James A. FitzPatrick

Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire present more golden moments from the MGM film library, this time including comedy and drama as well as classic musical numbers.

The ugly duckling of the title is Hans Christian Andersen, the author who wrote fairy tales that still delight readers to this day. This Traveltalk series entry tells the story of Andersen's life. We visit the city of his birth and journey to other places important in his life.

This Traveltalk series short takes a trip on the Rhine river, with stops at Cologne, Bonn, and Koblenz.

This Traveltalks visit to Holland spotlights The Hague and two smaller tourist destinations. We learn that the economy of Holland, which for many centuries has been based on fishing and the growing of tulips, is slowly changing to an agricultural base.

The Andes Mountains travel the western side of South America. Unlike many other mountain ranges of their altitude, the Andes do support human life on their high altitude slopes. Modern life is slowly making its way to the high altitude Andes, but the natives for the most part continue with the traditional ways of their ancestors, growing limited crops such as beans and potatoes - where the crop originated - raising sheep and pigs, and living in crude huts. The llama is the most useful of their work animals. The most conspicuous aspect of the native dress is their derby hats, the origins which are unknown. Further down the slopes, agriculture and ranching is more productive and is carried out by descendants of the Spanish settlers. There is a famous lake district in the Chilean part of the Andes, where resort hotels are located.

The first half of this Traveltalk entry is spent in the town of Bath, where we learn about the long history and architecture of the area. We then go to the coastal resort towns of Teignmouth and Torquay.

This Traveltalk series short visits Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah.

This Traveltalk series short highlights such Maryland destinations as Baltimore, Johns Hopkins, Annapolis, and Fort McHenry.

This FitzPatrick's Traveltalks series short takes the viewer to various sites around California that resemble the geography, architecture, and culture of other places around the globe.

This MGM Traveltalk short focuses on the history of England's colleges in Cambridge, Oxford, and Eton and the towns that surround the campuses.

Historical sites in Virginia are visited.

This Traveltalk series short begins aboard the RMS Scythia as it exits Halifax Harbor. The Scythia is a cruise ship that was converted to a troop transport during World War II; in 1940 it carried children from Liverpool to New York as part of an evacuation program set up by the Children's Overseas Reception Board. The present voyage is among the first to carry civilian passengers from North America to the British Isles following the end of the war. Among the passengers are 150 child evacuees, who have spent several years growing up in Canada or the USA.

This Traveltalk series short visits three cities in Mexico. We start in the village of San Miguel de Allende, known for its churches. A monastery has been converted to a school of arts. The second stop is Queréaro, where a 5-mile-long aqueduct built hundreds of years ago is still functional. It was near this city that Emperor Maximilian was executed in 1867. Then it is on to Monterrey, the large industrial city whose nickname is the Pittsburgh of Mexico. Here are steel mills, other factories, and the largest brewery in Latin America.

This short Traveltalk visit to Chicago looks at some hotels known for their evening entertainment and for the rich and famous people who come to their dining rooms. Featured are the Walnut Room of the Bismarck Hotel, the Ambassador Hotel's Pump Room, and the boardwalk at the Edgewater Beach Hotel.

This film visits many of the neighborhoods and landmarks on Manhattan Island and occasionally includes a history lesson. The neighborhoods include the Bowery, Chinatown, Herald Square, and Times Square. Some of the architectural highlights are the Empire State Building, the New York Public Library, Temple Emanuel, the Central Park Zoo, and the Rockefeller Center complex. The film ends with a visit to a dining room in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where the Xavier Cugat Orchestra entertains.

This travelogue of Costa Rica, the second smallest of the American republics, starts at San Jose Airport. Transportation is key within the country, boasting among the best roads in the world. San Jose itself is the capital, a small city of about 70,000, with many recreational areas in its suburbs. Heading out of the city, we come to an orchid farm, there being said to be more varieties of the plant in Costa Rica than anywhere else in the world. Next, we move to the volcanic mountains, the range within Costa Rica which contains the largest crater in the world. We then move to the farmland, with coffee and bananas being the primary agricultural export crops.

This Traveltalk series short visits various places around the United States. At the first stop, we admire the natural beauty of Crater Lake in Oregon. The next stop is the open pit copper mine at Bingham Canyon, Utah, the world's largest copper mine. We then spend time in Hannibal, Missouri, the hometown of author Mark Twain. After a short visit to a log-rolling contest in Washington State, we cross the country to get a view of Washington, DC from across the Potomac River. The final stop on this tour is Arlington National Cemetery, where we see the Tomb of the Unknown, Arlington House, and the mast of the USS Maine, which was sunk in 1898 in Havana Harbor.

A tour of the arid, inhospitable region of the southern California desert known as Death Valley, originally named because of the many travelers in the 1840s who died of thirst, starvation and/or exposure trying to cross it.

This Traveltalk series short begins with a look at Arizona's Painted Desert. We then get two views of the Grand Canyon's majesty. The first is from the rim, looking down from an automobile. The second view is from within the canyon, where mules take tourists along the various trails.

This Traveltalk series short visits the village of Chichicastenango, Guatemala and emphasizes the influence of the Mayan culture on its people. It shows how the residents intermingle ancient religious practices with Catholic teachings. Narrator James FitzPatrick introduces, and greets on camera, Father Ildefonso Rossbach, a Catholic priest who ministers to the local population in the village and outlying areas.

This Traveltalk series short visits a large intertribal meeting of American Indians from all over the western United States. Members of about 30 tribes attended the event, which lasts several days. Attendees perform various tribal ceremonies, demonstrate their skills at crafts (pottery, weaving, doll making), and participate in rodeo events.

Lake Patzcuaro, located 230 miles west of Mexico City, is one of the highest and most picturesque bodies of water in Mexico. The heritage of the indigenous peoples of the area, the Tarascans, still prevails, such as the production of lacquer-ware handicrafts, and the means of hunting and fishing, the latter which uses nets shaped like large butterfly wings. Although most current day Tarascans are Roman Catholic, they have not totally abandoned their indigenous pagan gods. On Janitzio, one of the many islands in the lake, stands a large statue commemorating José María Morelos, a prominent figure in Mexican liberation and a great benefactor to the Tarascans. Janitzio is also the inspiration for many famous paintings. The town of Tzintzuntzan just inland from the lake's shore acts as the regional center for the market and for festivals.

In this FitzPatrick's Traveltalk short, a trip to Haiti serves as a portal into its history, mainly under 19th century ruler Henri Christophe.

This Traveltalk series short visits Ontario, the second largest province of Canada. Toronto is the province's largest city, sitting on the shores of Lake Ontario. After the War of 1812, the Rideau Canal was built connecting the Ottawa River to Lake Ontario. The canal figures prominently in the geography and history of the City of Ottawa, the capital of Canada.

In this Traveltalk series short visit to Scotland, we visit several places with familiar names, including Inverness, capital of the ancient Pictish Kingdom; Loch Ness, home of the famous elusive monster; and Saint Andrews, the birthplace of golf.

This Traveltalk series short visits several points of interest in England, including the port of Liverpool, war destruction at Coventry, the historic Warwick Castle, and Stratford-on-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare.

This Traveltalk short visits the ports of Algiers and Monaco in the Mediterranean.

This Traveltalk series short visits Australia.

A tour of Salt Lake City, Utah.

A colorful travelogue of London's most historic buildings and the residual damage still left from WWII.

This Traveltalk series short looks at several landmarks and neighborhoods in New Orleans, Louisiana. Sights include the Cathedral of St. Louis, Pirate's Alley, the Old French Market, and Broussard's Restaurant.

This Traveltalks entry looks at the sights, sounds, people, and art masterpieces in the capital of the Netherlands.

A Traveltalk look at the exteriors of Washington, D.C.'s famous buildings and monuments.

This Traveltalk look at New Orleans starts at the recently modernized port and harbor facilities, with ships unloading various cargo and loading cotton. We then ride along Canal Street and visit the Tulane University campus. After a look at the variety of the residential architecture, we end our visit at the city's new airport.

This Traveltalk series short celebrates San Francisco, past and present.

This Traveltalk series short focuses on the sights and culture that define "Old England". Included is a visit to the Cotswold Hills area, a ride on the Wye River, and visits to Tintern Abbey in Wales and Laycock Abbey in Wiltshire, England.

This Traveltalk series short showcases the Mexico City police department's various units as they participate in a yearly festival. Included are a marching band, a parade of patrol cars, the motorcycle unit, equestrian unit, and the department's pistol team.

A travelogue celebrating the 1939 Golden Gate Exposition and highlighting its exhibition of classical paintings and stunning lighting effects.

This Traveltalk series short brings us to the capital of Mexico, where we learn a little about the three million people living there. Their living quarters are viewed, as are various monuments found throughout the city, including a monument to George Washington. We also see the Museum of Fine Arts and the Washington Apartments. From here, we visit the bullfights.

This FitzPatrick Traveltalk short tours North Carolina, first visiting the Cataloochie Ranch near Waynesville, where the ranch hands are shown square-dancing and singing folk songs. We cut to a visit with the many Cherokee Indian living in the state, followed by the camera showing the fields of azaleas, flowers that grow wild in many areas of this state. At the Biltmore estate, the annual Rhododendron Pageant is seen. Our screen tour winds up with a visit to Asheville, depicting Pack Square, the St. Lawrence Catholic Church and the Skyline Drive.

James A. FitzPatrick takes a tour of the Fiji Islands. The short depicts the different types of natives that inhabit the islands, and shows villages that have not been changed in architecture for centuries. There are ceremonial dances, and FitzPatrick politically-correctly describes the rule of the islands under the British government.

James A. FitzPatrick takes a look at the continent of Africa.

This Traveltalk visit to Japan starts with a look at the country's cherry blossom trees, tulips, and ubiquitous gardens. We then see the proper manner for preparing a woman's hair and wearing a kimono.

A visit to one of India's oldest cities.

This Traveltalk series short looks at pre-World War II Tokyo, highlighting the influences of Western culture.

This Traveltalks short showcases the sights and sounds of Rio de Janeiro, emphasizing its Portuguese influence.

The remote island of St. Helena, a British possession located in the south Atlantic, is perhaps best known as where Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled/imprisoned for the final six years of his life and where he died in 1821. His legacy on the island remains today, despite his body being disinterred and moved back to France in 1840. His home was at Longwood, one area of the island now ceded to the French in respect of its former resident. The island was discovered and named by the Portuguese in 1502. Until the British took over, many other European countries had or wanted possession of the island because of its location along natural trade routes. Jamestown is the island's only port, named after King James. With 4,000 inhabitants, St. Helena is self supporting, growing primarily potatoes and flax. However, its primary economic generator is the sale of the rare St. Helena postage stamp.

This Traveltalk series short takes a look at Hong Kong.

This Traveltalk series short showcases the natural wonders in one of the USA's most famous national parks. Waterfalls, grizzly bears, and the Old Faithful geyser are featured.

A James A. FitzPatrick travelogue of Iceland.

This Traveltalks entry visits the Golden Gate International Exposition. Sponsored by 11 western states of the United States and 28 foreign countries, this "world's Fair of the West" was built on Treasure Island, a man-made island in San Francisco Bay. Viewers see the exteriors of many exhibition halls and the pavilions of foreign nations. The art, sculpture, and flowers on display are also featured.

This Traveltalk series short visits Los Angeles, California. In one of the highlights of the film, narrator James FitzPatrick visits the Disney cartoon studio and shakes hands with Walt Disney.

This entry in the TravelTalks series visits the ancient Egypt. starting Valley of the Kings in a remote and desolate part of Egypt, the entrance to tomb of King Tut is shown, though the ts priceless treasure is now in the Cairo museum. A visit to Luxor and the ancient city of Thebes, which date to 1500 BC, follow with subsequent visits to Karnak. The film closes by noting that past and present are in harmony with the water wheel and village well still in wide use in the modern age.

This Traveltalk short visits Hawaii's capital city.

This FitzPatrick Traveltalks short visits Holland in springtime, going first to the below-sea-level fishing village of Volendam, then to the capital city of Amsterdam. We then turn our sights to the cultivation of flowering spring bulbs - tulips and hyacinths. No other country is as renowned for bulb cultivation as is Holland.

This Traveltalk entry first visits Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, when the country's name was still Siam. Then it's off to Seoul, South Korea. When the visit was made in the early 1930s, Korea was not yet divided and was a province administered by Japan. The film emphasized the deep influence of Buddhism on the daily life of the peoples in both countries.

This early entry in James A. Fitzpatrick's TravelTalks series takes us to Bombay, which we're told is the gateway to India.

James A. FitzPatrick tour through the South Sea islands of Hawaii, Tahiti, Rarotonga, and Sydney, Australia.

In this Traveltalk series short, we view the Inside Passage to Alaska, the longest protected waterway in the world. Traveling north, we enter the small town of Seward, gateway to the interior. One of the burgeoning industries is the raising of silver fox and mink. There are many road houses scattered throughout Alaska, but one of the most famous is twenty-three miles outside of Seward on Lake Kenai belonging to Nellie Lawing, better known as Alaska Nellie, who has a long and storied history in Alaska.

This Traveltalk series short visits Zion National Park, Utah. Amongst the sights, we view the seven-hundred foot long Arch of Zion. To provide human access to the park, man-made structures are just as spectacular in their engineering accomplishments; these include the Mount Carmel Highway and Tunnel, and Zion Lodge.