Sydney Samuelson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sydney H. Wylie Samuelson (1925-12-07)7 December 1925 Paddington, London, England[1] |
| Died | 14 December 2022(2022-12-14) (aged 97) |
| Occupation | Producer |
| Children | Peter Samuelson |
| Parent | G. B. Samuelson |
Sir Sydney H. Wylie SamuelsonCBE (7 December 1925 – 14 December 2022) was a British film director and cinematographer.[2] He was appointed in 1991 by the government of the UK as the first British Film Commissioner.[3]
Sydney Wylie Samuelson was born inPaddington, London, toGeorge Berthold Samuelson, acinema pioneer of thesilent film era, and Marjorie Emma Elizabeth Vint. He was educated at the Irene Avenue Council School inLancing, West Sussex.[2]
Samuelson started his career as a rewind boy at the Luxor cinema inLancing, West Sussex. After working in several cinemas in the Midlands as a relief operator for the ABC circuit, he got a job as a trainee film editor with Gaumont British, which was then atLime Grove in London.
After serving in theRoyal Air Force from 1943 to 1947,[4] he got a job as a trainee cameraman with theColonial Film Unit. He then went on to work for Rayant Pictures, for whom he filmed theCoronation of Elizabeth II in 1953.[4] In 1954, he set up Samuelson Film Service, hiring out film equipment. He went on to become the first British Film Commissioner and remained in the post for six years. He was chosen as chairman of the management board ofBAFTA in 1976 and was a permanent trustee.
In 1985, he received the Michael Balcon Award, and in 1993, he received aFellowship of BAFTA, the Academy's highest honour. Samuelson was appointed aCommander of the British Empire (CBE) in the1978 Birthday Honours for service to BAFTA, andknighted in the1995 Birthday Honours for services to the film industry.[5][6]
Samuelson wrote the foreword featured in the book In Conversation with Cinematographers by David A. Ellis, published by the American publisher Rowman & Littlefield. He was the first President of theUK Jewish Film Festival. He remained in the role until 2005, and as of 2010 was the UKJFF Honorary Lifetime Patron.
Samuelson died at his home on 14 December 2022, aged 97.[7]
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