The British Film Catalogue

Volume 2

NON-FICTION FILM, 1888-1994

The British Film Catalogue

Volume 2

Denis Gifford

NON-FICTION FILM, 1888-1994 First published 2000 by Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers

This edition first published in the UK and USA 2001

Published 2019 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN 52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

Copyright C!c') Denis Gifford 2000

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

Editor: Claire Chandler

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

A Cataloging-in-Publication record for this book is available from the Library of Congress

Typeset by Tradespools Ltd, Frome, Somerset

Cover designed by Sign

ISBN 13: 978-1-57958-200-5 (hbk) FOR FITZ and Pandora Jane

They would have loved each other.

CONTENTS

page Preface ix How to Use the Catalogue xi Abbreviations and Other Indicators xv Denis Gif ford, 1927-2000 xviii The British Film Catalogue: Non-Fiction Film, 1888-1994 1

Index 541

PREFACE

This is the first attempt to compile a catalogue of every American trade weekly Variety was left reviewing the British non-fiction film produced primarily for cinema occasional British film in this genre. The annual British showings since the invention of cinematography. It forms a National Film Catalogue, a vital source for British non-fiction companion to my British Film Catalogue of fiction (en­ films when it started in 1963, included few film entries by tertainment) films, first published in 1973 (covering the years 1985. It changed its title to include the words and Video to 1895-1970), updated in a new edition in 1986 (covering the suit its contents, which, by the end of its run (1991), were years up to 1985), and now revised, updated to the end of virtually all available on video cassette only. 1994, and published in a third edition by Fitzroy Dearborn Quite a number of registered British films have had to be alongside this volume. Between them, the two volumes left out of this catalogue as the original Board of Trade catalogue virtually the entire history of over one hundred definition included Empire-made subjects that had no years of British films, separated into the two main lines of connection with British film-makers at all. Thus 'British'- cinema, fact and fiction. The third line, the animated film, registered productions of the 1930s from Australia, Canada, was dealt with in my catalogue British Animated Films, New Zealand, and India are not listed. There was also an 1895-1985, published only in the United States by McFar- 'Exempt' category for newsreel and compilation films made land (1987). from early material, about which nothing could be found. This volume has been particularly difficult to assemble. However, first editions of British newsreels, normally weekly Although every available company catalogue has been or twice-weekly releases, are included where found. This is scoured for the silent years, there are many catalogues that because many of the early factual and topical items, released have not survived. A few, fortunately, found their way into as individual films in the pre-newsreel age, became items in the official copyright deposits, but this was not a requirement the newsreels after this type of cinema was invented. by law as the books or pamphlets were not produced for My original plan was to include only those non-fiction public sale, only for information restricted to the trade. films that were shown in cinemas. This meant that the However, thanks to the National Film and Television dominant format had to be the standard 35mm film. Thus Archive, to the British Film Institute's National Library 16mm films ('substandard', as the format was known) made (where the main research for this volume was conducted, as for travelling shows, schools, church hall shows, etc., have well as the British Library Newspaper Library), and to fellow not been included for the greater part of the catalogue. ephemera collectors, I have been able to see many of these However, as cinema reached its centenary, non-fiction films catalogues that otherwise would have been lost for ever. seem increasingly to have been shot on 16mm stock, so these Another major difficulty was deciding which films to films have been included in the later years covered by the include, as 'British' films were not always the main selling catalogue to illustrate the sharp decline in cinema production. point. It was not until the passing of the Cinematograph Films produced purely for television or video release are not Films Act of 1927 (the 'Quota Act') that registration of title included. and footage information by British companies was made a The definition of 'non-fiction' may seem superficially legal requirement by the Board of Trade (BOT; later the simple, but in fact has had to be interpreted more widely than Department of Trade and Industry - DTI, then Department expected. This was done chiefly to embrace in their period all of Trade - DOT, and now once more the DTI). Even this the official, dramatised films produced during times of war, suddenly ceased at midnight on 25 May 1985 with the usually under the aegis of the Ministry of Information (MOI; introduction of the Films Act 1985, leaving British films (of later Central Office of Information - COI). all kinds) without any official reason for their production. The basic arrangement of the catalogue is chronological so The decline in non-fiction was rapid. The Monthly Film that it may be read through, in whole or in part, to give a Bulletin, which began as a review magazine for the clear picture of the development of cinema film production. educational and informational film in 1934, was duly An alphabetical index of film titles is provided for those who dominated by the entertainment film, and finally disappeared know what film they are looking for. Finally, may I as a publication in its own right after dispensing with recommend that the reader initially studies the section virtually all short film reviews, and even its version of the 'How to Use the Catalogue', which should add considerably Board of Trade Registration Lists. The trade press, down to to the enjoyment of the book. the single weekly Screen International, also abandoned its reviews of non-fiction and short films, until finally, only the Denis Gifford

IX

HOW TO USE THE CATALOGUE

This catalogue is divided into years. Films are arranged suit from the start of 1962, and there is a note to this effect in chronologically in order of first advertisement, review, or the catalogue. To obtain running-times from footages, note exhibition from 1888 to the end of 1994, with each year that the earliest films ran at approximately one foot (16 starting on a new page. The year featured is printed at the top frames) per second. This speed rose during the 1920s until late inside edge of each page. Within each year, entries are arranged silent films were almost matching the new speed required by in date order according to day and month or just month. sound films of 1.5 feet (24 frames) per second. The only To find information on a particular film, whether short or alternative speed was that required by films made in the feature length, silent or sound, locate the title in the Kinemacolor system (red and green record frames), which ran alphabetical title index at the back of the book. Immediately at twice the normal speed, i.e. 32 frames per second, through preceding the title is the catalogue number of the film. The special projectors. The published Kinemacolor lengths have position of a film in the book can be found by checking the been halved in this catalogue to give a correct comparison with catalogue number at the top outside edge of each page. Every 'normal' films of the period. Mutoscope and Biograph films entry has been assigned a catalogue number purely for the were designed to be run at 24 frames per second, 50 per cent purpose of finding a specific title using the index; the numbers faster than normal for the time, and their footages, compared run consecutively throughout the volume, starting at 00001 to other companies' films in the same years, reflect this. for the earliest film in the book. Where films are issued in Where footage is given in rounded hundreds or thousands series, each episode title has the same catalogue number as the (500, 1000, 2000, etc.), this should be taken as an series title, but is followed by a progressive decimal point. See approximate figure, as more accurate footage cannot be the paragraph on 'Series' below. traced. One thousand feet is the accepted standard length of one reel of film. INFORMATION As much information as could be discovered from available Censor's Certificate published sources (see 'Review Sources' in the 'Abbreviations This information is given, where known, for films passed by the and Other Indicators' section) is given for each film, British Board of Film Censors since the BBFC came into being information on early films being naturally less than with on 1 January 1913. The type of certificate awarded is shown in more recent productions. However, a good deal of 'new' parentheses immediately following the film's length. New information has been uncovered and is published here for the censorship categories were introduced in 1983. The British first time. The elements that constitute a perfect catalogue Board of Film Censors changed its name to the British Board of entry appear in the following order, but it should be borne in Film Classification in 1985. For explanation of all categories mind that a great many entries will contain only some of these see the section 'Abbreviations and Other Indicators'. elements.

Year Silent or Sound Experiments with synchronised sound began in the early days Films are listed chronologically by year and then by day and of film production. Actors were photographed miming to month (or by month only if a more precise date cannot be gramophone records and, later, attempts were made to add determined) according to the criteria explained under the sound to non-fiction films, too. heading 'Date' below. The main entries to the catalogue are divided into two parts, silent films and sound films. The division is made Title between December 1929 and January 1930. Before January The main title given in bold capitals for each film is the 1930, all films catalogued are classed as silent, except where original title used at the first showing of the film. It is the word sound is shown following the title, length, and followed by any subsequent change of title in the English certificate. language (in capitals, in this order): an alternative title in After December 1929, all films catalogued are classed as contemporary listings (preceded by also); a change of title for sound films, except where the word silent follows the title, public showing or release (retitled); a change of title for length, and certificate. American distribution (USA); or a change of title for later Where a sound film was produced in more than one revival or reissue (reissue). See also the paragraph below language version, note is made following title, length, and entitled 'Reissue'. certificate by the words bilingual (meaning a film made in two language versions), trilingual (film made in three Length language versions), or multilingual (film made in more than three language versions). The length of each film is given in parentheses immediately following the main title of the film. For more than half the catalogue this is actual footage and is taken from advertised Colour Systems information (or adapted from it where necessary) or, later, The name of any colour system used in the film, either from Board of Trade Registered Lists. In 1961, the BOT throughout or in sequences, is noted next in lower-case italic started to indicate running-times in minutes; I have followed type. Examples are tech for Technicolor and eastman for

XI How To Use the Catalogue

Eastman Colour. See the section 'Abbreviations and Other serious researchers as it enables them to trace back, via Indicators' for the full list of abbreviated forms for colour library sources, to the original contemporary information systems. The word colour is used where the colour system is first mentioning each film. unknown or unnamed. The exception is the special case of Kinemacolor films. Production Company These are listed separately each year (1908-15), at the end of the general chronological listing, both for ease of research The name of each film's production company is given after a and because they were not part of ordinary cinema line's space beneath the date and source information. The programmes as they required specially installed projectors. words 'Films', 'Productions', 'Producing Company', etc., have usually been eliminated. Some companies are given in abbreviated or initial form; full names of these will be found Gauges, Wide-Screen Processes, and in the section 'Abbreviations and Other Indicators'. In the Stereoscopy case of co-productions, names of companies are separated by The basic photographic gauge for cinema films is 35 mm. an oblique stroke. Films made on a so-called 'substandard' gauge (i.e. 16mm, 8mm, etc.) are largely excluded from this catalogue as they Distribution Company were not normally shown in public cinemas. A few 16mm The name of each film's distributor is given, usually in films are included where special 35mm prints were made of shortened or abbreviated form (for details, see 'Abbrevia­ them for theatrical release. These are noted as 16 mm. tions and Other Indicators'), in parentheses immediately Most of the sound films listed were photographed in following the production company. Included here as dis­ standard Academy ratio until the introduction of anamorphic tributors are such early variants as Publisher, Agent, Selling wide-screen processes such as CinemaScope. Information on Agent, and Renter. In some cases, the distributor may also be films made using CinemaScope, shown by scope, and other the sponsor of the production. Where no separate distribu­ processes for wide-screen cinematography is indicated in tor's name appears, the production company is also the italic type following the colour system and is separated from distributor. it by an oblique stroke. See the section 'Abbreviations and Other Indicators' for a list of abbreviated forms. Films photographed (but not necessarily exhibited) in Credits stereoscopic processes, which from a practical commercial Production credits appear beneath the information on point of view started in 1951, are noted as 3D. production and distribution companies. Fewer credits are obviously available for early films than for those from Reissue the later period. Those used may be any combination of the following and appear in abbreviated form in the order Note is made where a film has been reissued or re-released listed: some time after its original release. After the word reissue, the year or years are given, followed by any change of title and, in xp Executive Producer parentheses, any change of distributor, length, or running- p Producer time. ap Associate Producer / Production Associate d Director Date s Story /Original Story/Source Films are listed chronologically in order of their initial SC Screenplay / Story Adaptation exhibition. This is decided in one of several ways: by date of ph Photographer / Cinematographer first advertisement, first review, notice, or listing in con­ e Editor temporary publications; by date of first trade show; from m Music/Original Music 1913 by date of showing to the British Board of Film Censors; md Musical Director / Musical Arranger by date of compulsory registration with the Board of Trade a Animator (from January 1928); by date of completion in the case of art Art Director/Designer films unshown at the time this catalogue was initially c Commentary Speaker / Narrator compiled (1995). Where several alternative dates exist, the V Voice(s) earliest is used. Descriptions of each credit are given below. Where Date information is given on a new line beneath the film possible, personal names - in both the production credits title, condensed to month (abbreviated) and day (in numer­ and the cast lists - have been standardised in accordance with als). Films that have exact dates precede those films that are the British Film Institute's filmographie database (SIFT). catalogued by month only. Where different review sources have the same date, films are listed according to the alphabetical order of source abbreviations (see next para­ Producer graph). Where no precise date can be ascertained a film is The name of the film's producer is given following the either included at a deduced date with '(?)' next to the month, abbreviation p. Where an Executive Producer exists, his/her or is listed at the end of the year. name precedes that of the producer, as xp. Any Associate Producer's name follows the abbreviation ap, listed after the Review and Other Sources producer. The date of most films is obtained from a published review, advertisement, trade catalogue, or theatre programme. The Director source is indicated, usually in abbreviated form, in parenth­ The name of the film's director is given following the eses after the date (see 'Abbreviations and Other Indicators' abbreviation d. The earliest film directors were called Stage for a full list). This is perhaps the most single useful item for Managers; later in the silent era they were usually known as

XII How To Use the Catalogue

Producers. The American term Director did not come into Voice(s) general use in Britain until the 1920s. To avoid confusion, The abbreviation v for voice(s) covers all off-screen words only the term Director is used in this catalogue, but historians spoken by unseen artistes, other than the voice of the should bear these subtleties in mind. commentator. Where more than one director is credited, the comma separator indicates that the second name is a Co-director. A Cast and Characters name following a semi-colon separator belongs to an Associate Director or Second-Unit Director. Some non-fiction films include dramatised sequences or are wholly dramatised. These may be advertisements, industrials, or propaganda films. Actors' names appear in the left-hand Story Source column, the names of the characters they portray in the right, The name of the author of the story of the film is given separated by trailer dots. following the abbreviation s. This term is also used for Original Story, Outline, Idea, and any other original source. Synopsis The story may be taken as original to the film where no qualification precedes the author's name. Where the story is A short synopsis, beginning with the date and location if not original to the film, the form of the source is given in applicable, concludes each entry wherever possible. Some parentheses, immediately following the s, e.g. (Book). The films were not reviewed at all, and therefore have no readily original title of the work, where this differs from the title of ascertainable synopsis. Others receive only a one-word the film, is given in capital letters within parentheses description, such as 'Travelogue'. following the name of the author. Additional Information Screenplay When it was usual for films to be of one single scene, the first The abbreviation sc, which is given directly beneath s, films to contain more are noted after the synopsis thus: (2 precedes the name of the person who adapted the film from a scenes), (3 scenes), etc. Additional special information on the story source. All original film scripts are included under the development of film as an art, such as the use of multiple heading s. cameras, or the first discovered slow-motion photography, is also included within parentheses. Any other important Photography information, for example, on co-production countries, like­ wise appears following the synopsis. The abbreviation ph is used to denote the photographer or cameraman. Where several photographers were employed, generally only one name is listed, followed by the abbrevia­ Series tion et al. Many films were made as part of a series, and may be known by their generic title and number or by individual titles. In the Editor catalogue, these are usually grouped together under the main series title, which is immediately followed by the note The abbreviation e precedes the name of the film editor. Only '(Series)'. Each individual title has been assigned a unique one name is usually given, although there may have been an catalogue number that is an extension of the catalogue editorial supervisor as well as a film editor. number for the main series title, in the form 01234.1. The individual title is given this unique number in the index rather Music than the catalogue number for the whole series. The length is The abbreviation m indicates the name of the composer of the given next to each individual title wherever possible. film's musical score. Credits are attached, as appropriate, either to the series, or to the individual films within it. Where delayed release Musical Director makes this formula seem impractical, the film is entered under its individual title, with the series title (and episode The abbreviation md is for the musical director or arranger of number, where known) given in parentheses following the the film's musical score. synopsis.

Animation Advertisements Where the film has used the services of an animator, usually A number of advertising films have been included, although for illustration by moving charts, etc., the animator's name many of these are indeed dramatised fiction films. These films follows the abbreviation a. Normally, only one animator is were, of course, shown in cinemas everywhere, but were listed. never reviewed in the official trade press. It seems impossible to catalogue these films comprehensively, but a selection has Art Director been included to give a flavour of their production. The abbreviation art is used for the art director or designer of the film, usually only for dramatised films or sequences. Magazine Films Frequently known as 'cinemagazines', this category of films Commentator included a number of separate items, linked by titles or The term Commentator was used to indicate the narrator of through the commentary. A few were unrelated titles, but early sound films, and is therefore used throughout this many were series with monthly or less frequent appearances. volume for Narrator, Commentator, Commentary Speaker, Usually, only the first of each series is listed, with a note in and so on. It is abbreviated as c. parentheses that subsequent issues are not included.

xiii How To Use the Catalogue

Newsreels were sponsored by the Ministry of Information (MOI) during Again, to show the development of these weekly, sometimes World War II and attached to the ends of all newsreels, bi-weekly, films, the first issues only are catalogued. seldom running longer than two minutes. A complete list of the year's releases is given at the end of each year's regular Kinemacolor Films entries (1940-46), with casts and credits where found. A similar group arrangement is used to list the wartime 'Food These early colour shorts, featuring travel and other non- Flash' series, thirty-second films that were sponsored by the fiction subjects, were made and shown, between 1908 and MOI for the Ministry of Food and appended to newsreels 1915, in a non-standard process. They are therefore listed between 1942 and 1946. separately from normal films, at the end of each year's regular entries. Index Ministry of Information Trailers and Food Flashes The index lists film titles in alphabetical order, including all Known in the trade as 'trailers' (a term more generally alternative titles, title changes for reissue, title changes for applied to films advertising forthcoming presentations), these American release, and series episode titles.

xiv ABBREVIATIONS AND OTHER INDICATORS

CENSOR'S CERTIFICATES ph Photographer / Cinematographer A Adult: Children accompanied by a responsible s Story/Original Story /Source adult (1913-70); or: Parents advised that the SC Screenplay/Story Adaptation film may be unsuitable for children under 14 V Voice(s) (1970-82) xp Executive Producer AA Children under 14 not admitted (1970-82) PG Parental Guidance: Some scenes may be MISCELLANEOUS unsuitable for young children (from January Abbreviations appearing in synopses and notes and those 1983) used with personal names for titles or military ranks, etc., in U Universal: Unrestricted admission (from cast/character lists: 1913) X Adult: Persons under 16 not admitted (1951- ABCA Army Bureau of Current Affairs 70); or: Persons under 18 not admitted ACM Air Chief Marshal (1970-82) AFS Army Fire Service 12 Passed only for persons of 12 years and over ARP Air-Raid Precautions (from August 1989) ATS Auxiliary Territorial Service 15 Passed only for persons of 15 years and over AVM Air Vice-Marshal (from January 1983) Adm. Admiral 18 Passed only for persons of 18 years and over BBFC British Board of Film Censors (1913-85); (from January 1983) from 1985, British Board of Film Certificate not granted Classification BFA British Film Academy (now British COLOUR SYSTEMS Academy of Film and Television Arts) BOAC British Overseas Airways Corporation Names of colour systems given in the catalogue but not BOT Board of Trade listed in the abbreviations below should be assumed to be in full. CPR Canadian Pacific Railway CWS Co-operative Wholesale Society ansco Ansco Color Capt. Captain haze Bazecolor Cdr Commander colour Unspecified system Col. Colonel deluxe DeLuxe FM Field Marshal dufay Dufaycolor GER Great Eastern Railway eastman Eastman Colour GNR Great Northern Railway ekta Ektachrome GPO General Post Office ferrania Ferrania Color GWR Great Western Railway fuji Fujicolor Gen. General gaspar Gasparcolor LCC London County Council geva Gevacolor LFS London Film School ondia Ondiacolor LNER London and North Eastern Railway pathé Pathécolor LNWR London and North Western Railway radiant Radiantcolor LSWR London and South Western Railway tech Technicolor Lt Lieutenant tru Trucolor Lt-Cdr Lieutenant-Commander warner Warnercolor Lt-Col. Lieutenant-Colonel NAAFI Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes In addition, the abbreviation seq. is used to indicate NCO Non-Commissioned Officer 'sequence', as in, for example, colour seq. NFS National Fire Service PO Petty Officer CREDITS RACS Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society a Animator RAF Royal Air Force ap Associate Producer/Production Associate RAMC Royal Army Medical Corps art Art Director/Designer RCN Royal Canadian Navy c Commentary Speaker /Narrator SEAC South-East Asia Command d Director SL Squadron Leader e Editor Sgt Sergeant m Music/Original Music UNRRA United Nations Relief and Rehabiliation md Musical Director/Musical Arranger Administration p Producer VC Victoria Cross

XV Abbreviations and Other Indicators

VTC Volunteer Training Corps COI Central Office of Information WAAF Women's Auxiliary Air Force COW Cinema of Women WRAC Women's Royal Army Corps CWS Co-operative Wholesale Society WRAF Women's Royal Air Force C4 Channel 4 Television WRNS Women's Royal Naval Service Col Columbia Pictures Corporation WVS Women's Voluntary Service Cosmo Cosmopolitan Films YMCA Young Men's Christian Association D&P Denham and Pinewood Studios DTI Department of Trade and Industry PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES DUK Do-U-Know Film Productions Some company names are abbreviated wherever they appear, EB Equity British Film Productions either as a production company or as a distributor. Others are EMI Electrical and Musical Industries given in abbreviated form only where they appear as Ex Exclusive Films distributor of a film. FBO Film Booking Offices FN First National Pictures A&C American and Continental Films FOS Films of Scotland ABFD Associated British Film Distributors FPA Family Planning Association ABPC Associated British Picture Corporation Fox Fox Film Company (as distributor before AB-Pathé Associated British-Pathé 1935) AEI Associated Electrical Industries GAS Films George Albert Smith Films AEU Amalgamated Engineering Union G&cS Greenspan and Seligman Film Services AIPGB Associated Independent Producers of G-B Gaumont-British Film Corporation Great Britain GFD General Film Distributors AKC Army Kinematograph Corporation GHW Gregory, Hake and Walker Productions APÔcD Associated Producers and Distributors GIB George Ivan Barnett Productions Amb Ambassador Film Productions GLA Greater London Arts BAC British Aircraft Corporation GLC Greater London Council BAT British-American Tobacco Company GKN Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds B&C British and Colonial Kinematograph GN Grand National Pictures Company GPO General Post Office Film Unit BBC British Broadcasting Corporation GTO Gem-Toby Organisation BCGA British Commercial Gas Association Gau Gaumont Company BEDA British Electrical Development Association Hôd Highlands and Islands Development Board BFI British Film Institute I&E Industrial and Equitable BIA British Insurance Association ICI Imperial Chemical Industries BIED British Independent Exhibitors' IFD Independent Film Distributors Distributors IFR International Film Renters BIF British Instructional Films ITC Incorporated Television Company BIFD British Instructional Film Distributors LCC London County Council BIP British International Pictures LFMC London Film-Makers Co-op BIS British Information Services LMS London, Midland and Scottish Railway BL British Lion Film Corporation LTB London Transport Board BMA British Medical Association MCC Middlesex County Council BMC British Motor Corporation MDU Medical Defence Union BOAC British Overseas Airways Corporation MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures BP British Petroleum Company MOI Ministry of Information BPC British Productivity Council MP Moving Pictures Sales Agency BRTA British Road Tar Association MWB Metropolitan Water Board BSA Building Societies Association NA New Agency BSC British Steel Corporation NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organisation BSFP British Sound Film Productions NCBS National Commercial Bank of Scotland BSP British Screen Productions NFTVS National Film and Television School BSS British Screen Service NPA Newspaper Publishers Association BTA British Travel Association NR New Realm Pictures BTF British Transport Films NSPCC National Society for the Prevention of BTHA British Travel and Holidays Association Cruelty to Children BWA British Waterworks Association NSS National Screen Service CôcM Cricks and Martin Films NUT National Union of Teachers CCHE Central Council for Health Education OWI Office of War Information CEGB Central Electricity Generating Board PDC Producers Distributing Corporation CFF Children's Film Foundation/Children's PFB Petroleum Films Bureau Film and Television Foundation PO Post Office CFL Central Film Library Par Paramount Pictures Corporation CIC Cinema International Corporation RACS Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society CIRO Cinerama International Releasing RAF Royal Air Force Film Unit Organisation RFD Rank Film Distributors CNRS Centre national de la recherche RKO RKO Radio Pictures scientifique RNIB Royal National Institute for the Blind

xvi Abbreviations and Other Indicators

RNLI Royal National Lifeboat Institute BJP British Journal of Photography RSPB Royal Society for the Protection of Birds CT The Cine-Technician RSPCA Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty CTV Cinema TV Today to Animals cat Company catalogue RTE Radio Telefis Eireann DC Daily Cinema Rank Rank Film Productions DFR Daily Film Renter RoSPA Royal Society for the Prevention of DNL Documentary News Letter Accidents E The Era sews Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society EOM Express Overseas Mail SEPAC Società Europee Produzioni Associate FF Films and Filming Cinematografiche FR Film Report (Cinematograph SKC Services Kinema Corporation Exhibitors' Association) SPCK Society for Promoting Christian FS Film Sponsor Knowledge FT Film Technician TIDA Travel and Industrial Development FU Film User Association Film Film (British Federation of Film Societies) TOC The Other Cinema KM Cinematograph Monthly Film Record 20th Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation KW Kinematograph Weekly (as distributor from 1935 on) MFB Monthly Film Bulletin UA United Artists Film Corporation MLA Magic Lantern Annual UI Universal International Pictures O The Optician UIP United International Pictures OMLJ Optical Magic Lantern Journal UKAEA United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority P The Photogram Univ Universal Pictures PL Photographic Life Urban Charles Urban Trading Company PN Photographic News VPRO Vrijzinnig Protestantse Radio Omroep PP Practical Photographer VPS Visual Programme Systems prog Theatre or cinema programme W&F Woolf and Freedman Film Services S The Stage WI Western Import SI Screen International WPD Warner-Pathé Distributors SS Sight and Sound WTA Workers' Travel Association TC Today's Cinema WTC Warwick Trading Company TT The Talbot Tattler YCC Yorkshire Cinematograph Company V Variety YMCA Young Men's Christian Association ZDF Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen WIDE-SCREEN PROCESSES AND REVIEW SOURCES STEREOSCOPY AJ Aberdeen Journal These are usually given in full in the catalogue. Abbreviations used are as follows: AP Amateur Photographer ad Advertisement scope CinemaScope Argus Bradford Daily Argus 3D Stereoscopic B The Bioscope vista Vista Vision

xvii DENIS GIFFORD, 1927-2000

Although Denis Gifford's British Film Catalogue has become the largest and most comprehensive collection in the UK. He a classic reference source for film historians, his interests and founded the Association of Comic Enthusiasts and in 1976 expertise extended well beyond British cinema, encompassing organised the first national comics convention. When he animation, comic-book, television, and radio history, and eventually applied his vast knowledge to writing books, he Denis was justifiably proud of his reputation as 'number one began with Discovering Comics (Shire, 1971/1991). Denis nostalgist'. went on to become a prolific author, producing over 50 His career took off early when some of his drawings were wide-ranging titles including A Pictorial History of Horror accepted for publication by The Dandy while he was still a Movies (Hamlyn, 1973/1983), The Illustrated Who's Who pupil at Dulwich College in south London. At school he had in British Films (Batsford, 1978), Encyclopedia of Comic collaborated with his friend Bob Monkhouse to produce their Characters (Longman, 1987), American Animated Films: The own comic. Denis became a skilled strip artist on such Silent Era, 1897-1929 (McFarland, 1990), and Entertainers children's comic papers as The Beano and after the war his in British Films: A Century of Showbiz in the Cinema (Flicks cartoons featured in the London Evening News and other Books/Greenwood Press, 1998). However, his greatest newspapers. achievement remains The British Film Catalogue. First While continuing as a freelance artist, he turned to writing published in 1973 by David and Charles / McGraw Hill, it comedy scripts for radio programmes such as The Light was the product of 20 years' exhaustive research. He trawled Optimists in the 1950s. He devised the popular radio panel through huge numbers of trade papers, journals, and other game Sounds Familiar in 1966, which transferred successfully primary sources and personally traced and interviewed - to television in 1972 as Looks Familiar. His television career some for the first and only time in their lives - directors, had begun in 1954 when he was drafted onto the writing team performers, writers, and technicians from the earliest days of to try to save the first BBC series starring the comedians film. This third, fully revised and extended, edition of The Morecambe and Wise, Running Wild, from being a critical British Film Catalogue is accompanied for the first time by disaster. Denis went on to supply the script for the comedian Denis's previously unpublished and unique volume on non- Derek Roy on the opening night of ITV in 1955 and in 1964 fiction film. co-wrote the first comedy show to be broadcast on BBC2, The Alberts' Channel Too. Other work included devising games for the BBC's family show The Generation Game and scripting children's TV programmes such as Junior Showtime. Denis PUBLISHER'S NOTE also made a number of compilation films with his friend the Particular thanks are due to Elaine Burrows of BFI Collec­ film editor Dennis Drinkwater for Associated British-Pathé. tions, who dealt promptly with many queries at all stages of Denis retained a life-long love for comics and his this volume's production with unfailing patience and collection of more than 20,000, acquired over 60 years - cheerfulness. and which occupied every inch of space in his house - was Claire Chandler, Editor

XVIII 1888 00002 1888 00001 ROUNDHAY GARDEN SCENE ph Louis LePrince Leeds. (Photographed at 12 frames per second on paper)

00002 BRIGHTON STREET SCENE ph William Friese-Greene Sussex. (Photographed at 10 frames per second on oil-soaked paper)

1