Len W. Dudley

Len Dudley was a sound engineer with British Paramount News after 1945. In April 1946 Dudley and Charlie Green [qv] acted as sound engineers for cameraman Ronnie Read [qv], during a Paramount interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which was not used in the reel. In February 1947 Dudley worked with cameraman Henry Hawkins [qv] to film ‘WOODCOCK TOP SPORTSMAN OF YEAR’ for British Paramount News No.1667, and also ‘EUROPE’S HOMELESS TO COME HERE, PLEADS GEN. MORGAN’ for No.1668. He continued to work as Hawkins’ sound engineer for some time after this, but also worked with other cameramen such as Ronnie Read [qv]. In October 1947 Dudley and Message [qv] appeared as traffic policemen in a comic scene for ‘MOTORISTS PROTEST BASIC CUT’ in No.1738. In February 1952 Dudley was listed on the British Paramount News ‘Daily Assignment Sheet’ for coverage of the funeral of George VI, setting up gear in London. Dudley also trained as a cameraman, his first surviving credit being as silent cameraman for ‘F.M. SLIM’S DAUGHTER WEDS IN QUEEN’S CHAPEL, SAVOY’ in British Paramount News No.2285 of January 1953. In June 1953 Dudley was in the Paramount camera team that filmed ‘THE CORONATION’ for British Paramount News No.2323, filming in Parliament Square. In July 1955 Dudley was also credited as working on ‘THE FASTEST MAN ON WATER’ in British Movietone News No.1364A.

Sources

BUFVC, British Paramount News files, NR 15241 (April 1946), Issue Number 1667 (Dudley’s dopesheet, February 1947), Number 1668 (shotlist, 20/2/1947), Number 1738 (shotlist, 24/10/1947), Number 2323 (Paramount memo, 28/5/1953), Number 2329 ('Daily Assignment Sheet,' 14/2/1952): J. Ballantyne (ed) ‘Researcher’s Guide to British Newsreels: Vol.II’ (1988), p.33.