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Behind-the-Scenes Commentary from Filmmaker Charter Weeks
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Courtesy of Charter Weeks and the SS United States Conservancy.
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This week on Call Sign KJEH, we'll be sharing a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of "Tow Boat." Here's a teaser from that upcoming transmission...
"We had rented a helicopter to film the sequence of maneuvering the SS United States into the harbor. Well, the guy who was in the helicopter accidentally tripped a switch that made the film run backward. What should have been half and hour of footage ended up as less than six minutes."
Check the blog this Monday, October 3rd, to learn how Weeks and his fellow filmmakers turned that accident into an opportunity. We recommend that you pair the transmission with a viewing of "Tow Boat," which you can purchase here.
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Pledge Your Allegiance to America's Flagship!
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Courtesy of Greg Shutters.
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This premium t-shirt commemorates the hard work and commitment of the "crew" of the SS United States, both past and present. Without the tireless efforts of thousands of individuals around the world, America's Flagship would not still be afloat today. The SS United States Conservancy continues to be immensely grateful for our enterprising supporters, and encourages you all to show off your allegiance to America's Flagship with one of these limited edition t-shirts.
You have just 26 days left to participate in this campaign, so click here to buy yours now!
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Save the Date for a Talk at the Herreshoff Marine Museum
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| | Courtesy of David Macaulay. |
On October 26th, Executive Director Susan Gibbs and Advisory Council Member and acclaimed author-illustrator David Macaulay will give a joint presentation at the Herreshoff Marine Museum in Bristol, Rhode Island.
Click here for more information about the presentation, and to reserve your spot. Advance registration is strongly suggested!
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We're saving the SS United States and working to ensure
her legacy endures and inspires.
Please join us!
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| | The SS United States as seen from the deck of the Spirit of Philadelphia during our 2016 Crew Reunion and Celebration. Courtesy of Charles Shan Cerrone. |
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Celebrating the "Crew" of America's Flagship,
Then and Now
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Top: First Class waiters Joe Marcelle (L) and Jimmy Coffey (R) on the fantail of the SS United States in 1966.
Bottom: Jimmy Coffey (L) and Joe Marcelle (R) with the SS
United States in the background during the 2016 reunion. Courtesy of Joseph Marcelle.
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The SS United States Conservancy welcomed over 150 guests at our 2016 Crew Reunion and Celebration, among them, seventeen former crew members, twenty-four former passengers, and several former Gibbs & Cox employees, including one of William Francis Gibbs' former assistants!
One of the former crew members in attendance was Larry Walker, who worked as a waiter, bellman, bedroom steward and elevator operator. Larry brought a vintage photo of Sean Connery aboard the SS United States as well as a sign that originally hung in the crew quarters with him all the way from Missouri, and donated both treasures to the Conservancy in honor of his father, William V. Walker, who was a crew member as well.
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Photo of Sean Connery aboard the SS United States,
donated to the SS United States Conservancy by Larry Walker at the 2016 Crew Reunion and Celebration.
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The reunion provided a wonderful opportunity to preserve firsthand accounts from individuals who sailed and worked aboard the Big U, like Larry Walker. With the help of professional photographers and videographers, we extensively documented the event. A Fox News affiliate covered the reunion, too, you can access that segment via our News page. We look forward to sharing more videos, photos, and interviews with you soon! In addition to firsthand accounts from former crew and passengers, the weekend featured tributes to the Big U from a number of artists, including the premiere of extraordinary, never-before-seen footage of the SS United States complete with commentary from filmmaker Charter Weeks, and a live performance of Dan Landau's song "To Every Journey," a defiantly hopeful anthem he wrote for the SS United States. A limited number of commemorative DVDs of "Tow Boat," the footage screened at the reunion, are available for purchase here, and you can listen to and download "To Every Journey" here.
Attendees also had the opportunity to hear the stories behind "The View From Down Below," a book by former crew member Robert Sturm, and "Lady in Waiting," the powerful documentary directed by Robert Radler and produced by Conservancy Board Member Mark Perry. Both the book and film can be found in our online store.
Thanks to our dedicated "crew" -- both past and present -- the reunion was a resounding success. A special thank you is due to Conservancy Board Member Mark Perry, Advisory Council Member Frank Slate Brooks, and Executive Director Susan Gibbs for sponsoring our happy hour reception at the Union League, as well as to Advisory Council Member Sean Edwards for helping us secure the beautiful McMichael Room. Remember to keep an eye on our Events page for upcoming gatherings!
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| We're On the Lookout for Digital Service Professionals! |
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In addition to our generous individual supporters, a number of businesses donate professional services to the Conservancy, providing much of the horsepower we need below decks to keep our mission running full speed ahead.
We currently seek support of that kind from creative design and web development professionals who can assist us in advancing our digital curatorial and outreach efforts. Our primary goal is to plan and create an enhanced digital infrastructure for our ongoing mission to provide public access to our ever-growing archive, which encompasses photographs and videos, oral histories, passenger lists, and artifact databases. In addition to updating our website ssusc.org we are also exploring how to incorporate our flagship Save the United States website to create a unified online presence that will ideally include 3D ship models for content navigation and eCommerce
If you are passionate about the SS United States and have the requisite skills to assist us in addressing this immediate need, please send your contact information and a bit of professional background to info@ssusc.org with the subject line "SSUSC Digital." Thank you so much, and we look forward to hearing from you!
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Help spread awareness of America's Flagship.
Thanks to your support, we have over 17,690 likes on our Facebook page! Remember to follow us on all of our social media platforms and encourage your friends, colleagues, and family members to join you!
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SS United States Conservancy
P.O. Box 32115
Washington, DC 20007
(888) 488-7787
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