Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2011/January 2012 | Page 50

INTERVIEW

LIGHTS
CAMERA
ACTION!
By Peter White
southern-based documentary
agencies, covering major events, and
Half a dozen old passports packed
programmes, and as his reputation
filming excerpts from a variety of
with visa and entry stamps from all
grew so his workload increased. He
over the world bear testament to Barry popular TV programmes, including
recalls how he captured The Beatles
Coronation Street, The Bill and The
Jones’ jet set lifestyle.
on film several times early in their
Onedin Line, as well as countless
But Barry has not just trotted the
careers. He said: “I filmed them first
adverts.
globe as a tourist. Virtually every one
Born in Bournemouth, he has always in Bournemouth. While I was filming
of his trips has been a special mission,
lived on the south coast, moving to the them the camera motor stopped, so I
whether it has been to the United
had to hand wind it – with plenty of
Island some 20 years ago. He recalls:
States, Africa the old Soviet Union,
“I started off as a projectionist in 1950 sarcastic comments from them.
Europe or elsewhere.
“I also filmed them
Barry, 76, has been a
on Salisbury Plain, and
film cameraman for more
than 50 years, not only
'I started off as a projectionist in 1950 and in London, and they
were nice lads. Once I
covering worldwide events
then joined the Army, and was in the Royal persuaded them to sign
for film and television
companies, but taking on
Artillery making training films on guns and the autobiography of their
manager Brian Epstein.
special assignments – even
other equipment in Scotland'
He signed it as well, but I
propaganda film making
lent it to someone – and
for the former Uganda
never saw it again.”
President and tyrant Idi
He also spent a week in France
and then joined the Army, and was in
Amin.
filming Petula Clarke, and he
the Royal Artillery making training
While filming in far flung places,
remembers that all he and the crew
films on guns and other equipment in
he was also asked to keep an eye out
got for their efforts was a can of Coca
Scotland.”
for ‘anything unusual’ and pass it
Cola each on the final day.
After leaving the Army he re-entered
on to contacts who had befriended
The TV adverts on Barry’s work
the cinema as a trainee manager at the
him – real cloak and dagger stuff, but
Plaza in Southampton. The cinema
schedule included one for a chocolate
obviously details that cannot be fully
closed in 1957, and when the building bar called Buttersnap, featuring Peter
revealed.
re-opened a year later as the new
Sallis, one of the former stars of Last
From the tranquillity of the home
Southern Television studios he was
of the Summer Wine. Barry smiled:
he lives in at Cowes, Barry reflected
“They came down with loads of this
employed as a cameraman.
on a life that has seen him work for
Buttersnap in a lorry, and didn’t want
the BBC, ITV, ITN, and leading new
Barry worked on many
50

www.visitislandlife.com