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Nigel Felangue Correspondence & Photos

Posted by ken On June - 20 - 2009
photo of Nigel Felangue.jpg

Nigel Felangue

TVW Still photographer 1959-1961

I joined TVW-7 before the studio was completed, the staff at the time occupied part of a floor at Newspaper House in St Georges Tce. We put together motor racing docos from various oil co’s, which were sent to the tranmitter at Bickley for Trade Transmissions. Film cameramen Tom hall and Keith “Dig” Milner even shot a number of news stories which they processed by hand on a wooden rack, prior to the completion of the film processing facilities at the studio. A Dutchman named Jan Vermazen was later in charge of reversal B/W film processing, (on a Houston Fearless 16mm processor). My first task at the studio was to set up the film vault, and then work as a still photographer and slide maker. The senior photographer was Brian Hooper.

I possess quite a number of photographs taken at TVW-7 ; they are shots of the exterior and interior, including staff at various locations.

LtoR Olive Shearer-Nigel Felangue-salesRep-Pearl & Carol Davies  Samboy Chips  Ad.JPG

Olive Shearer, Nigel Felangue, Greg Byrne with Carol & Pearl Davies in a Samboy Chips Ad

Jean Hunsley-Peter Goodall-Pearl Davies-Sales Rep-Anne Jackson.Samboy Chips Ad.JPG

Jean Hunsley, Peter Goodall, Pearl Davies, Greg Byrne and Anne Jackson in a Samboy Chips Ad


Sales rep - Anne Jackson(Graphic Arts Dept) Samboy Chips Ad.JPG


Greg Byrne and Anne Jackson in a Samboy Chips Ad


Carolyn Noble in studio.JPG


Carolyn Noble


Jim  Healy & Jan Vermazen in news film processing lab.JPG


Jim Healy & Jan Vermazen in the News film processing lab


Photo of Mr & Mrs David Farr's Wedding 1961.JPG


Mr & Mrs David Farr’s Wedding 1961

I also have shots taken of live shows, personalities, an original floor plan of “Saturday Showtime”, starring Rolf Harris, designed and directed by Brian Williams.

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An original TVW-7 caption card, and several original graphics by Rolf Harris, which he gave to me before he left TVW-7 in October, 1960. I have many happy memories of my time at TVW-7.

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The Rolf Harris song “Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport” was recorded by Colin Gorey in TVW’s Studio 2


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I took the photo of Tim Ball and Brian Williams in VMU2. It was taken shortly after May 6, 1960, whilst film of the wedding of Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong Jones was being broadcast ! On the monitor can be seen the Royal Family standing on the balcony at Buckingham Palace.

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Tim Ball and Brian Williams in the vision mixing control room of Studio 2

I remember TVW’s first Telethon in early 1961, held to raise funds for a town called Dwellingup where 132 houses were destroyed.

It was great to talk to you instead of via a machine; I sent an email attachment to show some of the TVW slides mentioned. They have not been cleaned in almost 50 years, but will be when I send them on CD.

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In the early days much artwork was photographed and turned into slides. These were given to Telecine, where a slide projector directed the image onto a vidicon camera, which was shared with two 16mm film projectors. This configuration was called a telecine chain, of which TVW started with two PYE units, and shortly after added a third.


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When TVW installed a large PYE caption scanner, the original artwork was then fed into this device for broadcast. It also contained the station clock and a crawl used for closing credits, where the text was printed onto a black roll of paper for superimposing over the end of various programs.

I should be able to send you copies of all my photos,and Rolf Harris graphic etc, all on DVD.

Keith (Dig) Milner News cameraman 1959-60 was killed whilst filming a job on 28/11/60 at Cervantes Island, north of Perth. Their single engined Cessna hit the water and sank immediately. I still have the original article published on the front page of “The West Australian” dated Tuesday, November 29th, 1960.

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The West Australian reports the air crash which took the lives of TVW’s Keith Milner and WA Newspaper’s Owen Williams

My copy of the paper is a bit “dogeared”, however I will put it on the DVD with the other material if it’s not possible for you to obtain a better copy from the paper’s archives.

I know at the time everything was microfilmed at The West Australian.

Kind regards, Nigel Felangue

9 Responses to “Nigel Felangue Correspondence & Photos”

  1. Jan Gray says:

    Hi Nigel
    Brian Hooper was my uncle. Sadly, he passed away in Texas last year. I would be grateful for any more information you may have about him.
    Kind regards
    Jan

  2. ken says:

    Early TVW photographer and film editor Brian H. Hooper was born on January 24, 1931 in Perth and died in the USA on December 02, 2007.

    Filmography

    Editor:
    1980s Thinkin’ Big (1986)
    1970s Scum of the Earth (1974)
    … aka Poor White Trash Part 2 (USA: reissue title)
    Encounter with the Unknown (1973) (as Brian Hooper)

    Cinematographer:
    Thinkin’ Big (1986)

    Sound Department:
    The Forgotten (1973) (sound effects) (as Brian Hooper)
    … aka Death Ward #13 (USA)
    … aka Don’t Go in the Basement (UK: video box title)
    … aka Don’t Look in the Basement! (USA: reissue title)

    Mr. Hooper served in the Royal Navy for nine years. He had a long and varied career in photography and cinematography and was responsible for many films and documentaries.

    Mr. Hooper is survived by his wife: Dorothy Hooper of Heath, Texas, USA; son: John Murray Hooper, daughter: Sharon Elizabeth Johnston, and sisters: Kathy Gallop and Winifred Kernagahn, all of Australia; five grandchildren and one great grandchild.

    Thanks to Nigel Felangue for Brian’s obituary and the Internet Movie Database for Brian’s filmography.

  3. Deborah says:

    I worked with Brian Hooper on, Thinkin’ Big. He was a wonderful person. I’m so sad to hear that he passed away.
    Deborah

  4. Pat Morton says:

    I knew Brian and workd close with him on film productions. Based out of Dallas we did many films together in many of the States. We live in the same small county and I saw him often on the streets and stores.

    I just found out tonight 4 years passed. He will be missed and he taught me a lot. I think I am a better man for knowing brian.

  5. Sharon Johnston says:

    Brian Hooper was my father. After he passed away, my brother John brought back from Texas, many boxes of his films and memories.
    I wished i had asked him of more details of his film career, but it is always too late.

  6. Nigel FELANGUE says:

    Hi Sharon,
    I was a still photographer at TVW-7 and worked with your father , he was a very talented man. I would love to get in touch with you and learn
    more about his film career in Texas ! Do you possess any photos of Brian
    relating to his work. It was not until early 2009 that I learnt of his death on the 2nd Dec.2007, which happens to be my birthdate !
    I would have loved to meet him again at the 50th TVW-7 Reunion in 2009,
    I was very sad to learn of his death.

    My kindest regards,Nigel Felangue.

  7. Sharon Johnston says:

    Hello Nigel.
    I was very surprised to get a reply here. I do have some photos of dad behind the camera and could scan and email them to you.
    I’m sorry that I don’t have much more information about his career in Texas, because I was living in WA and Victoria.
    His wife Dorothy would have known more but she also passed away not too long after dad.
    My email is shayjay8858@gmail.com if you wish to contact me.
    Kind regards
    Sharon

  8. Wido Peppinck says:

    Jan Vermazen referred to in your historical outline was my stepfather. He worked at TVW7 from its inception in 1959 until his retirement in the early 1980’s. He passed away in April 2015 at the age of 90 years.
    As with some of the comments above, we invariably fail to ask the questions that we should during their lifetime, so any comments, facts or anecdotes about his career would be gratefully appreciated
    Regards
    Wido

  9. Tracey says:

    Hi Nigel! having been trying to trace you!
    You took our wedding pics many moons ago and I would love the negatives. can you email me please?

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