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From Oxford to Bristol and Back: The Invention of Scientific Wildlife Television

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BBC Wildlife Documentaries in the Age of Attenborough

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Science and Popular Culture ((PSSPC))

Abstract

In the 1960s, two scientists from Oxford University, Niko Tinbergen and Gerald Thompson, began using film as part of their scientific practice. The BBC’s Natural History Unit (NHU) in Bristol quickly got wind of their work and started collaborating with them to develop a new approach to wildlife television making. Tinbergen, the founder of ethology, brought intellectual foundations to it, creating, with Christopher Parsons, stories of wildlife informed by the theory of evolution. Thompson provided a technological edge which enabled the Bristol NHU producers to bring a new perspective to the subject matter they were showing in their programmes. The two collaborations also led them to further define their identity as experts in wildlife television making.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Niko Tinbergen, personal letter to Christopher Parsons and John Sparks, 7 September 1968, p. 1. BBCWAC WE8/600/1.

  2. 2.

    Jeffery Boswall, memorandum: ‘Contract with Thompson for 3 “looks”’, 17 February 1967, p. 2. BBCWAC WE13/1,071/1.

  3. 3.

    Niko Tinbergen, personal letter to Christopher Parsons, 16 August 1968, BBCWAC WE8/600/1.

  4. 4.

    Jeffery Boswall, personal letter to Niko Tinbergen, 12 January 1965, BBCWAC WE8/600/1.

  5. 5.

    Niko Tinbergen, personal letter to Nicholas Crocker, 2 May 1968, p. 2. BBCWAC WE8/600/1.

  6. 6.

    Jeffery Boswall, personal letter to Niko Tinbergen, 12 January 1965, BBCWAC WE8/600/1.

  7. 7.

    Niko Tinbergen, personal letter to Jeffery Boswall, 25 November 1964, BBCWAC WE8/600/1.

  8. 8.

    Niko Tinbergen, personal letter to Christopher Parsons and John Sparks, 7 September 1968, p. 2. BBCWAC WE8/600/1.

  9. 9.

    Niko Tinbergen, personal letter to Christopher Parsons, 7 July 1969, BBCWAC WE8/600/1.

  10. 10.

    Niko Tinbergen, personal letter to Christopher Parsons and John Sparks, 7 September 1968, p. 5. BBCWAC WE8/600/1.

  11. 11.

    Richard Brock, handwritten note to Nicholas Crocker, n.d. [May 1968] (original emphasis). BBCWAC WE8/600/1.

  12. 12.

    David Attenborough, personal letter to Niko Tinbergen, 25 September 1969, BBCWAC T41/434/1.

  13. 13.

    Niko Tinbergen, personal letter to Christopher Parsons, 7 July 1969, BBCWAC WE8/600/1.

  14. 14.

    The Times, ‘Italia prize for BBC TV film’, 23 September 1969, p. 6.

  15. 15.

    Niko Tinbergen, personal letter to Huw Weldon, 25 September 1969, p. 1. BBCWAC T41/434/1.

  16. 16.

    David Attenborough, personal letter to Niko Tinbergen, 1 October 1969, pp. 1–2. BBCWAC T41/434/1.

  17. 17.

    Eileen Molony, personal letter to Gerald Thompson, 14 June 1961, BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  18. 18.

    Gerald Thompson, personal letter to Eileen Molony, 16 June 1961, BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  19. 19.

    Eileen Molony, memorandum to Head of West Region Programmes, 8 January 1962, BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  20. 20.

    Christopher Parsons, personal letter to Gerald Thompson, 21 December 1961, BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  21. 21.

    Christopher Parsons, ‘Thompson and Skinner—Commonwealth forestry institute’, memo to HWRP, 16 January 1962, BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  22. 22.

    Christopher Parsons, ‘Thompson and Skinner—Commonwealth forestry institute’, memo to HWRP, 16 January 1962, BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  23. 23.

    Christopher Parsons, ‘Thompson and Skinner’, memo to Nicholas Crocker, 10 December 1962, BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  24. 24.

    Christopher Parsons, ‘Thompson and Skinner’, memo to Nicholas Crocker, 10 December 1962, BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  25. 25.

    Patrick Beech, Colour Fund, memo to A.C. (Planning) Tec., 18 December 1963, BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  26. 26.

    Christopher Parsons, personal letter to Gerald Thompson, 27 November 1964, BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  27. 27.

    Chris Parsons, note to N. Crocker on letter from G. Thompson to C. Parsons, 14 November 1964, BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  28. 28.

    Anonymous, ‘Notes on discussions with GH Thompson Oxford 20th September 65’, BBCWAC WE21/68/1. Boswall later referred directly to the note indicating that he is the author.

  29. 29.

    Jeffery Boswall, personal letter to Gerald Thompson, 11 February 1966, BBCWAC WE21/68/1 (emphasis in the original), p. 1.

  30. 30.

    Boswall to Thompson, 11 February 1966, p. 1. BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  31. 31.

    Boswall to Thompson, 11 February 1966, p. 1. BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  32. 32.

    Boswall to Thompson, 11 February 1966, p. 2. BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  33. 33.

    Boswall to Thompson, 11 February 1966, p. 2. BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  34. 34.

    Boswall to Thompson, 11 February 1966, p. 2. BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  35. 35.

    Boswall to Thompson, 11 February 1966, pp. 2–3. BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  36. 36.

    Gerald Thompson, personal letter to Jeffery Boswall, 15 February 1966, BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  37. 37.

    See, for example, Christopher Parsons, ‘Thompson and Skinner: Jamaica expedition’, memo to Miss Mimi Cooper, TV Enterprise London, 26 August 1966. BBCWAC WE21/68/1.

  38. 38.

    Gerald Thompson, personal letter to Jeffery Boswall, 17 January 1967, BBCWAC WE13/1,071/1.

  39. 39.

    Jeffery Boswall, personal letter to Gerald Thompson, 17 February 1967, p. 3. BBCWAC WE13/1,071/1.

  40. 40.

    Jeffery Boswall, personal letter to Gerald Thompson, 17 February 1967, p. 3. BBCWAC WE13/1,071/1.

  41. 41.

    Jeffery Boswall, personal letter to Gerald Thompson, 17 February 1967, p. 3. BBCWAC WE13/1,071/1.

  42. 42.

    Jeffery Boswall, personal letter to Gerald Thompson, 17 February 1967, p. 3. BBCWAC WE13/1,071/1.

  43. 43.

    Jeffery Boswall, ‘Contract with Thompson for 3 Looks’, memo to Editor NHU, 17 February 1967, p. 1. BBCWAC WE13/1,071/1 (original emphasis).

  44. 44.

    Jeffery Boswall, ‘Contract with Thompson for 3 Looks’, memo to Editor NHU, 17 February 1967, p. 1. BBCWAC WE13/1,071/1 (original emphasis).

  45. 45.

    Radio Times, 10 June 1965, p. 23.

  46. 46.

    Niko Tinbergen, personal letter to Christopher Parsons, 7 July 1969, BBCWAC WE8/600/1.

References

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  1. Department of Science and Technology Studies, University College London, London, UK

    Jean-Baptiste Gouyon

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Gouyon, JB. (2019). From Oxford to Bristol and Back: The Invention of Scientific Wildlife Television. In: BBC Wildlife Documentaries in the Age of Attenborough. Palgrave Studies in Science and Popular Culture. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19982-1_7

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