Henri Uyttenhove
Belgian-born fencing master Henri Uyttenhove first trained at, and then assumed the directorship of, the Belgian Normal School for Fencing. He ran that program for two years before emigrating to the United States and settling in Pasadena, CA. Over his many years in Southern California, he taught at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, the Pasadena Athletic Club, his own private studio in Pasadena, the Hollywood Athletic Club, USC and UCLA.
An exceptional coach, he trained a great number of Pacific Coast champions and Olympians, including Ralph Faulkner, Andrew Boyd, Fred Linkmeyer and Edward Carfagno.
READ MORE...In addition, beginning in 1916, he was the first fencing master credited as a fight choreographer in the Hollywood motion picture business.Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., a student of Uyttenhove, hired him as fight director for his famous swashbucklers including “The Three Musketeers” and “The Mark of Zorro”.
Articles
Mystery To Me
The mystery to me today is fencing master John Mckee from Southern California who trained hundreds and hundreds of fencers over decades. For all the people he taught and all the times he was in the paper, it’s his nature and character that I can’t get a handle on.
Connections
Andrew Boyd is a fencer I have wanted to know more about for quite some time now. His name appears regularly in tournament results dating back to the early 1930s and continued until the early 1960s.
The Historical Documents of Arthur Lane
The year now gone we knew as 2015 saw the passing of long-time fencer, fencing master, fencing club founder and all around gentleman, Arthur Lane.
A Man without Fear
Captain John Duff. In some circles, his name still resonates. He won the second ever 24 hours of Le Mans auto race and was known as one of “The Bentley Boys”
UC Berkeley, 1917
It’s fun to come across something that looks straightforward but winds up proving to be mysterious. At least in this case, I think it’s mysterious. I just hope it’s not mysterious for very long.
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