The River Goddesses

THE RIVER GODDESSES (1952)
additional photos

A WARNING

Readers need to keep in mind that the images on this page are not necessarily still photographs of scenes that occur in the film, River Goddesses, which has been lost completely. However, all of the photos presented here were taken by Dave Sutton, the photographer who shot all of the footage used in the film, and also acted as still photographer on the trip down the Colorado River in Glen Canyon during which the film was shot. These photos are included here merely to help readers visualise what the film might have be like. Some of these scenes may have appeared in the film, but they may not. I hope one day we will get a chance to find out.


• This photo shows Irish McCalla and Lee Moi Chu obtaining refreshments from an unidentified boatman. The fact that his boat appears to be a speedboat suggests he was contracted to deliver supplies to the party.	• This image shows a peaceful early morning scene as the starlets have breakfast in one of the cataract boats. The bright morning light is what suggests the time of day. From left to right they are: Irene Hettinga, Lee Moi Chu, Georgie White, Irish McCalla, Martha Moody and Becky Barnes. Note the shadows of Dave Sutton taking the photo, and a passing bird, in the bottom left.



• The posed photograph above is of Georgie White acting as boatman while Jim Rigg rows one of the cataract boats. The cataract boat could have been rowed by one person in calm water but may have needed two in the rapids. Irene Hettinga (left) and Irish McCalla (right) decorate the bow of the boat.	• This is another photo in the "laundry day" sequence that featured prominently in glamour magazines at the time. Left to right is Irish McCalla, Georgie White and Irene Hettinga.



• This wonderful photo shows Irish McCalla (left) and Irene Hettinga (right) clowning around with a billy goat they encountered somewhere on the trip. Hettinga's pose, inviting a charge by presenting her derriere, is hilarious. It is also nice to see Irish laughing so riotously. This photo suggests the girls had a lot of fun together.	• This is the only photo I have seen taken at night time around the camp fire. Again, it features Irish McCalla and Irene Hettinga, who Sutton seems to have preferred together.



• Another "laundry day" photo, this time with Irish McCalla washing her hair. Georgie White is on the left, Lee Moi Chu is on the right, and Irene Hettinga is in the lower left.	• Another posed photo emphasising Georgie White's adventurousness. From left to right, Irene Hettinga holds Irish McCalla, who holds Becky Barnes, who holds Georgie White inspecting the gorge. Looking on are Lee Moi Chu and Martha Moody.

IMAGES (all from my private collection)
• The following photos are all from the article, Six Girls Against the Colorado, Look magazine, 8 May 1951 - Irish McCalla drinking, with Lee Moi Chu; the photo of the starlets eating breakfast;the photo of Irish McCalla and Irene Hettinga beside the camp fire; the photo of Irish McCalla washing her hair; and the photo of the starlets horsing around on the edge of a canyon
• The photo of Georgie White, Jim Rigg, Irene Hettinga and Irish McCalla in a cataract boat is from Woman of the River - Georgie White Clark, White-Water Pioneer by Richard E Westwood, Utah State University Press, 1997
• The photo of Irish McCalla, Georgie White and Irene Hettinga doing laundry is from Night and Day magazine, Dec 53
• The photo of Irish McCalla and Irene Hettinga horsing around with a billy goat is from Laff magazine, Apr 51

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