S. M. F. Plummer ("Steve")

Steve Plummer was a London newsreel cameraman first credited in the team that filmed ‘SPORT: CRICKET AT ARUNDEL’ for Gaumont British News No.2330 of May 1956. In July 1958 Plummer also helped to film ‘SO-HO! - LONDON’S COSMOPOLITAN QUARTER CELEBRATES ITS NOW TRADITIONAL FAIR’ for Pathe News No.58/57, and in February 1962 he filmed the Pathe News story ‘LONDONERS GET THERE,' in No.63/18. This dealt with the Underground strike, and the story card notes that it showed ‘Plummer carrying umbrella and brief case rollerskating to the office.' In February 1963 Plummer appeared in ‘RACE WITH PANCAKES - LONDON’ in Pathe News No.63/18, the story card noting ‘C[lose]U[p] Pathe News cameraman Steve Plummer photographing the scene, pancake lands on his head.' In May 1963 ‘THE DERBY’ in Pathe News No.63/44 included a shot of Plummer using a long-focus lens. In April 1965 he appeared in ‘HILL WINS INTERNATIONAL FORMULA 2’ in Pathe News No.65/31, going up in a helicopter to film the race. In October 1965 material credited to ‘Pathe - Plummer’ appeared in British Movietone News No.1897, ‘A TALE OF TWO TOWERS.' A shot of Plummer filming from the top of the Pathe News camera car also appeared in ‘THE GREAT RALLY - LONDON-BRIGHTON’ in Pathe News No.65/91 of November 1965, filmed by Ken Gordon [qv]. Plummer later worked freelance for Movietone, where he was credited for ‘HAMPDEN GOAL-FEST’ in British Movietone News No.1922A of April 1966. After the closure of Pathe News in 1970 Plummer provided Movietone with a number of sporting items, such as ‘LEAGUE CUP FINAL’ in No.2127A of March 1970, and his last credit is for ‘ANGLING CHAMPIONSHIPS’ in British Movietone News No.2182A of April 1971.

He also worked as a cameraman for Roundabout (1962-1974) and Parade (1963-1973), colour cinemagazines made by Associated British Pathe for the Central Office of Information. One of his earliest credits for Parade is ‘ANIMAL FOODS’, Parade No.67, released April 1969 and his only known credit for Roundabout is ‘Asbestos Mintex Car Brakes’, Roundabout No.88, released September 1969.

Sources

BUFVC, British Paramount News files, Issue Number 2627 (Plummer dopesheet, 28/4/1956): J. Ballantyne (ed) ‘Researcher’s Guide to British Newsreels: Vol.III’ (1993), p.73: Information from Peter Hampton, March 1999: NoS Number 327637; Parade Number 67; Date released April 1969: NoS Number 327936; Roundabout Number 88; Date released September 1969.