Biography of 'Templar Films '
Production company
Templar Film Studios was formed in 1949 by Robert Riddell-Black, David Low and Bill Russell, in a rented attic in Hope Street, Glasgow, moving to Clyde Street in 1951. The company was officially incorporated and registered as a business on the 4th March 1950, and by 1954 they had moved to larger premises in Lyndoch Street, Glasgow. The name was inspired by the medieval Knights Templar, who had at one time been so poor that two knights had to share one horse. Black and Low had one camera between them!
For the first six years Templar Films worked on a shoestring, shooting news for NBC in America, Gaumont-British News and the BBC Scotland’s Television Newsreel. They began to make religious and current affairs programmes such as Panorama for the BBC. In 1955 Low was shooting weekly football coverage and doing film-processing work for television. The company’s commitments to the BBC were growing and by 1960, it was given the production of a weekly programme called ‘Compass’.
Templar attracted many new entrants to the industry who as trainee cameramen and directors learnt their craft on production of documentaries for agencies such the Films of Scotland Committee and industrial sponsors. Templar Films along with Campbell Harper and Thames & Clyde became a mainstay of the Scottish film production industry in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Their best known title Seawards the Great Ships, took two years to make, and in 1961 won the first Hollywood Oscar in the short live action short category.
The company won over 30 international awards for its documentary and industrial films. While several directors and cameramen left, David Low became a director/cameraman and remained Riddell -Black’s right-hand man throughout most of the company’s life. Their partnership split in the mid 1970s when Black closed the Lynedoch St studio and moved to an industrial unit in Broadmeadows Industrial Estate, Dumbarton. The company finally ceased trading in 1980.
Researcher: Joan Allan
Films associated with 'COCOZZA, Enrico'
ROYAL NAVY BLACKBURN BUCCANEERS [8459]Add to my filmsNews footage of new Royal Navy Blackburn Buccaneer jets being demonstrated at an airfield. |
1962 silent bw |
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Royal Navy SCIMITAR JET FIGHTERS [8488]Add to my filmsNews footage of Royal Navy Supermarine Scimitar jets on the ground, possibly at RAF Lossiemouth, and flying in formation over the coast and countryside. |
1960 silent bw |
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ROYAL OCCASION: 22nd June 1955 [5043]Add to my filmsA record of a visit to the carpet manufacturers, Templeton & Co. Ltd, by H.M. Queen Elizabeth and H.R.H. Duke of Edinburgh in 1955. |
Onsite only |
1955 sound bw |
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ROYAL VISIT TO LORETTO SCHOOL 1958 [5085]Add to my filmsThe Queen and Duke of Edinburgh visiting Loretto School in 1958. |
Onsite only |
1958 mute bw |
RUST DEVIL & GREASE DEVIL [5598]Add to my filmsAdvert for Rust Devil & Grease Devil stain removers. |
1962 mute bw |
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S.S. 'OXFORDSHIRE' Liverpool [5335]Add to my filmsFollows the journey of the S.S. 'Oxfordshire' from Glasgow to Liverpool docks. |
Onsite only |
1956 silent col |
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S.T. HAMILTON SLEIGH: Launched 7th Nov. 1960 [5091]Add to my filmsThe construction, launch and testing of the super tanker 'Hamilton Sleigh', built in Scotstoun for the Australian Golden Fleece petroleum company. |
Onsite only |
1960 sound col |
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SAND RACING AND HILL CLIMB [1435]Add to my filmsFootage of sand racing, and coverage of the first post-war car hill climb race held at Rest and Be Thankful, organised by the Royal Scottish Automobile Club, St Andrews. |
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1949 silent bw |
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SANTA CLAUS COMES TO LEWIS'S [5098]Add to my filmsSanta Claus makes his way to Lewis's department store in Glasgow. |
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1956 mute bw |
'SCEPTRE' SAILS [5205]Add to my filmsA yacht 'Sceptre' sailing in the Firth of Clyde and approach to Dunoon. |
1963 mute bw |
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SCOTLAND V ENGLAND [5472]Add to my filmsFootball match at Hampden Stadium, Scotland v England. Full stadium with people standing in the terracing. |
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1960 silent bw |
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SCOTTISH AVIATION AEROPLANE - PRESTWICK PIONEER [5024]Add to my filmsThe Scottish Aviation 'Prestwick Pioneer G-ANRG' aeroplane flying at Prestwick Airport. [Same footage is repeated five times]. See also record 2 for unedited rushes. |
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1954 silent bw |
SCOTTISH CABLES I [5228]Add to my filmsA visiting party is shown around the Scottish Cables factory. |
1961 silent bw |
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SCOTTISH CABLES II [5229]Add to my filmsA visiting party is shown around the Scottish Cables factory. Depicts cable manufacturing processes, such as winding, lifting and dipping into metal or paint. |
1961 mute bw |
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SCOTT'S SHIPYARD [8453]Add to my filmsNews footage of Scott's shipyard in Greenock, including exterior and interior working shots and the merchant vessel 'Fourah Bay'. |
1961 mute bw |
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SEAWARDS THE GREAT SHIPS [2230]Add to my filmsThe Oscar-winning documentary of shipbuilding on the Clyde, directed by Hilary Harris, treatment by John Grierson. Scenes in the drawing offices, steel mills and shipyards depict how the ships were constructed, launched and fitted out before starting out on voyages around the world. |
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1960 sound col |
'SERENIA' [5388]Add to my filmsGeneral views of the tanker ship 'Serenia', including interior shots. |
1965 mute bw |
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SHEPHERD'S DIARY, a [5473]Add to my filmsA diary of shepherd Kenneth McFarlane's duties from March to November, including visits to the Royal Highland Show and Scottish National Fat Stock Show. |
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1961 mute bw |
SHIELDHALL SHOE FACTORY [5231]Add to my filmsInterior shots of the manufacturing processes at the Shieldhall Shoe Factory. |
1961 mute bw |
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SHIP BUILDING [8487]Add to my filmsNews footage of a tanker being built in a Clyde shipyard. |
1960 mute bw |
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SHIPBUILDING [5351]Add to my filmsVarious bits and pieces from the SEAWARDS THE GREAT SHIPS production footage: ship passing down the Clyde, small fishing boat "Loch Carron" starting to leave small harbour/dock area and shots of a crane at dock unloading cargo from a ship. [See also refs. 2230 and 5350] |
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1965 silent bw |
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SINGER FACTORY [5128]Add to my filmsDemolition work on Singer Factory; the clock-face in the main tower is removed. |
Onsite only |
1965 mute bw |
SPITFIRE [8458]Add to my filmsNews footage of Spitfire RW393 being moved by RAF personnel, possibly when it was being used for display duties outside the station HQ at RAF Turnhouse. |
1960 mute bw |
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SPRING IN SCOTLAND [2478]Add to my filmsOne of a series of films introducing aspects of the four seasons in Scotland, made specially for use in primary schools. This film features Spring. |
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1960 silent col |
ST. ABB'S LIFEBOAT [5162]Add to my filmsSt. Abb's lifeboat in the water and being winched ashore by crane onto dockside. |
1961 mute bw |
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ST. ANDREWS [5507]Add to my filmsNice shots of prominent features of St. Andrews circa 1960, particularly the outdoor swimming pool, long since defunct. |
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1959 silent bw |
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ST. BOSWELL'S STATION [5522]Add to my filmsC/u sign for St. Boswell's, brief shot platform, a train departs, another arrives . |
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1965 silent bw |
'ST. MUNGO' FIREBOAT [5167]Add to my filmsViews of the fireboat 'St. Mungo' on the Clyde River. Includes footage of a visiting party being guided around the boat, one of whom is the Provost. |
1961 mute bw |
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STEAM TRAIN PULLS OUT OF STATION [5492]Add to my filmsSteam engine pulls out of station at night with a train of container carts full of barrels, plus a guard's van at rear. |
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1965 mute bw |
STERNE REFRIGERATED VEHICLE [8837]Add to my filmsNews footage of a refrigerated truck setting off from Sterne's factory in Hillington, Glasgow, on a trip to Moscow. |
1958 silent col |
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STOBHILL HOSPITAL [5454]Add to my filmsTrims of Stobhill hospital in Glasgow including shots of baby unit, midwife, workmen and maintenance. |
1959 mute bw |
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STREET LAMPS [5515]Add to my filmsFilm shows removal and scrapping of old gas street lights. |
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1965 silent bw |
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STRENGTH OF THE GLENS [5348]Add to my filmsOverview of the Kerry Falls Hydro-Electric Generating Station, Ross-shire. |
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1959 silent bw |
'SULTANE' [5208]Add to my filmsGeneral views of a naval ceremony in honour of the submarine 'Sultane' |
1961 mute bw |
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SUMMER IN SCOTLAND [2750]Add to my filmsA wee girl enjoys a summer day on the farm where she watches a shepherd and his border collie rounding up a flock of blackface sheep which are shorn and dipped. |
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1950 silent col |
T.S.S. NEVASA [8844]Add to my filmsThe troopship TSS 'Nevasa' is released from dry dock in Glasgow and starts her first voyage down the Clyde for trials on the Firth of Clyde. |
1956 silent bw |
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TANKER AGROUND AT DUMBARTON [5169]Add to my filmsA tanker run aground at Dunbarton, with some shots of people looking on. |
1961 mute bw |
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TANNOCHSIDE STORY, the [5053]Add to my filmsFilm documenting the post demolition land clearing of housing at Tannochside, Lanarkshire. |
1975 mute col |
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TEACHER'S WHISKY [5130]Add to my filmsFootage of the Teacher's Whisky factory in Springburn, Glasgow. Starting with brief exterior shots, most of the film records work in the bottling hall. |
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1965 mute bw |
TELE ADS [5380]Add to my filmsAdvertisements on a television screen in close up, shot from a Scottish Television broadcast. Includes a section of what may be a consumer review programme. |
1965 silent bw |
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THREE MOUNTAINS IN THREE DAYS [8599]Add to my filmsNews footage of Manchester University students returning from Ben Nevis during a fund-raising trip in Scotland. |
Onsite only |
1960 mute bw |
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THREE SCOTTISH PAINTERS [2263]Add to my filmsA documentary on the work of artists John Maxwell, Joan Eardley and Robin Philipson. |
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1963 sound col |
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THURSO [5459]Add to my filmsShots of Thurso including streets, harbour and close-ups of boats and fishermen. |
Onsite only |
1965 mute bw |
TOUR OF THE I.N.S. 'KIRPAN' [5196]Add to my filmsA ceremony and tour of the ship I.N.S. 'Kirpan'. |
1961 mute bw |
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TRAWLERS AT OBAN [5972]Add to my filmsGeneral views trawlers off shore of Oban. |
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1935 silent bw |
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TRUCK TO KEELSON: Ropes for Mayflower II [0383]Add to my filmsHow ropes are manufactured at Gourock Ropeworks in Port Glasgow for the "Mayflower II", for a voyage reconstructing the pilgrim fathers' journey to America on the original Mayflower. |
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1956 sound bw |
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TURNHOUSE AIRPORT CONTROL TOWER EXTENSION [8484]Add to my filmsTurnhouse Airport near Edinburgh, including shots of a new extension to the control tower and flight controllers at work. |
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1962 mute bw |
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TWIN PIONEER MODIFIED SURVEY AIRCRAFT [8467]Add to my filmsNews footage of a test flight from Prestwick Airport of a Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer with modified wings, for specialist use as a survey aircraft by the Rio Tinto Finance & Exploration Co. |
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1961 mute bw |
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VALLEYFIELD COLLIERY [5512]Add to my filmsVarious shots of modern developments in Valleyfield colliery, Fife. |
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1965 silent bw |
VICKERS VANGUARD AT RENFREW AIRPORT [8475]Add to my filmsNews footage of a new BEA Vickers Vanguard turbo-prop aircraft at Renfrew Airport. |
1960 mute bw |
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