Well, what happened in those days, with National Service, an employer was only obliged to take you back for 12 months after you finished your service. This was 1952. 1954 – came out in 1955. We were going to get married. I admit we was offered a regular soldier with a guaranteed promotion but I…
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Frank Clarke remembers the sports clubs at Granada
What about Sport? Sport. You mean sport programmes? No, sport in the social context -did the Company do much sport? They didn’t have enough really. We had an inter-departmental – six a side tournament which was held at Whalley Range football club near Brantingham, off Wilbraham Road – there. That was for about six years.…
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Frank Clarke recalls the fringe benefits of working at Granada
How would you describe Granada as a company? Excellent,excellent. The Property Buyer, Spud Taylor, who had incidentally worked on Snows of Kilimanjaro, he was Property Buyer on the film. He was on the ladder, putting some props away, fell and broke his leg. Taken to hospital. Of course Sidney was told about it. He sent…
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Frank Clarke describes how programmes where costed in the 1950’s
Whatever the programme was, Denis (Forman) chaired it but when the costs were done, it was to Sidney (Bernstein) it went in those days. After things got run properly, it was just sent to the Producer and as long as it was within the overall estimate for, say thirteen weeks, there were no problems and…
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Frank Clarke’s memories of Sidney Bernstein
The secret I think was, everybody set out to please Sidney Bernstein. He, I’ll give you one incident he did, in mid ’56 it was. He was known for going out of his office during the day. Just saying to his office, “I’m going for a walk” – even she didn’t know where he was…
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Frank Clarke remembers the very early days of Granada
I went in the morning. Another lad joined me, Roy Montrose, and the first week we were just sitting there doing nothing. There were five Accounts staff. Two Accountants, an Office Junior, a Secretary and a Cashier. That was it and us two. Then Tuesday of the second week, Bill Dixon came and said “oh,…
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Frank Clarke remembers the Christmas parties that Granada held for employees’ children
In those days, by now in the late 60’s/early 70’s, we used to have a children’s party one Saturday before Christmas. All the employees could bring their child – one, two, three, whatever they had. They gave the employees chance to go Christmas shopping with their wives and husbands and whatever you see. About eight…
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