Star Gala - Battersea Park, London 1962 & 1964

[MegaGlamma]

Just wonderful and unique footage. I cannot imagine such an event attracting anything like such a distinguished guest list today! I didn't know of these Star Galas so learned some history here - thank you again! Would just add, I am sure your footage would be very valuable to TV documentary film makers covering the subject/era. All the best!

[MegaGlamma]

Oh wow what a fabulous film - did you shoot it yourself? I was born in 1968 but love the stars of this era. How handsome was Oliver Reed in his prime??? Wow, just gorgeous. Amazing to see Corrie icons Elsie Tanner and Len Faircough riding in a boat. And Sid James - what a legend! Thanks for posting, this was a huge treat! X

[kester1940]

@MegaGlamma Thank you for your interest and kind comments. Yes I did indeed film this myself, on an 8mm Eumig cine camera.

[28Jayno]

been looking for someone who remembers the Star Gala`s, they were wonderful, I think I went to them when they first started, had a load of autographs, but over the years have gone missing. You could talk with the stars, had a lovely photo and autograph of the late Jack Hawkins a lovely man. The Army Game cast were there, and Macdonald Hobley was doing a broadcast from there. Thanks for all the memories and the cine film was great.

[lyndloo]

oh what a great video !! I recognised most of the stars ! I think I saw Honor Blackman from the Avengers and Micheal Medwin from The Army Game as well . many thanx !!.. Lynda

[kester1940]

@lyndloo - Well spotted Lyndloo. Honor and Michael are indeed among the celebrities on this film For a long list, click on 'Show more' above, just below the screen.

[replicantplanet]

Amazing footage great stars for a moment in history

[theonlyantony]

Great.

[LONDONGUY100]

In the boat at the start, Pat Phoenix and Peter Adamson (Elsie Tanner and Len Fairclough from corrie) Then, in no particular order. Harry Fowler. Shaw Taylor. Sid James. Ronnie Frazer. Keith Fordyce. Jimmy Young. Kenneth Cope. Shirley Ann Field. Nicholas Parsons. Hylda Baker. Sam Kydd. Harry H Corrbet (Harold Steptoe). Hugh Lloyd. Donald Sinden. Oliver Reed. Quite a cast for a short movie!

[kester1940]

@LONDONGUY100 - Hi London Guy, and thanks for your interest. If you click on the double arrow a little below the screen area - where I have typed "An opportunity to spot the celebrities who attended the all-star galas... etc etc" you will find a longer list of the 'cast' of my film.

[seftonwallet]

@LONDONGUY100 A great & historic clip, thanks or posting.

[MichaelAdrianMusic]

Brilliant! And great that so many of the people are still with us today! A real who's who of early 60s showbiz!

[trigga1uk]

whos the black guy at 0:24, i think hes an american actor?

[kester1940]

@trigga1uk - I don't see a black guy at 0:24 . Did you mean 0:34? If so, it's Danny Williams, who had UK chart hits in the 1960s & 1970s - including a No.1 in 1961 with 'Moon River'.

[trigga1uk]

this is the london i like, the 60's looked cool, i dont recognise many faces, sid james, peter sellers, oliver reeed, harold steptoe.

[MichaelAdrianMusic]

@trigga1uk I don't think Peter Sellers is there. Shaw Taylor looks remarkably like him.

[kester1940]

@MichaelAdrianMusic - I can confirm that Peter Sellers was not there, so I think trigga1uk was, as you suggest, confusing him with Shaw Taylor who does bear a likeness to him.

[qwisp]

Wow! Oliver Reed! And who's the hot bird getting out of the boat in the tight green dress??? Zoweeeee!!

[kester1940]

@qwisp - That was actress Shirley Anne Field.

[starstruckone]

brilliant, thanks for this, very nostalgic .

[vegboxman]

Who is the guy facing the camera at 3.08?

[kester1940]

It's Keith Fordyce - Radio Luxembourg DJ and presenter of TV's 'Ready Steady Go. He can also be seen walking towards the camera between 2.16 and 2.22.

[vegboxman]

Thank you. I certainly remember the face but until now not the name. A really great piece of British history on film.

[sammipink]

SO MANY NOW PASSED AWAY GREAT MEMORIES

[Ampex196]

A lovely 8mm film with appropriate 'period feel' music - very well done!

Before I read your list, I managed 16 names plus a few faces I couldn't quite place

Many thanks for posting

[kester1940]

I'm glad you enjoyed trying to spot the stars, Ampex. There are some faces I can't place either. If anyone recognizes someone who is not on my list, do let me know. Thanks!

[Ampex196]

@kester1940

Thanks Kester. I think I can possibly add two names: Eamonn Andrews (3.23-3.26) and Graham Stark (4.20-4.24).

[MichaelAdrianMusic]

@kester1940 I thought I spotted actor Raymond Francis of "No Hiding Place" fame in a boat at 1.51. Also, is it Honor Blackman in a boat with a man at 1.57? If so, could the man possibly be her then husband, Maurice Kaufmann? He looks quite like him.

[kester1940]

@MichaelAdrianMusic - That is indeed Raymond Francis in a boat, followed in the next shot by Honor Blackman. I'd never known who the man with her was, but I'm sure you are correct about it being Maurice Kaufmann as they were quite recently married at that time. Please look at the film again, Michael, and check 3.19 to 3.24 as there is a close-up of them both walking towards the camera. Do let me know if you can positively identify that it's Kaufmann with her at that point.

[MichaelAdrianMusic]

@kester1940 Yes, I've rechecked that sequence and I'm as sure as I can be that it's Maurice Kaufmann. Have you identified who's in the boat Sid James's hits at 1.33?

[kester1940]

@MichaelAdrianMusic - It looks like David Jacobs steering the boat, but I can't see who the woman with the headscarf sitting by him is.

[MichaelAdrianMusic]

@kester1940 I thought it looked like Brian Rix (which would make it Elspet Gray beside him?). You put "Roger" by the way - it should be Maurice. Any more of these films around? They're fascinating.

[kester1940]

@MichaelAdrianMusic - An interesting suggestion, and you may well be right. At the moment I'm still leaning towards David Jacobs, but I'd welcome the thoughts of other viewers. Where ever did I get 'Roger' from? Many thanks for drawing attention to my slip, which I've now corrected in my description notes. I regret I don't have any other celeb films I can upload, but Pathe covered these events, and you will find several on the British Pathe website.

[porridgeeveryday]

i lost my "man from uncle" doll there in 1967, i cried for weeks.

[piperbob2]

I remember the Easter Parades at Battersea Park - especially the Irish Girls Pipe Band!

[cubanbrown]

Fantastic Film...

Pity the Big Dipper ofr the G'Clock is not there.

[CanadianCockney]

I remeber attending one of them in 1968 or 1969 -it was awful! people fawning over the 'stars' of the time, clamoring to get thier autographs and the 'stars' making a show of how much they could ignore you. A wasted day, that!

[Hickey66]

This is a great clip. I recognise most of the stars. Yes, as said, it brings back memories, fondly.

[pilotpotty]

my youth

[chris5pens]

Brilliant! Loads of memories flooding back. I'd have been there in 1964 aged 9.

[LaurieLaRe]

so lovely to see Dot,I recognised her straight away! Always such Fun x