These Kovarik family video files are sourced from 50+ year old 8mm and Super 8mm film. At times Dad, and subordinate photographers, did not prescribe to the Steven Spielberg rules of home movies. Most of the footage is grainy and somewhat blurry. Consider it an opportunity to prepare for life with cataracts. The clearest shots are those well lit and close to the camera. I only deleted the scenes that were so faded or blurry that they were unrecognizable. I adjusted some segments for flicker, lighting and color but mostly left them as I found them.
Terry Ernest - 2024
So somewhere around 1960, dear old dad filmed his 6 kids and mom in the back yard of our Douglas Road home. We had a pretty large garden where we grew lots of vegetables like tomatoes, bell peppers and in the video you see cantaloupe and watermelon. You see William using Janet as a wishbone, with mom standing by with a hammer for some reason... Bruce tossing a tomato to William and Janet and Brian running amok with the chickens. Terry likes the smell of mom's rotisserie beef, William coming out of the hen house/shed with an egg in his hand and Janet coming out... barefoot. BTW - Henrietta was delicious.
With dad at the camera helm we are enjoying an afternoon at dad's cousin's house in Naperville. This was also around 1960. Aunt Laverne and Uncle Dick were always very nice to us although we didn't see them too often. Their two kids Gary (long-sleeve yellow shirt on roller skates) and Susan shared their toys with us. While Sherry was busy doing cartwheels, Terry was repeatedly falling on his behind trying hard to learn to roller skate. Tired of landing on the sidewalk, Terry shows his stuff with a hula hoop while dad hands off the camera to someone else and tosses the football to William and Bruce. Janet is her usual adorable self mugging for the camera and working a tricycle with Sherry and William giving advice. In the garage, mom and Aunt Laverne chat and then with Uncle Dick, try to fix a roller skate issue. Brian is in the garage making a phone call on a pink princess phone and Bruce spins around the circle on a two wheeler.
We start off with dad behind the camera at Uncle Ernie and Aunty Carol's backyard BBQ somewhere in the early 1960's. Cousins Michael and Diane are there with the 8Ks although William is hard to find. As you can see, there is no shortage of mugging for the camera and clearly we all had exceptional gymnastic skills. Of course, last time I checked, wheel barrel racing (if you call that racing) was not a proper sport. Terry entertained with the 'Twist'... the rage of the 60's.
Next to the Little Calumet River, just south of Chicago, for a paddle wheel boat trip with uncle Willie Sterba. Uncle Willie was so full of life. He taught me to play music. First the accordion then the piano. In the last of the footage you see glimpses of Aunt Emma wearing a babushka. Aunt Emma was Grandpa Kovarik's sister. Uncle Willie was Aunt Emma's son.
A crowded back yard in the summer of 1961. There's the 8Ks, Grandma and Grandpa Kovarik, Grandma Ruback, Uncle Ernie, Aunty Carol with Michael and Diane, Uncle Dick and Aunt Laverne with Gary and Susan. Then there's Uncle George Mika, Grandma Ruback's brother and some people I don't recognize (Sterba's possibly)? Dad at the BBQ... the food was likey quite good.
In typical Kovarik fashion, at least at that time, all 8Ks were on board for this birthday. I'm sure the 'Happy Birthday' song was pitchy but heartfelt. Terry managed a complete dry candle blow immediately followed by Brian lunging for the first candle. Mom was undoubtedly off camera saying... 'Brian, don't eat the candles and Terry, don't saw the cake...'
Circa 1961. The 8Ks go fishing. Not sure where this is, possibly the Fox River... but here you can see 12 foot bamboo poles in action in the water and in the trees. William shows off his giant 5 inch sun fish and Lucky our dog makes an appearance. He looks like a Jack Russell Terrier... Lucky, not William. We all loved Lucky, Mom, not so much although she loved chasing him with the broom. Somewhere there was either a big rain storm or... Mom, Bruce, Sherry and Janet fell in the lake. I'll bet Dad was laughing pretty well at that scene.
Cut to our front porch on Douglas Road. The six of us were dressed in our Sunday best and paraded out and back in again. I have no memory of what happened in between. Could have been Easter. The lilac bushes in the front yard were just getting their seasonal leaves back but Sherry wasn't wearing her Easter bonnet.
Our family Christmases were an all day event starting with opening presents early in the morning still in or pajamas... unless Janet got up even earlier and opened then all for us. Then the grandparents would come and we would do another round of presents. Then there was lunch and dinner followed by more hours of playing with all the new stuff... socks and underwear notwithstanding. Sherry looks very pleased with her new spinning wheel although I don't recall ever seeing a finished scarf. Janet got the coveted Kissy doll who would give you a smooch if you squeezed her arms together. She also got the anatomically incorrect Ken doll. Mom had a big smile on her face when she opened the white apron she got. But then what could she do with the in-laws sitting right there. Uncle Ernie in the kitchen playing the game of Life which we had for a long time and enjoyed many times. Dad was clever to not film any of us while we opened the packages of clothes.. it's hard to get excited by a flannel shirt when you are 9. Terry quickly convinced Michael that he had no piano talent and then performed Mozart's Requiem in D minor to absolutely no ovation. That was a typical Kovarik Christmas. It is a hoot to once more see pictures of the house and family we grew up with. Who'd have remembered the kitchen cabinets were yellow. Thank you Barbra.
In California we are not allowed to tell a woman's age so on this birthday, Sherry was between 7 and 41. On the patio at our Douglas Road home with Grandma and Grandpa Kovarik. Sherry tried her best to beat Grandpa at checkers... and maybe she did. Looks like another of Mom's home made birthday cakes.
Another Kovarik Christmas... Toys, food and relatives. Uncle Ernie playing ping pong with Brian in the basement, Terry playing Mouse Trap with Michael in the kitchen while the girls washed Sherry's new Tressy doll in the bathroom sink and watched it blow bubbles out of her butt. Giggle, giggle, giggle. Terry worked out a Christmas song on the piano and if you notice, Brian is wearing the same PJs that Terry wore last Christmas. Looks like Grandma and Grandpa Kovarik handed out cash envelopes and after showing off her new percolator, mom smiles as she takes her roast out of the oven.
This is our phototypical birthday video with William in charge of the cake. From all views he did a good job cutting it and Grandma Ruback sure seemed to enjoy it.
Not sure of the chronology of this piece of film but it starts on a very snowy day with Kovariks leaving the North Fairview Bible Church. Since we only went to church as a family on holidays it is safe to believe this was Christmas 1965. Click the link to see what the old church looks like today. Hasn't changed a bit except for a new sign. Same cross on the front and gravel driveway. Check it out on Google Maps and you can see all the houses around the church have been replaced with big, beautiful homes.
Then back to Douglas road and we are seen busy trying to uncover Mom's 1950 Buick 'bomb'. Reasonable view of our old tree house and the chicken shed before Dad built the garage.
Another Kovarik Christmas - this one is pretty blurry but you can see the 8Ks, Aunty Carol, Uncle Ernie and Diane and Grandma Ruback. Please feel free to mute my narration. I recorded it seven times and could have done it seven more.
OK, well William was not really off to war but he looks pretty spiffy in his Air Force uniform. Fancy enough to get Mom dancing. One might think Mom had been dipping her bill. Brian, with a big smile, shows us how to work the gun rack and Dad brightens up the Rec Room with a few candles. And appearing for the first time, what appears to be a West Highland White Terrier... Winston.
This video stars Mom and Dad, Janet and Brian as they work there way through Colorado and other special places. According to the film notes the 4Ks are seen in Fort Kearney, Nebraska and in Colorado, Monument Lake, Valley of the Gods and Royal Gorge. While Dad did the bulk of the filming, you can see Brian's work near the end as he makes Dad smile with his focus on him. Too bad the film is so badly focused, these places are beautiful... according to Google. I especially like the scene where Mom tried to check Janet into the jail but they wouldn't take her... check-in wasn't until 3pm and waiting wasn't an option. Nyuk, nyuk.
Accompanying the 4Ks vacation adventure is Paul Brandt from his 'Calm Before the Storm' album.
Mom and Dad with Janet and Brian hit the trail for a visit to Yellowstone National Park, Mt. Rushmore and the South Dakota Badlands. Somewhere in there was a visit to Bedrock, home of Fred Flintstone and Reptile Land, home of a guy who rolls alligators in the sand and teases rattlers with a stick. Janet and Brian may still have enough gray cells to remember this trip and might be able to explain some of what you see.
"Another year older and deeper in debt".... Janet has mastered carving the birthday cake with kibitzing from William. You can't see it, but on the floor under the table Janet has her Kissy doll ready to receive a bit of the birthday booty. And what was that cake Mom was holding that said "Ingredients Scaler Phyllis Kovarik" was that something she got from Pepperidge Farm?
Here we have an extensive list of characters. Terry the sailor, home from Southeast Asia on leave before going to San Diego. Bruce with Stacy Omell looking very respectful. On the patio there is Uncle Bob, alone without his beloved Lil. Aunt Lorraine is with her husband Uncle Wally and Wally's sister Aunt Laura. Then there is Cathy Beach, soon to be Terry's almost wife and a girl who I don't recognize sitting between Sherry and Brian. Mom took some great ribbing and a few love taps on the badminton court and Grandma Ruback helped to wrap up the crazy antics.
Christmas, 1970. Kovarik gathering includes Terry home on leave from the Navy and Cathy Beach who likes to snogg. Clothes and cologne have replaced toys and dolls.
Mom's 43rd Birthday featuring Grandma Ruback, Aunt Lorraine and Uncle Wally, Uncle Ernie, Aunty Carol and Michael and Diane. Uncle Bob Campbell and Aunt Laura.
April 1971 - Janet's XX Birthday with just the family and her burgeoning cake cutting skills.
Memorial Day 1971 in the Kovarik back yard. A few faces I can't place like the red head sitting next to Aunt Lorraine and the young girl who resembles Pippy Longstockings. Possibly Sterba's? And check out that dog. Looks like a grown up version of the puppy in the earlier Christmas video.
Dad takes you on a visual tour of Bull Shoals Lake from the Dam site and from the tower at 'Top of the Ozarks.'
Then on to Dogpatch USA for another romp through a tourist trap which is sadly now defunct. Love the Sadie Hawkins scene where the young girls are chasing the boys with Flintstones like clubs. Somehow I don't think they will know what to do with them should they catch them.
Last moments of the video show a strikingly handsome lad fishing which I think may be some misplaced footage. In the chronology, Terry was in the Navy in San Diego, summer of 71. If that lad is Brian, he must be wearing a glamour.
Sherry and Terry help Mom into her silk kimono which takes a little pushing and pulling. Tiny David Richard helps out. Then to the kitchen for Mom's birthday cake. Trick candles on the cake you say! Then on to another birthday. Seems to be Mom's but not sure of the chronology.
Back to the kitchen for Bill's 24th birthday. mom and Dad, Brian, Sherry and Janet attending with Grandma.
Janet's birthday next as she sits beneath Uncle Bob's paint by number 'The Last Supper' which actually looked very nice.
Easter for Mom and springtime in Downers Grove and right on to Mother's Day. Our first look at 4 generations.
Memorial Day next with a smaller family gathering. McKinnon's not present but a common cast of characters... and a few unknowns.
Last scene is Janet's 8th Grade Graduation unless Dad got his film clips out of sequence. Janet seems older than 13 here.
Mom, Dad, Janet and Brian on beautiful Bull Shoals Lake water skiing. Mom mostly supervised while the rest show us how its done.
Brian started off a bit rough but quickly learned that you must let the boat pull you up. At the end of the footage Brian is doing a great job, slalom style. Dad, who taught us all how to ski, looked pretty good too and Janet followed suit. These water skiing videos are much more fun when the skiers fall down a lot.
Who knew 52 years later we would be sharing a somewhat blurry video of the first wedding of the 6K's. I wasn't in attendance for this one as I was in the Navy keeping America safe from hypocrisy. On the Kovarik side of the family I see Bruce in uniform, Sherry, Dave and David Richard, Brian and Janet. Mom and Dad look very festive in their wedding attire. Grandma Ruback is there with Uncle Bob, Aunt Lorraine, Aunt Laura, Uncle Wally, Aunty Carol and Michael. Don't see Uncle Ernie and Diane McKinnon.
Love the scene where Bill's groomsmen are dragging him out of the building and pointing him in the right direction. The kiss may not have been regulation in length... but then it was the 70's.
Voice-over by Billy Idol
David Richard Cook... the first in the generation to follow the 8Ks. Enjoy 42 minutes of David standing and crawling around the house while the family looks on in amazement.
Then comes Sherry's Birthday where she shows us how blondes blow out birthday candles. Dave smiles and is proud of Sherry's efforts in spite of the buffoonery.
Next its Dave's birthday followed by Brian's in October, 1972. Dave's birthday candle blow is pretty routine and Brian apparently got Mom's last birthday trick candles which he managed pretty well while seasoning the cake.
I remember going to the Brookfield Zoo many times as a child but nothing in this video rings a bell... except for the brief appearance of Sherry, Dave and little David.
I believe in one of early scenes you see what appears to be Brian hopping away from the camera. This in fact was a kangaroo. A natural mistake. There is another brief scene of an elephant in an enclosure and it appears that people are throwing marshmallows at it. That is something you will not see in zoos today.
The shot opens with Sherry holding Sneezy Cook (aka Daniel) as the family prepares for David Richard Cook's 1st birthday party. What a bunch of goofy party goers in their Winnie the Pooh hats and assorted party favors. The largely female cast sure look like they are having a ball.
Grandma Ruback never had to stop and think about how old she was. If it was 1972, she must be 72. Here Grandma properly demonstrates how to perform a dry and effective candle blow. Grandma Ruback sure loved birthday cake... Pepperidge Farm cake.. pretty much any cake and she never gained an ounce. Perhaps there is more to 12 cups of coffee a day than meets the eye.
This surprisingly clear movie footage is all about Kovarik Christmas. From the big Christmas tree to all the gifts that we they tried so hard to look grateful for while thinking...'What the heck am I going to do with this'... or 'oh great - one more thing to dust.' Dad must have gotten new faster film for his camera as the images are much more sharp (considering they are 52 years old). Love the look on Dad's face when he holds up the brass spittoon he got. Seems like the kind of gift William and Ann perpetrated.
I spent Christmas 1972 in the Navy in Kin Village, Okinawa. You can see how my friends and I put lipstick on a pig in the next video.
While spending my last 10 months in the Navy on Okinawa with the 3rd Marines I rented a house off base with some friends. Roger, Mark, Zero and Michael Michael and I shared a small house and this video shows our Christmas decorating skills. It wasn't easy to find a proper Christmas tree on the island. The scrawny bush you see did eventually shape up with enough tinsel and a few ornaments. We had a great Christmas none-the-less. It really is the people that make Christmas, not the place or even the presents.
Starring Skootz (William IV) and David Richard
Not sure where the first part is filmed at. It appears to be a park somewhere...a brief look at the Cook home and butch motorcycle, then off to the Kovarik family room. You will see... Ann and Bill along with Mom and Dave and Sherry... one brief glimpse of Mike Trezek and Terry with Dennis O'Connell and Grandma Ruback. Then there is a blonds sitting next to Sherry with a baby on her lap. She appears to be smoking but it doesn't look like Janet. Dad gives to camera to someone and gets a brief cameo
David and Skootz seem to get along pretty well and near the end you see a glimpse of Daniel Cook just before we see David practice fainting... and exit, stage right.
Sherry, Dave and Grandma Ruback are among the birthday party guests. Janet seems to have been imbibing and Sherry and Dave had to struggle to get her up off the couch. Grandma was so embarassed by Janet's condition that she went to hide in the corner. Once on her feet she seemed alright for about two minutes. When it was time to blow out the candles, she froze and for some reason Dad cut his recording. Seconds later the candles are out, Janet is still upright and Terry is seen counseling her on correct candle procedures. Janet takes the knife and makes a valid attempt to cut the cake but Mom pops into the scene to guide her. Sherry laughs and taunts Janet... "How can you not know how to cut a birthday cake". Brian remains steadfast... "I don't care what you're doing, I just want a piece of cake".
PS. It is completely possible that I have misinterpreted this video. Only Janet knows for sure.
We open with Dad's Birthday Cake ceremony in the kitchen and quickly go to some camp ground in Arkansas where shirtless Dad and Dave Cook open Father's Day gifts. Not sure of the entire cast but Mom and Janet and Sherry are there with Sherry's first two kids, David and Daniel.
On to the 10 acres that mom and Dad bought on Bull Shoals Lake where Dad works to start clearing the land while mom patrols the grounds with her long nose 22 pistol.
Back to Downers Grove and a white Christmas at the Kovarik home and the Cook home.
1974 Brian successfully blew out all three birthday candles at one time. This is the first family movie where we see William, Ann and Skootz, Sherry, Dave, David, Daniel and, still on the hoof... Jeremy.
Very talented Janet did a great job negotiating the wake on both sides. Somewhere in the middle of this scene there was a wardrobe change. You will have to ask Janet what's up with that. Dad may have edited some footage.... just sayin. Janet may remember who was doing the movie and who was driving the boat. You don't see anyone else in this film clip... but there had to be at least two people in the boat.
