Duncan Abraham was a newsreel cameraman based in Johannesburg, whose first surviving credit is for a single shot of a Zulu in ‘ZULU WARRIORS DANCE FOR KING’ in British Paramount News No.1680 of April 1947. Abraham may recently have come out from England, as in April 1947 his wife was still living in Brighton, and he was asking Paramount to keep in touch with her. Abraham supplied Paramount with further stories in 1947, but later provided ‘COUNCIL ELECTIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA’ for British Movietone News No.1032 of February 1949. Abraham regularly supplied South African footage for Movietone, and in ‘COMET’S WEEK-END TRIP’ in British Movietone News No.1196A of May 1952 he appears on camera. The story dealt with a flight to Johannesburg, including the delivery of a newsreel, and the card notes that ‘Mr. Abrahams [sic] is person unpacking reel.' In July 1954 he provided footage of ‘ZULU FESTIVAL - DURBAN’S CIVIC CENTENARY’; ‘DRESS UP’ for British Movietone News No.1312A, and was credited as ‘H. Duncan Abrahams.' In December 1956 he provided ‘THE FIRST TEST’ for Pathe; News No.57/1, being credited as ‘H. Duncan-Abraham.' Abraham’s last surviving credit is for ‘FLOODS IN SOUTH AFRICA’ in British Movietone News No.1478A of October 1957.
Sources
BUFVC, British Paramount News files, Issue Number 1680 (shotlist ‘KING QUEEN VISIT ZULULAND,' 2/4/1947): Original dope sheets for OPENING OF PREMIER DIAMOND MINE IN JOBURG AND note to the News Editor [BPN, Issue 1693, 040547].