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Swiss Family Movie Sites Revisited - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 10:53 pm
by Jazz557
These May/June 2019 postings are a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Disney in the making of the Swiss Family Robinson movie, on location in Tobago back in 1959.
Photos are posted in groups:
Shipwreck Bay, Belle Garden
Richmond Bay (the Swiss Family Robinson beach)
Goldsborough River (the tiger scene)
The treehouse at Goldsborough
Craig Hall waterfall
Pigeon Point
Grange Bay (The Wall)
Mt. Irvine Bay
Richmond Point
King Peter’s Bay and Celery Bay from Runnemeade
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:35 pm
by Jazz557
Shipwreck Bay, Belle Garden, Tobago
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 11:46 am
by Jazz557
Richmond Bay, Tobago (The Swiss Family Robinson Beach), Leeward Coast, Tobago
For more information, videos and anecdotes:
https://www.instagram.com/jazzali557/
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 11:49 am
by Jazz557
Richmond Bay, Tobago (The Swiss Family Robinson Beach), Windward Coast, Tobago
For more information, videos and anecdotes:
https://www.instagram.com/jazzali557/
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 11:53 am
by Jazz557
Richmond Bay, Tobago (The Swiss Family Robinson Beach), Windward Coast, Tobago
For more information, videos and anecdotes:
https://www.instagram.com/jazzali557/
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 3:53 am
by Jazz557
Richmond Bay was the main beach used in the filming of the 1960 Swiss Family Robinson movie. The family landed on this beach and spent their first night here. The fort used to fight off the pirates in the movie was on top of Richmond Hill. It was created with rocks made out of styrofoam mounted on top of a concrete base. Most of the concrete base is still there, however, the entire hillside is densely covered in shrubs.
The shipwreck scenes, and some of the raft scenes, were filmed at a cove in Belle Garden Bay, just after Boat Bay. After the filming of the scenes, the cove got its own name - Shipwreck Bay.
In some blogs it was reported that someone drowned during the filming of the shipwreck scene. There was even speculation that it was one of the divers employed by the Disney Company.
I got the following information from Mr. C. Cook, a local driver for the lighting crew, and Mr Estephan (Whatty) Barrow, whose father worked as a craftsman for the Disney Company.
The raft scenes (where the Swiss Family escaped from the shipwreck) were filmed in the shallow, rocky waters just a few feet from the shore. The raft was anchored with ropes and divers were in the water to stabilize the raft. During the filming, two ‘young pretty girls’ passed the film crew walking along the rocks in search of whelks and pacro (chitons) among the rocks. Of course, this pleasant distraction interrupted filming, with everyone waving and calling out to the girls. Mr. C. Cook remembered calling out to both girls.
About an hour later, one girl returned crying. The other girl, Bonaisi had fallen off the rocks into the water at rainbow rocks, between the shipwreck filming site and Boat Bay in Belle Garden. The Disney company crew abandoned filming and their divers went in search of Bonaisi. Unfortunately, her body was never recovered, having been pulled by the turbulent sea, into an underwater cave.
The rocks are now known as Bonaisi Rainbow, and the popular fishing ground is called Bonaisi Point. According to local legend, if you start howling at Bonaisi Point, the sea immediately becomes turbulent!
The Disney company left much more than memories at Belle Garden Bay in 1959. The concrete pillars where the actual shipwreck was anchored are all still there, and the tiny cove got a name - Shipwreck Bay. The legend of Bonaisi Point is also intertwined with the Swiss Family Robinson movie .
SOURCE:
Tobagonian, Mr Clifford Cook. He was employed as the driver for the main crew of electricians (Sparks) for the movie. Back in 1959, he owned a new 5-seater 1959 Ford Zephyr car - registration number HE557
Mr Estephan (Whatty) Barrow, a Tobagonian businessman, also verified the Bonaisi incident, as narrated to him by his father, Francis Lashley. Mr. Lashley was employed by Disney as a craftsman during the making of the Swiss Family Robinson movie, from August to November 1959 (the dismantling of the set and packing up continued into January 1960).
Mr Lennox (Tawie) Hade, fisherman and businessman from Belle Garden, Tobago.
Re: a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Disney in the making of the Swiss Family Robinson movie
Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 10:21 pm
by Robert T
interesting stuff, cool pictures, thanks for sharing Jazz
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 10:52 pm
by Jazz557
Thanks Robert ... I would post some more photos and anecdotes soon.
For more information, videos and anecdotes:
https://www.instagram.com/jazzali557/
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 4:00 am
by Jazz557
Goldsborough River (tiger scene), Windward Coast, Tobago
For more information, videos and anecdotes:
https://www.instagram.com/jazzali557/
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 4:02 am
by Jazz557
The treehouse at Goldsborough, Windward Coast, Tobago
For more information, videos and anecdotes:
https://www.instagram.com/jazzali557/
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 4:04 am
by Jazz557
The treehouse at Goldsborough, Windward Coast, Tobago
For more information, videos and anecdotes:
https://www.instagram.com/jazzali557/
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 2:14 pm
by Jazz557
Craig Hall Waterfall, Northside Road, Moriah, Tobago
For more photos and anecdotes:
https://www.instagram.com/jazzali557/
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 2:18 pm
by Jazz557
Craig Hall Waterfall, Northside Road, Moriah, Tobago
For more photos and anecdotes:
https://www.instagram.com/jazzali557/
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 2:20 pm
by Jazz557
Craig Hall Waterfall, Northside Road, Moriah, Tobago
For more photos and anecdotes:
https://www.instagram.com/jazzali557/
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 2:28 pm
by Jazz557
Pigeon Point, Tobago
raft scenes with Fritz and Ernst (James MacArthur and Tommy Kirk).
For more photos and anecdotes:
https://www.instagram.com/jazzali557/
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 2:47 pm
by Jazz557
Pigeon Point Lagoon snake fighting scene with Fritz (James MacArthur).
Source of information - Mr Clifford Cook who was the driver for the main crew of electricians (Sparks) for the movie. He owned a new 5-seater 1959 Ford Zephyr car - registration number HE557.
Mr. Cook witnessed the filming of this scene. He said the python was very docile. It was released from its cage for James MacArthur to hold in the water giving the appearance that the python was fighting him. Mr. Cook laughingly recalled ‘James MacArthur fought the python instead of the python fighting him’.
For more photos, videos and anecdotes:
https://www.instagram.com/jazzali557/
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 2:51 pm
by Jazz557
Grange Bay (The Wall), Leeward Coast, Tobago
For more information, videos and anecdotes:
https://www.instagram.com/jazzali557/
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 2:54 pm
by Jazz557
Mt. Irvine Bay, Leeward Coast, Tobago
For more information, videos and anecdotes:
https://www.instagram.com/jazzali557/
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 3:06 pm
by Jazz557
Mt. Irvine Bay, Leeward Coast, Tobago
For more information, videos and anecdotes:
https://www.instagram.com/jazzali557/
SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie
Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 3:14 pm
by Jazz557
Richmond Point (between Belle Garden Bay and Richmond Bay, Windward Coast, Tobago
For more information videos, anecdotes:
https://www.instagram.com/jazzali557/
