Big Picture: Ottumwa, U.S.A.

Big Picture: Ottumwa, U.S.A. - National Archives and Records Administration - ARC Identifier 2569655 / Local Identifier 111-TV-387 - DVD Copied by Katie Filbert - Department of Defense. Department of the Army. Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. U.S. Army Audiovisual Center. (ca. 1974 - 05/15/1984). American way of life portrayed on Army's television series, "THE BIG PICTURE" -- In Ottumwa, Iowa, THE BIG PICTURE cameras have found a living example of the way of life and the true form of liberty of the American people. "Ottumwa, U.S.A." is touchingly poignant in its exploration of the priceless heritage which is the American way of life. This is a visual record of Ottumwa at work, its youth, its schools, and its religious institutions. It is first the story of a city, and second, the story of the Army's involvement with a city. This is a different kind of story than is usually released in THE BIG PICTURE television series. From its opening scene, the film grows in its appeal to capture the charm and warmth of a Midwestern community. Around the meaning of freedom and liberty, writers Reginald Wells and Harry Middleton, and producer Ben Stelson constructed a succession of moods that reflect enormous style and imagination. There are hundreds of communities across the broad face of the nation that reflect the image of Ottumwa, Iowa... typical citadel of the American way of life.

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Education

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[Icetitan777]

@Rugulah1 funny i never said Al was from Iowa, just said is that him? i know he's from Minnesota, but doesnt that look like him? i am from Ottumwa btw.

[Rugulah1]

@Icetitan777 Franken (check the spelling) is from Minnesota. Ottumwa is in Iowa. They are different.

[Rugulah1]

@JimHadar1 The city of Ottumwa appeared in the original novel M*A*S*H from which the movie and television series as taken. The TV show made it seem like a tiny farm town, but it was an industrial town of 32,000 people when both show and movie were set. It didn't lose population until after the 1970s when several major industries (including the meat packing plant and the John Deere factory) either shut down or became smaller.

[Rugulah1]

I was born and raised in Ottumwa starting just a couple of years after this was filmed. I remember watching The Big Picture after school, but I didn't know they'd done an episode about my home town. I moved away for college and work right after high school. Ottumwa has gone down hill a lot in the last 40 years but is was a great place to be a kid. I used to go horseback riding at a friend's farm, just as we saw here. Downtown thrived but lake many places, it's fallen on hard times, sad to say.

[2ccyyrruuss]

I was born there (1950). Lived there for 19 years, then was drafted. The downtown really died when places like Arlans, Target etc. moved in. Then the city council decides to pave over main street to make it more like the one stop shop, what a mistake that was .. Then Bookin's, Woolworth's, Kresge's etc left. It was a ghost town. Then John Morrell's moved out, John Deere cut back then things really fell apart. It's to bad, but these things happen. I loved growing up there.

[MrLane60]

I am 51 and have lived in Ottumwa all my like, have many fond memories of here but Politics,influx of to many imigrants, thanks to Cargil(and they know it but dont care), WalMart(always ruins any downtown buisnesses when they move in) and the lack of caring about our town added with greed has caused it to fall into decline.

Gone are the days of Neighborhood block parties,neighbors always in contact,plenty of things for kids to do and Police Force that was helpful instead of making money.

[rdsrds1000]

Oh how it has changed,In 1950 there was probally 3 mexicans,now there is 3000 lol.Ottumwa aint bad just all the houses are old and fallin apart,it looks real bad in the winter.

[Icetitan777]

1:01 is that Al Frankin the communist?

[theonebumm]

For those people who like to say they live in Ottumwa and it is a hole, please remember that it is the people that make a town. If you live there and you think it is a hole it is only because YOU made it that way. There are those who remember a great Ottumwa, and want to see it great again. So, step up or shut up.

[electraofpleiades]

My sister Pam (Conger)(Payne) Kloppenburg is the dark headed girl clapping at the ball field. She remembers being in a Big Picture but never saw it. Imagine our surprise when seeing her tonight. Sandy Campbell is the girl to the right. Her father was a detective on the railroad. Anyone knowing her whereabout have her contact Pam on fb. Thanks.