The South West Film and Television Archive (SWFTA) is the regional film archive for the South West of England. Established in 1993, SWFTA's core collection comprises of the combined programme libraries of Westward Television and TSW (Television South West). The archive also cares for a significant number of donated film collections, both amateur and professional, dating back to the early 1900s.
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Roy Hudd in Torquay
Roy Hudd plays to a sell-out Princess Theatre.
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Overview
TV reporter Clive Gunnell interviews Roy Hudd outside the Princess Theatre in Torquay where he is appearing in Bernard Delfont's Show Time bringing his brand of comedy and music hall to holidaying and local audiences. The comedian, radio host turned actor was brought up by his grandmother in South London and remembers being a regular visitor to the Croydon Empire. He won an award for playing Bud Flanagan in the West End production Underneath the Arches.
Roy attended a twilight lettering and typeface class at the London School of Printing and was taught by Harry Beck the man who designed the topographical map of the London Underground. In 1958 he worked as a Butlins Redcoat in Clacton. He appeared with Arthur Askey in pantomime and Danny LaRue before breaking into radio. The News Huddlines with among others June Whitfield and Alison Steadman was a satirical topical sketch show which ran on the radio for 26 years. He went on to act playing the undertaker Archie Shuttleworth in ITV's Coronation Street and when interviewed by Sandi Toksvig admitted to having a nationwide following of undertakers and had received a fan mail from one who signed off Yours Eventually.
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