News on Screen

Arthur Menken was a cameraman who covered the Spanish Civil War for Paramount, his first credit being for ‘REBELS TAKE IRUN’ in British Paramount News No.577 of September 1936. Menken was probably working for Paramount News in New York, and in October 1937 he also covered the Sino-Japanese War for them, working with Henry Kotani. In June 1939 he was also credited in the Paramount News camera team that filmed King George VI’s visit to Washington. After the outbreak of war in September 1939 Menken became a war correspondent, and by November 1939 was filming in Holland. In December 1939 he was filming in Luxemburg. He provided a number of wartime reports for the British Paramount News, the first being ‘BRITISH PARAMOUNT NEWS SPECIAL: WAR AT SEA’ in No.960 of May 1940. This item included a section in which ‘Paramount cameraman Arthur Menken, who returned with Namsos convoy, recounts unforgettable story of Nazi bombing on nightmare voyage home.'

During this period, he also provided shots of the Battle of Britain, which were included in the March of Time 6th Year No.7 ‘ON FOREIGN NEWSFRONTS’. Menken also provided ‘PACIFIC DRAMA’ for British Paramount News No.1091 of August 1941, described as an ‘exclusive British Paramount photo-report from ace Far East cameraman Arthur Menken.' Menken was also credited in the reel for ‘PHILLIPINES READY’ in No.1102 of September 1941, and ‘CHINA STANDS RESOLUTE’ in No.1105 of October 1941, the latter described as ‘exclusive first pictures of life in Chinese capital under ruthless Japanese raids, filmed by Paramount cameraman, Arthur Menken.'

Sources

BUFVC, British Paramount News files, Issue Number 577, NR 6773, NR 8619, NR 9027, and NR 9314: Fielding, Raymond; The March of Time 1935-1951 (New York, 1978); p267.: NoS Number 352103; March of Time 6th Year Number 7; Date released 1940.