Flying Officer Alligator

Series

Series Name

Colour Pictorial

Issue

Issue No.

151

Date Released

18 Nov 1957

Date recorded

11 Oct 1957

Length of issue (in feet)

759

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1Scooter Jousting
2. 2A Hairstyle is Born
3. 3Flying Officer Alligator

Story

Story No. within this Issue

3 / 3

Summary

Pathe synopsis: You will have to be very nippy indeed if you want to see this alligator later - for Flying Officer Frederick Lionel Bass-Worthing is the official mascot of No. 72 Squadron, RAF, and he travels by twin-jet Meteor night fighter. He is only a foot long at the moment but he will grow slowly but steadily until he is 80 years old. He may well be the first four-legged RAF officer to reach the moon.
SHOTLIST: MS officers relaxing on the grass in front of runway. Man runs in with couple of dogs. MS men seated on ground, one of them Flight Sergeant Fred Pitman has a poodle. Flight Lieutenant Gooding and the collie. MS another officer writing, he looks up and smiles. MS Flight Lieutenant Wood with a baby alligator seated next to him is Johnny Clegg. They are stroking the alligator. CU alligator. CU Wood. MS Johnny Clegg stroking the alligator. BCU siren hooting. MS company scramble towards their aeroplanes. MS Clegg runs out of picture and Wood plunges the alligator into a bucket. MS alligator looking over top of bucket. MSN men rush into their aeroplanes. MS ditto, pan from the nose of one aircraft to show the crew entering. MS Collie dog looking on. CU Alligator looking over the edge of bucket. MS one of the pilots putting on helmet. MS dog looking on. CU pilot giving OK signal. CU alligator looking over top of bucket. MS blocks being removed from wheels of aircraft. CU Collie puppy. MS meteor taxiing on runway. BCU alligator looking anxious. LS meteor taking off, pan with it as it flies away. MS radar instrument revolving. LS meteor aircraft taking off, pan with it as it takes off. MS alligator jumps out of bucket. MS Collie looking on. MS alligator crawling away to the undergrowth.

Keywords

Aviation; Air force; Animals

Locations

Yorkshire; England; Tadcaster

Written sources

Pathe Colour Pictorial Lobby Cards   Used for synopsis

Credits:

Commentator

David De Keyser

Length of story (in feet)

229

Story extras:

Film clip

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This series is held by:

Film Archive

Name

British Pathe Ltd

Email

info@britishpathe.com

Web

https://www.britishpathe.com/

Phone

0207 665 8340

Address

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London
SW9 6DE

Notes

Pathe now also handles the Reuters Historical Collection, which includes the British Paramount, Empire British, Gaumont Graphic and Gaumont British newsreels.

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