Alvin Bailey was a film editor. Born in Hackney in 1924 and died in 2005. In 1939 he was an extra in the movie  "Goodbye Mr Chips" . He visited Pinewood Studios a lot as an extra at 15.  In 1942 he went into the forces. He took part in the D Day landings  as fuel deliverer after first wave landed. At Rochester Art School he was employed as a  film extra. He joined Gainsborough Studios as a 3rd Assistant. Worked at Shepperton Studios with Darryl Zanuck on sound effects. Editor with Anglo Scottish.1951. Group 3 at Southall. He joined Norman Macqueen as Director.This interview was recorded on 28 Jun 2004. This is side 3 of 3

Alvin Bailey Side 3

A British Entertainment History Project interview with Lewis Gilbert, CBE (born 6 March 1920) British film director, producer and screenwriter, who has directed more than 40 films during six decades; among them such varied titles as Reach for the Sky (1956), Sink the Bismarck! (1960), Alfie (1966), Educating Rita (1983) and Shirley Valentine (1989), as well as three James Bond films: You Only Live Twice (1967), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and Moonraker (1979). The interview was recorded on 24th July 1996 . Side 8 of 18

Lewis Gilbert Side 8

Interview recorded on 30.08.89 . This side 5 of 6,
Born in London in 1918, Barbara 'Bimbi' Harris started her career at the BBC in 1939 as a trainee recording engineer, at a time when major industries were recruiting women in large numbers to fill vacancies caused by the war. In 1946, when television production recommenced, Harris applied to the Alexandra Palace studios and was hired as a vision mixer. She faced some resentment from peers, particularly returning servicemen, but she nonetheless applied for every opportunity to improve her skills.

In the 1950s she trained on the early camera systems Baird, Emitron and later Marconi, and is credited as the first woman to operate a television camera on live television, working alongside directors and producers like George More O'Ferrall and Rudolph Cartier.

In the early 1950s Harris moved to Lime Grove, where her career prospects improved somewhat. It was the era of colour experimentation.  Harris was invited to design a vision-mixing panel which was still in use at Lime Groveby the late 1980s, affectionately known as the 'Bimbi' Box, an ingenious device designed to throw colour onto the screen.

In 1955, Harris left the BBC to work as a director for the new commercial television service Rediffusion. She directed numerous programmes in variety, panel games and drama such as Double Your Money (1955-68), Cool For Cats (1956-1961), The Brighter Sex (1959) and children's drama serial The Old Pull'n'Push (1960). After Rediffusion, Harris moved to LWT, where she produced and directed light entertainment shows through the 1970s and early 1980s .

Barbara ( Bimbi) Harris Side 6

Interview with cinematographer Guy Green on 18th November 1991 This is side 1 of 3

Guy Green Side 1

Charles Wheeler was a British  journalist and broadcaster. Having joined the BBC in 1947, he became the corporation's longest-serving foreign correspondent from most of the world’s trouble spots, remaining in the role until his death. Wheeler also had spells as presenter of several BBC current affairs television programmes including Newsnight and Panorama.

Charles Wheeler Side 1

Charles Wheeler was a British journalist and broadcaster. Having joined the BBC in 1947, he became the corporation's longest-serving foreign correspondent from most of the world’s trouble spots, remaining in the role until his death. Wheeler also had spells as presenter of several BBC current affairs television programmes including Newsnight and Panorama. This interview was recorded on 4th August 1994 This is side 3 of 4

Charles Wheeler Side 3

Roy Ward Baker (1916 – 2010) had a sixty-year career but is perhaps less well known than should be the case. Working, initially as Roy Baker, he scouted locations and worked in production, learning his craft at Gainsborough Pictures including working as an assistant to Alfred Hitchcock and Carol Reed. After World War Two service, partly with the Army Kinematograph Service, making training films at Wembley Park Studios, he resumed his career, moving up to become a director. He directed over 30 feature films. He worked mainly at Two Cities and Rank and then had a spell in Hollywood in the early 1950s with Twentieth Century Fox, including directing Don’t Bother To Knock, with Marilyn Monroe and Inferno. He returned to Britain direct such well-regarded films as The One That Got Away, Flame in the Streets and A Night To Remember. A hiatus in film led to a second successful career, in television, directing episodes of series such as The Avengers, Minder, Danger UXB, The Saint, The Persuaders, The Irish RM, The Flame Trees of Thika, Fairly Secret Army and many others. He is also known for some classic Hammer films, including Quatermass and the Pit, The Vampire Lovers, Dr Jeckyll and Sister Hyde as well as a number of Amicus portmanteau horror films. He also did some screenplay writing. This interview was recorded on 12th October 1989 This is side 11 of 28

Roy Ward Baker Side 11

Ray Elton Side 3

Bernard Happe Side 1

John Read Part 3

Edwin (Ted) Astley Part 3

The British Entertainment History Project is the largest independent oral history archive of interviews with professionals drawn from across the UK's film, tv, theatre and radio industries.

John Read Part 3

The British Entertainment History Project

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