|
The Major (novel)
''The Major'' is the first BBC natural history documentary film to be made in colour, though it was originally screened, in 1963, in black and white, as colour television broadcasts did not begin in the United Kingdom until 1967. After that it became one of the BBC Natural History Unit's most repeated shows. It describes the felling of an eponymous, three-century-old, oak tree, which has become considered a hazard to traffic, and the effect that that has on the wildlife that lives in it, and on the fictionalised English village in which it grew. Actor Paul Rogers (actor), Paul Rogers narrated a script by Desmond Hawkins. Filming was by Eric Ashby (naturalist), Eric Ashby and Leslie Jackman, the latter filming the insect scenes at his home in Paignton. The 35-minute film was produced by Christopher Parsons. The music was composed and conducted by George Shears (composer), George Shears and performed by the BBC's West of England Players. Although the tree was in the Forest of Dean ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Desmond Hawkins
Desmond Hawkins, OBE (20 October 1908 – 6 May 1999), born in East Sheen, Surrey, was an author, editor and radio personality. Career The political and artistic upheavals of the 1930s meant a proliferation of serious magazines. Desmond wrote for ''Purpose'', '' The Listener'', '' Time & Tide'' and the ''New Statesman''. He became literary editor of ''Purpose'' and of ''The New English Weekly'', and T. S. Eliot made him fiction chronicler of his critical journal ''The Criterion''. Before the Second World War Desmond had edited two books and had published two novels, the first of which was The Times's novel of the week. Desmond also had programme ideas accepted by the BBC and 1936 saw his first appearance in Radio Times with a programme called ''A Nest of Singing Birds'' – an anthology he compiled of English poets on English birds. Working extensively for the BBC as a freelance, particularly on the Sunday programme ''Country Magazine'' and on the daily ''War Report'', ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |