THE ST. JOHN AMBULANCE NATIONAL CENTENNIAL BABY CARNIVAL. SOUTHERN SOUTH ISLAND DISTRICT [WITH 1990 INTRODUCTION]

Rights Information
Year
1939
Reference
F223652
Media type
Moving image
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Rights Information
Year
1939
Reference
F223652
Media type
Moving image
Place of production
New Zealand/Aotearoa
Categories
Advertisement
Duration
00:03:19
Production company
Cinetone Productions Ltd.
Credits
Camera: Lee M. Hill
Camera: Havelock Williams
Introduction: Michele A’Court
Piano accompaniment: Ella Hanify

The 1990 television broadcast of F2608 THE ST. JOHN AMBULANCE NATIONAL CENTENNIAL BABY CARNIVAL. SOUTHERN SOUTH ISLAND DISTRICT. An excerpt from F45033/ F110894 KIWI SHORTS, it retains the introduction from that programme.

This “gem”, ‘Kiwi Shorts’ presenter Michele A' Court addresses the viewer, “is from the vaults of the New Zealand Film Archive. [It’s] from the late 1930s and was intended to be used as a short before the main feature in cinemas on every main street in the country. Maybe it’s a reminder,” she concludes,” that the nationwide advertising campaign wasn’t strictly a product of the television age.”

A hand-cranked film camera is operated onscreen by cameraman Lee Hill and directed at a baby on a cushion. Intertitles: “Have YOU Entered YOUR Baby” and “In The St. John Ambulance National Centennial Baby Carnival.” Two woman, one holding a baby, walking upstairs with girl [to filming area in upstairs foyer of the De Luxe Theatre, Wellington]. Woman puts baby on cushion on a table under gaze of the (onscreen) camera and operator Hill. He attracts attention of child by waving his hand and cranks camera with the other. Title: “See YOUR BABY On The Screen”. Girl holding koala bear doll smiles at the camera (ie. she looks out at the viewer) before looking away. Two seated [twin] boys, one holding at a watering can, stare at the camera. Titles appear over a collage of baby portraits: “St. John Ambulance Baby Contest District Stage”, “1st Prize. £500 Cash.” “2nd Prize £250 Cash Donated by the Proprietors of R.U.R, the Universal Health Remedy”, “.... and now from the Theatre Winners choose Your Representative ..... for the Southern South Island District”. A smiling baby boy is shown. Title: “That was Baby 30.” Another baby boy. Title: “That was Baby 31”. And so on up (including girls) to “... Baby 37”. Next title: “Your choice decides ... Voting Box in foyer ...”. Fade to black.