Eric Dunstan

Eric Dunstan was a BBC announcer who became a commentator with British Movietone News. His appointment was apparently part of the redesign of the British Movietone News which took place in April 1935, and Dunstan was one of the commentators brought in to give the newsreel what its producer, Gerald Sanger [qv], called ‘star value’ - along with Ward Price [qv], Tom Webster [qv], R.C. Lyle [qv], and Malcolm Campbell [qv]. Dunstan’s first credit was for British Movietone News No.307A of April 1935, which included ‘HITLER’S 46TH BIRTHDAY.' In October 1935 Dunstan was apparently in the Movietone team covering the Abyssinian-Italian Conflict, for British Movietone News No.334A featured the company’s own crew and carried a report on ‘THE SURRENDER OF ADOWA AND AKSUM, Reported by Eric Dunstan.' Dunstan principally commented on foreign news and major domestic events, Norman Fisher [qv] of Movietone recalling that both Dunstan and Leslie Mitchell [qv] ‘voiced solemn occasions’ for the reel. In January 1936 Dunstan was thus employed to report the death of George V for British Movietone News No.346A, the reel noting that ‘British Movietone News offers its sorrowful tribute of loyal remembrance spoken by Eric Dunstan.' In May 1936 British Movietone News No.361A likewise carried an item on ‘FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Surveyed by Eric Dunstan,' after which his name regularly appeared in the title of the story.

Dunstan was the commentator for ‘THE CORONATION OF KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH’ in British Movietone News No.414A of May 1937, and for many of the associated Coronation stories. In December 1937 the World Film News summarised him succinctly as ‘ex-BBC announcer, smart clubman, journalist.' Dunstan’s last credited story was ‘IN MEMORIAM: PASSING OF THE POPE...Tribute by Eric Dunstan,' in British Movietone News No.506 of February 1939. Peter Hampton [qv] recalled that Dunstan was known as the ‘voice of doom,' or even the ‘voice of death’ due to his commentaries for state funerals. In February 1952 Dunstan and Mitchell indeed returned to provide the commentary for ‘FUNERAL OF HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE VI’ in British Movietone News No.1185.

Sources

World Film News, December 1937, ‘Newsreel rushes: newsreel notes by The Commentator,' p.39: J. Ballantyne (ed) ‘Researcher’s Guide to British Newsreels’ (BUFVC, 1983), p.86: J. Ballantyne (ed) ‘Researcher’s Guide to British Newsreels: Vol.III’ (1993), p.21: Information from Peter Hampton, March 1999.