I just could not resist posting these TWO images of Burnham Beeches – shot in that lovely soft and bright colour process of the day.

These pictures were take in 1949

Burnham Beeches has been used in many films as a location but never used  better than in The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men  filmed in the summer of 1951 – just two years after these photographs were taken.

My previous post was all about Walt Disney and his family in Norton Disney Lincolnshire, when he were over here overseeing the filming of Treasure Island in 1949.  This item covers the actual film :-

I have just come across this wonderful still – a publicity still from Treasure Island 1950 (  film released in 1950)

Bobby Driscoll came over here for a few months in mid 1949 to star in the Disney film – made at Denham Film Studios. Apparently he had to get a work permit and had difficulty with this but when he did, it was for a limited time. Consequently all the scenes that he played in had to be completed quite quickly so he would comply with the Government regulation at the time. This was, after all, only 4 years after the end of the war.

Actually I do think that his parents were taken to court over his outstaying this period – and below is information I have located on this situation :-

Treasure Island was filmed in the United Kingdom, and during production it was discovered that Bobby Driscoll did not have a valid British work permit, so his family and Disney were fined and ordered to leave the country. They were allowed to remain for six weeks to prepare an appeal, during which director Byron Haskin hastily shot all of Driscoll’s close-ups,using his British stand-in to film missing location scenes after he and his parents had returned to California

Dated 30 July 1949 – as reported the events of Walt’s brief visit.

Norton Disney, Lincolnshire, England.

Above : Walt’s Two Daughters at Norton Disney

Above: Walt Disney’s Wife Lilian and Daughter at Norton Disney, Lincolnshire in July 1949

Walt, his wife and two daughters arrived just after lunch in the village.  Walt had scratched in his diary before strolling off to point his cine-camera around the village – and these are stills taken from that colour film.  Other fading photographs show Walt absorbed in the search for facts about his family name at the village of Norton Disney just West of Lincoln.

From what I can find out Walt and family were on their way up to Scotland – and Inverness in particular before returning to Denham Film Studios for Treasure Island planning.

See below as Walt Disney chats on the set to Robert Newton

We go back to early 1952 for this BBC Television adaptation of Pride and Prejudice in which Peter Cushing played Mr. Darcy – a play which would go out live in SIX episodes from 2 February 1952. In those days BBC was the ONLY channel available – and in my memory as a child, it provided very good and varied entertainment – although I do remember a performance of the opera Rigoletto which went out at what would now be called ‘peak time’ and we were less than impressed.

It is a sobering thought in these days of mega money for the stars, that in a contract signed on 13 February 1952, it is revealed that Peter was paid just 28 Guineas for playing Mr. Darcy.

Peter went on the play in quite a number of BBC plays in the early fifties with his fee being 45 or 50 Guineas for each job he did. Things changed dramatically for his income when he was first cast in the Hammer Film The Curse of Frankenstein followed very quickly by Dracula and The Hound of the Baskervilles  – and then on an on in these very successful films.

Below – a picture of Peter busying himself at home – and to the right a picture of his beloved wife, Helen.

WHARF ONE CAFE  – Cine Bar Cairns

Tonight’s silent film with live music accompaniment has been rescheduled until Wednesday April 5. 2017

Filmed in Tahiti in the 1920s, capturing the untouched beauty of the Pacific Islands.

Come for a mid-week sunset session on the inlet and enjoy the live music to black and white film experience.

This was the first film in which Leo the MGM lion, roared during the introduction.