Skip to main content

National Library of Scotland

Biography of 'ROBELLO, Paul'

Cameraman

Born: Aberdeen
Died: 1961, Govan, Glasgow

Robello trained as a photographer under the direction of the Aberdeen photographer, George Washington Wilson. In 1892 at the age of 25 Robello began to work for William Walker, a local bookseller and optical lanternist. To help advertise his business Walker often held magic lantern slide shows and Robello as Chief Technician was responsible for the slides and the stage lighting at these shows and concert parties.

With the arrival of moving pictures in 1896, Walker decided to extend his lantern slide business to include this new phenomenon. He and Robello travelled to London to buy film equipment. In the following years Robello filmed many local events to be shown at Walker’s Cinematograph concerts and shows, the most famous of which was the Braemar Gathering in 1898. This film was part of a command performance Walker gave for Queen Victoria at Balmoral Castle on 24 October 1898. Other topicals Robello made with Walker and their assistant Joe Gray included the ambitious four camera shoot of the royal visit to open the extension to Marischal College, Aberdeen in September 1906 and Aberdeen’s Lord Provost’s Garden Parties.

In 1911 Walker’s business collapsed, Robello then began working at a cinema in Aberdeen, and is believed to be involved in producing topical films. In July 1918, Robello had moved back to Glasgow, where he was employed by Green’s Film Service to run the Production department for their Scottish Moving Picture News.

In September 1922 Robello and Bobbie Mann established their own company Topical Productions based at 441 St Vincent Street, Glasgow. Robello used his experience in film making to advertise the new company as "specialists in the producing of Topical, Industrial and Educational Cine Films since 1896". Robello and Mann also intended that important events filmed by Topical Productions would be processed and on show at Glasgow’s various cinemas that same day. The firm was also the Scottish representative for the UK wide Pathe-Gazette newsreel and supplied stories to Topical Budget news. Topical Productions continued to operate until 1944 when Robello retired and the business was closed. Robello continued to live in Govan, Glasgow with his family until his death aged 93 on 21st June, 1961.

Researcher: Eamonn Butler

Films associated with 'COCOZZA, Enrico'

Title Release date Film reference Sound Colour Date film record added Date video added Asc Desc
	ABERDEEN 1906 [0042] Add to my films Footage of 27th September 1906 when King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra visited Aberdeen to open new extension to Marischal College Aberdeen University.		1906 silent bw
	GORDON HIGHLANDERS [0449] Add to my films Kilted pipe band leads a contingent of the Gordon Highlanders along Aberdeen's Union Terrace, en route for army barracks in Edinburgh, and thence a tour of duty in the Boer War.		1899 silent bw
	LOCHGELLY WAR MEMORIAL [0966] Add to my films Ceremony to mark the unveiling of Lochgelly war memorial on the 3rd December 1924.		1924 silent bw
	PATHE SUPER SOUND GAZETTE No 35/68, HIS MAJESTY IN SCOTLAND [1836] Add to my films King George V arrives at Ballater station and inspects the guard of honour of the Black Watch.		1935 sound bw
	SALUTE THE SOLDIER WEEK [2084] Add to my films Events during Renfrew and Inchinnan's "Salute the Soldier" week 3 - 10 June 1944.		1944 silent bw
	SCENIC PICTURE HOUSE CLOSURE [2103] Add to my films Shots of children queuing for the last matinee performance of "The Adventures of Robin Hood" at the Scenic Picture House, Glasgow. Shots of the building being demolished.		1939 silent bw
	ST. KILDA - BRITAIN'S LONELIEST ISLE [0418] Add to my films A voyage from Glasgow to St Kilda, containing scenes of the Western Isles and island life of the crofters on St Kilda. Research suggests scenes on the island of Hirta taken in May 1923, with later footage of the voyage to the St Kilda islands taken c. 1928.		1928 silent bw