The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

October, 1953 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN 135 Cine Profiles ''Recorder continues his series of short biographies with a report on STAN WARBEY, one of A.C.T.'s leading Lab members, who now takes Franklin Gollings' place as A.C.T. Treasurer Stan and Patricia Warbey: Mrs. Warbey, an architectural student, shares her husband's interest in trades unionism. CTAN WARBEY, as a 16mm. printer at Pathe •^ Labs, Elstree, is very far away from the bright lights of the entertainment world. But in what spare time he gets from General Council, Executive and Laboratory Committee meetings he does a bit of entertaining himself. He does not, however, take after his singer sister, who was one of the B.B.C.'s " Batchelor Girls," but specialises in comedy and impressions. At the Kay (Finsbury Park) Labs, where he had his first job in the film industry twelve years ago as a negative washer, he was popular as compere and M.C. of the socials that Shop Steward Jim Richie and others helped to run. Stan feels keenly that the behind-the-scenes work of the labs should be brought more to the notice of the public. " What about screen credits for the Labs? " he asks. " The general public thinks of the directors and stars of a film, but the processing doesn't even occur to them." The Lab's name on the credits would lead to greater pride in the work among lab members. After being demobbed, he returned to the film industry and joined Pathe Labs in Wardour Street in January 1948 as dryer. During the renovation of the Elstree plant, the staff came to Wardour Street, and it was then that Stan, who was on ACT's committee at Pathe, met and worked with Stan Collins and Malcolm Aris, both of whom later became Shop Stewards at Elstree. Stan W. always admired Stan C. for his drive and the way, as Steward, he commanded respect from workers and management alike. " Stan Collins was first to get me really actively interested in T.U. activity, and took me to General Council and Laboratory Committee meetings ' to feel the ropes ' ! " Although not a member of any political party, he believes in the principles of Socialism; so it was that, with Peter Duckworth, he represented ACT at the Labour Party's first Youth Rally at Filey in 1949. Both reported that it was a great inspiration to know that, despite the brickbats then being thrown at the Labour Government by Press and radio, there was still such a strong following for Socialism and tremendous faith in its ideals. With Stan in the drying room at Wardour Street was Ronald Edmundson, who in a strange way led Stan a stage at a time to assume his present leading position in ACT. Edmundson emigrated to Australia, and arranged for Stan Collins and his wife to go out there too. Malcolm Aris became Shop Steward with Stan Warbey as deputy — they were at Pathe, Elstree, then. Then Malcolm left and later also emigrated to Australia, and Stan was elected Steward. (Incidentally, Stan and his wife, Patricia, are perfectly happy to stay in Britain, though anxious to have a home of their own). Reg Marsh is now Stan's deputy, and with Fred Charles and the brothers Peter and Ray Childs, they form the ACT Committee at Elstree. Reg happens to be Stan's chargehand, but neither that, nor the fact that Reg is an Arsenal fan while Stan supports the Spurs, prevents them getting on well together. Stan belongs to a new generation of leaders in our industry. When in 1950, at the age of 25, he was elected to the General Council, there was nobody more surprised than Stan himself. But his was no freak nomination, because he had already earned respect in the labs. On the General Council he takes a lively and conscientious interest in all problems, and has earned the respect of feature, short, newsreel and lab members alike. This year the General Council chose him to lend the Council's support to the resolution deploring the increasing exploitation of violence and brutality on the screen. It was a proud moment, therefore, when he was able in September to post up a cutting from the Daily Herald which reported the good news that this resolution, put forward by ACT, had been passed at the Isle of Man and had become TUC policy.