The film was shot at artist Frank Hampson’s Epsom home on 17th January 1956 and was a 90 second segment in Pathe Pictorial No 60. Frank is seen reprising a frame for an Eagle created solely for the camera.
Frank Hampson in 1956. Image: British Pathe
Frank Hampson at work on a panel of Dan Dare created just for the film Image: British Pathe
The YouTube version of the film is a good quality transfer for web viewing which opens with Frank Hampson and his father, dressed as Spacefleet’s Sir Hubert Guest, in deep discussion, followed by shots of the young Peter Hampson helping his father as he prepares to draw a page from the strip.
Featured are Frank’s father, “better known to Dan Dare fans as Sir Hubert Guest, Controller of the Interplanet Space Fleet”, and other Dan Dare art team members – Don Harley (putting a Treen mask on Peter), Eric Eden in a spacesuit and Joan Porter.
• Steve Holland posted this feature on the film when it was first released by British Pathe on Bear Alley, identifying some of the art featured
(Thanks to Andrew Paul for spotting this)
John Freeman
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Star Trek Explorer (previously known as Star Trek Magazine) and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War and “Dan Dare”. He’s the writer of "Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies" for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics, Classic British Comics, Digital Media, Other Worlds
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