Douglas Fisher FRPS
10th September 1921 to 10th June 2007
Douglas Fisher was born 10th September 1921 in Feering, Essex, where his father had the village shop and Post Office as well as a small farm. Whilst Doug was a young lad, a neighbour, Sammy Cat showed the “young Doug” a 9.5mm home movie he had shot - Doug was instantly hooked. As an adolescent he bought his own 9.5 Pathe Vox sound projector, rented in films and gave film shows in local village halls. In 1939 he applied for a job as a trainee photographic technician with the Air Ministry. He was accepted for the job and told to wait to be called. A few months later (1940) he was summoned and based at Worth Matravers (Swanage) in Dorset. The unit later to be TRE was involved in developing early Radar equipment and Doug’s job was to help provide photographs and film for training purposes. Throughout WWII Douglas continued with film and photography, eventually persuading them to allow some filming, then done in B&W, on the new colour Kodachrome film, which had just been launched by Kodak. Regular trips to Kodak labs in London were necessary to oversee the security of the “Secret” film whilst it was being processed. Kodachrome was a very “slow” (about 8 ASA) film and required much more careful handling and a lot more light to get correct results. Doug’s perseverance is why we now have colour films of that era.TRE was hurriedly moved from the South Coast to
Malvern, Worcestershire. This move was to try and protect it from enemy bombing raids. It was here that Douglas met his wife to be, Joanna, who joined as a graphic artist in the film unit. Whilst in Malvern Douglas became friendly with Waldo and Muriel Lanchester, who ran a Marionette Theatre in the town. This was a friendship a lasted a lifetime and resulted in a book “Wooden Stars”, Douglas’s picture book of the making and operation of the Lanchester marionettes. Films were also made and included “Creation of a Marionette”, later added to and produced as a video “Marionette Masterclass”.
Douglas left the TRE film unit and joined The Welcome Foundation and ran their film unit for a number of years. During his time with “The Welcome” he made a number of classic medical and teaching films, including “William Harvey and the Circulation of the Blood”, and films on various tropical diseases. As some of the work was done, “across the road” at London Zoo he knew the Zoo personnel well. Eventually he was approached by fledgeling Granada Television who needed a film cameraman for their live Zoo based programme “Zoo Time” hosted by Desmond Morris. Film was the only way of inserting non studio material into the show, no videotape then!
Hampered by the confines of filming 
animals in cages, Douglas suggested to Sidney Bernstein, then head of Granada Television, that he would like to produce natural history programmes where the animals were the stars not the humans! Granada agreed and commissioned a series called “Another World”. The series was much acclaimed and Douglas was regarded as one of the best “natural history” cameramen of that era. Changes within Granada then saw Douglas set up Douglas Fisher Productions and produce for Granada a series called “Another World” where he made a number of films, one in particular caused a stir. “Grindabod” was about the Faroe Islands and their annual “Grind” or slaughter of pilot whales for food and oil. This was a very old and traditional event and has now virtually stopped. Between natural history assignments, Douglas made medical, pharmacutical, agrochemical and local interest films, for both large companies and both the BBC and Independant television.
animals in cages, Douglas suggested to Sidney Bernstein, then head of Granada Television, that he would like to produce natural history programmes where the animals were the stars not the humans! Granada agreed and commissioned a series called “Another World”. The series was much acclaimed and Douglas was regarded as one of the best “natural history” cameramen of that era. Changes within Granada then saw Douglas set up Douglas Fisher Productions and produce for Granada a series called “Another World” where he made a number of films, one in particular caused a stir. “Grindabod” was about the Faroe Islands and their annual “Grind” or slaughter of pilot whales for food and oil. This was a very old and traditional event and has now virtually stopped. Between natural history assignments, Douglas made medical, pharmacutical, agrochemical and local interest films, for both large companies and both the BBC and Independant television. BBC natural history producer/director Jeffrey Boswall
worked with Douglas on three major wildlife series, Wildlife Safari to Ethiopia, Argentina and Mexico, these consisted of six one hour programmes each. Douglas and Jeffrey spent 6 months traveling around each country. Some of these programmes won accolades and awards, the Ethiopian series was awarded the Ethiopian Haile Salassie Gold Medal.
worked with Douglas on three major wildlife series, Wildlife Safari to Ethiopia, Argentina and Mexico, these consisted of six one hour programmes each. Douglas and Jeffrey spent 6 months traveling around each country. Some of these programmes won accolades and awards, the Ethiopian series was awarded the Ethiopian Haile Salassie Gold Medal.In later years Douglas spent much of his time on recovering and acquiring early radar film and photographic material and providing this for TV programmes and books on WWII radar. Douglas also collected old film projectors in 16mm, 9.5mm, Standard and Super 8mm guages.
