Jazz on the Screen
A Jazz and Blues Filmography by David Meeker
Acknowledgments
Database was created by David Meeker and edited by Samuel Brylawski, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division.
Data conversion (from database to METS) was performed by Morgan Cundiff, Network Development and MARC Standards Office (NDMSO).
Data conversion (from database to PDF) was performed by Michael Ferrando (NDMSO).
Technical functionality and programming of the site was performed by Corey Keith (NDMSO).
Web site design and user interface was created by Elizabeth F. Miller (NDMSO) based on user-centered design principles.
Additional thanks go to Susan Clermont, Jon Newsom, Jan Lauridsen, Johnnye Egnot, Diane Kresh, Deb Thomas, Barry Wheeler, Alan Gevinson, David Francis, Gregory Lukow, and the National Film Preservation Board.
More About David Meeker
- British. Born Hammersmith, London, 22nd December 1935.
- Royal Air Force 1953-1957 reaching rank of Corporal Technician (Airframes).
- Joined British Film Institute staff 1961 managing Central Booking Agency until early 1980s supplying films and programming advice to film societies, schools, colleges and universities and to the National Film Theatre in London.
- Transferred to National Film Archive as Keeper of Fiction Film until retirement in December 2000.
- Distinguished Mention BFI Special Awards 1981 for work on jazz and cinema.
- Bronze award from the Polish Jazz Society 1981.
- M.B.E. from H.M. The Queen in 1997 New Year’s Honours for contribution to work of National Film and Television Archive.
Over a 40-year period devised and/or curated numerous film programmes (e.g. “The Hollywood Composer”, “Rodgers and Hart”, “Gérard Philipe”, “Danish Cinema”, “MGM”, “Bernard Vorhaus”,”Jean Gabin”, “Duke Ellington”, “William Wellman”) and celebrity stage presentations with directors (e.g. Michael Powell, Satyajit Ray, Monte Hellman, Alain Robbe-Grillet, Budd Boetticher, Roy Ward Baker, Ronald Neame), with actors (e.g. Valerie Hobson, Warren Oates, Jean Kent, Roger Moore, Anna Neagle), with composers (e.g. Dimitri Tiomkin, Miklós Rósza, Michel Legrand, John Williams, Lennie Niehaus), with jazz musicians (e.g. Dizzy Gillespie, Milt Jackson, Bud Shank, Bill Holman, Vic Lewis, Manny Albam, Howard Roberts) at the National Film Theatre, at many of the BFI’s Regional Film Theatres, at cinémathèques and festivals in many European countries and in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Park City and was a film selector for the London Film Festival for 37 years from 1965. Has served on film festival juries in France, Denmark, Italy, Poland, Germany and in Britain. In the 1970s began specialising in music on film working closely on presentations for cinémathèques, film festivals, tv and radio programmes, magazines and record releases in the UK, in Spain, Germany, France and Denmark and with Music for Youth. Published three editions (in 1972, 1977 and 1981) of the book, JAZZ IN THE MOVIES, and is currently compiler of a jazz and blues filmography for the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
Devised and edited the book MISSING BELIEVED LOST: THE GREAT BRITISH FILM SEARCH (1992) and contributed to the volumes 100 FILM DA SALVARE by Fernaldo Di Giammatteo (Milano, 1978), THE MOST IMPORTANT AND MISAPPRECIATED AMERICAN FILMS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE CINEMA (Bruxelles, 1978), ELOKUVAN ILOKIRJA by Peter von Bagh (Helsinki, 1990) and THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BRITISH FILM by Brian McFarlane (London, 2003) and, over the years, has written for The Guardian, Sight and Sound, The Monthly Film Bulletin, Time Out, Film, Music Business, The Daily Telegraph and for several European newspapers, film and jazz publications. Co-founder in 1992 and editorial consultant on the British Film Institute’s series of 80 books published under the heading BFI Film Classics.
- 1959 Film MARCH TO ALDERMASTON On-screen participant
- 1963 Film IT HAPPENED HERE Bit part as man arrested under Section 18B
- 1973 tv PARKINSON: DUKE ELLINGTON Clip research
- 1973 Audio JOHN PLAYER STAGE INTERVIEW: MONTE HELLMAN Interviewer
- 1973 Film À PROPOS DE NICE (1930) Music supervisor for BBC TV presentation
- 1974 tv OMNIBUS: OSCAR PETERSON AND ANDRÉ PREVIN Clip research
- 1975 Film WINSTANLEY Extra
- 1978 Audio JOHN PLAYER STAGE INTERVIEW: JOHN WILLIAMS Interviewer
- 1982 Film BLACK WAX Additional thanks
- 1983/4 tv series VISIONS Acknowledgements
- 1991 Audio GUARDIAN STAGE INTERVIEW: MICHEL LEGRAND Interviewer
- 1992 tv THE LATE SHOW: BRITAIN’S MISSING MOVIE HERITAGE On-screen participant
- 1994 Video GUARDIAN STAGE INTERVIEW: BUDD BOETTICHER Interviewer
- 1996 tv LE TRAVAIL D’UN CINÉASTE JULIEN DUVIVIER Acknowledgement
- 1997 Film CHARLES MINGUS: TRIUMPH OF THE UNDERDOG Acknowledgement
- 1998 Film A SALUTE TO SIR JOHN MILLS C.B.E. Director
- 1998 Audio GUARDIAN STAGE INTERVIEW: VAL GUEST Interviewer
- 1999 Audio GUARDIAN STAGE INTERVIEW: ROY WARD BAKER Interviewer
- 1999 Audio GUARDIAN STAGE INTERVIEW: JEAN KENT Interviewer
- 2001 tv OMNIBUS: FRENCH IMPRESSIONISM Acknowledgement
- 2002 Film CHICO HAMILTON DANCING TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER Acknowledgement
- 2002 Film THE TRAMP AND THE DICTATOR Acknowledgement
- 2003 Film THE LAST OF THE FIRST Acknowledgement
- 2003 tv series THE BLUES A MUSICAL JOURNEY episode PIANO BLUES Special thanks
- 2006 film PLAY YOUR OWN THING Acknowledgement
- 2009 tv ARENA COOL Acknowledgement
February 2010