behp0321-harry-pottle-summary
[Alan Lawson writes: This interview gives a very clear idea of the graduation from ‘Draughtsman’ to Art Director and the approach is certainly quite different to previous interviews with Art Directors.]
SIDE ONE
Born 1925 Hanwell. Father had a foundry, later moved to Denham Studio complex. He went to the RCA [Royal College of Art] and eventually got a job in the Drawing Office of Two Cities Films; after war service rejoined the Art Dept., at 146 Piccadilly, was moved to Shepperton. He gives a very vivid description of the Denham Studios layout. The first film that he worked on was Man About the House (Vincent Korda) [Korda appears to be uncredited on the 1947 film of this title, so it may be an earlier film such as The Man who could work Miracles]. There is a description of how ‘Art Directors’ became known as ‘Production Designers’. He talks about the early post-war days at Worton Hall, and various Art Directors he worked with like Ferdy [Ferdinand] Bellan, Hein Heckroth.
SIDE TWO
He talks about working at Shepperton with C P Norman; and working at Denham. When that closed down, he moved to Group 3 at Southall Studios, then at Beaconsfield. He talks about Maurice Carter and his move to Pinewood, where he became Chief Draughtsman. He talks about the quality of the workmanship of the carpenters, plasterers and painters, and the ‘apprenticeship scheme’. He talks at length of working with Alexander Vetchinsky. Some delightful stories.
SIDE THREE
Vetchinsky continued; his work with Cedric Dawe [BEHP Interview No 229]. His first Art Direction credit was for Tears for Simon. He talks about working with Teddy (Edward) Carrick [Interview No182]. He talks about the making of The Sundowners, with Fred Zinnemann. He then moved back to Beaconsfield as ‘Resident Art Director’.
SIDE FOUR
Work on the television series The Human Jungle, with an interesting insight to ‘the management’. After that, series 2, 13 episodes of The Avengers. Then he hit the ‘big time’: You Only Live Twice, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; other assignments included The 39 Steps. [1978].
SIDE FIVE
The 39 Steps continued, and Murder by Decree, then Bear Island and various other works. He got involved with several projects which after some research and work never got made.
SIDE SIX
He talks about working on Michael Winner’s The Big Sleep. He is interesting about working in the Wilmington Studios in North Carolina.
[END]
NB The following list of credits, culled from the BFI’s database [in 1994] is incomplete, omitting some of his American work and some television titles, as well as the films that remained unmade.
BEHP 0321 HARRY POTTLE FILMOGRAPHY (incomplete, extracted from BFI database in 1994)
All titles GB productions unless indicated.
As Art Director
1955
Lost
1959
Deadly Record
1960
Big Day; Snowball; Bulldog Breed
1961
Very Important Person
1962
Waltz of the Toreadors; Crooks Anonymous; Fast Lady; Unearthly Stranger
1963
Father Came Too
1967
You Only Live Twice
1968
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
1969
Mr Jerico
1970
Adventurers (US); Fire Chasers [as Production Designer]
1972 Baffled [as Art Director]
1974
Tamarind Seed [as Art Director]; Wilby Conspiracy [as Production Designer]
1975
Alfie Darling [as Art Director]
1976 (all as Art Director)
Pot Luck; Room to Let; Decorators Ltd.; Shrove Tuesday; Great Snail Race; Magpie Lays an Egg.
1977
(As Production Designer):Stand Up Virgin Soldiers; Uncanny(CA); (As Art Director) Confessions from a Holiday Camp.
1978
(As Production Designer) : The Big Sleep; The Thirty Nine Steps; Murder By Decree (CA)
1979
(As Production Designer) Bear Island (CA)
1982 (As Production Designer) Charles & Diana: a Royal Love Story (US).
