Domarecki-Boskind Family Baltimore Historical Films

CONSERVATION & CAPTURE

Grant year: 2023

Grant category: Al Larvick National Grant

Grant recipient: Brian Boskind

Collection title: Domarecki-Boskind Family Baltimore Historical Films

Primary maker(s): Stephen Domarecki

Original format: 16mm, color, black and white, silent

Circa: 1946, 1947, c. 1950s, 1961, 1974

Collection size: Nine 16mm reels equaling approximately 1770 feet.

Grant support: Cleaning and repair and digital capture of the entire film-based collection

Digital capture format: 2k resolution scan

Lab: A/V Geeks

Status: Conservation and digitization completed

Online Access: Coming soon

Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

grantee

“My name is Brian Boskind and I am the caretaker of the 16mm home movies (which span the 1946 until 1974) shot by my grandfather, Stephen Domarecki. I was fascinated with these films from an early age when my grandfather would have a home movie night on New Years Eve as a treat. These multigenerational films show my greatgrandmother, grandparents and parents. My siblings and I were lucky to have known them and now have this record of those times. It was part of a colorful childhood growing up in Baltimore.

I am a graduate of the Maryland Institute Collage of Art. My own art and photography was heavily influenced by the art, music, and dancing of my family. My grandfather had danced in the marathons of the 1930s and my grandmother was a dancer and dance instructor. Both of them were part of the nightclub entertainment community in Baltimore. Their older family friends, whose stories I would listen to as a kid were part of this scene as well.

Now as an adult, I realize that the history captured in these films go beyond just our family. My hope with these archival transfers is twofold. First that my family history is saved in the best visual way possible so that surviving older family members can tell stories to the youngest generation. It’s important to see parents and grandparents as young people too. Secondly I hope the rich history of lost Baltimore can be brought to life and show how colorful the designs, fashion and life of another era really was like as opposed to black & white photos.

These films show many lost or changed iconic spots in Baltimore’s past. The lost nightclubs of Charles Street, Carlin’s Park Ice Rink, Pimlico Race Track, The Hippodrome Theatre, several neighborhoods in town in their original condition. These films show Christmas in the 40s, 60s, and 70s and Halloween party in 1947. There are 70s vacations “down the ocean” which include Frontier Town theme park.

I am grateful to the Al Larvik Fund for this opportunity and cannot wait for everyone to be able to finally see the quality that is contained in 16mm color film.” ~ Brian Boskind

FILMMAKER

“My grandfather, Stephen J Domarecki, shot these 16mm films from the 40s through 1974. He was born in New Jersey to Polish immigrants in 1912. During the height of the Great Depression, Steve would make money for his family by dancing in the marathons held in New Jersey, New York and Baltimore. While he kept an extensive photo album of those years, he ultimately did not talk much of that experience because it was a time of struggling to survive. Those albums, like his later home movies, offer a rare glimpse into the past in a candid way.

Steve met my grandmother, Sheila, in Baltimore while she was performing with the June Taylor dancers and Stardust dancers. These troupes performed at the Hippodrome Theater, Band Box (both of which are captured in his home movies), Club Charles (original version). They married shortly before he enlisted in the Navy.

My grandfather always worked several jobs to provide for his family. At Pimlico Race Track, gigs at The Spa and Blue Room night clubs (captured in the home movies), AGVA (American Guild of Variety Artists) and then has his own restaurant Steve’s Bar and Grill in downtown Baltimore. ~ Brian Boskind

collection

“While Steve was in the “Seabees”, my grandfather shot 800 feet of 16mm footage of the navy games in Hawaii and the Aleutian Islands. They had two daughters and events in their childhood are featured in many of the home movies. Once my siblings and I arrived, he filmed movies of us grandchildren through 1974.

As a child I remember that screenings of the home movies would be on New Years Eve. The projector sitting on the living room cocktail table as we wore our hats. I was so fascinated by the beauty of the 16mm projector and seeing ourselves captured on film. He also showed old newsreels and cartoons. Then we’d bang pots and pans on the porch at midnight.” ~ Brian Boskind