Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Jim.Walker]

Anecdotes.

The Posting "Photo Shoot" prompted the thought that many subscribers here must have been involved in the shooting of films, TV Programms and the like and have some amusing tales to tell us.

For my part, except for once when my 1951 Austin Metropolitan Hire Car was included in The Darling Buds of May, I have no tale to tell. There were however one highlight and two mildly amusing incidents:-

The highlight was conveying Katherine Zeta Jones and Pam Ferris about 100 yards ( though Katherine Zeta Jones was virtually unknown at that time). I believe that is the opening shot of the 3rd Episode.

The first amusing bit was when the director told me I had to ZOOM across the road to the Hotel entrance, cutting closely across the rear of a passing London Bus and stop abruptly behind a chap loading luggage into a pristine Rolls Royce Silver Dawn. Just Prior to that he had made me remove my specs as they were "not of the period". My response was "What Rolls Royce?" I thought the owner of the Rolls was going to faint. Taking off my specs was not really a problem.

The second was following a pick-up at the same hotel. The engine cut just off camera. Only the points, which I had neglected to check in the rush to pretty up the car - the car had not been run for about a year, though it had just completed about 45 miles up the M1 from home to the filming (in Leeds not London) with no suggestion of a problem.
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Quote from my late Dad:- You only need a woman and a car and you have all the problems you
are ever likely to want". Computers had not been invented then!