News on Screen

Thomas Woodroffe was a former Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy who was recruited by the BBC as a commentator. One of his earliest jobs was to describe the Aldershot Tattoo from the arena, dressed as a soldier. Woodroffe specialised in naval events, but unfortunately became notorious for his drunken commentary on the Coronation Naval Review at Spithead in May 1937, in which he declared that ‘the fleet’s lit up.' When the National News was launched in October 1937 it was announced that the disgraced Woodroffe had been recruited to its staff. As the World Film News noted, ‘National News is sufficiently proud of its first commentator to promise to show his picture on the screen in the main title of each issue’: ‘Commentator Woodroffe is to use a fast moving, American style of commentating; is to collaborate in the writing of scripts for stories before they are shot; is to work in close co-operation with the editor and cutters.' However, the newsreel failed after only a few issues, and one of the reasons for its failure was said to be Woodroffe’s inability to adapt his BBC radio technique to the lighter newsreel style. The World Film News acknowledged that ‘on paper it looked good to follow American reels in putting the commentator on the screen’: ‘In practice Woodroffe showed himself a hopeless screen actor.'

The National News finally collapsed in February 1938 when its camera gear was put up for sale. However, in May 1939 Woodroffe reappeared at Movietone, the title of British Movietone News No.517 announcing ‘LESLIE MITCHELL CONDUCTS THE NEWS PAGEANT OF MOVIETONE. EYE-WITNESS COMMENTARY BY THOMAS WOODROOFFE [sic].' Later that month Woodroffe appeared in ‘DERBY CANDIDATES PREVIEW AS SEEN BY THOMAS WOODROOFFE [sic]' in No.519 and also provided ‘THE DERBY 1939 AS SEEN AND DESCRIBED BY THOMAS WOODROOFFE [sic]' in No.520A. He came to specialise in sports reporting, and by July 1939 was being credited for Movietone’s ‘Sports Commentaries.' Woodroffe’s last credit as commentator is for No.529A of July 1939.

Sources

World Film News, August 1937, p.31 ‘Newsreel rushes: notes by The Commentator’; October 1937, p.35, ‘Newsreel rushes: newsreel notes by The Commentator’; November 1937, p.37, ‘Newsreel rushes: newsreel notes by The Commentator’: Cine-Technician, March-April 1938, p.220, ‘Newsreel.'.