behp0142-anthony-de-lotbiniere-summary
NB: This interview is somewhat unstructured as it doesn’t follow chronological order, but nevertheless it is full of valuable material covering BBC Television from the post-war Alexandra Palace days through to his retirement.
SIDE ONE
Born 1925 in Sale, Manchester. Taken away from “prep” school, went to Downside, then Cambridge at 17 ½ to read History at Trinity College. National Service 1943, into the army. Tells story about trying to get Class B release to go back and complete his studies. Demobilised 1947, wrote to all the production companies and studios to try for a job in film; started at Pitman’s College to learn shorthand and typing, and Berlitz to learn Italian. Gave it up, had an interview with Cecil McGivern at Alexandra Palace, taken on s an assistant librarian in the film library under Dick Cawston.
SIDE TWO
[not indicated on logsheet, so this content may be slightly out DS]
He talks about working on various films including London To Brighton in Four Minutes; in 1950 he was getting fed up and told Dick Cawston so, then got an attachment to Children’s Programme Department as Producer. After 6 months he went back to the Film Department and worked as a director on three films connected with the regional development of the television service.
He then joins the Talks Department and works with Norman Swallow on the Special Enquiry series. He tells various amusing stories about the series, including one about Aidan Crawley and Frank Gillard. He talks about Paul Rotha’s on a programme he filmed, Denis Mitchell, Phillip Donnellan, Michael Orram.
SIDE THREE
He talks about the series The Inheritors, which he directed, also about a background film for the Kennedy/Nixon presidential elections. He tells about the making of his film about Eton which is most amusing. He then goes on to speak a little about Grace Wyndham Goldie and Joanna Spicer, two of the senior women staff of BBC Television.
SIDE FOUR
The making of The Royal Palaces of Britain is next and he also talks about the BBC/ITV film on the Royal family which is most interesting. He talks about the series One Pair of Eyes – he was overall Producer and directed three of sixteen films. The Pacemakers – another series he produced.
SIDE FIVE
He continues to speak of his career.
[END]