News on Screen

John Rudkin was a Pathe cameraman whose first credit is for ‘ARMISTICE DAY 1945’ in Pathe Gazette No.45/92 of November 1945. Rudkin often worked with Adolph Simon [qv] as his sound engineer, and in August 1947 they filmed the British Services Searchlight Tattoo in Berlin for ‘BERLIN SEES BRITISH TATTOO’ in Pathe News No.47/66. Rudkin’s next credit is for ‘TWO MILE PROCESSION OF MOTOR CYCLISTS...' in Pathe News No.47/79 of October 1947. He was shown under the title of this issue, operating his camera, and featured in the comic item ‘PETROL COMES BACK’ in Pathe News No.48/45 of June 1948, where he was shown digging up stored petrol. Rudkin was also shown on top of a camera truck at Heathrow in ‘EDGAR BERGEN AND CHARLIE MCCARTHY ARRIVE...' in No.48/55 of July 1948. In November 1948 Rudkin and Bill McConville [qv] appeared in Pathe News No.48/88, photographing the Taylor quads for ‘MRS TAYLOR TALKS ABOUT THE QUADS.' Rudkin’s next surviving credit is for ‘WHO’S FOR THE CUP’ in No.49/4 of January 1949, after which he is regularly credited for domestic stories, and occasionally appears in the item. In May 1953 Rudkin was shown with his camera and zoom lens in ‘CORONATION REHEARSAL’ in No.53/37, and in June 1953 he filmed at Horseguards Parade for ‘THE CORONATION OF H.M. QUEEN ELIZABETH’ in No.53/41. Rudkin was shown reading a newspaper in ‘PETROL CRISIS OVER’ in No.53/83 of October 1953. His last surviving credit is for ‘AERODROME RUNWAY DRYER’ in No.55/71 of September 1955.

Sources

BUFVC, British Paramount News files, Issue Number 1535 (Rudkin’s rota dopesheet, 11/11/1945), Number 1718 (Rudkin’s rota dopesheet, 8/11 August 1947).