Kenya....or Cairo??

Post date: Nov 16, 2013 5:35:45 PM

One of the great joys in starting this website has been interacting with people who have been involved with the show and hearing their unique stories about the filming. Recently, I was contacted by Bridget - who remembers being an extra for the filming of an episode but was not sure which one as she never had a chance to see it. She was traveling in Lamu, Kenya in the fall of 1991 and joined with a small group of Europeans to participate as background extras for a few scenes. Luckily Bridget remembered a few key details - that one scene was on a boat and another in a tea cafe. She was even kind enough to provide some photos of her adventures to help with the search.

"Congo 1917"

I immediately thought of the final scene in Congo 1917 ("Oganga, the Giver & Taker of Life") where Indy parts ways with Albert Schweizter as he and his wife depart on a boat - since I had already identified this scene as being filmed in Lamu and that there were other "European" looking extras with them in the boat.

Bridget (far left) and the other extras after their costume fitting in Lamu.

However, as I compared the Congo screenshots to Bridget's photos something just wasn't right. Although it was definitely the same location, the people in her shots did not match those in the scene. And then there was the "tea cafe" scene, which I could not place in this episode. But I was overlooking some very obvious clues...

On location in Lamu.

Then Bridget solved the mystery for me - it wasn't this episode at all but instead Kenya was standing in for Cairo, Egypt in 1908 for the first episode of the series: "The Curse of the Jackal!"

The boat scene in question was actually the scene of the Joneses' initial arrival to the docks in Cairo. Extras were dressed in Middle Eastern clothing and carts and crates were used to create a busy marketplace scene.

Extras posing in their Middle Eastern garb.

Bridget seated on the boat used for filming.

As Indy and family are escorted from the docks via a trolley cart, Bridget can be seen in the background of the scene.

The European extras used for the scene pose for a group shot together in their period costumes.

Many of the same extras can be seen in the brief tea cafe scene that follows.

The exterior shot of Professor Jones' study was also done in Lamu.

A special thanks to Bridget for sharing the rare photos and special memories of her time in Kenya, and for helping solve yet another film location mystery!