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)
Al Bell visited Alden, Iowa, School often ( I attended 1955-1968). I remember the time that Al went to the darkest reaches of... New York City. He interacted with gangs. He related the story of a youth telling him about stabbing someone who bled like a stuck chicken.
So I google-stalked Al Bell. I have pdf's of news articles from most of his years of assemblies. Here's my chart of his assemblies. It might have errors, but it is pretty close. Some of the articles were written by high school journalists, so spelling and details were sketchy.
1947 Hosts school talent show as Happy Al Bell
1948
1949 "Along the Alcan" Alaska & Canada
1950 Sons of Scandanavia
1951 ""Tropic Sons" Central America
1952 Sons of Gaspe (Canada/Nova Scotia)
1953 "Sons of the Indies" West Indies
1954 Ireland
1955 Canada
1956 Austria
1957 Okefenokee Swamps (Georgia)
1958 Sons of Hawaii
1959 New York City
1960 Peru
1961 Alaska
1962 Morocco
1963 Newfoundland
1964 "Sons of Shipipo" (Peru)
1965 Sons of Fabulous Florida
1966 "Sons of the Holy Lands"
1967 Scotland
1968 "Sons of Portugal"
1969 Kenya
1970 Greece
1971 Hong Kong
1972 "Sons of Galapagos" (Islands of the Pacific)
1973 "Sons of Romania"
1974 "Sons of Navaho"
1975 Holland
1976 Spain
1977 Sons of Egypt
1978 South American Jungle?
1979 ?
1980 Africa (Al toured with Warren Grant who seemed to take over)
If someone knows how, we could start a map of schools that Al visited. The best version would also include a way to list probable years of those visits. Combined with my almost accurate table of Al's topics, people should be able to track the years they remember. I so remember the 1959-60 visit about New York City, so I know he came to Alden, Iowa, school that year.
Also, how many of us who remember Al are teachers? I bet it's a high percentage.
Oh those where the days!!!!!!!!!! I remember AL Bell and his wife coming to our school (Havelock - Plover Comm. Schools) in the early to late 70's, these shows where always full of wonderful tidbits from far flung parts of the world small town Iowa kids like us would never have gotten to know if not for peole like the Bells. I can't tell you for sure when they stopped coming around but it had to be ........ maybe 77,78 or 79, know we went k-5 in PLover then moved to Havelock for 6-12 and I graduated in '84, so ......... and I remember seeing a few of AL Bells shows in the gym in Havelock so that woulda been after I/we entered 6th grade on up. If someone sets up a website where we can access some all or any of their materials I would love it if someone passed on the link to me. I hope this brings back fond memories for others as it has me. Dan
I thought about Al Bell off and on all day today and couldn't wait to get home and search. The most asked question, in my class, on the first school day each year was,"When is Al Bell coming?" When I was younger, I assumed he, like Santa Claus, visited everywhere, every year.
I grew up in Des Moines and for a time the Bells lived across the street and two doors down from our house. Allen Jr. (Butch) and I were best friiends in the 40s. Al Bell was then an announcer on WHO radio and worked a spilt shift. He would come home at noon, eat lunch and take a nap before returning the for evening announcing. Back then, WHO had a two hour "Iowa Barn Dance Frolic" on Saturday night. The station staff all doubled in brass singing, playing instruments and doing other routines. Sometimes i would go with Butch his sister Rhea and Mrs Bell to the Shrine Auditorium to watch the show. Around 1946 Al started doing 16mm filming. I remember there was a flood in DM and Butch and i were in the back seat of their Plymoth while Mrs. Bell was at the wheel and Al sat on the hood filming a newsreel while we drove down Fleur Drive through the flood waters of the Racoon River. I lost track of the family when they moved to Ames. He used to do travelogues at the Hoyt Sherman Place in Des Moines. I often wondered what became of Allen (Butch) and his sisters. If any of the children read this, please contact me.
I started Hedrick Community School in kindergarten, about 1960. I remember each year when the teacher would announce that Al Bell would be coming. Wow! Al Bell! Looking back, I suppose that's where I got my itch to travel. So far have been to many countries in Europe and South America. I'd love to see the slides and or film transferred to new media. What a wonderful look back that would be, at the world 50 years ago! If any of these comments reach the Bells, then I would like to say, Thanks from a school kid from Hedrick Iowa. - Dan Johnson
I attended East Greene Elementary School in Rippey, Iowa during the mid-70s and remember Al Bell coming 2 or 3 different times. He was absolutely fantastic and made the world seem so big and so small at the same time...
I don't know what made me think of this, but a few sleepless nights ago, thinking back to my grade school days, I happened to recall some guy that would come to present school assemblies at Grundy Center, IA in the 1970s, and his name was Al Bell.
Each student had to each bring a quarter to pay for his programs, which I remember as being rather long and (sorry, Al) rambling, but that probably had less to do with his presentation skills than with this preacher's daughter's disdain for sitting on the gym/lunchroom floor, and my inability to imagine a world beyond the confines of my tiny Iowa town at the time.
It's a sad statement on our society that such programs would likely fail to hold the interest of kids today, isn't it?
What a delight to google "Al Bell" today, and find your site. Somewhere in the exotic beyond, I'll bet Al & the Missus are smiling at the thought that we all remember them still!
I mentioned Al Bell to my family at Sunday dinner yesterday and thought I'd Google him. That's how I found your posting. Waht a pleasure to see that All is fondly remembered by so many and that he inspired all of us to see places far and wide. I don't know if anyone mentioned this (I didn't read all the responses to your posting) but I also remember Al giving out "Al Bell" dollars to the kids who would help him carry his things into the school. Gosh I wanted one of those, but don't think I ever got one! Thanks for the fun time of reminiscing.
Wow! What fun! Yes, I totally remember Al Bell. He was my hero in elem school and offered the assembly I looked forward to the most! His elephant foot, live snakes and all the exotic stories had me hooked. What a gift that we were exposed to such a wide variety of cultures and people, beyond our little Dutch berg of Sioux County. Thanks John for the "forward" and Doug for this site. What great memories!
As a kid growing up in Iowa there were a few things that you waited for all year. One was Christmas, Summer and Al Bell.
I think we all had similar experiences when it came to seeing Al Bell at our school. I went to school in Arnolds Park and in the early 70's I was out of school and was managing the Central Emporium. I got a call from Mrs. Bell and she wanted to lease retail space for the summer. I had never met Al or his wife but saw all their shows, so I went to the mall to show them a space. For me it was like meeting John Wayne. I ended up leasing them a small store location. They had a Kachina doll collection that they displayed in the store. They sold other newer American Indian dolls and gift items. I don't think most people even knew it was owned by the Bells. They had the space for several years. The neatest thing was getting to know them. They were both very nice but I remember her having the business head. Al had that great humor and sense of timing but wasn't in the store that much. He liked staying at the cottage, which they had on West Lake Okoboji for several years in the 1970's. Thanks for giving us the chance to remember.
Just found this post while I was googling Al Bell. I lived in tiny little Crystal Lake, Iowa until I was in 3rd grade. I remember the Al Bell films. I always thought it was one of the highlights of our school year!!
Boy do I remember Al Bell. My wife and I both grew up in Lenox, IA in the 60s-early 70s. I am writing a book of short stories about the farm and living in a small town and thought about a short bit on Bell's assemblies. What a hoot to find so many others have such good memories. I also remember him showing movies. My all time fav was when he journeyed up the Amazon and (among other things) brought back a shrunken head then proceed to explain in great detail how it was done. he was a bit Speilberg, Indiana Jones, and your favorite slightly weird uncle all rolled into one.
I loved Al Bell and his wife! I attended Beaman, Conrad, Liscomb school district. It was the BEST day of the school year. My friend is home schooling her daughter, and I told her I would gladly help her.....I would play the part of Al Bell!!
I remember Al Bell....Spirit Lake Elementary Auditorium...what a great old place it was. Man, Al Bell...have not thought of him in years the comment "I remember Al Bell" on a Facebook page of an old classmate tweaked an old memory. Upon googling the web, I was led to this sight. Thanks to all for making comments and rekindling fond memories....
It has been great reading all these posts. I remember Al Bell and his show coming to Fonda Community School during the mid 60's when I was in grade school. I especially remember they put on a show about Germany/Bavaria. They would speak in German and then translate into English. They had slides and even video of the places they visited and would name and describe those places. I distinctly remember Al wearing lederhosen and Mrs. Bell in her traditional dress as they danced to traditional music played on a phonograph. They would also play traditional musical instruments they had brought back, etc. and the list goes on. What a treat they were and are definitely of historical significance in the state of Iowa. If there was any one who may have been instrumental in my wish to travel, it was Al Bell. I don't remember a Ford Country Squire wagon, but I do remember a very nice camper being parked in the school yard. Any you're right, Al Bell was "The Wonderful World of Disney" and "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom" all rolled into one, all the way live. Those were the days.
Doug,
I just happened to google Al Bell and came across your blog site. I grew up in Dexter, Iowa and definately remember Al Bel and his wife on the yearly tour of the schools. I graduated in 1966, and he definately got me interested in traveling a little. I spent 24 years in the Air Force and on one trip home talked with Warren Grant who actually continued the AL Bell show when Al was no longer able to continue, as per Jim Calkins. I do not know how long he carried on, but searched for him and located him in Grinnell, IA. You might contact him and find out if he has more information on AL. Of course if the Iowa Historical people are interested in an exibit on Al Bell, they should also get some information on Warren also.
Dick Johnson
I joined the Facebook Fan page for Al Bell and was directed to this Blog. I remember Al Bell assemblies from my elementary and jr. high school days in Eldora, Iowa from 1970-1978. I am very interested in joining up in a project to do something with the films.
LOVED Al Bell .. I was just Facebooking a status about him and I found your post ... what a great memory growning up ... RIP Al ... or have a great trip whereever you went :>) Come back and tell us about it if you get a chance ..