Podcast: The Movietone Years – episode thirty three

“Movietone cameraman Dick Harris”

This week’s podcast concerns Dick Harris, a Movietone cameraman who had also worked for Topical Budget and the Warwick Bioscope Chronicle.

Filming the Watney Cup

In the early seventies, I had been making small films for Watney Mann, when they asked me if I could film their football tournament, The Watney Cup.  This was an intriguing tournament which consisted of eight teams.

The first two teams were the highest placed First Division teams that had not qualified for any European tournament.  The third and fourth teams came from the Second Division and were the teams that had come third and fourth  The fifth and sixth teams came from the Third  Divisions and were in third and fourth place.  The last two teams were the third and fourth teams in the Fourth Division.

Podcast: The Movietone Years – episode thirty two

“Movietone cameraman Norman Fisher”

Previous podcasts have been about my experiences at British Movietone News, the events and the staff, from now on the remaining episodes will concentrate on some of my Movietone colleagues, the first of these is about cameraman Norman Fisher.

Cameraman tales: Ed Vankan – Stanleyville massacre 1964

In the early sixties, Ed Vankan was a UPMT/UPIN cameraman.  He was sent to the former Belgian Congo to cover the fighting between Belgian forces, Congolese political groups and mercenaries who attached themselves to all sides.  While in the area, he contributed written reports to UPI.  One can only assume that he wrote his report during a lull in the fighting, if there was one.

The Movietone Years Podcast – recap

After thirty one episodes of “The Movietone Years” podcast, we’re having a break for a week.  All episodes so far have been my recollections of British Movietone News from the time I arrived in October 1945 until leaving for Australia in 1956 and from my return in 1961 until leaving for UPITN, as Assignments manager.

Cameraman tales: Anon – Salisbury

Our anonymous cameraman was first of all a freelance cameraman based in the west country and working for UPIN.  When UDI was declared in Rhodesia (Now Zimbabwe) in November 1965, he was taken on staff and posted to Salisbury (now Harare) with an Auricon Sound camera and an Arriflex “silent” camera.

He was set up there with accommodation and a car.  When needed, he was to find his own sound man locally where there was a sizeable film unit.

Podcast: The Movietone Years – episode thirty one

“Fifteen assignments a day”

When I joined British Movietone News, for a second time, in early 1961, the work was quite leisurely, by 1963, however, there was far more workload as a result of many more clients, that took some getting used to.

Colleagues: Victor Mardon – Movietone

Victor Mardon first joined Pathe at the age of 21 in 1921.  Movietone produced the first sound newsreel in 1929 and in the following year, Victor joined them as an engineer working out of a workshop in Conway Street, close to Fitzroy Square.

Victor Mardon was a brilliant engineer and proved that he was, on more than one occasion, during his long career with the company.

Podcast: The Movietone Years – episode thirty

“The Beatles come home”

On February 22nd 1964, the Beatles returned from their famous tour of the United States, I assigned the crews at Heathrow that day. This week’s podcast tells of getting permission to use the Beatles’ music on the story for Movietone.

Mrs Thatcher visits Foley Street

In the early eighties, UPITN, who had been housed within ITN House since 1969, moved round the corner into Foley Street where they had much more room.  I had been based in the building since 1979 as Head of Commercial Productions, where I had an office together with the accounts department of UPITN.  In 1982, the building was renovated and internally re-designed to take in the rest of the UPITN staff.