The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

42 A.C.T. News THE CINE-TECHNICIAN March-April, 1952 Compiled by 'Middy' MANCHESTER BRANCH: The Manchester Branch of A.C.T. held its 4th Annual Supper on Friday, 25th January, 1952. As last year, the affair was informal, and was celebrated in rural style in the Cheshire countryside at the Railway Inn at Mobberley. The party, which was officially "stag" (there are no resident feminine members in the Manchester area) was graced by the presence of guest Dorothy Stimson, currently working at the Manchester studios. Several members attended from the Studio unit, among them Hal Britten. The guests of honour were showing definite signs of becoming a fixture at the Manchester celebrations. For the fourth year (with one exception, last year he was engaged on more vital things at Oxford) George Elvin and Harry Middleton were present, and showing every sign of enjoying themselves. After a hearty supper of Lancashire Hot-Pot ( to which the London contingent did full justice), attended by some very fine ale, there were some short, but very pungent speeches from the Manchester branch chairman, Bert Hampson, a few succinct remarks to introduce George Elvin, George Wynn (in charge of production, C.W.S. Film Unit), " Middy," and Eric Barrow of National Film Agency. Then the tables were cleared, and after a copious replenishing of tankards, the entertainment commenced. And such entertainment, including a sultry impersonation of Doris Day, done to play-back in perfect lip-synch, by Harry Kirkman. The evening finished in near riot, with a new and very special version of " Cinderella " — played by members of the C.W.S. unit and the National unit. Top marks for a really brilliant piece of burlesque by Bert Hampson, Ian Stuart, Pat Wynn, Don Kelly, Harry Kirkman, and Bill Pendleton. Then it was mid-night, and we all realised that we had enjoyed such a good evening, that time had been called, as always, much too soon. EDITORIAL SECTION: Alvin Bailey writes: On Monday, 14th January, the Editorial Section launched its first party. Fifty-six editorial members were present and were phased to welcome their only two guests, the indefatigable Bessie Bond and the General Secretary, George Elvin. The party was also livened by the stimulating presence of Mr. George Colouris, who found so many friends amongst the section that others were blaming themselves for not knowing so apparently a familiar cutting room face. The party was held at Miss Olwyn Vaughan's " French Club." Miss Vaughan provided a most excellent supper, with wine, and herself supervised with an astutely watchful eye to see all went well. There was some disappointment that several notable members of the section were absent; but with the challenge of this first attempt and the lessons learnt, our committee hope that there will be an early opportunity of seeing those gaps filled. However, in spite of the difficulty of getting tickets to so widely dispersed a membership and the even more exacting task of collecting the money in, it can be said without hesitation that it was by no means a dull evening. KEN ROBERTS IN RUSSIA: Writing in A.C.T.s Kodak Journal, Ken Roberts, branch secretary, says of his visit to Russia : Ten minutes after booking in at the Metropole Hotel, while the hotel staff wore preparing our tea, I went out for a walk unaccompanied . . . One day I covered the Moscow streets almost foot by foot, walking everywhere, up side streets, main streets, back streets. I walked so far that I lost my way and had to return to the Hotel by taxi . . . During my parade around 1 saw nothing out of the ordinary, except the sight of women hosing and sweeping what seemed already clean streets . . . According to the Press, B.B.C. broadcasts are jammed and the Russians can't learn anything about foreign countries. The Russians I met. however, whether it was in the street or factory, shop or theatre, were on the average well-informed. They knew about the resignations of Aneurin Bevan and Harold Wilson, about the Festival of Britain, and about our Budget ... I was surprised one day to hear a Russian tell me in English how to get to Marble Arch from Baker Street on the London Underground. Incidentally, he knew the names of all Chelsea's footballers . . .