The Private Life of the Kingfisher

The Private Life of the Kingfisher (styled in its opening titles as "The private life of the KINGFISHER[1]), made in 1966 and screened in 1967 as episode 144 of the nature series Look,[2] was the first BBC natural history film to be shown in colour.[1]

"The Private Life of the Kingfisher"
'Look' episode
Episode no.Episode 144
Directed by
  • Ronald Eastman
  • Rosemary Eastman
Written byJeffery Boswall
Narrated byPeter Scott
Produced byJeffery Boswall
Cinematography byRonald Eastman
Editing byTom Poore
Production codeBBC Natural History Unit
Original air date1967 (1967)
AwardsSilver Medal, 1967 Moscow Film Festival

Depicting a pair of common kingfishers at their underground nest on the River Test in Hampshire, England, it was filmed and directed by Ronald and Rosemary Eastman (Ron doing the photography and Rosemary the sound), written and produced by Jeffery Boswall, and narrated by Peter Scott.[1]

The Eastmans originally submitted footage as an amateur contribution, but were commissioned by the BBC Natural History Unit to re-film it on a professional basis.[2] The film proved so popular, that it was repeated eight times.[1] It won the Silver Medal at the 1967 Moscow Film Festival.[2]

Boswall subsequently commissioned a full series of similar Private Life of... films.[2] Rosemary Eastman wrote about making the film in her 1969 book, The Kingfisher.[3]

In 2012, the Eastman's daughter, Liz Bayliss, was interviewed about the film, on the BBC's Countryfile.[1]

References
  1. Countryfile. 14 October 2012. BBC.
  2. "Look: Private Life of the Kingfisher (1966)". WildFilmHistory. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
  3. Eastman, Rosemary (1969). The Kingfisher. Collins. ISBN 978-0002114103.
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