New Book - The Gimmick Man

Hi everyone

I hope this is not too much off topic, but this mail covers all sorts of
different films and productions.

I have recently had the pleasure of reading "Albert J Luxford, the
Gimmick Man - Memoir of a Special Effects Maestro" and can highly
recommend it for any fan of the British Film Industry. I have attached
the press release for the book below which contains contact information.


Burt has worked on virtually everything you can name including, the
Carry On's, Are You Being Served? Benny Hill, Bond, Chitty Chitty Bang
Bang, Dad's Army, Hammer Horror, It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Jurassic Park,
The Muppets, Spike Milligan, The Persuaders, UFO plus lots of others.
Albert reminisces in the book and discusses how he was involved in the
special effects and how they were produced.

Drop me an email, If you want to know how much content and what stories
are contained about your favourite film or series.

I have met Burt on a few occasions and he is well worth meeting if you
get the chance.

Adrian

PS. If you do contact Gareth to purchase the book, ask him for a copy
signed by himself and Burt, he may have some left.

The author, Gareth Owen ([hidden email] ), has kindly given me
permission to reproduce a paragraph from the book which follows. I have
selfishly chosen a Carry On moment


Talking about the Oozlum bird from Carry On Up The Jungle

Ah, dear Ozzie, he was great fun. The art director asked me if I could
make this Oozlum bird. I had been in the Air Force and knew what it
was, but had no idea what it looked like. The old story was that the
Oozlum flew around in ever decreasing circles and eventually disappeared
up its own . well, it's own rear orifice.

Bert was told that the design was open to a certain amount of
interpretation, but should have a rear end of about four inches round,
with lots of fur around. It also had to nod, turn and tilt its head.

It wasn't really that difficult. Ozzie was about two feet high,
actually, and the engineering part was fairly straightforward, with a
couple of motors and remotely connected controls. I made a little model
of the bird and the plastering department then made the main body for
me. Then came the job of finding the feathers. But where the heck do
you get a lot of colourful feathers?

I wanted to use real feathers - which probably complicated matters for
myself - and I ended up going to a company in the City of London which
made ladies hats.

I'd already acquired a shocking name for strange requests in the locale
of Pinewood, and was now set to take it further a field.

I met a milliner, who was tucked away in a smallish room in a three
story house, and told him that I wanted some white, blue, red, yellow,
pink and so on, feathers.

"How many?" He asked.

"About four of five hundred should do it.!

"how many hats are you making?" He inquired.

I told him that I wasn't making hats, but a bird. He asked what sort of
bird, so I told him - an Oozlum. Of course, he then wanted to know what
an Oozlum was. So I told him.

Needless to say, I got some very strange looks. I don't think he could
believe his ears. He must have thought I'd escaped from somewhere. Had
it not been for the fact I had cash in my hand to pay for them, I
probably would have been 'removed' from the premises.

I eventually got all the feathers I needed, and Ozzie was created. He
went down a treat, and looked wonderful. In fact, he surpassed my
expectations too. After filming, I kept him in my workshop, and he
often became a conversation point with visitors. Foolishly, when I
retired, I didn't take him with me. We all live and learn, don't we?


PRESS RELEASE

8 February 2002

For immediate release



THE GIMMICK MAN