behp0210-cliff-robinson-summary
Born 5th February 1930 in an army hospital in Manchester. Prep. School in St Alban, then Wellington College. Went bike racing on continent after school, then National service: aircraft intelligence. Bramley School of Art, then Royal College of Art fashion/design. Several jobs in general design and publicity: Technamation, Infotape, display etc. Employed on The Saint (1966) through Bob Cartwright. On £37 a week for six-week trial (later £40). Mrs Brown, you’ve got a lovely Daughter/Hostile Witness/ Lion in Winter as draughtsman followed. Then Best House in London, Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased), Scrooge, The Persuaders.
Left industry in early 1970s too work for an architectural practice for 18 months. Returned to Ernie Archer (prod/designer) on Day of the Jackal, Shout at the Devil, followed (Assistant Art Director) The Great Gatsby and organised period cars.
On Voyage of the Damned as Art Director, then One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing, The Eagle has Landed and 2 commercials before leaving the industry again for another design/architectural practice, working for David Hicks on Gatcombe Park interiors.
Returned again after two years to work on The French Lieutenant’s Woman. Straight onto Ghandi after this – Art Director October Circle for David Puttnam[] – didn’t come to fruition.
In 1982 went to Cameroon on Greystoke for Hugh Hudson, and then in 1983, A Passage to India (David Lean/John Box). Worked on Ridley Scott’s production Legend; next Art Director on Out of Africa. Lionheart (Budapest), and on to Empire of the Sun: Assistant Art Director 1987-8.
Tenth Man for TV (in Paris); Highlander II followed, and then work on Charlie, but didn’t return after it had been ‘on ice’. Worked on Ruby Cairo in 1991.
He describes his impressions of Translight [Translite] Backing/vacuum forming techniques, fibreglass, rubber moulds, as developments he has observed. Also Zip-up tower scaffolding. Comments on various characteristics of various studios (favourite Shepperton). States Ernie Archer and Charlie Bishop are his ‘star’ technicians, and Fred Zinneman his most impressive Director. Has not been a very active union member (though elected spokesman on several productions); doesn’t doubt the need to continue union efforts.
He ends on a pessimistic note about downward trends in standards – in all media, with the hope that it might right itself.
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