USC FENCING
Henry J. Uyttenhove
        Henry J. Uyttenhove, Belgian fencing champion, graduated from Belgium's famous Military Institute of Physical Education and Fencing. The USC Yearbook from 1937 describes Uyttenhove, saying "before coming to S.C., Uyttenhove was head professor of the Institute Of Fencing in Brussells, Belgium. He was for many years one of the best duelists in Europe and never placed worse than third in a national or international contest." An article describing a tournament in November, 1905 at Pierre Vigny's New School of Self-Defence and Fencing Academy in London reads, "Foil play found admirable representation at the hands of Professor H. Uyttenhove, Assistant at Bertrand's Fencing Academy, and Professor Pontnau, at McPherson's Academy in Sloane Street, in which after a very brilliant bout, the victory went to the Belgian, H. Uyttenhove." Soon after, Uyttenhove traveled to the United States, where he took a coaching position at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.
        After meeting USC President Rufus B. von KleinSmid, a regular member of the L.A.A.C., Uyttenhove took another coaching position at USC and in 1926 the USC fencing team was born. Uyttenhove remained at USC for over 15 years, leaving his position in 1942. In her 1930 treatise "The Book of Fencing," Eleanor Baldwin Cass writes "The most prominent and successful among professionals in Southern California is Prof. H. J. Uyttenhove, the coach of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, who also handles the fencing at the University of Southern California and the Marlborough School for Girls." His excellence in teaching can be seen in his work, "Foil Fencing: Syllabus for Physical Education" published in 1941.
        Uyttenhove's legacy to fencing lives on in the various films in which he worked as fencing consultant. He was hired by Douglas Fairbanks in 1920 to train Fairbanks for the role in "The Mark of Zorro." He would advise and train in "The Three Musketeers" (1921), "The Prisoner of Zenda" (1922), "To Have and to Hold" (1922), "Robin Hood" (1922), "Trifling Women" (1922), "Monte Cristo" (1922), "Rupert of Hentzan" (1923), "Scaramouche" (1923) and "Peter Pan" (1924).
Lewis Stone fights Stuart Holmes in "The Prisoner of Zenda" - 1922
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