The Elstree Project

Interviews

The voices behind Elstree and Borehamwood’s studios

Since 2010, The Elstree Project has recorded 81 oral-history interviews with the people who made film and television across Elstree and Borehamwood.

Actors, directors, technicians, craftspeople, studio staff and many others share their experiences of working across the area’s eight studio sites. Together, their memories preserve the history of a filmmaking community: its productions, its workplaces and the people whose skills brought them to life.

Paul Welsh MBE talks about the legacy of Elstree and Borehamwood’s studios

 Paul’s knowledge and enthusiasm helped generations of people understand the importance of this remarkable studio town. You can also read our tribute to Paul Welsh.

About the interview archive

The list below records interviews filmed for The Elstree Project. Some contributors were interviewed more than once, allowing us to explore particular productions or areas of their careers in greater depth. Other recordings bring colleagues together to share their memories.

The archive includes internationally recognised performers and filmmakers, as well as the camera crews, editors, grips, designers, production staff, administrators and other workers whose contributions are essential to the story of the studios.

The Kubrick Visions interview archive

The first interviews were recorded in May 2010 for a University of Hertfordshire research project entitled Kubrick Visions.

These initial conversations focused on Stanley Kubrick and included members of his family and production crews. From September 2010, the research expanded under the name The Elstree Project to document the much wider history of film and television production across Elstree and Borehamwood.

The original Kubrick Visions interviewees were:

  1. Jan Harlan, Producer: A Clockwork Orange to Eyes Wide Shut
  2. Christiane Kubrick, Stanley Kubrick’s widow, actor and artist
  3. Katharina Kubrick, Stanley Kubrick’s daughter
  4. Julian Senior*, Publicist MGM and Warner Bros
  5. Tony Palmer, Composer and Director
  6. Kelvin Pike, Camera Operator 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining
  7. Ron Punter, Scenic Artist: The Shining
  8. Ray Merrin*, Post-Production Sound: The Shining
  9. Sir Ken Adam*, Set Designer: Dr Strangelove

The Elstree Project interview archive

The following list records the interviews filmed for The Elstree Project since September 2010.

  1. June Randall*, Continuity: The Shining, A Clockwork Orange, The Avengers
  2. Kelvin Pike, Camera Operator
  3. Ron Punter, Scenic Artist
  4. Ray Merrin* and Terry Rawlings*, Post-Production Sound
  5. Alf Newvel*, Rigger: The Great Muppet Caper
  6. Johnny Goodman*, Production Supervisor: The Saint
  7. Paul Welsh* MBE, Film Historian
  8. Doug Scott*, Stills Photographer
  9. Ken Baker, Assistant Director: Labyrinth, The Saint, The Baron, Gideon’s Way, Department S
  10. John West, Assistant Studio Manager
  11. Alan Tomkins*, Art Director: Hanover Street
  12. Mick Mason, Camera Technician: The Shining
  13. John Hough, Director: The Avengers, The Saint, The Champions, The Baron, The Zoo Gang
  14. Tom Staples, Boom Operator: The Saint
  15. Jim Hill, Studio Director
  16. Neville Reed, Head of Studios: Elstree Film and Television Studios 1996 – 2006
  17. John Kirsop, Stagehand and Grip
  18. Ken Pullan*, Carpenter
  19. John Willis, Publicist
  20. Mick Brady, Props and Special Effects: 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Prisoner
  21. Julian Senior*, Publicist MGM and Warner Bros
  22. Sir Roger Moore*, Actor: The Saint, The Man Who Haunted Himself
  23. Brian Clemens*, Writer: The Avengers
  24. John Herron, Film Librarian
  25. Geoff Glover, Camera Operator: Star Wars, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
  26. Brian Elvin, Camera Operator: Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), Department S
  27. Annie Elvin*, Matte and Roto Supervisor: Who Framed Roger Rabbit
  28. Ron Punter, third interview – related entirely to Who Framed Roger Rabbit
  29. Barry Wilkinson, Props Master: Labyrinth, Who Framed Roger Rabbit
  30. Martin Baker, Floor Manager and Producer: The Muppet Show, Labyrinth, The Great Muppet Caper
  31. Doug Milsome, Assistant Camera and Cinematographer: The Prisoner, The Shining
  32. Keith Clement, Head of Development: BBC Elstree Centre
  33. Brian Cook, Assistant Director: 633 Squadron, Danger Man, The Shining, Flash Gordon
  34. Brian Blessed, Actor: The Avengers, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), Flash Gordon
  35. John Spooner, Clapper Loader: British National Studios
  36. Kenneth Cope*, Actor: William Tell, The Avengers, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)
  37. Steven Spielberg, Producer and Director: Indiana Jones trilogy, Who Framed Roger Rabbit
  38. Joe Turkel*, Actor: The Shining
  39. Walter Murch, Film and Sound Editor: Julia; Director: Return to Oz
  40. Roger Morris, Managing Director: Elstree Studios
  41. Keith Dagley, Development Co-ordinator: Brent Walker Elstree Studios
  42. Damien Clusky, Carpenter: MGM-British Studios
  43. Dave Prowse*, Actor: Star Wars, A Clockwork Orange
  44. Ruby Burke, Tea Lady at MGM-British Studios
  45. Simon Pegg, Actor: The World’s End, Man Up
  46. Bryony Dixon, Senior Curator: BFI Silent Film
  47. Lisa and Louise Burns, Actors: The Shining
  48. Morris Bright, County Councillor: Chairman, Elstree Studios
  49. Barbara Windsor* MBE, Actor: Sparrows Can’t Sing, EastEnders
  50. Garrett Brown, Inventor of the Steadicam: The Shining
  51. Louise Gold, Muppeteer: The Muppet Show, The Dark Crystal
  52. Rona McKendrick, Production Manager: EastEnders
  53. Brian Harris, Camera Operator: Hanover Street, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
  54. Peter Price, Assistant Director: Danger Man
  55. Robert Watts*, Producer: Star Wars, Indiana Jones trilogy, Who Framed Roger Rabbit
  56. Gary Kurtz*, Producer: Star Wars, Return to Oz, Labyrinth
  57. Colin Wood, Boom Operator
  58. Eric Robinson, Clapper Loader
  59. Mickey Pugh, Props: Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan
  60. Mike Uwins, Chef: ATV Elstree Studio
  61. Dennis Fraser MBE, Grip
  62. George Gibbs*, Special Effects: Indiana Jones Trilogy
  63. Kelvin Pike and Brian Osborne: The Dam Busters
  64. Sally Thomsett, Actor: The Railway Children
  65. Jenny Hanley, Actor: Scars of Dracula
  66. Dave Goelz, Muppet Performer: The Muppet Show, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth
  67. Trevor Horn CBE, Musician and Record Producer: The Buggles “Elstree”
  68. Howard Berry, Official Historian of Elstree and Borehamwood’s Studios
  69. Bradley Walsh, Presenter: “The Chase”
  70. John Stephenson OBE, Mechanical Character Designer: The Dark Crystal, Greystoke, Return to Oz
  71. Tim Rose, Animatronics, Puppetry and Actor: The Dark Crystal, Return to Oz, Return of the Jedi
  72. Nigel Plaskitt, Puppetry and Actor: Pipkins, Labyrinth, The Tale of the Bunny Picnic, Mopatop’s Shop

*  = deceased. (Last updated July 2026)

Watching and accessing the interviews

Selected interviews can be watched in The Elstree Project’s documentaries, short films and edited interview collections.

The complete oral-history recordings are preserved as part of The Elstree Project archive. For information about research access or licensing interview footage for other productions, please visit our Access and Licensing page.

Share your story

The interview archive continues to grow. We’d love to hear from people who worked at any of Elstree and Borehamwood’s eight studio sites—in front of the camera, behind the scenes, in a workshop, technical department, production office, administrative role, catering, facilities or any other part of studio life.

We are particularly keen to record experiences from studios and areas of work that are less well represented in the archive, including the contributions of women and others whose work has often been overlooked in traditional production histories.

No story is too small to tell. Every contribution helps build a fuller history of this filmmaking community. If you, a relative or a former colleague may have a story to share, please contact us.