Colin was born in Hayes just before the outbreak of the second World War. He originally began to train as an accountant before deciding that the profession was not for him and began to look elsewhere. Fortunately he learned enough from accounting training to make him a force to be reckoned with on when filling out timesheets. His father was employed at Pinewood Studios as a rigger and managed to get him a start on the studio staff as a stagehand.
I believe that the first film that he worked on was 'The Beverly Hillbillies', in a career that was to boast over 100 film credits. At the time, with the vast majority of crew being employed by the various studios, the natural progression forward for a stagehand was to become a grip. The films that were being made in Pinewood at the time included the Carry On series and naturally the Bond franchise, both of which he was involved in.
Colin left to pursue a freelance career in the mid 1970s and continued to be busy, including the original Indiana Jones trilogy which he remained very proud to have been involved in. In this time, a partnership with the operator Mike Roberts was formed, which thrived through over 25 major films. There were even occasions when Mike and Colin were engaged on a film before the cameraman.
Colin retired at the end of 2002, leaving a legacy of grips who trained and worked with him during his career who have gone on to be successful key grips themselves.
PS;
Colin was a founder member of Grips Branch and a long serving committee member too. As mentioned in Dennis’s Book “Getting to Grips”, Colin was one of five Grips who requested ( Nay, demanded ) a meeting with the Uxbridge General Craft Branch Secretary Sid Thorley to say we were breaking away to form our own Grips Branch, other Grips approaching there General Craft Branches in Borhamwood “et al” to demand the same. It was fiercely opposed by these Branches but to no avail. It was the Genesis of “The Grips Branch “, formed in 1985. Colin along with others who were instrumental in launching what has become over almost four decades a recognised institution within our industry.
Ppperfectly expressed by you Nick, your lovely sentiments about Colin echoed by many of us who came in to work with him. Including all the Chinese contingency of grips he worked alongside on the Indy trilogy amongst others!!
I had the pleasure of working with Colin during his last few films as his best boy. Wonderful times, sometimes interesting and often hard work, as Colin had his own way of working but always a good laugh. Unfortunately when Mike died while we were doing Chocolat. I think Colin started to think about retiring and indeed did so soon after. I loved him like a brother, although sometimes his methods were a little quirky, to say the least. I know that other Grips including John Flemming and Kevin Fraser worked and indeed furthered their careers after being "Manninged". To sum up I have lots of lovely memories of Cuz. Tommy Lowen the rigger, Dave Jones the stagehand and …