Series XVI: Video recordings

While in California, Rivers taught a course at University of California, Santa Barbara, and gathered material for use in the operatic adaptation of Kenneth Koch's poem, "The Artist". This tape primarily contains home movie-style footage taken around the western United States.

Rivers visits a California park at which rabies shots are being administered to local dogs by Animal Control, and tapes a professional tree cutter at work. The final 10 minutes contain home movie-style footage of Rivers with his children in their Long Island home.

Santa Barbara Dogs

Footage shot in Paris, includes sculptures by Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint-Phalle in a park, and street scenes.

Rivers takes his camera on the flight from New York to Sotckholm for the Stockholm Museum of Modern Art Group Show of American Artists. The flight is full of American Artists whose work featured in the show. Features footage on the plane, at an airport bar, and in a private first class cabin on the airplane.

Larry Rivers interviewing guests at the opening of a group show at Swedish Museum of Modern Art; a tour of the Stockholm Royal Palace.

Larry Rivers giving a tour of the Stockholm Museum of Modern Art Group Show opening, discussing various works, interviewing visitors.

A lower-quality, shortened duplicate of "Swedish Museum - American Collection" (293.0005_a).

In Washington, D.C., Rivers and his son Steven join other artists as they march, demostrate and deliver a signed petition against the Vietnam war. After a demonstration and march to Congress, various Congresspeople speak out their opposition to the war.

Washington I

In Washington, D.C., Rivers and his son Steven join other artists as they march, demostrate and deliver a signed petition against the Vietnam war. After a demonstration and march to Congress, various Congresspeople speak out their opposition to the war.

Washington Edited

Rivers follows a group of artists and activists after they deliver to Congress a signed petition against the Vietnam war. The protestors crowd the Capitol to hear responses from other government officials. A number of peaceful protestors are arrested for refusing to leave the Capitol.

Washington II

The wedding of Rivers's cousin, in a park in Peekskill, NY. Rivers tapes the ceremony and talks to guests at the reception.

Peekskill I

The conclusion of the wedding footage, followed by footage of a Father's Day street party in the East Village.

Peekskill II

In the first 9 minutes, Michel Auder and Rivers take a fanboat tour of the Everglades; the remainder of the tape contains a tour of the Royal Palm Beach lion safari park. Everglades footage is in color; safari footage is in black & white.

Florida

Michel Auder and Rivers visit Disney World, exploring the grounds and interviewing staff, performers and guests.

Florida Seminole

In Florida, Rivers and Michel Auder visit a historic Seminole village, which houses snakes, crocodiles and other wildlife. Handlers perform demonstrations in the snake pit and the alligator habitat.

Home movie-style footage from a trip to Sarasota, Florida, in advance of a Rivers print show at a gallery there. Rivers talks to vacationers and locals visits with a local environmental preservation group, and visits an artist's studio.

Rivers and Michel Auder drive from Sarasota to Miami, Florida. Along the way they stop to interview locals in various towns; Rivers receives a speeding ticket on the Florida turnpike. In Miami, they visit the Hafts on the north bay.

FLA II

Rivers visits Port au Prince, Haiti. "Home video" style footage includes an open air marketplace, various street scenes, and the pool at a luxury hotel.

In Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Rivers and Michel Auder explore the town square and interviews locals through an interpreter. Outside the city, they visit a sugar cane plantation and a beach, interviewing whomever they meet.

"Home movie" style footage of the end of Rivers's trip to Port au Prince, Haiti. Rivers films a band performing for new arrivals at the airport.

In Port au Prince, Haiti, Rivers and Diana Molinari visit an art gallery and market, explore the town, and watch a voodoo ceremony.

Haiti VooDoo

Footage of the Haitian Voodoo ceremony, continued from the end of 293.0021.

In Haiti, Rivers interviews a visiting tourist and films a performing contortionist.

Footage from Rivers's trip to Africa; plane arriving in Ndutu; a tour of the living quarters; animals in the wild; animal carcasses and skulls, feeding hyenas and vultures.

Wildlife in Ndutu; driving through the wilds of Ndutu, stopping to look at wildlife, animal carcasses, trees etc.; luring hyenas to a wildebeest carcass.

"Giraffes, bees, wildebeest cut up, hyenas".

Hyenas feeding on a wildebeest carcass in Ndutu.

Hyenas feeding on a carcass in Ndutu; children and townspeople, a driving tour of a nearby city.

"Jackals and carcass, Larry and Peter, Head of wildebeest, Nairobi in car".

Townspeople and children in Nairobi; a driving tour of the town of Nairobi.

Footage from inside an airplane as it takes off and flies to Manyara; Larry Rivers, filming himself in a mirror while experimenting with a new camera and asking the viewer's forgiveness for his mistakes; landing in Manyara and exploring the area.

"Manyara take off, flight landing, Larry explaining hotel, road, entrance, etc".

On safari in Manyara, footage of wildlife and footage taken from the moving vehicle; footage of tourists and camp inhabitants.

"In Manyara, baboons, safari cars, elephants, Ian's camp, Aureo's interview".

Safari footage, shot from inside and outside the vehicle; swimming at a waterfall in Manyara.

Safari footage; flying over the coast; measuring tree growth.

"Manyara Zeebs, Grafs, Elys, Flying, Huts, Ian measuring trees".

Measuring tree growth in the bush; safari wildlife; herds of animals filmed from a low-flying plane.

"Manyara, measuring, portrait Mohoja, Lions in tree, farewell, flying".

Rivers testing the camera, filming himself in a mirror; a marching drum procession through city streets; Rivers introducing the video as a whole; animals on Peter Beard's farm; interview with the son of a prominent tribal chief, with Peter Beard as translator; shots of the city from a hotel room.

Deplaning in Ndutu; unloading and touring the Ndutu campsite; some Safari footage, finding a zebra skeleton.

Ndutu safari footage, some shot from a moving vehicle; wildebeest carcasses, lions.

Rivers interviewing other American tourists in Ndutu; meeting two Masai boys before departing; test shots from hotel room in Nairobi.

Safari in Ndutu; Rivers teaching Barbara Allen how to use his video camera.

Practice edits from Rivers's travels in Africa with Peter Beard.

A press conference in New York City for Peter Beard's upcoming book. Attendees chatting in advance of the coference, and the beginning of the conference itself.

Peter Beard speaking at his book-release press conference, about conservation and loss of natural habitat and indigenous land in Africa, and the past and future of the African people.

At an exhibition opening for Peter Beard's photographs, Rivers chats with attendees about the works.

Rivers and his son Steven visit artists' studios, discussing the artists' works, the Soviet Union and showing in America, and take a driving tour of the city, in Leningrad.

Russia

Rivers and his son Steven tour mausoleums and various locations in Samarkand; Rivers takes test shots out of his hotel room; footage of a cotton mill in Bukhara.

Russia

Footage of Leningrad, shot by Rivers and his son Steven. Steven speaks to people on the streets of Leningrad, including some American tourists. Exploring various parts and landmarks of Leningrad.

Russia Leningrad

Footage of Moscow, shot by Rivers and his son Steven. Shots of and from the Hotel Ukraine, Moscow. Steven interviews people on the streets of Moscow, including tourists and locals. Footage in front of the Kremlin, with narration from an English speaking guide. Exploring various areas and landmarks around Moscow. More footage from Leningrad - similar content to that of 293.0046_a.

Russia Moscow

Rivers discusses his work and the relationship of the United States with Russia and China. Also discusses the arts environment in the Soviet Union at the time, and the effects his visit has had upon his views of the Soviet Union and potential influences upon future work.

Russia Moscow

Visit to a Russian artist's studio. Rivers views artworks in the studio, discussing them, through a translator, with the artist and a few others. They then sit and discuss the American arts scene and abstract expressionism.

Russia Tulin Studio

Rivers visits the Russian Museum, viewing works with an English-speaking guide. Some footage of the hotel room in Leningrad in which Rivers and his son Steven are staying. Driving through Leningrad.

Russia Museum

Footage of animals; interviews with the Rivers and the other guests of Peter Beard, on his birthday.

Rivers and his son Steven explore Tashkent, Uzbekistan, interviewing artists from around the city, interacting with people and visiting various places and landmarks.

Russia Tashkent

Footage begins in Tashkent. Driving to Tashkent airport, then footage continues in Bukhara. Rivers and his son Steven take a driving tour of Bukhara, visiting various neighborhoods and landmarks in the town.

Russia Bukhara

Rivers and his son Steven explore the Red Square neighborhood of Moscow, and the buildings of the Kremlin.

Russia Red Square

Footage of Abbie Hoffman and others in conversation.

Footage of Abbie Hoffman after his vasectomy operation; Rivers, Hoffman and others discussing the politics of vasectomies and contraception.

Ab's Vas III

Tape opens with 4 minutes of footage from Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds", then cuts to Rivers's work about Abbie Hoffman's vasectomy. This is the first part of the work, featuring Hoffman introducing himself and beginning the discussion with Rivers about his plan to get a vasectomy and the general subject of contraception. Rivers attends a Kiwanis Club meeting to discuss Hoffman's story with the members and show them footage of the vasectomy operation.

Ab's Vas II

Abbie Hoffman receives his vasectomy operation. He is anesthetized, but conversational throughout the procedure. Afterward, he consults briefly with the surgeon.

Ab's Vas 6

Rivers visits Abbie Hoffman after his vasectomy operation. The two discuss their experience of the procedure, which Rivers videotaped. Rivers interviews others about overpopulation and contraception strategies, specifically vasectomies.

Ab's Vas 7

Hoffman and Rivers participate in a radio discussion on WBAI, on the subject of vasectomies and contraception. They tell the story of Hoffman's vasectomy, and discuss their experience with the procedure.

Ab's Vas 9

Abbie Hoffman visits the doctor for a follow-up after his vasectomy operation. After ten minutes, tape cuts to footage of two cats, and scenes from Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds".

Ab's Vas

Television interview with Abbie Hoffman while he is a fugitive, intercut with one of his interviewers discussing his experience talking to Hoffman.

A more complete version of the interview program featured in 293.0062_a.

TV Interview Abbie Hoffman

Abbie Hoffman, with two of his children, discusses his upcoming vasectomy. Rivers and Hoffman visit the doctor who will be performing the operation.

Abbie's Vasectomy

Rivers films Diana Molinari playing pool. Diana dresses in Greek costume to perform a belly dance. The final eight minutes feature footage of Rivers interviewing strangers on the street about birth control for "Abbie's Vasectomy".

Alternate Title: Diana Pool

Continuation of the discussion from 293.0064_a, between Rivers, Hoffman and the doctor who will perform Hoffman's vasectomy. Image is scrambled for the first half of the tape.

Ab's Vas

Abbie Hoffman introduces himself and discusses his plans to have a vasectomy. Rivers and Hoffman discuss the nature of vasectomies, and Hoffman's history and motivations for having the procedure.

The annual meeting of the National Gay Task Force, held at New York University's medical school. NGTF meeting, followed by a panel discussion featuring Ruth Abram, Karen De Crow, Franklin Kameny, Ed Koch, and Carol Murray.

Part two of the 1976 National Gay Task Force symposium, beginning with element 293.0068_a.

Part three of the 1976 National Gay Task Force Symposium, beginning with element 293.0068_a.

First 5 minutes consists of test footage. Rivers and crew visit the 1975 NYC Gay Pride Parade, interviewing participants and filming the parade.

'75 Gay Pride Parade

Part two of Rivers's footage of the 1975 NYC Gay Pride Parade.

'75 Gay Pride Parade

Part three of Rivers's footage of the 1975 NYC Gay Pride Parade.

Gay Pride Parade 3

Rivers and his crew return to New York for the 1976 Gay Pride Parade, encountering some of the same paraders to whom they spoke in 1975, and interviewing new participants. Last ten minutes contains footage of Rivers interviewing two transvestites.

'76 Gay Pride Parade

Part two of footage from the 1976 Gay Pride Parade.

'76 Gay Pride Parade

Part three of the 1976 Gay Pride Parade.

'76 Gay Pride Parade

A meeting of the National Gay Task Force at Rivers's apartment. Rivers interviews different members of the NGTF.

N.G.T.F. A

A meeting of the National Gay Task Force at Rivers's apartment. Rivers interviews different members of the NGTF.

N.G.T.F. B

A meeting of the National Gay Task Force at Rivers's apartment. Rivers interviews different members of the NGTF.

N.G.T.F. C

A meeting of the National Gay Task Force at Rivers's apartment. Rivers interviews different members of the NGTF.

N.G.T.F.

Rivers interviews David Goodstein, owner and editor of the gay newspaper, Advocate.

Part two of Rivers's interview with David Goodstein, owner and editor of the gay newspaper, Advocate.

Rivers attends a fundraising party for COYOTE (Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics), a sex worker activist organization, held at the Copacabana in New York City.

Part two of Rivers's visit to the COYOTE fundraising ball.

Fragments of "Painting Beauty and the Beasts", a documentary about the creation of Rivers's Beauty and the Beasts, a painting commissioned by Harry Horn featuring a portrait of model Evelyn Kuhn.

Title card and introduction for "Packaged Beauty", a video portrait of Evelyn Kuhn, the subject of his painting Beauty and the Beasts.

B.B. Intro

Original footage for "Painting Beauty and the Beasts", a documentary on the creation of Rivers's painting Beauty and the Beasts.

Original footage for "Painting Beauty and the Beasts", a documentary on the creation of Rivers's painting Beauty and the Beasts.

Original footage for "Painting Beauty and the Beasts", a documentary on the creation of Rivers's painting Beauty and the Beasts.

Original footage for "Painting Beauty and the Beasts", a documentary on the creation of Rivers's painting Beauty and the Beasts.

Original footage for "Painting Beauty and the Beasts", a documentary on the creation of Rivers's painting Beauty and the Beasts.

Original footage for "Painting Beauty and the Beasts", a documentary on the creation of Rivers's painting Beauty and the Beasts.

Original footage for "Painting Beauty and the Beasts", a documentary on the creation of Rivers's painting Beauty and the Beasts.

Original footage for "Painting Beauty and the Beasts", a documentary on the creation of Rivers's painting Beauty and the Beasts.

Title card for "Painting Beauty and the Beasts".

B.B. Edit

A documentary on the creation of Rivers's painting Beauty and the Beasts.

B.B. Edit

Part two of a documentary on the creation of Rivers's painting Beauty and the Beasts.

B.B. Edit

A video portrait of the fashion model Evelyn Kuhn, the subject of Rivers's painting "Beauty and the Beasts."

A video portrait of the fashion model Evelyn Kuhn, the subject of Rivers's painting "Beauty and the Beasts."

Raw footage for "Packaged Beauty", Rivers's video portrait of fashion model Evelyn Kuhn.

Raw footage for "Packaged Beauty", Rivers's video portrait of fashion model Evelyn Kuhn.

Raw footage for "Packaged Beauty", Rivers's video portrait of fashion model Evelyn Kuhn.

Raw footage for "Packaged Beauty", Rivers's video portrait of fashion model Evelyn Kuhn.

A video portrait of the fashion model Evelyn Kuhn, the subject of Rivers's painting "Beauty and the Beasts."

Packaged Beauty

A video portrait of the fashion model Evelyn Kuhn, the subject of Rivers's painting "Beauty and the Beasts."

Packaged Beauty

Various "channel surfing" television footage, including commercials featuring Evelyn Kuhn. Source images of Evelyn Kuhn.

Rivers at work on "Beauty and the Beasts", a work commissioned by Harry Horn featuring the model, Evelyn Kuhn. Rivers shows and discusses source material and early versions of the work.

Interview footage for "My Mother Shirley".

Interview footage for "My Mother Shirley".

Alternate Title: Shirley

Interview footage for "My Mother Shirley", at Rivers's home. Rivers films and interviews his mother as she prepares a meal.

Interview footage for "My Mother Shirley".

Footage for "My Mother Shirley". Rivers picks up his mother at her apartment, speaks to her friends and neighbors, and takes her clothes shopping. Second half footage includes animals at the Bronx Zoo and a family gathering at Shirley's apartment.

Rivers and Diana Molinari interview Rivers's mother, at her apartment, for "My Mother Shirley".

Rivers gives himself an enema, with the help of his mother. Rivers interviews his mother as they ride in a car.

Shirley 7

Footage for "My Mother Shirley". Rivers gives himself an enema. Rivers's mother discusses her loneliness with her neighbors.

Enema II

Edits of the enema sequence from "My Mother Shirley".

Shirley Enema

Rivers's mother, Shirley, visits her husband's grave. Afterwards, the camera follows Shirley on a shopping trip.

Footage for "My Mother Shirley", shot during a family gathering. Rivers interviews his sister, his nieces and nephew, and other family members in addition to his mother.

Rivers interviews his mother in her apartment and while she shops for groceries, for his work "My Mother Shirley".

Rivers discusses old age, relationships and sex with his mother, for his work "My Mother Shirley".

Shirley

"Work reel" featuring footage of Rivers's mother's burial service.

Shirley Burial

The burial service of Rivers's mother, Shirley.

Rivers gives himself an enema, with the help of his mother. Second half of tape includes footage of Rivers's mother dressing, and being interviewed by Rivers.

Shirley

Rivers interviews his mother as they drive to, and explore, Charles Rydell's Long Island home.

Rivers interviews his mother in the backyard and kitchen of his Long Island home.

My Mother

Rivers interviews his mother in the backyard and kitchen of his Long Island home.

My Mother

This tape primarily has no picture, only sound. Music and title cards for "My Mother Shirley."

Shirley

The tape primarily features television coverage of the war in Israel. In the final five minutes, Rivers sings "My Yiddishe Mama".

Shirley

"Work Reel" for Rivers's work, "My Mother Shirley", containing footage around Rivers's mother's apartment and interview footage with Shirley and Diana Molinari.

"Work reel" for "My Mother Shirley".

Shirley

Interview footage for "My Mother Shirley".

Tape begins with black and white footage of Rivers interviewing his mother from behind the camera. The main contents of the tape are the title cards for Rivers's work, "Peter Beard's backyard", which documents a visit to Peter Beard's home in Africa.

Peter Beard's Backyard

Rivers and Michel Auder shoot footage for a project called "Smell".

Smell

Rivers gives a video tour of the exterior of Peter Beard's Montauk house, and, with Michel Auder, shoots footage for a project called "Smell".

Smell

Edited version of "Smell", a short work containing vignettes variously centered around the sense of smell.

Smell

Title cards and opening scenes of "Steven's New Job". Rivers's son, Steven, discusses woprking as a sperm donor.

Colorized edits of "Big B".

Big B

A television commercial parody starring Rivers as a salesman marketing a breast enhancement cream. Clarice Rivers portrays the satisfied customer.

Big B

Rivers joins musicians Delbert and Glen on tour in California.

Rivers joins musicians Delbert and Glen on tour in California.

Delbert & Glen II

Rivers joins musicians Delbert and Glen on tour in California.

Alternate Title: Delbert & Glen III

Rivers joins musicians Delbert and Glen on tour in California.

Delbert & Glen IV

Rivers joins musicians Delbert and Glen on tour in California.

Delbert & Glen V

Rivers joins musicians Delbert and Glen on tour in California.

Delbert & Glen VI

Rivers joins musicians Delbert and Glen on tour in California.

Delbert & Glen VI

A series of vignettes (including "Big B") starring Rivers, Diana Molinari, and Clarice Rivers, and Niki de Saint-Phalle.

No picture; voices can be heard over the tape for approximately the first two minutes.

Ending Quicky

Larry Rivers interviews Peter B. Allen on a couch at an aparment. Peter and two other men pass a phone back and forth. The video cuts to other people sitting on the same couch, Rivers asking them questions. The second half of the video consists of two sections choreographed to Italian opera.

A script reading performed in a living room. Short clip of a motorcylce rally outside. Inside an artists studio. Inside of an airplane during take-off. At a California farm stand. A hurdy-gurdy man with a monkey on a leash. Street scenes.

Twig

People planning a movie shoot and holding auditions.

Twig

Short film about an experimental film director searching for the lead to his high budget new film, reading lines with propsective actors and dealing with his underdressed secretary, Twig. A short clip of someone shooting up heroin. Interview with a man selling belts on the street. Man selling belts has a confrontation with the cops. Some people on the street talk to the camera about shoppping for clothes.

Twig

People rehearsing a script in an apartment.

Twig

Edited version of people rehearsing a script in an apartment.

Twig

Program begins with switching through television stations, mostly live musical performances and commercials. Crime Special shows Larry Rivers talking about murder while playing different personalites.

A man walks in park and gets attacked by another group of men.

Village Idiot

Man walking in park attacked by a group of men. This tape concludes with a 20 minute exceprt from Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds recorded from the television.

Chris Village Idiot

Man in a cape walking by some water and picking flowers; feeds some geese. Two women driving in a car pick up this man - the village idiot. They take him home and listen to the Rolling Stones. They put some poison in a drink they are planning to give him. He makes-out with one of the women and the other one kills him with a blow to the head. Audio cuts out sometimes.

Outside scenes on the street. The idiot is alive again.

Village Idiot

Title card for "Tattoo: Spider Webb". After seven minutes, tape reverts to preexisting content. Rivers discusses an unfinished project he worked on with Diana Molinari. Footage of a performance by the Shinnecock tribe.

Diana Molinari gets a tattoo. Rivers films the process and interviews the artist, Spider Webb.

Diana Molinari gets a tattoo. Rivers films the process and interviews the artist, Spider Webb.

Interviews with people with tattoos, at an event in a tattoo parlor featuring artist Spider Webb. Some interviews conducted by Steven Rivers.

Interviews with people with tattoos, at an event in a tattoo parlor featuring artist Spider Webb. Interviews by Steven Rivers.

Rivers visits a couple and their child in their home, and interviews them about their family life.

American Couples

Katy (featured in "American Couples I") leaves her son with a babysitter and discusses seeking a doctor's help to kick her heroin habit.

American Couples II

Rivers visits Joe LeSueur and his partner at their home.

Joe & Allen

Rivers visits Antonio Ciccone, his wife and their adopted children. Rivers visits Ciccone's art studio and interviews him about his family life.

Ciccone II

Rivers interviews a teenage girl at his house, then gives her the camera and instructs her on how to use it as she films him.

American Couples

Rivers interviews Katy (also featured in "American Couples I" and "American Couples II"). Near 6 minutes, the tape reverts to the same footage as "American Couples I".

American Couples

Rivers visits Katy while she's working at her parents' tobacco shop. (New footage begins at approximately 17 minutes.)

Katy - American Couple II

Rivers visits Antonio Ciccone, his wife and their adopted children. He interviews them about their experience adopting children.

Rivers visits Amelio and Charles. Amelio, who lost one of his legs while serving in the armed forces, shows Rivers his wound.

Amelio I

Rivers converses with Amelio and Charles.

Conceptual video footage made for the performance of "The Artist", an operatic adaptation of a Kenneth Koch poem by Koch, Rivers and Paul Reif.

The Artist

Source footage for "The Artist".

The Artist

Source footage for "The Artist".

The Artist

Source footage for "The Artist".

The Artist

Source footage for "The Artist".

Source footage for "The Artist".

Source footage for "The Artist".

The Artist

Source footage for "The Artist".

The Artist

Kenneth Koch and Rivers in a planning discussion of their collaborative opera, "The Artist".

Kenneth Koch and Rivers in a planning discussion of their collaborative opera, "The Artist".

Inside an artists studio. Close-up shots of drawings. NYC sunset through windows.

Rivers visits Dorothy Miller in her apartment as part of his WPA project, discussing her career, the WPA period and "Art for the Millions."

Footage of Rivers's mother, for "My Mother Shirley". Rivers discusses growign old with his mother, and goes shopping for clothes with her.

At a dinner party, Rivers discusses folk and gypsy music with Sonya, a singer.

Sonya sings to piano accompaniment, and the discussion resumes around the dinner table. Final two minutes contain footage of a political demonstration in the street, shot from an apartment window.

Rivers interviews his mother and two of her friends on their lives and the aging process.

Rivers's mother instructs a group of women, including Rivers's wife and children, on making rugelach in the kitchen of Rivers's Southampton home.

A stage performance fundraiser for the George McGovern presidential campaign.

Hampton Vaudeville

A stage performance fundraiser for the George McGovern presidential campaign.

Hampton Vaudeville

A stage performance fundraiser for the George McGovern presidential campaign.

Hampton Vaudeville

A stage performance fundraiser for the George McGovern presidential campaign.

Hampton Vaudeville

A stage performance fundraiser for the George McGovern presidential campaign.

Hampton Vaudeville

Contains footage of the Hamptons artists vs. writers softball game, where artists gathered to create a collaborative mural as a fundraiser for the George McGovern presidential campaign. Rivers interviews some of the participants and attendees about the McGovern campaign, often asking for opinions on rumors that he is gay.

Work reel footage. Experimenting with brightness and focus.

Larry Rivers and some people drive through the woods and then to a gravel pit. Shots of heavy machinery. Then they go to the beach (possibly College Point). They go to a place where some men are slaughering chickens in their backyard (possibly a small-scale chicken farm). They hike through the woods to an abandoned gazebo. Someone pulls a birds nest out of a bush. More walking through the woods.

Robert Twig, Taylor Meade, Sylvia Miles, Rudolph and Charles Rydell discuss a film by Rivers called "Four and a Half", in which they all performed.

Larry Rivers and some people on a fishing boat. A man explains and displays various fishing lures to the camera.

Shark

Larry Rivers and his friends go fishing for sharks. One of the men fires a rifle into the water a few times. No sharks appear.

Shark

Larry Rivers and his friends go fishing for sharks. One of the men fires a rifle at some seagulls. No sharks appear to be caught. They ride back to shore.

Shark

Larry Rivers at the scene of the accident, which appear to be between two cars. Larry interviews one of the people in the accident while she sits in an ambulance. Larry asks several different people who saw the accident to describe what happened. The last 10 minutes of the tape is a public access TV broadcast of a panel discsussion about gay rights.

Accident on Little Plains

Larry Rivers and various others in a car. They discuss going to the beach. Shots of outside the car window. They go to the beach where two men start playing catch with a football on the beach. Later they start swimming and then go to Larry's house where they talk about drugs and sexual fantasies.

3 Girls

Larry Rivers and a man dressed up (possibly as Santa Claus?) talk about various topics. They wrestle each other and pretend they are having sex. This tape includes the bathtub scene from Village Idiot.

Last Mango

Contains still image and action shots for use in Rivers's collaboration with Kenneth Koch on a performance adaptation of Koch's poem, The Artist. Koch and Rivers adapted the poem, with Paul Reif, as an opera to be performed at the Whitney Museum. Final ten minutes features a conversation with Kenneth Koch, Diana Molinari, Terry Southern, and Rivers.

Koch

A dinner party hosted by Brigid Berlin.

Christmas '74

Rivers tapes the trip from the Hamptons to New York City. He operates his camera from the backseat of a car driven by Michel Auder. Rivers aims his lens at landmarks and other drivers on the highway, narrating the trip.

100 Miles to N.Y. I

Rivers and Michel Auder drive back to the Hamptons from New York City, stopping off at a cemetery before leaving the city.

100 Miles to N.Y. II

Larry Rivers interviews Bob Collacello's parents in their Long Island backyard. They talk about why they liked living in New York City and politics.

A garden party.

David & Judy

4th of July parade in the Hamptons.

4th of July parade in the Hamptons.

July 4th, 1973

4th of July parade in the Hamptons.

July 4th, 1973 2

Rivers visits the Southampton Fourth of July Parade. Before the parade, Rivers visits with firemen from a local department who built a float for the parade. At the parade, Rivers interviews attendants and participants.

Rivers visits the Southampton Fourth of July Parade and interviews some of the participants and audience members.

Rivers visits the Southampton Fourth of July Parade and interviews participants and audience members.

Rivers visits the Southampton Fourth of July Parade and interviews some of the participants and audience members.

Brigid Berlin lies on Rivers's bed, eats and spreads chocolate cake over her nude body, and talks on the telephone with, among others, Andy Warhol.

Tape begins with cuts between silent footage of Charles Rydell seeing off a departing Jerome and footage of Rydell discussing the scene. Followed by footage of swimmers in Rydell's pool and Rydell in discussion with Rivers about art and artists.

Jerome's Farewell

Larry Rivers and two other men singing show songs and playing piano.

Larry Rivers interviewing people at an art opening.

Rivers interviews a pregnant Puerto Rican woman named Carmen, her husband Felix and they're 7 daughters about the imminent birth of twin boys for 15 minutes. The rest of the video is multiple takes of a recording session of a book reading.