Yorkshire Post (14/May/1929) - Duke and Duchess of York

Details

• article: Duke and Duchess of York
• newspaper: Yorkshire Post (14/May/1929)
• keywords: Alfred Hitchcock, Betty Balfour, Blackmail (1929), British International Pictures, Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire

Article

Duke and Duchess of York

Visit to Talkie Studios at Elstree.

The Duke and Duchess of York visited the Elstree studios of British International Pictures, yesterday, and saw four productions being made, including Betty Balfour in the "Vagabond Queen."

Following a tour of the silent stages, the Duke and Duchess were conducted to the sound studios, where they watched a rehearsal of the first British International "talkie," "Blackmail."

Expressing a desire to see and hear a scene taken, the Duchess went into the camera booth with Mr. Alfred Hitchcock, the director, and listened with a pair of earphones while the Duke and Mr. Thorpe, the general manager, went into the recording booth, where they heard the scene enacted through a loud speaker. Later the party visited the grounds and inspected the interior sets.

On leaving the studios the Duke and Duchess expressed their thanks for an interesting morning. The Duchess said that she was amazed to find such a vast place and so much activity.

The news of the visit reached Boreham Wood village, and a crowd of villagers assembled at the gates of the studios to cheer the Duke and Duchess as they left.