Reg Johnson(1915-1994)

Reg Johnson ( Reginald ) , entered the British Flim Industry in 1932 . He was employed by Maurice Ostrers to work at Gaumont British he served an apprenticeship for a year and was soon working as an assistant camera operator on many early films including early British Alfred Hitchcock films including "Young and Innocent " ( he was one of the unit involved in the famous tracking shot ). He was first assistant camera operator on "King of the Damned " and took over as Camera operator when Joe Rosentalhl was ill . He worked on many Gaumont British films from 1932 to 1939 . During WW2 he was a In The Royal Engineers. After the war he was lucky to be kept on at GB . In 1946/7he was sent to Megeve in the Alps as the camera operator and cinematogher (exteriors) on the 1948 film "Snowbound" .In 1947 Reg went out on the SS Valena to film on location in Barbados and Domenica , again as the camera operator. Reg worked for J Athur Rank as a Camera Operator on many films in the 1950s , including "Hell Drivers " , "Sea Fury" ,"Operation Amsterdam " and numerous other films. He also worked on Special Effects and the travelling matte process ( with Philippo Guidobaldi, Bryan Langley and Bill Warrington . He was freelance camera operator for a while in the 50s working at Ealing Studios and other studios filming Numerous films including "My Brothers Keeper" . He also worked for Brighton Pictures and was the Camera operator on 2 early Spike Milligan films "Penny Points to Paradise " and "Lets go Crazy " . In 1961 he was the first appointee to teach Cine photography at The RCA ( Royal Collage of Art London ) . Among the students that he helped was Ridley Scott . In 1963 he was employed by Bournemouth and Poole Art Collage to teach Cinematography and established the Cine pathway becoming the first " Head of the Bournemouth Film School " . He also bought Peter Parr onboard with him in 1967 to teach the students . Reg retired from BFS in 1977 . Among his many successful students were Colin White (Who Framed Roger Rabbit ) and Andrew Montgomery ( The Empire Strikes Back ) . He was well respected by all the people he worked with and from his vast experience in early British film was a little known pioneer in early British Cinema. He sadly died in 1994 . He left a manuscript of a book he started writing ( my intention is to finish the book ) as well as many memories he shared with family and friends. Thank you for taking the time to read a short biography of our Dad , Reg Johnson ( Reginald James Johnson ) .