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).
Image at left: Lewis Stone fights Stuart Holmes in "The Prisoner of Zenda" - 1922