myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

This Swiss Family Robinson Lobby Card photograph was taken in 1959, in front of the treehouse set at Nanton Estate, Goldsborough, Tobago.

The tree in which the treehouse was built, is now well over 250 years old! You can visit and give the tree a big hug at Cow Farm Road, just off the Windward Road, Goldsborough, Tobago

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Beautiful Tobago, West Indies - the film making set for the 1960 movie Swiss Family Robinson

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Beautiful Tobago, West Indies - the film making set for the 1960 movie Swiss Family Robinson

Disney’s 1960 movie Swiss Family Robinson - promo photo.
This vine swinging scene was filmed at Craig Hall waterfall, alongside the
North Coast Road, Moriah, Tobago, West Indies (1959). Dorothy McGuire, John Mills in the foreground and Kevin Corcoran (Moochie) swinging on the vine.

Walt Disney Presents The Story of the Swiss Family Robinson, A Disneyland Long Playing Record and 24 page book.
Cover illustration - the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse (a 200 year old Saman tree) at Cow Farm Road, Goldsborough, Tobago.

1960s advertisement for Della Mira Guest House, Della Mira Beauty Salon & Club La Tropicale, Bacolet Street, Tobago, West Indies

Many of the crew working on the 1960 Disney movie ‘Swiss Family Robinson’ stayed at the Della Mira Guest House from May 1959 to January 1960. This advertisement is courtesy, Angela Miranda co-owner of the Guest House, Beauty Salon and Club with her husband Neville Miranda. Angela is 96 and lives in Scarborough, Tobago.

I love, "Fraternize With Our Mixed and Cosmopolitan Population".

Swiss Family Robinson Promo photos - Walt Disney Productions.
Left: Janet Munro (Roberta)
Right: Tommy Kirk (Ernst)

Swiss Family Robinson Promo photo - The lagoon crossing scene prior to the anaconda attack (Walt Disney Productions). This Swiss Family Robinson movie scene was filmed at the Bon Accord Lagoon (CLOSE TO Pigeon Point), Tobago, West Indies IN 1959. The stars are actually walking on wooden planks placed on oil drums in the water. This area of the lagoon isn’t all that murky as made to believe in the movie … the camera lighting made the area look very ominous indeed. this part of Bon Accord lagoon is just on the other side of the tip of Pigeon Point’s white sand beach (where the reef Party boats are sometimes berthed).

From Left to Right: Tommy Kirk (Ernst), Janet Munro
(Roberta), James MacArthur (Fritz).

Panel from Gold Key Comic Swiss Family Robinson

LOCATION: Mount Irvine Beach, next to the hotel beach bar, Tobago, West Indies.

This panel features the Robinson boys (Fritz - James MacArthur and Ernst - Tommy Kirk silhouetted against the rocks at Mt Irvine Beach, near to the beach bar, as they look at the pirates divide their loot and argue about their prisoners hog tied and sitting against the rocks - Janet Munro Bertie / Bertha and her grandfather, Cecil Parker (captain of the captured ship). The pirate with the yellow head band is Sessue Hayakawa.

Nothing to do with The 1960 movie Swiss Family Robinson filmed in Tobago, West Indies, from August 1959 to January 1960 … but more than half of the Robinson family was part of the cast in this 1957 movie - OLD YELLER - Dorothy McGuire, Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran

2024 photo of Shipwreck Bay (Quashie Bay), Belle Garden. The Swiss Family Robinson movie shipwreck was built against the rocks here … The building of the movie prop began in March 1959 and was completed for the filming of the movie which began in August 1959. Filming was completed in January 1960

Newspaper Swiss Family Robinsom Movie Promo Photo - 22 December 1960. The closeups of the stars on the animals were the last scenes to be filmed early in the New Year, January 1960 at Nanton Estate, Goldsborough, Tobago. Left to Right: Tommy Kirk (Ernst), Janet Munro (Bertha) on the zebra, and right, James MacArthur (Fritz).

1960 Disney movie Swiss Family Robinson

Quashie Bay, Tobago was the filming location for the shipwreck scenes and some of the raft outrigger scenes with James MacArthur (Fritz) and Tommy Kirk (Ernst) circumnavigating the island. Quashie Bay, Belle Garden, was later renamed Shipwreck Bay after the filming of the 1960 Disney movie - Swiss Family Robinson.

Illustration- Shipwreck Bay, Belle Garden, Tobago, West Indies. Inset - screenshot of the shipwreck Swallow built and anchored on the rocks in Belle Garden, Tobago, West Indies.

The Swallow was modeled on Captain Cook’s ship, the HMS Endeavour.

Swiss Family Robinson movie screenshot - Great Dog River, Richmond Bay, Tobago, West Indies

In the movie, Young Francis gets rid of the tasteless biscuits by feeding them to the captain's dogs saying - come on, you are lucky to have them you know'. FUN FACT: This narrative differs in the Shooting Script - Page 18, 70B ANGLE TOWARD DOGS with the fringe of the jungle visible across the lagoon in the b.g. The dogs strain at their leashes as Francis ENTERS and drops to his knees, facing TOWARD CAMERA: He gives his biscuits to the dogs, and they are gobbled up instantly. Both dogs suddenly bristle and growl, and Francis studies them uneasily. 70B FRANCIS Don't do that (defensively) I had to eat some, too.

The Swiss Family Robinson movie set tree. October 2024 photo of the Swiss Family Robinson tree - the samaan tree at Cow Farm Road, Goldsborough, Tobago, West Indies. The 250 years old has weathered several storms over its lifetime. Since the movie was filmed in 1959-1960, the shape of the tree has further altered after losing branches in major hurricanes.

Will post photos of Craig Hall - movies for the vine swinging and water slide scenes soon …

CHRISTMAS 1959, Tobago, West Indies - The Swiss Family Robinson crew collecting donations to bring Christmas presents to the sick children spending Christmas at the Scarborough, Hospital, Tobago.

ON TONIGHT’S JEOPARDY (2 JANUARY 2025), TOBAGO HAD ITS OWN CATEGORY.

All over the world, people know the importance of the 1960 Disney movie, Swiss Family Robinson filmed entirely in Tobago, West Indies from August 1959 to January 1960.