Wednesday, June 10, 2009




FORGOTTEN, MISSED AND WANTED - A REMINDER ONLY

DICK FIDDY: MISSING, BELIEVED WIPED

” Happy Hunting” wrote Dick Fiddy on the title page of his book given to me personally after having given an interesting lecture about television programmes lost but not forgotten at FIAT/IFTA international conference in London 2001. The book was not a bestseller. But for those happy few who are working with the issue of searching for transmitted programmes , the book was a wake up call .The actress Julie Christie, the singer, songwriter, author, poet and painter Bob Dylan, the actor George Hamilton and the actress Vanessa Redgrave and Lord Byrons (1788-1824) awoke one morning and found themselves famous.
Lord Byron – the most famous exile in Europe – had published his book called: “ Childe Harold Pilgrimage “ and he was surprised by the interest of the public for his book. The romantic poet – an outcast – made this statement in year 1812: “ … I awoke one morning and found myself famous …”. There is a difference between the persons mentioned. The actors had performed at television and not written any book and none of them had left England in anger never to return. Dick Fiddy discovered that early television productions of the actors had been wiped. The quality of the productions where they took part, had been evaluated , rejected and wiped . No return . Unknown selectors with a lust for power had decided to get ride of programmes transmitted. Bob Dylan had performed in a programme called: “ Madhouse on castle street “ in 1963. Not qualified for permanent storage in the archive. George Hamilton and Vanessa Redgrave is acting in the play : “ A Farewell to Arms “. The play is based on the novel written by the American writer Ernest Hemingway. The first major role for the actress Julie Christie was a role in the British television science fiction drama serial called : “ A for Andromeda “. Not qualified for the archive. What happened to
Julie Christie, Bob Dylan, Vanessa Redgrave and George Hamilton.? Forgotten due to aging and lack of energy in making new productions? No. Let us start with Julie Christie. Age 68.
She is still active in many fields. “ Uncontacted Tribes “ is the title of a short film for the British-based charity Survival International. The film is contenting UNSEEN FOOTAGE of remote and endangered peoples. In 2008 Julie Christie narrated the film. She also appeared in a segment of the 2008 film “ New York , I love you “. It is interesting to discover while searching for information about productions where she had participated, that her Filmography is not contenting data about the BBC television production: “ A for Andromeda “. Information given from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, is reporting about the production but only in the chapter of her early life – not in the list of her film productions. She has turned her back on superstardom to breed sheep in Wales. Let us continue with Bob Dylan. Lost and forgotton and out date? No. Bob Dylan is 68 years of age. Not a young man so to speak. By the end of 2008 , Bob Dylan and his band had played more than 2100 shows. He is still touring around the world with his band . Bob Dylan has been described as one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, musically and culturally. What about Vanessa Redgrave? Out of date too?
No. It is surprising to observe that the wiped production :” A Farewell To Arms “is not listed in her filmography published in Wikipedia but you find the information in her biography.
“… she had four screen appearances in the can, all of them realised in 1966. First would come a TV miniseries take on Hemingway’s WW1 drama ….where George Hamilton would play the Hemingway character and Redgrave the nurse…”. At an age of 72 she is still an active lady. Tennesse Villiams has called Vanessa Redgrave “ The greatest actress of our time ..”.
With reference to published future plans, she is aiming at working with Ralph Fiennes in a film based on William Shakespeare’s Coriolanus. The production is starting in January 2010 in Serbia. Out of date – no. What about George Hamilton- an American actor? Age: 70.
His filmography is not contenting any information about the wiped production mentioned.
His first move is called: “ Lone Star “. Production year 1952. His last film is called “ Rumor Has it “. Year 2005. Anyway, in August 2008 the actor co-starred in “ Coma “ , a web series on Crackle.
To decide the future of transmitted television and radio programmes is not an easy work. It is a work not to be done at all. “ …The preceding information is just the tip of the iceberg , thousands of other items of equal importance are sadly missing, believed wiped. Every gentre, indeed every sub-gentre, has important gaps among the archive holdings …” quotation from
Dick Fiddy’s book. At the end of the book acknowledgments to The BBC’ Treasure Hunt Team and to FIAT/IFTAs active conference organizer, Sue Malden.

Tedd Urnes

Dick Fiddy: MISSING, BELIEVED WIPED. Searching for the Last Treasures of British Television. British Film Institute. 2001. 145p.

1 comment:

Harleymannen said...

Bra Teddy!!!

Dette var en fin blogg :-)

Harleymannen