George Pearson: Pioneer Film Maker

"The old days were the days for filming. I think there was more humanity in our old films. I think it was because we didn't know so much about it. When you know too much about a thing you're apt to put more mechanical effort into your work-you forget all the humanities." George Pearson, who celebrated his ninety-fourth birthday this month, was one of Britain's leading film directors in the great days of silent pictures. In tonight's film he movingly recalls some of his early years: seeing moving pictures for the first time more than seventy years ago; making some of his first films during the first world war; turning Betty Balfour into a star in the early 1920s..... The programme includes excerpts from some of Pearson's films: CHRISTMAS DAY IN THE WORKHOUSE (1914) NOTHING ELSE MATTERS (1920) SQUIBS WINS THE CALCUTTA SWEEP (1922) REVEILLE (1924)