News on Screen

Tommy Cummins began his career as a newsreel cameraman, and Freddie Watts [qv] of Pathe recalled him as one of the original cameramen who helped to launch the newsreels. During the First World War he apparently served in the army in France, but nothing is known about his film work before the launch of the British Paramount News in 1931. In 1933 Tommy Cummins was listed on its staff as assistant editor, rising to editor and apparently general manager by the following year. Cummins became known for his rivalry with Castleton-Knight [qv] of Gaumont British, and their battle over the 1934 Test Series - for which Gaumont British and Movietone held the rights - was notorious. By one account ‘Cummins’s talent for thwarting the opposition was stick-like and humourless’: ‘In one year that Paramount had the Cup Final rights, he simply advertised blocks of contraband tickets, sold them to other newsreels when they applied, and then just ticked them all off on his own seating plan.' When the match began they were prevented from filming. Cummins also resisted interference from outside the industry, and in March 1934 objected to government censorship of the newsreels on the grounds that he could not see ‘how any form of increased control could do otherwise than hopelessly slow down the publication of screen news.' He placed his faith in continuing self-censorship, arguing that for the newsreels to succeed ‘nothing must be included which the average man will not like.'

This policy was supported by the other newsreel editors, and in May 1937, when the Duke of Windsor married Wallace Simpson, they held a meeting at the British Movietone News offices. The meeting included G. F. Sanger [qv] of British Movietone News, R. S. Howard [qv] of Gaumont British News, Cecil Snape [qv] of Universal News, Louis Behr [qv] of Pathe Gazette, and Cummins. They agreed not to run the story. However, in September 1937 Cummins did run controversial material in No.683, in a story headed ‘SHANGHAI’S WAR FILMED IN ALL ITS HORROR.' These were described as ‘unique pictures secured during city’s worst bombardment include scenes at wrecked store where one bomb killed 169,' and Cummins justified their inclusion as ‘the only way to stop war.' He told To-Day’s Cinema that he had just returned from the Continent, and ‘my opinion is, that certain countries are getting very warlike’: ‘If the public saw more of the pictures such as we are showing, they would think twice before plunging nations into war. And remember, the next war is going to be on civilians.' However, Cummins was criticised for his decision - especially by Jeffrey Bernerd of Gaumont British. Cummins responded by hinting that Gaumont British had a right-wing bias, and added that the newsreel was more than ‘a medium for the presentation of mediocre pictures of laying of foundation stones or seaside baby shows solely for the purpose of scoring with an effective wisecrack.'

From 1937 Cummins had E. J. H. Wright [qv] as his assistant editor - also described as his ‘news editor.' Cummins edited British Paramount News throughout the Second World War, and in September 1940 he was credited for providing film of the London tubes in ‘LONDON DIVES DEEP BUT COMES UP SMILING’ in British Paramount News No.1000. Cummins appeared in ‘ICELAND VISIT’ in British Paramount News No.1094 of August 1941, welcoming cameraman W.M. Macgregor [qv] and soundman Ronnie Read [qv] into his office on their return from filming the meeting between Churchill and Roosevelt. The commentary described them as ‘back at headquarters’ where ‘editor G. T. Cummins had a friendly word with them.' Cummins was still listed as editor of British Paramount News in 1947, but in June 1948 he was recruited as managing editor of the Pathe News, to replace Clement Cave [qv] who had quarrelled with the Pathe management over political coverage. His replacement as managing editor of British Paramount News was E. J. H. Wright [qv]. At the Pathe News Cummins was described as editor and executive producer, and he was still in this post in 1957, when he was hailed as ‘a cameraman from even tougher days.' He retired around 1962, and was replaced by Terry Ashwood [qv].

Sources

G. T. Cummins ‘Can newsreels be censored?' Kinematograph Weekly, 8/3/1934, p.4: G. T. Cummins ‘Telling the world with pictures,' Kinematograph Weekly, 25/10/1934, Supplement, p.8: Motion Picture Herald, 12/6/1937, p.54, ‘Duke of Windsor’s wedding films banned in Britain by ‘agreement’': World Film News, July 1937, p.29, ‘Newsreel Rushes’: To-Day’s Cinema, 14/9/1937, pp.1, 11, ‘News Reels Give Anti-War Lead’; 15/9/1937, pp.3, 47, ‘Shanghai Film Disagreement’; 17/9/1937, p.1, ‘Newsreel Policy on War’: T. Ramsaye (ed) ‘1947-48 International Motion Picture Almanac (New York, 1947), p.896: P. Noble (ed) ‘British Film Yearbook 1949-50’ (London, 1949), p.275: Film Review, April 1957, pp.22-3, ‘Filming the Grand National’: G. T. Cummins ‘The Cinema Newsreel and the Impact of Television,' Financial Times, 23/9/1957, p.24: P. Norman ‘The Newsreel Boys,' Sunday Times Magazine, 10 January 1971, p.13: J. Ballantyne (ed) ‘Researcher’s Guide to British Newsreels: Vol.III’ (1993), p.25: J. Turner, ‘Filming History: The Memoirs of John Turner, Newsreel Cameraman’, pp. 220-221.