Thanks to Mike Groves who got in touch after reading our article about the filming of The Damned in Weymouth & Portland.
His father, who was a carpenter working for a local building firm, was involved with building of some sets for the filming.
Mike said: "I know he made the replacement railings on the bridge where the car turned off the bridge into the sea.
"They were not plastic but made of timber with window sash weights inside to stop them floating. He also worked on making a door entrance in a cave below Cheyne house.
"This was a heavy entrance door to a small area no larger than a cupboard, but in the film it appeared to be a large room. Access to this area for work and filming was limited to times of low tide."
Mike also remembers going to the beach adjacent to the Fleet to see the car stunt.
He said: "I was a lad of nine-years-old but missed the actual moment the car went into the sea as myself and a mate were larking about and I was face down in the beach at the time.
"It was not a good film, but was interesting to see our towns in a very disconnected way. Oliver Reed's gang marching down Seaview and coming down by the Sidney Hall was amusing."
Thanks also to Looking Back regular Alan Wolsey, who has sent us this picture of Shirley Anne Field, taken at the time The Damned was being filmed in Weymouth and Portland.
Alan remembers: "I was coming up to 13 at the time and went down to the harbour to watch the making of the film.
"The scenes shot were around the “fish market” at Maiden Street and the corner of East Street by the railway lines
"Oliver Reed was doing publicity photos only a few yards away from me. He was dressed in black leather and was photographed holding a stiletto knife in various positions.
"I will never forget what a “mean” look he had on his face!! Shirley and McDonald Carey were on a boat waiting to “get away” from the gang.
"The plan was to have Oliver run down Maiden Street and throw the knife into the cabin as it was leaving. They didn’t trust him to throw it directly at the Hollywood star.
"The director said 'action' and the boat moves off… Reed threw the knife and it fell harmlessly into the well of the boat
"'Cut' is yelled out, boat returns to harbour wall and five minutes later 'action' was repeated. I believe around four or five takes were done.
"The company was running out of celluloid so that went on the 'cutting room floor'! Oliver Reed was not very good at throwing a knife to its destined position.
"The film shows a completely different scene which was “shot” on another day. If one looks carefully the crowds are watching from Trinity Street
"Shirley Anne Field decided to go back to The Royal Hotel where she was staying. No Limousine in those days….. she walked. As I lived in the Park District I decided to go home at the same time, When she got the The Royal I asked “May I take a photo?” She was very pleasant and said yes.
Shirley Anne Field in The Damned
"The adjacent Gloucester Hotel was also used to shoot a scene with Alexandra Knox, James Villiers and others of which I watched from the pavement. I was requested to move out of the shot so I went over to the Promenade. I missed out on my screen debut!
"Some of the bikers' scenes were shot at “Spread Eagle Hill “near Shaftesbury.
"The principal actors Reed and Kenneth Cope did not participate in these scenes as it was deemed by the Production Team to be Dangerous.
"Melvyn Flisher, a Portland stonemason and avid biker, became an extra and was chosen to be number 2 behind a stunt driver.
"Mel has informed me that the scenes in Weymouth started at “Portwey Hospital”, down Boot Hill and drove down the wrong way at the roundabout by the Fire Station towards and over Town Bridge, left into Lower St. Edmunds Street and back round under the Bridge. There were two takes for this scene. Mel did inform me that Oliver Reed did participate in front of him in this scene.
"Cheyne House, opposite the area which was filmed had been owned by Harry Pitman chief fire officer at the Weymouth station and as young child my parents (dad being a Fireman) and I would go there for tea where I was allowed to play in that area which was called The Retreat."
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