John Abbott

John Abbott was a freelance cameraman and highly-qualified mechanical engineer, who in 1932 worked with John Logie Baird on television transmissions from the Crystal Palace. Terry Gallacher [qv], who joined Movietone in 1945, recalled that Abbott ‘was proprietor of an independent production company and worked often for Movietone as well as UPMT (United Press Movietonews Television) which was a jointly owned company between United Press International and Movietonews Ltd.': ‘As an independent producer, John made many of the early Advertising magazine programmes which flourished during the early years of Independent Television.' Abbott’s first Movietone credit is for ‘BIG HAND FOR KENNEDY’ in British Movietone News No.1670A of June 1961. He provided a regular supply of freelance stories until July 1966, after which he is mainly credited for major sporting events such as the Derby and Grand National. Abbott’s last credits are for ‘IN COLOUR - THE DERBY’ in British Movietone News No.2191A of June 1971, and ‘1972 DERBY - IN COLOUR’ in No.2245 of June 1972.

Sources

BUFVC, T. M. Gallacher, ‘Additional Notes,' October 1998.