behp-0302-kevin-francis-summary
[nb There are some faults on the interviewer track, caused by a faulty microphone lead]
SIDE ONE
Born 1949 in King’s Cross, London. Comprehensive school, left at 17 to train as a butcher. Met Leon Clore in 1966/67 and gave up butchering to work with Film Contracts, doing odd jobs. Joined ACTT with some difficulty then freelanced as a Second Assistant Director; worked at Bray Studios, worked at ITC as a Production Manager; tells an amusing story about an incident when filming Man in a Suitcase. Back to Hammer, then he became Production Supervisor for ITC’s [sic, but this was a BBC production. DS] Monty Python show made at Pinewood. Together with a colleague he started Tyburn Films, after small films he went to Hollywood and stayed for 18 months. Whilst there he decided that the only future was to make TV films. He then goes on to talk about his union activities, which started with USDAW when he was a butcher, and how he transferred to ACTT.
SIDE TWO
He continues to talk about union matters and then goes on to reflect on his present position, and past.
[END]