Biography of 'Templar Films '
Production company
Templar Film Studios was formed in 1949 by Robert Riddell-Black, David Low and Bill Russell, in a rented attic in Hope Street, Glasgow, moving to Clyde Street in 1951. The company was officially incorporated and registered as a business on the 4th March 1950, and by 1954 they had moved to larger premises in Lyndoch Street, Glasgow. The name was inspired by the medieval Knights Templar, who had at one time been so poor that two knights had to share one horse. Black and Low had one camera between them!
For the first six years Templar Films worked on a shoestring, shooting news for NBC in America, Gaumont-British News and the BBC Scotland’s Television Newsreel. They began to make religious and current affairs programmes such as Panorama for the BBC. In 1955 Low was shooting weekly football coverage and doing film-processing work for television. The company’s commitments to the BBC were growing and by 1960, it was given the production of a weekly programme called ‘Compass’.
Templar attracted many new entrants to the industry who as trainee cameramen and directors learnt their craft on production of documentaries for agencies such the Films of Scotland Committee and industrial sponsors. Templar Films along with Campbell Harper and Thames & Clyde became a mainstay of the Scottish film production industry in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Their best known title Seawards the Great Ships, took two years to make, and in 1961 won the first Hollywood Oscar in the short live action short category.
The company won over 30 international awards for its documentary and industrial films. While several directors and cameramen left, David Low became a director/cameraman and remained Riddell -Black’s right-hand man throughout most of the company’s life. Their partnership split in the mid 1970s when Black closed the Lynedoch St studio and moved to an industrial unit in Broadmeadows Industrial Estate, Dumbarton. The company finally ceased trading in 1980.
Researcher: Joan Allan
Films associated with 'COCOZZA, Enrico'
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804 SQUADRON [8600]Add to my filmsNews footage of 804 Naval Air Squadron, possibly at RNAS Lossiemouth, including shots of the squadron's Scimitar jets being prepared for service. |
Onsite only |
1960 mute bw |
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ABERDEEN BY SEASIDE AND DEESIDE [1371]Add to my filmsAn impressionistic account of the attractions that Aberdeen and Deeside offer the summer visitor. |
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1971 sound col |
ABERDEEN CRATHIE P.O. [5453]Add to my filmsBrief views ext. of Crathie Post Office, near Balmoral, Aberdeenshire. |
1965 silent bw |
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AIR SEA RESCUE I [8482]Add to my filmsFootage of US Air Force air rescue personnel and co-ordinated services in simulated exercises. |
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1961 mute bw |
AIR SEA RESCUE II [8842]Add to my filmsNews footage of US Air Force personnel at their base at Prestwick and crew members arriving at Girvan lifeboat station. |
1961 mute bw |
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ALEXANDRIA ACADEMY [5193]Add to my filmsA gym class, a pottery class and an official ceremony at Alexandria Academy. [See also ref. 5402] |
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1963 mute bw |
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ARE SALES LOST ON SATURDAYS? [2595]Add to my filmsMade by Glasgow South Co-op Society giving an overview of shopping habits to try to establish if shutting Co-op shops on Saturday meant loss of sales. |
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1958 silent bw |
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ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH ARGOSY AT RENFREW AIRPORT [8592]Add to my filmsNews footage of the new Armstrong Whitworth Argosy freight aircraft landing and taking off from Renfrew Airport. |
Onsite only |
1960 mute bw |
ATHOLL HIGHLANDERS [5546]Add to my filmsFootage of the Atholl Highlanders (the private army of the Duke of Atholl) on pipe band parade and making preparations to guns and sporrans for display. |
1969 mute bw |
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AUTUMN IN SCOTLAND [2462]Add to my filmsA plentiful autumnal crop is secured by backbreaking ‘tattie howking’ and hard work in this seasonal film from the 1960s shot for the 'Seasons in Scotland' four part series. |
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1960 silent col |
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BACK GREEN DANCING [5978]Add to my filmsGirls of various ages in white dresses, dancing in back court. |
Onsite only |
1935 silent bw |
BAIRD MEMORIAL PLAQUE [5570]Add to my filmsUnveiling of plaque of John Logie Baird. |
1956 silent bw |
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BALLATER [5581]Add to my filmsViews over landscape; gvs Ballater street scenes with many close-ups of shop facades. |
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1968 mute bw |
balrossie SCHOOL [5247]Add to my filmsBalrossie School. |
1969 mute bw |
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BATHGATE [5496]Add to my filmsShots of Bathgate in West Lothian. |
Onsite only |
1965 silent bw |
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BATTLEAXE [5269]Add to my filmsShots of the Weapon Class destroyer 'Battleaxe' and the 'Ursa' at Greenock after a collision on the Clyde, with close-ups showing damage to the side, exposing the interior of the ship. |
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1962 mute bw |
BBC EXTENSION 2 [5950]Add to my filmsGeneral views of construction work on new BBC building extension at Queen Margaret Drive in Glasgow's West End. Includes internal shots of the unfinished structure. |
1962 mute bw |
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BEA HANDLEY PAGE HERALD ON PROVING FLIGHT [8460]Add to my filmsNews footage of a new BEA Handley Page Herald aircraft on a Scottish proving flight, arriving from England at Renfrew Airport and flying to Machrihanish. |
1959 mute bw |
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BEA HELICOPTER [8454]Add to my filmsNews footage of test flights of a BEA Agusta Bell helicopter in a remote location. |
1960 mute bw |
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BEYOND THE GRAMPIANS [1501]Add to my filmsA description of the life of the fishing and farming communities in Aberdeenshire. |
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1963 sound col |
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BIG MILL, the [0387]Add to my filmsThe production of sheet steel at the Ravenscraig and Gartcosh Works of Colvilles Ltd. Lanarkshire. Ravenscraig steel works produced steel in many forms - to make cars and desks, bridges and ships for worldwide markets. |
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1963 sound col |
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BILSLAND BREAD [5428]Add to my filmsInterior shots of Bilsland's Bread factory, showing production processes and delivery vans being loaded. |
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1965 mute bw |
BILSLAND BREAD ADVERTISMENT [5465]Add to my filmsAdvertisement for "Bilsland Bread". |
1959 sound bw |
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BLOODHOUND [5260]Add to my filmsShots of Royal yacht 'Bloodhound' entering the locks at Fort Augustus on the Caledonian Canal, and gathered crowds. |
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1963 mute bw |
BLYTHSWOOD YARD [8472]Add to my filmsNews footage of workers at the Blythswood Shipbuilding Company yard in Scotstoun finishing work on the lighthouse tender vessel mv 'Fingal' and working on the construction of mobile homes. |
1963 mute bw |
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BOAT BUILDING YARD [8597]Add to my filmsNews footage of work at a boat building and repair yard, possibly in the North East, including shots of a steam drifter being repaired and a new boat under construction. |
Onsite only |
1960 mute bw |
BOBBY MCGREGOR [5198]Add to my filmsA young Bobby McGregor, international competitor for Great Britain, and other youngsters swimming in Falkirk public baths. |
1963 mute bw |
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BOILER FACTORY, ANNAN [5524]Add to my filmsAnnan street scene; various interior shots of Cochran boiler factory at Annan, workmen are busy making boilers. |
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1965 silent bw |
'BOOTS' ON CORNER OF RENFIELD STREET AND ARGYLE STREET GLASGOW [5385]Add to my filmsShot of the corner of Renfield Street and Argyle Street showing 'Boots' the chemist shop. |
1965 mute bw |
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BRIDGETON FIRE [5505]Add to my filmsDramatic shots of an operation to extinguish a large fire on Arcadia Street in Glasgow, involving several fire engines. |
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1960 silent bw |
BRITISH GUARDSMAN [5278]Add to my filmsShots of the 'British Hussar' being launched. |
1962 mute bw |
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BROADFORD WORKS, ABERDEEN [5406]Add to my filmsThe work of Broadford Works, Aberdeen. [manufacturing what appears to be a hosepipe or industrial fabric]. |
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1965 mute bw |
BRODICK CASTLE TREASURES [8374]Add to my filmsA short television documentary about Brodick Castle on Arran. |
1958 sound bw |
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BUCKIE HIGH SCHOOL [5184]Add to my filmsBoys from Buckie High School receiving a nautical lesson. |
1963 mute bw |
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BUILDING NEW HOUSES AT CUMBERNAULD [5343]Add to my filmsOverview of house construction at Braehead, Kildrum in Cumbernauld. |
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1959 silent col |
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BURNSIDE AND CAMBUSLANG [5981]Add to my filmsGeneral views houses in Burnside and Cambuslang. |
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1935 silent bw |
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CAIRNRYAN [5499]Add to my filmsBrief stock shots of Cairnryan, Wigtownshire, c1960. |
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1965 silent bw |
CALSALETTES [5504]Add to my filmsAdvertisement for Calsalettes - the safe vegetable laxative. |
1962 mute bw |
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CAMBRIAN AIRWAYS DC-3 LANDING AT AIRPORT [8444]Add to my filmsNews footage of a Cambrian Airways Douglas DC-3 landing at an airport, possibly Renfrew. |
1962 mute bw |
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CANBERRA SHIP [5267]Add to my filmsShots of the 'Canberra'. |
1969 mute bw |
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CAPSTAN CYCLE RALLY [8832]Add to my filmsNews footage of the start of the Capstan Cycle Rally from Glasgow to Aberdeen and back, with competitors starting from the Wills cigarette factory in Glasgow. |
1962 silent bw |
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CARGO SHIPS IN DOCK [5180]Add to my filmsCargo loaded and unloaded from various ships at dockside - possibly Leith? |
1961 mute bw |
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CARRADALE HARBOUR [5219]Add to my filmsFishing boats bedecked in flags, possibly at the opening of the newly constructed pier for Carradale Harbour, Kintyre. |
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1967 mute bw |
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CASTLEMILK FIRE STATION [5441]Add to my filmsInterior and exterior views of Castlemilk Fire Station, footage of the sleeping quarters, fire engines. Brief shots of the Lord Provost arriving for the opening ceremony. |
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1963 mute bw |
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CELTIC PARK [5328]Add to my filmsConstruction work on the stands at Celtic Park Football Stadium, Glasgow. Records the old stands in state of disrepair and the construction and erection of new stands. Finishes with a football match being played to capacity crowd. |
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1972 mute col |
CEREMONY AND ABC CINEMA [5077]Add to my filmsShots of the ceremony where Bob Riddell-Black, the producer of "Seawards the Great Ships" is presented with the 1961 Oscar awarded to the filmmakers for best Live Action Short Film, during the Edinburgh International Festival. Exteriors of the ABC Cinema in Edinburgh (now Odeon), including a billboard advertising a 'Scotland on Screen' programme. |
1962 mute bw |
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CHAMPIONS IN THE SUN [2203]Add to my filmsDocumentary about the 1964 Royal Highland Show at Ingliston. |
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1964 sound col |
CHAPEL CROSS [5399]Add to my filmsViews of the operation of Chapel Cross nuclear power station, showing control room and exteriors. |
1965 silent bw |
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CHEAPSIDE FIRE PLAQUE MEMORIAL [5435]Add to my filmsA memorial service for the Glasgow Salvage Corps in memory of the officer and men who lost their lives in the fire at Cheapside Street Glasgow 28th March 1960. Also the unveiling of a monument to those lost from the Fire Services and Salvage Corps in Glasgow Necropolis. |
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1963 mute bw |
CHRISTMAS CARDS [5305]Add to my filmsClose ups of Christmas cards; shots of a factory assembly line, women processing and packing cards. |
1963 mute bw |
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