A Call for WGH Panther Marching Band Films
The WGH Marching Band Films: from "lost" to found -- Our sincere thanks to Tony Ferderber WGH '71, who identified the films, which included the original ABC-TV sports film footage with sound of the 1964 WGH Marching Band halftime performance at the College All Stars vs. Bears game at Soldier Field, Chicago!
Tony M ... hard at work!
A special thank you to Tony Marshalek WGH '64
... who painstakingly spent hours carefully examining 35 quite fragile 50+ year-old color and black-and-white films, searching for and purchasing an appropriate 1960s-style projector, and spent months carefully attempting to view the contents of each film without damaging it, repairing each as needed, and restoring the films to working viewable order. He then personally delivered the films to a Cleveland-based firm to be professionally digitized so all alumni can enjoy seeing them once again, preserved forever. These rare, nearly "lost" films will be safely housed for posterity at the Trumbull County Historical Society, and are presented on this page for the first time in more than 50 years after being packed away in storage since the 1960s.
They are evidence of the great bands of the Robert Fleming era, the skill and talent of Clinton Foster and John Kobasiar Jr., and are a testament to our hard work and commitment to the excellent bands that our directors envisioned.
You're the man, Tony!
Note from Tony Marshalek on the process of locating a 16mm projector to view the fragile films -- One of the first tasks was to view the 16mm films to see if they were actually what the film can's label described. After trying to restore three different 16mm projectors with help from my neighbor WGH '71 band drummer Rick Giffing, we were successful with one that I received from my brother-in-law from Canton, Ohio. We needed to replace the main drive belt which I ordered from Amazon, and also ordered a new projector lamp. We had to re-build a light/heat shield, which was missing, to keep the films from burning up.
This Bell & Howell projector made in the 1970's allowed me to preview more than 30 films. -- Tony M.
Above: One of the many film canisters that we found in the storage box.
Click on the links below to view the restored films:
1962-63
Band parent Charles Hill shot what is thought to be the first 16mm film of the WGH Band during Pre-game and Half-time in 1962. His son, Bill Hill, was first trombone and graduated in 1963.
1963-64
1964-65
1965-66
1966-67
1967-68
1968-69
1969-70
More filmed WGH half-time performances coming soon!
Original list of films identified by Tony Ferderber WGH '71.
Questions about donating your films should be directed to:
Subject Line: FILMS
