RODERICK BARRON – 16th Aug 1945 - Oct 26th 2015

We were extremely saddened to report to death of Roddy Baron Associate BSC. Roddie died suddenly in Brazil from a Heart Attack aged 70. This came as a shock as although Roddie had been unwell and was undergoing radiotherapy he was fit enough to travel to Paraty in Brazil where he had a piece of land on which he hoped to build a house. Roddie was elected to Associate BSC membership in 1998 and will be greatly missed by his friends and colleagues in the camera department.

David Worley, Assoc. BSC writes in memory:

It was a Friday afternoon in the mid to late sixties on one of the stages at Shepperton.

I was loading for a week on a Children's Film Foundation production starring a slightly sozzled Bernard Lee - was he ever not? - when a young sound assistant from the studio sidled up to me and said, "This is my last day here - from now on it's loading for me!"

Thus began Roddy Barron's career in the camera department.

I can't remember how he actually started but I do recall that he loaded on several Hammer films at Elstree, mainly with Neil Binney operating and Bob Jordan on focus and on "Mistress Pamela" with Arthur Ibbetson BSC, operator Jimmy Bawden and focus-puller Steve Claydon.

I don't think focus-pulling was Roddy's particular forte but, when he began operating, it was primarily on commercials and his first feature was "Privates on Parade" (1983) with Ian Wilson BSC and the irreplaceable Vic Hammond as grip.

He had operated for Adrian Biddle on numerous commercials so when I was about to start "Event Horizon" with Adrian, Roddy joined us on the B camera and that was when I really got to know him, having only met fleetingly over the previous two decades. And that team continued with "The Mummy" and "The Mummy Returns".

We subsequently worked together on "Around the World in Eighty Days" 2nd. unit with Harvey Harrison BSC in Thailand - where Roddy acquired a tailor-made white flannel suit - and on "The Wolfman" 2nd. unit with Fraser Taggart. And the last time was for three days on the UK shoot of the third Mummy film with Russell Boyd ACS ASC.

Roddy was one of the most self-effacing technicians I have known but he always "came up with the goods" - his was a natural talent.

The last occasion that we met was at the BSC show at Pinewood last January. He was -belatedly - telling me about his recent health problems ( after all, you're not allowed to be ill in this business) and the continuing saga of his house project in Hastings. We just had a coffee together and chewed the fat.

I shall remember Roddy Barron as a consummate operator, a great conversationalist and, above all, a lovely guy - never happier than with a copy of "The Guardian" and a packet of custard creams.

A celebration of Roddy’s life took place at HALLIFORD FILM STUDIOS on Saturday 28th November 2015.