Dan Dare (1956)

The comic strips of Dan Dare drawn by Frank Hampson are popular in 1956. See here footage from behind the scenes where everyone takes a part in modeling for the artist.

Epsom, Surrey. M/S of a space ship or rocket suspended in the air; lights below are switched on and two men come into this high angle shot; Dan Dare creator Frank Hampson is in a suit, the other man is his father, wearing an army uniform. M/S of the men discussing the model hanging before them.

M/S of a schoolboy in a room with a spaceman; the spaceman wears a bizarre costume with many plastic attachments to it. The boy attaches a badge to the spaceman's upper arm and turns to look at artist Don Harley painting a mask on a desk beside them. Commentator tells us artist Frank is working on his 'Dan Dare' strip. The boy walks over to have a look at the mask; it looks like a kind of green monkey-type face. The boy puts the mask on and waggles his head about as commentator says "In case you don't recognise this space monster, it's a Treen, from the planet Venus", and goes on to explain the boy is Frank's son, Peter, who is helping him out.

M/S of Frank drawing at his desk; he looks up and we see his model is the man in the army uniform we saw earlier, striking a pose. Commentator informs us this is Frank's father, "better known to Dan Dare fans as Sir Hubert Guest, Controller of the Interplanet Space Fleet". C/Us of the artist and model. C/U of the comic strip Frank is working on, with the outline of his father clearly seen. C/U panning along Frank's mantelpiece where various spaceman figures are seen; tilt up to show a space rocket suspended from the ceiling.

M/S of Frank working at his desk as Peter, the spaceman (with helmet off he is Eric Eden) and Mr Hampson Snr, all gather round to look at the strip he works on. A woman, Joan Porter, enters, puts the Treen head on a table, and looks on. C/U of the page Frank is working on, showing two rockets flying towards the moon.

Note: there are notes on file from 'Eagle' comic. Filming took place at Frank's home in Epsom.

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FILM ID:39.13

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