Biography of 'NAIRN, James S.'

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Films associated with 'NAIRN, James S.'

Cinema manager, exhibitor and film-maker

Born: 1900, Glasgow
Died: 1982, Inverness

Nairn began his life in the cinema as a part-time projectionist in Pollokshields, Glasgow in 1915 and within a year was promoted to Chief Operator at a nearby cinema. His first managerial appointment was to the Savoy Cinema, Edinburgh in 1925, followed by the Regal, Stirling in 1934 and the Playhouse, Inverness in 1941 where he remained until retirement in 1972. He was appointed Northern Controller of Caledonian Associated Cinemas Ltd, and was one of the founders of the Edinburgh Film Society.

Nairn was known to many for his great showmanship and exhibiting skills, winning the Kinematograph Weekly certificate of Showmanship in 1933 and the Silver Lion from MGM for his publicity efforts. His hobby was cinematography. He claimed to be the first amateur to make a talkie in 1931. His work in filmmaking led him to be commissioned to film the King and Queen at Balmoral Castle in 1941 and advise Disney on a film about Nessie.

Nairn's travelogue films were used by the Scottish Tourist Board and the Caledonian Society. He produced over forty local topical films for screening in the cinemas he managed and for other halls in the CAC circuit, including the record of construction of the Ritz cinema Edinburgh in 1929, the UK's first purpose built talkie cinema. He was the inventor of the Walturdaw Cine Spot.

Researcher: Julie McCrone