smashing into pieces against the rocks and the boys wading out of the water, was filmed amongst the large rocks closer to the cliff at John Dial beach.

Crown Point businessman, Mr Joseph Alfred witnessed the building of the pipe ramp as well as the filming done at John Dial, Hope Bay in 1959. Back then, Mr Alfred was a schoolboy living in a house on top of the cliff overlooking the filming location.

[Jazz557]

A small Disney film unit spent two weeks at Hope Bay back in 1959. The first week was spent building a pipe ramp, anchored by drilling into the rocks. This camera ramp ran alongside the cliff and then perpendicular onto the rocks out at sea. Filming of the canoe crashing scene as well as other promotional footage were done in the second week.

[Jazz557]

Swiss Family Robinson movie - After jumping off the canoe (which smashed to pieces against the rocks), Ernst (Tommy Kirk) and Fritz (James MacArthur) wade out of the water. This sequence was filmed amongst the large rocks close to the cliff at John Dial beach. Smith’s island is at the top left of the screenshot.

[Jazz557]

Swiss Family Robinson movie - Canoe flipping over at John Dial beach, Hope Bay, as Fritz (James MacArthur) and Ernst (Tommy Kirk) jump into the water. In this screenshot, the headland at Mt. St. George, Studley Park, Granby Point and Smith’s island are identifiable.
Scene filmed at John Dial Beach, Hope Bay, Tobago.
Start = 0:51:54

[Jazz557]

Swiss Family Robinson movie - The Robinson boys, Ernst (Tommy Kirk) and Fritz
(James MacArthur) get into difficulty controlling the canoe as it races towards the rocks.
Scene filmed at John Dial Beach, Hope Bay, Tobago 1959.
Start = 0:51:48

[Jazz557]

Swiss Family Robinson movie - The Robinson boys, Ernst (Tommy Kirk) and Fritz (James MacArthur) get into difficulty controlling the canoe. Granby Point is visible in this screenshot. Scene filmed at John Dial Beach, Hope Bay, Tobago 1959.
Start = 0:51:44

[Jazz557]

Swiss Family Robinson movie - in the filming of the canoe crash sequence, Fritz and Ernst jump off the canoe into the breakers at John Dial Beach. In this screenshot, the canoe is wrecked on rocks near the cliff at John Dial, Hope Bay, Tobago.

[Jazz557]

Swiss Family Robinson promo photo - Kevin Corcoran (Francis) walks alongside Rocky, the juvenile Asian elephant at John Dial Beach. Mr Joseph Alfred witnessed this photoshoot.

[Jazz557]

Swiss Family Robinson promo photo - Kevin Corcoran (Francis) attempts to ride Rocky, the juvenile Asian elephant at John Dial Beach. Mr Joseph Alfred witnessed this photoshoot.

[Jazz557]

Swiss Family Robinson promo photo - Kevin Corcoran (Francis) walks alongside Rocky, the juvenile Asian elephant at John Dial Beach. Mr Joseph Alfred witnessed this photoshoot.

[Jazz557]

Screenshot from Swiss Family Robinson promo video - the zebra, ostrich and two dogs race along the beach. Mr Joseph Alfred recalled that the animals were brought in cages and kept across the road at the end of the beach at John Dial.

This little used promo video was just about 4 seconds long and just showed the animals racing along the length of the beach at John Dial, Hope Bay, Tobago back in 1959.

[Jazz557]

Swiss Family Robinson movie overlay - Canoe racing out of control as it heads towards the rock. At top left: The headland at Granby Point and Smith’s island.

Crown Point businessman, Mr Joseph Alfred (left) witnessed the building of the pipe ramp as well as the filming done at John Dial, Hope Bay in 1959. Back then, Mr Alfred was a schoolboy. His home was located on top of the cliff overlooking the filming location.

[Jazz557]

Swiss Family Robinson movie overlay - Canoe flipping over as Fritz (James MacArthur) and Ernst (Tommy Kirk) jump into the water. At top left: The headland at Mt. St. George, Studley Park, Granby Point and Smith’s island.

[Jazz557]

Swiss Family Robinson movie overlay - After jumping off the canoe (which smashed to pieces against the rocks), Ernst (Tommy Kirk) and Fritz (James MacArthur) wade out of the water.

This sequence was filmed amongst the large rocks close to the cliff at John Dial beach. Mount St. George, Studley Park, Granby Point and Smith’s Island, are at the top left.

[Jazz557]

Swiss Family Robinson movie - storyboard Christmas illustration. The Robinson Family celebrate their first Christmas at the treehouse. Fritz (James MacArthur) and Bertha (Janet Munro) dancing to organ music played by Mother Robinson (Dorothy McGuire).

[Greyson366]

I didn't know that the shipwreck scenes, was filmed at a cove in Belle Garden Bay, Thanks for the interesting stuff

[Jazz557]

The cove was originally called Quashie Bay by the Belle Garden estate owners. Now, it’s renamed Shipwreck Bay. The rescue of the animals from the shipwreck was filmed at a nearby cove - Boat Bay in Belle Garden. Thank you for visiting.

[Jazz557]

Swiss Family Robinson 14” x 11” Lobby Card
The Swiss Family Robinson defend their fortress by deploying coconut logs on the invading pirates. (Lobby Cards were created by the film studios to publicize their movies and were intended for display outside movie theaters in special glass display boxes).


Richmond Bay, Tobago, November 2019
Mr Clifford Cook - (driver for the Disney main electricians in 1959) points to the (now overgrown) hill leading up to the movie set fortress. Mr Cook witnessed the filming of this scene - the coconut logs were made of lightweight styrofoam and fiberglass. Tobagonians, Mr George Bing of Scarborough, and Mr Anthony Roosevelt Davies of Louis D ‘Or, acted as pirates in the movie.