The Cine Technician (1943 - 1945)

September— October, 1943 THE CIKE-TECHNICI AN 103 cuss the coming meeting between the Newsreel Association and A.C.T. The Newsreel Association was represented by Clifford Jeapes (Universal), Fred Watts (Pathe Gazette) and Gordon Craig (Movietone News). A very happy ending was spent and our hearty thanks are extended to the General and his Officers of the Public Relations Section. I do trust that the mention of Labour Day on the invitation card was not the cause of the Movietone lads not turning up, or it may have been the mailed fist of the noble Knight keeping labour in its place. Billy Jeapes Retires from Newsreels Billy Jeapes, the man who has made a fortune out of newsreels, has just sold out to Mr. Arthur Rank and has retired to his Surrey mansion. Starting Jeapes Animated Graphic he showed it at music halls. Developed and printed in a back room, it was dried on drums in a church yard. Later he was with the Warwick Chronicle — he sold out his interest and started the Topical Budget in Grays Inn Road, with Bert Wrench. They moved to Wardour Street later and enlarged their plant. Billy Jeapes was responsible for a number of inventions in connection with film processing. He sold the Topical Budget to the Government in the last war, and ran it for the Minis try of Information, acting as General Manager. He re-purchased it after the war and later did a deal with the late Sir Edward Hulton. He retired from the Topical Film Company and joined his company — Film Laboratories — where he started the Empire News Bulletin, which later, on the introduction of sound, became Universal Talking News. He also made a number of shorts for his firm, British Pictorial Productions. Now he has sold out again, I am sure at a very nice profit, leaving his son, Clifford, to act as manager for the Rank interests. Billy Jeapes has many good points and has looked after those who served him in the early days and could still work, but he was very reactionary in his attitude towards Trade Unions. This was because he never tried to understand them. Perhaps in his temporary retirement he will study these matters with a cooler head. I say temporary retirement because I know Billy Jeapes, and I am sure he will be back in the film game soon. He lias a first-class recording plant at Gosterwood Manor, his Surrey home, near Dorking, and his workshop will be turning out many more inventions. His was the first newsreel to use automatic developing machines, and in a small way J helped t<> instal them, when I worked for him after the last war. HIGHEST POSSIBLE PRICES OFFERED for 1 6mm PROJECTORS SOUND & SILENT ALSO 3 mm and 9.5 mm PROJECTORS We are also offering exceptional prices for LEiCfiS, CONTAXES, KORELLES and similar Miniature Cameras and all Accessories and Lenses for these. Prices for all the above are probably now at their peak, so now is the time to sell. You can rely on us for a Fair and square deal. City Sale & Exchange Est. 1870 (1929) LTD. 2 POULTRY, CHEAPSIDE, E.C. 2 PHONE : CITY 1124 -For Studio and 'laboratory equipment, CamerasJr/pods/rinfin^Processi/iy plant... ana fa the solution of any technical problem concern/ha them the name that mattersis W. VINTE.N LTD. NORTH CIRCULAR RD..CRICKLEW00D. N.W 2 k. " Gladstone 6373 THE CROWN THEATRE PROVIDES STUDIO PROJECTION SERVICE AT ANY TIME TO SUIT YOUR CONVENIENCE Two Double-Heads. Full Range Sound. Mixing Panels for Tracks. Seating for 100 Persons. 86 WARDOUR STREET, LONDON, W. 1 Telephone Gerrard 5223