|
Campbell Harper Films Background |
|
Ciné Campbell Harper Films was a ciné business at 8 Hill Street in the 1960s, run by Alan Harper, son of John Campbell Harper. The company: - made promotional films for companies and other organisations - made TV commercials. - were contracted to the BBC to cover newsworthy events in the East of Scotland - filmed Scottish matches for the BBC. Each week, highlights of the match filmed by Campbell Harper Films and of a second match filmed by the BBC's own crew appeared on BBC's Sportscene programme. Most of the work was done using 35mm film. |
|
Many thanks to Mike Nagel, who worked for Campbell Harper Group, 1963-1968. He provided extensive notes of his recollections of the business. Most of the information above is taken from the notes provided by Mike Nagel. |
|
Campbell Harper Films
Short Movie Clip |
|
Short movie clip 'New Lives' Thank you to John Hadden, Edinburgh, for telling me about this 1-minute movie clip of a family moving out of Old Sugarhouse Close, Leith. The movie was made, around 1939, by Alan James Harper of Campbell Harper Productions and can now be found on the Scottish Film Archive pages of the National Library of Scotland web site. This Scottish Film Archive page also includes links to brief biographies of Alan James Harper and his production company, Campbell Harper Productions. Acknowledgement: John Hadden, Edinburgh: February 22, 2009 |
|
Alan James Harper Alan James Harper joined his father, Campbell Harper, in the family photography business, and in 1934 established Campbell Harper Productions*, a company employing two men and a secretary, with studios in an attic in Alva Street, Edinburgh. The company made documentary, social interest, educational and industrial films. During World War II they made home front propaganda and short information films for the Ministry of Information and the Scottish Office. In 1946, the company, then employing: - Alan Harper (producer) - Henry Cooper (cameraman) - Bill Fulton - Willie McLean - two office staff moved, together with Edinburgh Film Guild to new premises, at 6/7 Hill Street, with camera rooms, cutting rooms and a viewing theatre. In the 1950s, the company filmed football matches and other sport for the BBC and Scottish Television. James Harper ARPS retired in 1972, and his company was sold then, as a going concern to Park Studios, but it survived only until 1973.
Source: National
Library of Scotland, Scottish Film Archive pages: Biographies
for Alan James Harper
(researcher: Carolyn Young) and
Campbell Harper
Productions (researcher Joan Allan). |
|
Campbell Harper Films |
|
Commercial Radio The company also became involved in commercial radio. Using a new state of the art recording studio at Hill Street, they recorded half the output for Radio Scotland's pirate radio ship anchored in the North Sea. An investment of, possibly £500,000 was put into this project, but the law on commercial radio soon changed, the Radio Scotland ship closed and the Campbell Harper Group did not last much longer. |
|
Many thanks to Mike Nagel, who worked for Campbell Harper Group, 1963-1968. He provied extensive notes of his recollections of the business. Most of the information above is taken from the notes provided by Mike Nagel. |
|
Campbell Harper More Pages |
|
|
Campbell Harper Group - Company structure J Campbell Harper Ltd - History |
|
