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'

51 to 100 of 318 hits

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Asc Desc
	CHURCHILL RECEIVES THE FREEDOM OF PERTH [0841] Add to my films Provost John Ure Primrose presents the freedom of the city of Perth to Churchill.		1948 silent bw
	CIRCUS [5245] Add to my films "Bertram Mills' Circus" visits Edinburgh; shots of performers as they promote the big attraction in a parade along Princes Street and inside Waverley Station.		1959 mute bw
	CLYDE TUNNEL [5135] Add to my films Details of construction work on the Clyde Tunnel.		1962 mute bw
	CLYDE TUNNEL PROJECT [8839] Add to my films Shots of preparations for the construction of the Clyde Tunnel in Glasgow, including shots of the Whiteinch vehicular ferry crossing the river and an official turf-cutting ceremony.		1957 silent col
	CLYDEBANK FLATS [5442] Add to my films Provost at ceremony to commemorate the completion of the Clydebank development of High rise flats.		1965 mute bw
	CLYDESDALE SUPPLY CO. [5392] Add to my films Exteriors of the Clydesdale Supply Co. buildings, includes exterior of the Clydesdale Musical Instrument & Records shop.		1956 silent bw
	COAL DEPOT [5426] Add to my films Views around a coal depot. Includes a brief shot of a coal man and his truck pulling in to tenement street.		1965 mute bw
	COASTAL CONSTRUCTION SITE [8485] Add to my films News footage of a coastal construction site, with concrete foundations being built and a length of pipe delivered.		1960 mute bw
	COLD COMFORT [5009] Add to my films The manufacture of refrigerators at the Hillington factory (near Glasgow).		1960 sound col
	COLLINS BOOKS [5049] Add to my films How to make a book at Collins Publishers. Processes are shown in detail for the title 'Pookie Believes in Santa Claus', from typesetting, litho printing to trimming and binding.		1965 sound bw
	COLLINS PUBLISHERS [5414] Add to my films The opening of the new Collins publisher building by "Marshall the Viscount Montgomery of Alamein", on Tuesday 27th November 1962.		1962 silent bw
	COLUMBA [5983] Add to my films View from shore of lots of people on board steamer as it pulls away.		1935 silent bw
	COMMANDO WAR MEMORIAL [5618] Add to my films General footage of Fort William and the Commandos War Memorial.		1965 mute bw
	COMMUNITY HOUSE [2345] Add to my films Members of staff and various activities at the Iona Community House in Govan, Glasgow. [Rushes only].		1967 mute bw
	CONCERT HALL [5443] Add to my films Footage of the interior and exterior of The Glasgow Concert Hall in Anderston, and of a visit by the Lord Provost, Dame Jean Roberts.		1963 mute bw
	CONNEL BRIDGE [5122] Add to my films Views of the Connel Bridge at the entrance to Loch Etive, near Oban. Features shots of car and steam train traffic sharing the bridge.		1965 mute bw
	CONNELL'S YARD [8483] Add to my films Workers at the Charles Connell & Co. shipyard in Scotstoun, Glasgow, including shots of a magnetic lifting beam and the bow section of a ship being fitted in place.		1960 mute bw
	CORPORATION BUS [5393] Add to my films Brief shots of Glasgow Corporation buses, bound for Knightswood and Clydebank, pulling in and out of streets.		1963 mute bw
	CRAFTSMAN ADVERT [5400] Add to my films A cartoon advertisement for 'Craftsman Overalls'.		1960 sound bw
	CRANE COLLAPSE ON BUILDING SITE [8838] Add to my films Footage of the aftermath of an industrial accident on a building site in Dundee - a crane has collapsed and workers and ambulance men cut through metal to free a trapped worker and take him away by ambulance.		1958 silent bw
	CRANHILL SCHOOL [5132] Add to my films Brief shots of the pupils and classes at Cranhill School, Glasgow.	Onsite only	1963 silent bw
	CRUACHAN [2790] Add to my films A description of the building of the pumped-storage hydro-electric scheme at Loch Awe, Argyll.		1966 sound col
	CULTYBRAGGAN CAMP [8448] Add to my films Interior and exterior shots of Nissen huts at Cultybraggan Camp south of Comrie, which housed Italian and German prisoners of war during World War II.		1960 mute bw
	CUMBERNAULD NEW TOWN INAUGURAL CEREMONY: 28th June, 1957 [5020] Add to my films Cumbernauld New Town Inaugural Ceremony. Includes footage of the Secretary of State for Scotland digging the first square of turf for the new town, being photographed and general shots of crowds as they look on.		1957 mute col
	DALI PAINTING [5161] Add to my films Dali's painting, "Christ of St. John of the Cross", being carried and hung on wall by staff inside Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery.		1965 mute bw
	DALMARNOCK POWER STATION [5516] Add to my films Shots of men operating fatigue test machinery, in a laboratory.		1960 silent bw
	DELTIC ENGINE [5423] Add to my films 'Deltic Engine' train 'The Talisman' pulls out of Glasgow Central Station and is seen en route to Berwick on Tweed.	Onsite only	1965 mute bw
	DENNY'S SHIPYARD, DUMBARTON [8457] Add to my films News footage of Denny's shipyard in Dumbarton, showing a newly built shed and general views of the yard and workers.		1960 mute bw
	DICKIE'S BOATBUILDERS YARD, LOCH FYNE [8596] Add to my films News footage of Dickie's of Tarbert boatyard on Loch Fyne, including shots of work on a Stella Class yacht.	Onsite only	1960 mute bw
	DISCOVERING THE PAST [5016] Add to my films Magnus Magnusson introduces the story of a two year rescue dig at a prehistoric long-barrow near Edzell in Kincardineshire, Scotland [Intended for secondary school pupils aged 12 - 15 years]		1975 sound col
	DOLLAR ACADEMY [5194] Add to my films Firemen tackling a fire in Dollar Academy.		1963 mute bw
	DONBROS KNITWEAR FACTORY [5486] Add to my films Follows the process of clothing production in the Donbros knitwear factory, from knitting to finishing details.		1960 mute bw
	DORNOCH - MOUND RAILWAY AND EDINBURGH - ABERDEEN DIESEL SERVICE [5344] Add to my films Brief footage of trains on the Dornoch - Mound and Aberdeen - Edinburgh lines.		1960 silent bw
	DORNOCH ACADEMY [5187] Add to my films Brief shots of the the construction of Dornoch Academy.		1963 mute bw
	DOUNREAY [5528] Add to my films Shots around the Dounreay nuclear plant, including brief views of chemical processes, and procedures checking equipment.		1965 silent bw
	DUKE ST. PRISON [5444] Add to my films The demolition of Duke Street Prison, Glasgow.		1961 mute bw
	DUNBAR [5583] Add to my films Views of Dunbar's streets, lifeboat house and harbour.		1958 mute bw
	DUNDEE CLUB [8463] Add to my films News footage of Princess Margaret visiting Dundee and performing the opening ceremony of the King George VI Memorial Club for old folk.		1958 mute bw
	DUNERA [5253] Add to my films Film recording the interiors of the ship Dunera, including washing, sleeping and living areas.		1960 mute bw
	DUNLOP CHEESE FACTORY; WAR MEMORIAL MARCH, EDINBURGH [5417] Add to my films Footage inside Dunlop's cheese making factory and general views of a war memorial march in Edinburgh.		1965 mute bw
	EAGLESHAM [5458] Add to my films Shots of the village of Eaglesham.		1965 silent bw
	EAST PARK CHILDREN'S HOME [5040] Add to my films A documentary film about East Park's Children's Home for the infirm.	Onsite only	1949 silent bw
	EDINBURGH LIGHTING [5394] Add to my films Council workers replace old glass cast iron lamps on the streets of Edinburgh with new plastic lamps.		1965 mute bw
	EDZELL AERODROME [8478] Add to my films News footage of Edzell Aerodrome, showing disused hangars and administration buildings and its adjoining Air Ministry housing estate.		1959 mute bw
	'ELECTRIC' TRAIN [5429] Add to my films The journey of a diesel multiple unit train. along the Mount Florida line into Glasgow Central Station.		1965 mute bw
	ELECTRIC TRAINS [5526] Add to my films Film following an electric train along part of its route, including shots of drivers' cab and Hyndland station. [possibly for a BBC news piece regarding the inauguration of the electric suburban train system (the blue trains) in Glasgow in November 1960 – the first railway electrification in Scotland]		1965 silent bw
	EMPRESS OF BRITAIN [5296] Add to my films Interiors of the liner RMS Empress of Britain during fitting-out.		1955 bw
	EMPRESS OF BRITAIN [5239] Add to my films General views of activities onboard the 'Empress of Britain'.		1969 mute bw
	EUCLID IN SCOTLAND [8850] Add to my films A promotional film by General Motors Scotland for their Euclid range of earth-moving machinery, built in their Scottish plant at Newhouse.		1966 silent bwcol
	EVER READY RAZOR PRODUCTS LTD. [5409] Add to my films The opening of the Ever Ready Razor Products Ltd. factory by the Secretary of State for Scotland, Rt. Hon. J.S. MacLay. Includes interior shots of manufacturing processes on the factory floor.		1958 mute bw