News on Screen

Peter Whale was a film editor at Movietone, who worked on official projects after the outbreak of war in 1939. The editor of Movietone, Gerald Sanger [qv], later recalled that during the war ‘my main undertaking...was to attend to the making of short films, in conjunction with Raymond Perrin [qv] and Peter Whale, for various government sponsors.' He added that ‘Peter Whale specialised in work for the National Savings Movement,' but none of his credits survive. Whale is however known to have worked on a project entitled ‘Salute the Soldier,' presumably as part of ‘Salute the Soldier’ week in 1944. Whale remained with Movietone after the war, and in 1948 was credited as the foreign editor of British Movietone News. He was listed in the Movietone staff list for October 1951, and, according to Peter Hampton [qv], was also Movietone commentary writer for a number of stories. Terry Gallacher [qv] recalled that Whale ‘became a producer/director of documentary films after leaving Movietone, having set up his own company.'

In 1960, he produced Mining Review 13th Year Nos. 11 and 12, and Mining Review 14th Year No.1. Stories with his credits include, ‘SATURDAY INNINGS’ in 13th Year No.11 of 4th July 1960, ‘GAS’ in 13th Year No.12 of 1st August 1960, and ‘MIDGET MINER’ in 14th Year No.1 of 5th September 1960.

Sources

G. Sanger ‘The Story of British Movietone News in the War Years,' c.1946, copy in BUFVC: ‘Year Book of the Association of Cinematograph and Allied Technicians 1948/49,' p.54: BUFVC, T. M. Gallacher, ‘Additional Notes,' October 1998: Information from Peter Hampton, March 1999: NoS Number 346092; Mining Review 13th Year Number 11; Date released 4th July 1960: NoS Number 346095; Mining Review 13th Year Number 12; Date released 1st August 1960: NoS Number 346103; Mining Review 14th Year Number 1; Date released 5th September 1960: Gifford, Dennis, ‘The British Film Catalogue. Vol. 2’ (London, 2001), p365.