The Masters  
The Powell & Pressburger Pages

Dedicated to the work of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger and all the other people, both actors and technicians who helped them make those wonderful films.

A lot of the documents have been sent to me or have come from other web sites. The name of the web site is given where known. If I have unintentionally included an image or document that is copyrighted or that I shouldn't have done then please email me and I'll remove it.

I make no money from this site, it's purely for the love of the films.

[Any comments are by me (Steve Crook) and other members of the email list]

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Submitted by Andrew Kemp

Montevideo Guitarist


Andrew: For the second night running, my delving into arcane film-music history brings up a P&P connection. This time, it's a lovely still in the influential pioneer guitarist Ivor Mairants' autobiography 'My Fifty Fretting Years', showing him and his band backing April Olrich. Has anyone come across this picture anywhere? It looks like a studio shot.

Ivor Mairants did lots of session and film work but I'd not come across this before, nor is he credited anywhere, as far as I can remember. Imdb does note that he played the music for the Lavender Hill Mob (also uncredited) but acknowledges neither his work on BORP nor Saraband for Dead Lovers, which is also in his book.

Steve: If it's with April maybe Ivor was miming as well :)

Andrew: It's very likely that Ivor's whole band was miming for the filming, but I am absolutely certain it would be them playing on the sound track, as there were few people in Britain at the time better equipped to do it. He really was a top player across a whole range of genres, who either taught most of the younger generation or sold them their instruments from his shop


Ivor Mairants (seated on left) accompanying April Olrich ("Dolores").
April is miming. The song is actually sung by Muriel Smith.
 

Ivor Mairants accompanying Jean Simmons (unknown film)


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