Derek Stiles

Derek Stiles was a Movietone sound engineer, who is known to have worked with Paul Wyand [qv] to film ‘THE SECOND TEST MATCH AT LORDS’ in British Movietone News No.473 of June 1938. Stiles continued to work for Movietone after the outbreak of war in September 1939, and in March 1940 he is known to have worked as sound engineer on a London assignment with Movietone cameraman Alf Tunwell [qv]. Stiles later joined the Royal Navy as an Asdic operator. After the war he returned to Movietone, and in February 1947 went with Paul Wyand [qv] as sound engineer on the Royal Tour of South Africa. Wyand noted that ‘like me, he was a large man, and we were reckoned to have the distinction of being the heaviest newsreel team in the business.' In September 1947 Stiles acted as sound engineer for Paul Wyand in filming ‘FOREIGN SECRETARY AT SOUTHPORT CONFERENCE’ for British Movietone News No.953 of September 1947. Stiles appeared on camera in gag shots in ‘MOVIETONE’S SPORTING CALENDAR’ in British Movietone News No.1126A of January 1951, and ‘LATEST MODELS AT CAR SHOW’ in No.1167A of October 1951.

In September 1952 he interviewed Charlie Chaplin for ‘CHARLIE AND FAMILY ARRIVE’ in No.1216A. In June 1952 Stiles was Paul Wyand’s sound engineer on ‘THE DERBY’ in No.1199A, and they were filmed setting up the camera equipment. Stiles acted as sound engineer to Alec Tozer [qv] on ‘THE CORONATION’ for British Movietone News No.1252A of June 1953. In March 1955 he was also shown at Aintree with other Movietone staff in ‘PRELUDE TO ‘GRAND NATIONAL’' for No.1344. In the following month Stiles also appeared incidentally in ‘THE BUDGET’ in No.1350A. Stiles later joined ITN, where he changed his name to Derek Scott-Leslie - according to Reg Sutton [qv] ‘the story goes that a relation left him some money if he did this.'

Sources

BUFVC, British Paramount News files, NR 9502 (6/3/1940), Issue Number 1724 (Movietone rota dopesheet, c.September 1947), Number 2323 (Movietone rota dopesheet, 2/6/1953): R. Moore ‘Films: I try it myself,' Despatch, 26/6/1938: P. Wyand ‘Useless if Delayed’ (1959), pp.182-98: Reg Sutton’s typescript autobiography, copy in BUFVC: J. Ballantyne (ed) ‘Researcher’s Guide to British Newsreels: Vol.II’ (1988), p.36.