Derek Meddings and Les Bowie

Mentioned by Jeffrey and Rob:

>I wouldn't be surprised if contact with the skin by some >of these materials could cause cancer as well. Sad thing.

>had not seen mentioned anywhere else:

>"Although it cannot be proven, there is a fair chance that >working
>with volatile materials in the course of his special effects >career
>have contributed to his terminal illness. His mentor, Les >Bowie, died
>of cancer at the same age."

>I wonder if the burning petrol-based explosions he did >so many of may
>have had an involvment, as virtually every Anderson >show he did had
>something blowing up, and he was usually directly >involved in those shots.

>I look forward to the book, if I ever had a childhood >hero, it was Derek.

>Rob Neal

I have heard two things in relation to Derek's death from what would be regarded as reliable sources.Firstly that he died of bowel cancer and secondly that he died after complications during a routine operation.
I can understand the link bewteen the special effects he and his team undertook and diseases of the skin and respiratory system.
Obviously I don't know the details and I am no Doctor but how does this relate to bowel cancer.
Also Les Bowie hardly blew anything up and didn't undertake the kind of effects Derek specialised in.

He mostly worked for the British Company of Hammer Films who were the masters of Gothic Horror.The level of special effects in those films is fairly mundane by comparison.

I loved Martin Shubrook's book regarding his time at Slough 21 Century Studio's,despite the fact there wasn't a big coverage of UFO and that it wasn't very technical.

I still think the definitive book about model work,lighting and special effects on UFO at Slough has yet to be written.Maybe it never will.
The Derek Meddings book will of course be very interesting,but again will only likely contain a small coverage of UFO.I'm not complaining.The book has to appeal to a cross section of people,and I will be buying it.

Mark



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CONTENTS DELETED

I never meant to infer that working with such chemicals WAS the cause of Derek & Les' cancer, only that I wouldn't be surprised if it was a contributing factor (I'm not a doctor either). I also had no previous knowledge of which types of cancer Derek or Les had. And not being doctors, how can you or I being complete laymen rule out any possible cause of any type of cancer? Are you sure that inhaling carcinogenic agents, or spending time handling them, can't contribute to the formation of cancers NOT involving the skin or lungs? I'm assuming these carcinogens can find their way to other parts of the body, via the circulatory system. Once again, all just speculation on my part, but in lieu of an expert helping us out here, doesn't seem all that farfetched to me... : )

Jeff

Mark Davies <[hidden email]> wrote:
Mentioned by Jeffrey and Rob:

>I wouldn't be surprised if contact with the skin by some >of these materials could cause cancer as well. Sad thing.

>had not seen mentioned anywhere else:

>"Although it cannot be proven, there is a fair chance that >working
>with volatile materials in the course of his special effects >career
>have contributed to his terminal illness. His mentor, Les >Bowie, died
>of cancer at the same age."

>I wonder if the burning petrol-based explosions he did >so many of may
>have had an involvment, as virtually every Anderson >show he did had
>something blowing up, and he was usually directly >involved in those shots.

>I look forward to the book, if I ever had a childhood >hero, it was Derek.

>Rob Neal

I have heard two things in relation to Derek's death from what would be regarded as reliable sources.Firstly that he died of bowel cancer and secondly that he died after complications during a routine operation.
I can understand the link bewteen the special effects he and his team undertook and diseases of the skin and respiratory system.
Obviously I don't know the details and I am no Doctor but how does this relate to bowel cancer.
Also Les Bowie hardly blew anything up and didn't undertake the kind of effects Derek specialised in.

He mostly worked for the British Company of Hammer Films who were the masters of Gothic Horror.The level of special effects in those films is fairly mundane by comparison.

I loved Martin Shubrook's book regarding his time at Slough 21 Century Studio's,despite the fact there wasn't a big coverage of UFO and that it wasn't very technical.

I still think the definitive book about model work,lighting and special effects on UFO at Slough has yet to be written.Maybe it never will.
The Derek Meddings book will of course be very interesting,but again will only likely contain a small coverage of UFO.I'm not complaining.The book has to appeal to a cross section of people,and I will be buying it.

Mark

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Rob,

Thanks for reinforcing what was admittedly sheer speculation on my part.
Apparently you are more knowledgeable on the subject than either Mark or I. : )

Jeff

_,_._,___
"Hemmings, R.K." <[hidden email]> wrote:

How carcinogens get into the system isn't really relevant -
once they are in your body, any cells which are sensitive
to the carcinogen(s) involved could mutate into a cancerous
form.
Most older engineers and technicians would have probably
used Benzene for cleaning at some point, and that has been
implicated in many forms of cancer, including bowel.


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Jeff said:


> Rob,
>    
> Thanks for reinforcing what was admittedly sheer speculation on
my part.
> Apparently you are more knowledgeable on the subject than either
Mark or I. : )
>    

Yes,I can certainly accept that.
However is it definately on official record that this is what Derek
actually died from.

As I say another decent and reliable source mentioned complications
during a routine operation.

I think it is a matter of importance to those who admired him.

Mark

Mark,

Just to clarify my statements, I wasn't disputing the cause of Derek's passing, nor the type of cancer he had. You know more about that than I do.

I was only disagreeing with your thoughts that inhaling/handling carcinogenic materials couldn't have been a contributing factor regarding his colon cancer.

I certainly meant no disrespect to you, Derek's family, or his memory. I hope no offense was taken, and apologise profusely if there was.

Jeff

elder7uk <[hidden email]> wrote:

Jeff said:

> Rob,
>
> Thanks for reinforcing what was admittedly sheer speculation on
my part.
> Apparently you are more knowledgeable on the subject than either
Mark or I. : )
>

Yes,I can certainly accept that.
However is it definately on official record that this is what Derek
actually died from.

As I say another decent and reliable source mentioned complications
during a routine operation.

I think it is a matter of importance to those who admired him.

Mark






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Jeffrey Nelson wrote:
> Mark,
>
> Just to clarify my statements...


For all this discussion I suppose the readers are supposed to know...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Meddings

He's gone now and he did cool stuff that will be remembered. Discussing
or arguing about the "environmental concerns" that may or may not have
contributed to his final departure probably belongs on another list. Mark?

More on-topic, I was in a meeting of CAD techs this week where the
moderator asked (as a sort of break-the-ice question) "What's your
favourite TV show?' Naturally, I said UFO, but only after Flying Circus.

A newly-hired Brit across the table made approving sounds hearing about
UFO but we didn't have a chance to discuss it further as he works in a
different office.

So here's the conundrum: I realize that many people will nod in
agreement just to be sociable (often to the oddest things when uncertain
of the groupthink) so I'm wondering if I should send him my box set of
the series on loan.

Plus, he could be an alien spy.

Paul

> He's gone now and he did cool stuff that will be remembered. Discussing
> or arguing about the "environmental concerns" that may or may not have
> contributed to his final departure probably belongs on another list. Mark?

I don't have a problem with the discussion topic, although with the
number of messages sent so far, perhaps it has now worn out its
welcome, as all topics do eventually...

Marc