Did you know Al Bell?
Monday, January 29, 2007 at 04:16PM I always thought Al Bell had the best job in the world. When I was a little boy growing up on the prairie back in the 1950s and 60s, our small school would bring in an Al Bell Production once a year to give an "assembly" program. This is how I am guessing Mr. Bell made his living. Bell and his wife would take a very nice vacation somewhere exotic each summer. Now in small town Iowa circa 1960, "exotic" might have been interpreted a little differently than it is today. I remember some of the places Al traveled were Calgary in Canada, Mexico, Washington State, and Ireland. Anyway, the Bells would go to a place, take some slides, buy a native costume (the more outlandish the better), and couple music recordings. From these materials, he would spend an hour combining his slides, jokes, dancing, and a touch of mania on a stage in front of 500 delighted elementary school kids (and grateful teachers) in a gym or auditorium, in different schools every day throughout the school year. I'm guessing he charged maybe $50 a show, two shows a day. In the late 50's, working even 50 school days a year would have made him a rather nice income.
Does any one else remember Al Bell? I know he existed since I found reference to his programs in school histories on the web. I remember hearing that his home town may have been Menlo, Iowa. Let me know if you remember an Al Bell production - they always started with a ringing school bell.
I thought of Al Bell because I gave a short talk to my Kiwanis club today on my Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu last November. Heavy on slides, a little trivia (there is a depiction of the Last Supper in the Cuzco Cathedral where guinea pig is being served), and a straight account of the rigors of the hike. It was well received, and I thought, I've finally gotten my chance to be Al Bell!
Sometimes accomplishing the small goals are just as satisfying as accomplishing the big ones.
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Update: May 2008 Thanks so much for all the responses and memories shared. Keep them coming! This photo came to me via blog reader. She attached a Christmas photo of the Bells from about 1958. 
There has been a great interest shown in finding and preserving the films and memorabilia from Al Bell's school programs by those of us who fondly remember him and appreciate the influence he and his wife had on our lives. They infused some wanderlust in many an Iowa farm kid! At some time, I will approach Iowa Public Television or the Iowa Historical Society with the this blog entry and all the interest shown, and hope they will pick up the ball. It may not happen until I retire - a mere 9 years away! In the meantime, if you'd like to leave a comment, sharing you memories of the Bells and leaving information about how family members might be contacted, please do so. Doug
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Update: May 2008
Jim Calkins from West Branch Middle School is working on putting together a list of Bell's topics and schools at which he spoke. If have specific information about either of these things, please e-mail Jim at conn53victor (a) mchsi.com. Thanks!
Here are a some newspaper articles from Wright County and Estherville about Al's visits.
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Update: March 2010
Another Al Bell post here with a link to a Des Moines Register article about the Bells and a Facebook Fan page.
Update: August 2010
An Al Bell Film Festival, Sept 12, 2010 in Stuart, Iowa and a movement to restore his films!
Reader Comments (212)
Hi Kristin,
Thanks so much for the comment. Amazing how many people find this site and remember Mr. and Mrs Bell! I had no idea he was still around in the 70s.
I grew up in Sac City and we liked to take our dates to the Capri Theater in Lake City.
Keep traveling and thanks again for contributing.
Doug
I grew up in Dayton, Ia and remember Al Bell coming to our school every year. I was just watching a program about summer vacations in the 40's, 50's and 60's on the History Channel which made me think of Al Bell and so I Googled his name and found your Blog.Great stuff!!
My wife and I love to travel and have taken many trips to Europe. I know that I have the travel "bug' because of Al Bell and I know that whenever I travel I have to bring some unique souvenir from the country or area traveled. I know I learned this from Al Bell.
Thank God for people such as Al Bell that opened my eyes to places and cultures arouind the world other than rural Iowa.
It is great to find this post. I have searched Al Bell's name several times in the past 2 - 4 years and have never found a clue. I also would like to pursue where his materials are today. So, if anyone has some leads, I have some ideas. I am from Early, Iowa (Crestland) and now live in Portland, Oregon. My parents where avid photographers. I just converted some of my Dad's old movies from the 40's,50's and 60's to DVD. Al's had sound. I also think the public broadcasting might be an avenue. Please send me any leads and I am willing to pursue this to a degree.
I just came across an old postcard sent by Al Bell from Lima, Peru. The card is addressed to my junior high principal in Estherville, Iowa. The date is faded, but the card reads: "Dear Wilbur: Here we are deep in the Amazon jungle at a mission station 3 days by boat from the Linguistic Institute-filming the Shipibo Indians. Last night we recorded the incantations of a witch doctor at work-what an experience! Be sure to give my regards to Mr. Henshaw, Hammer, & Hilburn. -Al Bell"
I have such fond memories of his yearly school programs in the 50s & early 60s. For thousands of small-town Iowa kids, he certainly broadened our view of the world.
I grew up in Indianola, IA in the 1970's and I remember Al Bell very well. He came to our school when I was in second grade and presented a program about Transylvania with a vampire/Dracula theme. It was great! My mom remembers programs when she was in high school in the late 1950's in Guthrie Center, IA. It was great to find your blog. I have searched for information about Al Bell many times over the past few years but with no luck. Thanks for the info.
How poignant to know how many people my dad (and mom) influenced! My brother let my sister know about this website, and she called me a few days ago. She has been the primary keeper of their curios and costumes, but we certainly tried to get the Iowa Historical Society interested, to no avail. Years ago, I tried to get the Des Moines Register interested in a book I was writing about Daddy (for a serial-type feature), but no response. So, as you can imagine, my enthusiasm for the project waned. Nevertheless, it's encouraging to see that this very special man is not forgotten. Thanks,Doug
I LOVED Al Bell and his wife. I have very, very fond memories of them coming to entertain us at Nevada, IA. We looked forward to their assembly every year. I remember Al's very deep and loud voice and how he had our attention after his first word. I remember his wife and how she was usually in costume talking to us in her sweet little voice and introducing her husband. Oh, the adventures they must have shared! They always opened our eyes to the "far away" places we could just dream of. Heck, when I was in school in the late 60's and early 70's they could have been talking about a trip to Wisconsin and we would have been in awe! They were such a delight. I'm glad that I found this website. After listening to a speaker last week I thought I'd google "AL BELL" to see what came up. I think we should all let the Iowa Historical society know how important the Bells were to so many of us! Thanks for the memories and making me smile Doug....you could very well be the current day "Al Bell". The kids in school need someone like that to look up to!
Doug, this is so strange....we just got back from Peru and Machu Picchu yesterday! During our Peru trip we talked about memories of the Al Bell presentations at Allerton/Corydon (IA) schools. Everyone LOVED Al Bell and his wife! It was always the highlight of the school year! What a treasure they were! This is the first time I've ever Googled for Al Bell and to find out that you also went to Machu Picchu. It must have been amazing to hike the Inca Trail.....we only did a short distance from Machu Picchu.
Thanks for the Al Bell memories!!!
So nice to see others remember Al Bell's presentations as fondly as I do. Al Bell was indeed a highlight of our school year at Havelock (and Havelock-Plover high) school in the 50's and early 60's. I can't imagine the reasons the Iowa Historical Society and the Des Moines Register could have for NOT wanting his memorabilia! What a personality he had! He helped to open our farm kids' eyes to a whole world out there. Even our teachers were rapt during his travelogues. I would sure love to watch his films once again -- maybe PBS, local public TV, or the Travel Channel? Or just make it available on DVD for rent at Blockbuster, maybe? Or make a DVD available as a freebie included with a book about the Bells? Thanks for your website -- I tried to find info about Al Bell some time ago, but could find nothing -- so it's nice to know someone else remembers, too.
Well, it's a small world. I was doing some searching on my home town of Adel, Iowa and also thought of Al Bell and his wife. It was nice reading all the comments. I'm not alone when I say that his presentations were the highlight of our school year.
I can share a special memory. After high school I worked in Des Moines repairing audio/visual equipment at a company called Iowa Audio Visual. One day Al Bell comes walking back in the shop needing repair on a 16-mm projector. It was like seeing a celebrity, which he was to me! He came in a few times and I was able to talk with him a bit.
If any of his family checks in again, they should consider converting the 16-mm film to DVD. Film doesn't last forever. I think the best venue is for them to start a websight and post pictures, stories, and hopefully DVD's for sale. This can be a great way to archive the items (through digital photos and text) and share with his fans.
Thanks for the blog. I also have done a few Internet searches over the years without finding anything until now.
I loved reading this blog. Many of you are from towns that we used to play football against in high school. I went to Earlham Community. Al Bell was the high light of the year. I was just talking to my brother about him. My brother is a school teacher in Creston. What a small world. I live in Seattle now. Does anyone know what happened to Al and his wife?
I was so happy to have found this blog! Like everyone else here, I grew up in Iowa (went to HS in Albia) and while in elementary school in Lovilia, one of the annual highlights was the Al Bell Production! I was always mesmerized and thought that he and Mrs Bell had the most exciting life of travel! The experience and anticipation of their presentation has no doubt contributed to my own desire to travel, explore and sample other cultures.
My Google search for information on Al Bell was related to a recent trip to China. As we were walking around little villages and stumbling through conversations with the happy, smiling locals, I remarked to my family, "this is definitely an Al Bell experience"! My brother in law grew up in Illinois and had no idea what I was talking about! We, as Iowans, have been the recipients of a true gift through the Bell's and I would support any efforts to preserve their memorabilia, films, curios and artifacts! If the Bell family or anyone here has an interest in continuing to pursue efforts with the State of Iowa, I would be happy to join in your efforts. I am going to communicate with my classmates to stir up more memories!
All the best from Chicago!
Al Bell was the highlight of the year for us at De Soto (Iowa) Consolidated school as well. I can still recall the sound of his voice. The memories of the native costumes, the artifacts, the ringing bell at the start of the movie - priceless! This was late '50s and early '60s timeframe.
Hi - I grew up in Greene Iowa and I too remember Al Bell - I just mentioned him the other day to my kids (I now live in Illinois). Al Bell used to come to our school in the 1970s. I was in kindergarten in 1971-72 and I know he was there even a few years after that.
I was just telling my office mate about Al Bell...I LOVED Al Bell! I grew up in Jewell, Iowa and he came to our school (South Hamilton) every year. I can still picture him in those kooky costumes. I came across your blog when I Googled Al Bell. What I would give to see one more Al Bell presentation!
My wife and I will never forget Mr. and Mrs. Al Bell during our elementary years (late 60's and early 70's) at Dysart-Geneseo Elementary in Dysart, Iowa, and at Central Elementary in Nevada, Iowa. Their 16mm movie on a BIG reel always started with a ringing bell. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bell were dressed in a native costume and often welcomed us in a foreign language. We were so impressed with them! They need to be recognized as pioneers who brought cultural diversity to many rural schools in Iowa. Thanks to everyone for assisting us in reliving our elementary school days.
Al and his wife came to our schools in Spencer, I recall all the kids looking forward to the presentations. They were a mix of humor and facts that made learning fun. I think kids today would greatly benefit from something like this. I would like to learn more about AL Bell and what became of him
Hi. There are Al Bell fans on HeyIowa.com. He's missed.
grew up near gillett grove & webb iowa, he visited our schools too.i remember him still coming in the mid 70's
I am from Fayette and my husband is from Iowa Falls. We both remember Al Bell assemblies from the late 60's and early 70's. My mother was a teacher and remembers having to collect a dime from each of her students before they could go to the assembly. The money was used by the school to fund the show.