Old Mallory “Everest” Film Found in Tool Box

I find it more than hard to believe, but Expedition News is reporting in their latest newsletter that Bill Warren found a 1924 Everest film at a yardsale...and the film shows Mallory & Irvine reaching the summit of Everest! If true, I have no idea why Warren would have waited since 1991 to make his discovery public.

More than likely, the film is actually a copy of photographer and cinematographer John Noel's 1924 silent film Epic of Everest. Nonetheless, if it is indeed true, Mr. Warren got quite a deal with his $15.00 yardsale purchase!

(Read more about the Mystery of Mallory & Irvine at The MountainWorld Blog.)

Old Mallory “Everest” Film Found in Tool Box

In 1991 Bill Warren, at the time a 37-year-old adventurer and singer from Las Vegas, got lucky. He often frequented a Las Vegas swap meet looking for “deals” and on one lucky day he stopped at a vendor's space where he noticed a grey metal toolbox. He opened it up and inside saw five cans of 16mm films all marked on the outside labeling the contents. One in particular caught his eye. It had the words “Everest.” He paid the seller $15 and took the box home.

One week later Warren bought a used 16mm projector and began viewing each film. Turned out the Everest film was in excellent condition and was a complete production of George Mallory's climb to the summit of Everest in 1924. The approximately 15-min. film was, of course, silent and had subtitles.

Now Warren would like to sell the film. He was told by a producer at NOVA TV that it is rare and worth up to $50,000. He would take far less. Warren, who lives in San Diego County, is what you might call a colorful character. For years he was a professional gospel singer, and he says he has sung with Kathie Lee Gifford and Della Reese. He's also been a cruise-ship entertainer and TV producer, and names the late Frank Sinatra as "a friend." But perhaps his greatest love is finding and salvaging shipwrecks, a hobby since the early 70s that became his full-time avocation 15 years ago.

Still involved in expeditions, he has written two books on some of his adventures - one titled Shipwrecks of Great Abaco, Bahamas and the other Treasure Hunter. He is currently writing a book about an island full of guano he claims ownership of named Navassa, 90 miles south of Cuba, and of his suit against America over his ownership rights. He has run unsuccessfully twice for the U.S. Congress.

Warren says he has lead an expedition to Mauritius, Africa, where he found, after three years of research, an English East Indiaman with 17 chests of uncut Indian diamonds sitting in 21 feet of crystal clear water far from shore. Next project is a search for the lost Royal dinnerware located somewhere in the bottom of the Firth of Forth river in Scotland. It was originally made for Henry the Eighth and he has a letter from the Queen of England wishing him and his team good luck in finding it.

That Everest film could be a great bargain; with a chest of uncut Indian diamonds squirreled away, he probably doesn't need the money. But don't take our word for it. You can reach Warren directly at 760 731 4981 or Sirwilliam5333@aol.com.