Jeffrey K. Shearley ("Jeff")

Jeff Shearley was a commentary writer and commentator for Movietone, whose first credit as commentator is for British Movietone News No.1445 of February 1957. However, from 1961 onwards there are references on the issue sheets to his cutting stories, and Norman Fisher [qv] recalled that from this date Shearley worked at Denham and shared the film editing of the British Movietone News with the chief film editor Peter Hampton [qv]. Shearley appears in the Movietone staff list for January 1964, when Terry Gallacher [qv] recalled him as ‘make-up editor, commentary writer and sometime commentator.' Peter Hampton recalled that after Jack Ramsden’s [qv] death in about 1967, Shearley spent a couple of years as executive editor of British Movietone News. Shearley’s final credit as commentator was for British Movietone News No.2169 of December 1970.

He also acted as commentator on several issues of the technicolor cinemagazine Roundabout (1962-1974), which British Movietonews produced from mid-1970 for the Central Office of Information (COI). One of his earliest credits is for ‘FARNBOROUGH ‘70’, Roundabout No.104, released in January 1971. He is also credited as commentator for another COI cinemagazine Parade (1963-1973), his earliest credits for this series being ‘COMMONWEALTH GAMES EDINBURGH’ Parade No.87, released in February 1971.

Sources

J. Ballantyne (ed) ‘Researcher’s Guide to British Newsreels: Vol.III’ (1993), p.75 - note by Norman Fisher: BUFVC, T. M. Gallacher, ‘Additional Notes,' October 1998: Information from Peter Hampton, March 1999: NoS Number 328017; Roundabout Number 104; Date released January 1971: NoS Number 327339; Parade Number 87; Date released February 1971.