behp0333-bob-huke-summary
SIDE ONE
Born London 1920, local schooling in Gosport, then St Johns Leatherhead. Keen on films from age 10; one year at Birmingham University to study science as part of a bargain his father had struck with him before he went into films. Started at Pinewood in 1937 thanks to an introduction to the Hon. Dickie Norton. The first cameraman he worked with was Francis Carver, then onto Pygmalion 1938. During the lunchbreak he joined other members of the camera department to make films. He talks warmly about Otto Kanurek who used to talk to the camera staff about lighting and camerawork when shooting for the day had finished. He talks about working with the Super Parva Debrie camera, about Kodak and Dupont film stocks and working on shooting back plates. In 1939 he moved to Shepperton to work on French Without Tears.
SIDE TWO
As he joined the RNVR in 1938, on the outbreak of war he was called up, then follows a fantastic story when he was court-martialled. He volunteered for submarines and was later sunk and wounded and as a result was invalided out in 1944. He did not have any reinstatement rights but started working for Verity Films with Bernie Lewis as Director/Cameraman. He also worked on Dr Massingham’s films. He had now become ‘pull focus’ with Ray Elton [BEHP Interview No 67] as operator and Ernie Palmer as lighting cameraman. He talks about Tony Asquith with great warmth and has two very good stories.
SIDE THREE
He now moves on to work on Great Expectations with Bobbie [Robert] Krasker, who is taken off the picture to be replaced by Guy Green [Interview No 233] He talks about the work on that film. He also talks about ‘package deals’ and money. There is an amusing story concerning David Lean/Merrill White and Phil Samuels. He then goes on to work with Bobbie Krasker on It Always Rains on Sundays. He then goes on to talk about Cavalcanti’s Brazil project.
SIDE FOUR
Still about Brazil. In 1956 he returns to the UK and sets up a partnership with Wilfred Edes to provide film services (cameras, cutting rooms etc.,). At the same time, he is doing second unit work. He talks about Ardmore Studios in Ireland.
SIDE FIVE
He talks at some length about working on Ryan’s Daughter as second unit cameraman, with Ernie Day as his operator. He then goes on to talk about shooting The Virgin and The Gypsy, shot in the Lee Brothers studio in Kensal Rise. He then talks about shooting Under Milkwood; after that came an overseas trip to shoot commercials. He talks briefly about The Lovers! and The Other Side of Midnight.
SIDE SIX
He then deals with The Day of the Jackal. In 1979 he moved out to Hong Kong which he talks about in some detail. He then backtracks to talk about equipment used in the 1930s and the progress since.
SIDE SEVEN
He talks about ‘video aids’, then he talks at some length about David Lean.
[END]
