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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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