Jimmy Hodgson began in the film industry in about 1905, working in the darkrooms at Will Barker’s [qv] Autoscope Company. He subsequently worked for Pathe, the Williamson Film Company, and Gaumont, among other firms, possibly on newsreel work. In 1913 Hodgson was cameraman on a cinema expedition to Togoland, where he filmed topical scenes of ‘native life’ and a number of dramas including ‘Odd Man Out’ and ‘White Goddess.' After the outbreak of war in 1914 Hodgson joined the forces and served in France, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. In 1918 he was commissioned in the RAF, but after the Armistice went to work for Nepos Limited. By January 1927 he was apparently freelancing, and was credited for ‘THE TAIL LIGHT’ in Pathe Gazette No.1363. He then worked in the Pathe camera teams covering a number of sporting events, but his credits end with ‘INTERNATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY’ in Pathe Gazette No.1387 of April 1927. By 1929 Hodgson was editor and manager of the British Screen News, a newsreel which had begun production the previous year. The British Screen News closed in 1932, but by that time Hodgson had already returned to Pathe, where he was credited as cameraman for ‘ARMISTICE DAY SCENES IN BIRMINGHAM’ in Pathe Super Sound Gazette No.31/91 of November 1931. Over the next few years Hodgson found regular freelance work with the company, but his last credit is for ‘STEWARDS CUP AT GOODWOOD’ in Pathe Super Sound Gazette No.35/61 of August 1935. Hodgson is also known to have worked as a cameraman for the London edition of the March of Time, and at some time after the outbreak of war in 1939 Leslie Wyand [qv] worked briefly as his sound recordist.
Sources
L. Pontecorvo ‘The British Newsreel Companies: Staffing 1910-1945,' in J. Ballantyne (ed) ‘Researcher’s Guide to British Newsreels’ (BUFVC, 1983), p.90: J. Ballantyne (ed) ‘Researcher’s Guide to British Newsreels: Vol.II’ (1988), p.36.