In the early 1970s scientists discovered that there was a valley in the remote Andean foothills of Ecuador in which people lived extraordinarily long lives. Filmmaker Gene Ayres ventured alone into that country and those mountains carrying only a spring-loaded Bolex and a battery powered Uher tape deck in order to find out why. The resulting film was subsequently acquired by Time-Life Films and released through ABC as a half hour episode of the series "Other People, Other Places." As a footnote, this valley has now been 'discovered' and is becoming one of the hottest new retirement and health destinations in the world.—Gene Ayres