The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

84 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN May 1954 BYWAYS AND HIGHWAYS OF FILMLAND An introduction to some of the technicians who, in the backrooms and byways of Wardour Street, provide a host of essential services to Britain's film industry By CHRIS BRUNEL BEHIND the glamour of the studios and behind the achievements of those who process the millions of feet of film that come from the industry's laboratories, are a number of skilled men and women, who specialise in serving our industry. This article tells of the work and lives of a representative few of these technicians. Typical of those with the highest standards and the least inclination to talk about themselves is Harry Thompson Frost, better known, of course, as " Frosty." Enter No. 86 Wardour Street and a big sign on the stairs to the basement proclaims : " Crown Theatre Always Available "; that is the simple motto that Mr. Frost works so hard to live up to. Available not only for screenings, but available (without charge) to A.C.T.'s Westminster Branch for their monthly meetings and film shows; and remember, also, how it was available (again without charge) for A.C.T.'s wonderful kids' parties during the war. Up to 1935 there was nobody in Wardour Street who could give a studio projection service, and so Mr. Frost, who for many years has been connected with the technical side of cinema equipment, started up his business; in 1948 he took over the three cutting rooms adjoining his theatre from Normans Film Service library, and these, too, are also available for hire, fully equipped with Acmiolas, synchroniser benches and a Bell & Howell splicer. In permanent occupation of one cutting room is James Anderson, whose library of ancient films is the envy of many collectors. Documentaries, features, foreign buyers, all are fitted in at the Crown Theatre, whether they bring married prints, cutting copies for running double-headed, discs for playing on the " non synch ", 35mm. or 16mm. — or live commentators to speak over the mike. Round the corner in St. Anne's Court are three more cutting rooms and a viewing theatre which belong to Editorial Films. The theatre is equipped for 35mm. and 16mm. and can run 3-D on its interlocked projectors ; but in addition to these facilities there's a Wall combined picture and sound camera available, which is ideal for newsreel work. Running all this, together with a thriving documentary unit, is James Mellor, a technician with a lifetime packed full of varied experiences. The son of Mme. Edith Mellor, the only British woman producer-director of silent pictures, Jim Mellor joined George Palmer's in Gerrards Street at the age of ten as a runaround boy at the start of the first world war. Later, when Messrs. Mannering and Jordan set up their Rapid Film Printing Company round about 1916-17, he helped on the construction work, as well as doing various jobs such as perforating stock and drumming. (Now those labs are Kay's, Finsbury Park). Then to British & Colonial in Endell Street on the hypo side of pos developing — Sam Simmonds was printing there and Claude Friese-Greene developing. He joined Pathe in the early twenties, becoming Neg Projectionist at a wage of 30/ a week. Afterwards, in the cutting rooms at Wembley and to Paramount News, for whom he went over to the United States in 1935 as Make-up Editor. Eight years later he established Editorial Films, which he has steadily built up since. Because of Jim Mellor's experience on newsreels, it was natural that CBS should come to him for a most exacting coverage on last year's Coronation : he had to film the procession from ten different camera positions up to where the