10 awesome videos from DPLA’s collections

While most DPLA users are familiar with the millions of images and texts in our collections, most may not be aware that we also have a growing assortment of some 15,000+ video records. These videos — browsable by searching our whole collection and then filtering by moving image in the type facet — cover a tremendous range of subjects, from WWII-era public service documentaries to contemporary interviews with well-known musicians.

Here’s a list of 10 amazing videos from DPLA’s collections, some short and some long. They’re arranged in no particular order and are just a sampling of what’s available in the collection.

Find amazing videos of your own in DPLA? Tweet them at us using #dplafinds.

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1. Interview with Steve Jobs (1990)

Apple fan-boys and -girls rejoice! This interview with Apple and NeXT co-founder Steve Jobs, filmed in April 1990, was part of the WGBH (Boston) series, The Machine That Changed the World.

From WGBH Open Vault via Digital Commonwealth

 

 

2. Stock newsreel footage from WWI era (various dates)

This assortment of some 300 records contains b-roll and stock footage from various early-20^th century news stations, collected by CBS for its 1960s television documentary series, WORLD WAR I. As countries around the world begin to reflect on the multi-year 100^th anniversary of WWI, you can count on there being multitudes of photographs, footage, and other materials from this historic era in/on your favorite information source soon.

From the National Archives and Records Administration (at College Park – Motion Pictures)

 

 

3. Kennedy is met by his daughter as he gets off helicopter then he boards yacht (1961)

This short silent video from 1961 documents John F. Kennedy disembarking a plane (the title erroneously labels it a helicopter), greeting his daughter, and then hopping aboard a yacht with wife Jackie Onassis.

From the Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection via Digital Library of Georgia

 

 

4. Film of various mishaps during NFL games (1976)

Yes, this is what it sounds like: a short video of “various mishaps” from 70s NFL games.

From the Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection via Digital Library of Georgia

 

 

 

5. Profile of finger pulling contest (1963) 

This is silent, black and white footage of a Bavarian finger-pulling contest that totally mystified me until I read this article. Evidently the contest is called Fingerhakeln, or “finger wrestling,” and it’s popular to this day in the Alpine region of southern Germany and Austria.

From the Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection via Digital Library of Georgia

 

 

6. Sports fantasy for tennis player comes true when he plays Rod Laver (no date)

Here is the true story of Steve Carl, tennis court outcast, who wins some sort of local sports fantasy contest and gets the chance to hit around with Rod Laver, the Australian tennis great and Steve Carl superhero. Go, Steve, go!

From the Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection via Digital Library of Georgia

 

 

 7. Rocka My Soul (1967)     

This is short footage from a scene in the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s production of Revelations. According to the theater’s website, Revelations was “brought to Asia and Australia [in 1962] as part of President John F. Kennedy’s progressive ‘President’s Special International Program for Cultural Presentations.'” You can read more about Alvin Ailey and Revelations here.

From the National Archives and Records Administration

 

 

8. Actress comments on her life, Career and the men she dates (1965)

No, this isn’t a rejected Onion article. It’s a short interview with 1950-60s actor Pamela Baird on, well, her life, career, and the men she dated. Baird appeared in Leave it to Beaver, among other roles.

From the Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection via Digital Library of Georgia.

 

 

9. Jupiter C Missile Launches U.S. Satellite (1957)

There’s nothing like footage from the 1950s to make you appreciate how good we 21st century denizens of Earth have it. This minute-long black and white video, made many times better by the news anchor’s florid commentary, depicts a Jupiter C rocket taking off from Cape Canaveral (FL). This launch was one of three Jupiter C launches between 1956-57. You can read more about the Jupiter C here.

From the Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection via Digital Library of Georgia

 

 

10. Interview with the Family Stone (no date)

This is a multi-part interview with Sly and the Family Stone. It contains a bunch of unedited footage – the first three minutes are of them basically hanging out — and was produced as part of WGBH’s (Boston) series, Rock & Roll.

From WGBH Open Vault via Digital Commonwealth

 

 

BONUS! Tax office at Christmas time (1963)

You’re wondering: is there a chance, even the most remote and isolated chance, that this video is entertaining? The answer that you’re looking for is “no.”

From the Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection via Digital Library of Georgia

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