Michael Reed obit

 

Film Editor Michael Reed Has Died

He was not on the list.

The FSWL team are very saddened to report the passing of British cinematographer Michael Reed, BSC who left us on 15th December 2022 at the age of 93. Above pictured by FSWL contributor Ajay Chowdhury at Pinewood Studios in 2004.

Among Michael Reed’s many credits are Director of Photography for On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) starring George Lazenby as Ian Fleming's James Bond 007. By many, considered to be the best Bond film, partly because of the beautiful cinematography.

In 2019, for a 50th Anniversary tour of On Her Majesty's Secret Service to Portugal and Switzerland organised by Martijn Mulder, the man behind On the Tracks of 007, Michael provided the following recollection of his work on the film:

“I was thrilled when offered the role of Director of Photography on OHMSS, as I knew Freddie Young had been the DOP on a number of other Bond Films. Strangely enough my friend and Operator Alec Mills had kept on telling me that I would do the next Bond as Peter Hunt was Directing. Peter and I had worked together on Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, shooting the opening sequence.

Looking back on the memories of shooting the film, there are a couple of incidents that I recall where things didn’t go quite to plan. The first was when we were shooting the ice rink sequence where Bond meets Tracy for the first time after an avalanche where he thinks she was killed. We arrived at our hotel late afternoon and normally had the evening to unwind in preparation for shooting the next day. This was not to be the case as the temperature had changed and the rink that had been set-up in the hotel carpark was beginning to thaw. The scene was shot that night, which was just as well because by morning the ice rink was no more than a flooded carpark! The change in temperature also meant that we had to transport snow in Lorries to the lower ground level in order to film the ski chase. Fortunately, we had a good team in Props.

The second was in Portugal when shooting the scene with Bond and Tracy at the Bull Ring. The “Sparks” were having difficulty lowering four heavy Arc lights into the ring. I noticed one of them standing well back from the others, not helping/working but having a nose around the ring. He inquisitively opened one of the doors that opened into the ring, not realizing there was a Bull behind it. Suddenly there was a loud crash as the Bull flew into the ring with nostrils flaring and front hoof scraping the ground! The Sparks realizing the danger they were in, made a dash to get out by climbing the wall of the Bull Ring at “sixteen frames per second”. Meanwhile the spark who had caused this trouble, made his escape by running into the bull’s stable and closing the door behind him. Fortunately for him, there was only one bull being housed there that day!!

On Her Majesty's Secret Service was one of the best pictures I have ever worked on, and one of the most challenging!

I am sorry that I can’t be with you to share the 50 Year Celebration but wish you all an enjoyable re-union.”

James Bond actor George Lazenby left the following comment about Michael via his Twitter account:

“Sad to hear that Michael Reed has passed away. He literally made me - and everyone else in On Her Majesty's Secret Service - look good. I remember his calm presence on set. His work will endure. Condolences to his family. Love George xxx”

Dame Joanna Lumley, the English girl in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, shared the following recollection of Michael for our readers:

“Michael Reed was a hero to me: glamorous, pretty suave and unbelievably talented, he made Blofeld’s lair for the Angels of Death (I was one) into a place of beauty and light and fun. He patiently explained to me which lenses he used, how to pull focus and how tracking shots worked and whether one had crossed the line, and I thought the world of him. Lighting cameramen can be unapproachable and quite grand, but not Michael: I can see his handsome smiling face now, and remember with such pleasure and gratitude how kind he was to a bevy of Bond girls high up on a mountain-top in Switzerland. He was a legend and I am so proud to have known him and worked with him. OHMSS is always listed as one of the very best Bond films, due in no small way to his brilliance and skill (he will be making Heaven itself look fabulous even as I write these words). As long as there are motion pictures his name will be remembered with respect and admiration.

All my fondest love and sympathy to Johanna and the family.”

Cinematographer

Press Gang (1989)

Press Gang

8.0

TV Series

director of photography

1990

5 episodes

 

God's Outlaw (1986)

God's Outlaw

6.8

Cinematographer

1986

 

Barbara Carrera, Scott Glenn, and Edward Fox in Wild Geese II (1985)

Wild Geese II

4.8

Cinematographer

1985

 

Peter Howell in John Wycliffe: The Morning Star (1984)

John Wycliffe: The Morning Star

6.8

director of photography

1984

 

Kim (1984)

Kim

5.9

TV Movie

Cinematographer

1984

 

Philip Marlowe, Private Eye (1983)

Philip Marlowe, Private Eye

7.8

TV Series

Cinematographer

1983

4 episodes

 

Loophole (1981)

Loophole

6.0

Cinematographer

1981

 

Blade on the Feather (1980)

Rain on the Roof

6.7

TV Movie

Cinematographer

1980

 

James Mason, Anthony Quinn, Kay Lenz, and Paul Clemens in The Passage (1979)

The Passage

6.0

director of photography

1979

 

No Longer Alone (1978)

No Longer Alone

7.2

Cinematographer

1978

 

Leopard in the Snow (1978)

Leopard in the Snow

5.9

director of photography

1978

 

The Stick Up (1977)

The Stick Up

5.6

director of photography

1977

 

Patrick Macnee, Gareth Hunt, and Joanna Lumley in The New Avengers (1976)

The New Avengers

7.2

TV Series

director of photography (as Mike Reed)

1976

10 episodes

 

Shout at the Devil (1976)

Shout at the Devil

6.1

director of photography

1976

 

The Hiding Place (1975)

The Hiding Place

7.4

Cinematographer

1975

 

Galileo (1975)

Galileo

6.6

Cinematographer

1975

 

Ghost in the Noonday Sun (1974)

Ghost in the Noonday Sun

4.5

Cinematographer

1974

 

Philadelphia, Here I Come! (1974)

Philadelphia, Here I Come!

7.1

Cinematographer (as Mike Reed)

1974

 

The Magical World of Disney (1954)

The Magical World of Disney

8.4

TV Series

director of photography

1966–1974

7 episodes

The Legend of Young Dick Turpin

 

Diamonds on Wheels (1973)

Diamonds on Wheels

6.3

TV Movie

Cinematographer

1973

 

The Hireling (1973)

The Hireling

6.7

director of photography

1973

 

The Groundstar Conspiracy (1972)

The Groundstar Conspiracy

6.0

director of photography

1972

 

Z.P.G. (1972)

Z.P.G.

5.6

director of photography

1972

 

Von Richthofen and Brown (1971)

Von Richthofen and Brown

6.0

Cinematographer

1971

 

Brian Keith and Helmut Griem in The McKenzie Break (1970)

The McKenzie Break

6.5

director of photography

1970

 

George Lazenby in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

On Her Majesty's Secret Service

6.7

director of photography

1969

 

Guns in the Heather (1969)

Guns in the Heather

6.2

Cinematographer

1969

 

Roger Moore in The Saint (1962)

The Saint

7.6

TV Series

director of photography

1966–1968

23 episodes

 

The Fiction-Makers (1968)

The Fiction-Makers

5.9

director of photography

1968

 

Ann Holloway and Cliff Richard in Two a Penny (1967)

Two a Penny

6.0

Cinematographer (lighting cameraman)

1967

 

Martine Beswick in Prehistoric Women (1967)

Prehistoric Women

4.5

director of photography

1967

 

Jimmy Edwards, Patricia Hayes, and Cheryl Vidgen in A Ghost of a Chance (1967)

A Ghost of a Chance

6.5

Cinematographer

1967

 

Senta Berger, Herbert Lom, Grégoire Aslan, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Tony Randall, and Terry-Thomas in Bang! Bang! You're Dead! (1966)

Bang! Bang! You're Dead!

5.7

director of photography

1966

 

Christopher Lee in Rasputin: The Mad Monk (1966)

Rasputin: The Mad Monk

6.2

director of photography

1966

 

Christopher Lee in Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)

Dracula: Prince of Darkness

6.6

director of photography

1966

 

The Pleasure Girls (1965)

The Pleasure Girls

5.8

Cinematographer

1965

 

The Gorgon (1964)

The Gorgon

6.4

director of photography

1964

 

The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964)

The Devil-Ship Pirates

6.0

director of photography

1964

 

Farewell Performance (1963)

Farewell Performance

6.2

Cinematographer

1963

 

George Roderick in The Primitives (1962)

The Primitives

5.1

Cinematographer

1962

 

The Professionals (1960)

The Professionals

6.1

director of photography

1960

 

Snowball (1960)

Snowball

6.8

director of photography

1960

 

Alan Rothwell and Carol White in Linda (1960)

Linda

director of photography

1960

 

The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre (1959)

The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre

7.7

TV Series

Cinematographer

1960

1 episode

 

October Moth (1960)

October Moth

5.7

Cinematographer

1960

 

Andree Melly in The Big Day (1960)

The Big Day

7.1

director of photography

1960

 

Captured (1959)

Captured

6.8

Cinematographer

1959

 

Devil's Bait (1959)

Devil's Bait

6.6

Cinematographer

1959

 

Bernard Bresslaw in The Ugly Duckling (1959)

The Ugly Duckling

5.5

director of photography

1959

 

Richard Greene in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955)

The Adventures of Robin Hood

7.6

TV Series

director of photography

1957–1958

31 episodes

 

Sword of Freedom (1957)

Sword of Freedom

7.9

TV Series

director of photography

1958

2 episodes

 

Camera and Electrical Department

Dick Van Dyke, Adrian Hall, Sally Ann Howes, and Heather Ripley in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

6.9

director of photography: title sequence (uncredited)

1968

 

Sean Connery in You Only Live Twice (1967)

You Only Live Twice

6.8

director of photography: second unit (uncredited)

1967

 

Sean Connery, Claudine Auger, Martine Beswick, Luciana Paluzzi, and Molly Peters in Thunderball (1965)

Thunderball

6.9

director of photography: second unit (uncredited)

1965

 

The Magical World of Disney (1954)

The Magical World of Disney

8.4

TV Series

additional photographer

1965

3 episodes

 

Sean Connery, Honor Blackman, and Shirley Eaton in Goldfinger (1964)

Goldfinger

7.7

director of photography: insert shots (uncredited)

1964

 

Hayley Mills and Peter McEnery in The Moon-Spinners (1964)

The Moon-Spinners

6.5

additional photography

1964

 

Patrick McGoohan and Susan Hampshire in The Three Lives of Thomasina (1963)

The Three Lives of Thomasina

7.2

additional photographer

1963

 

The Fast Lady (1962)

The Fast Lady

6.1

lighting cameraman: second unit

1962

 

In Search of the Castaways (1962)

In Search of the Castaways

6.5

additional photography

1962

 

Patrick Allen, Jacqueline Ellis, and James Maxwell in The Traitors (1962)

The Traitors

6.1

lighting cameraman

1962

 

Stock Car (1955)

Stock Car

5.6

camera operator

1955

 

Patrol Car

7.7

TV Series

camera operator

1955

15 episodes

 

Maxwell Reed in Shadow of Fear (1955)

Shadow of Fear

6.4

camera operator (uncredited)

1955

 

The Armchair Detective

clapper loader (uncredited)

1952

 

The Hundred Hour Hunt (1952)

The Hundred Hour Hunt

6.2

clapper loader (uncredited)

1952

 

The Changing Face of Europe (1951)

The Changing Face of Europe

7.1

assistant camera (segment Two Hundred Million Mouths)

1951

 

The Man in Black (1950)

The Man in Black

6.0

focus puller (uncredited)

1950

 

Meet Simon Cherry (1949)

Meet Simon Cherry

5.7

clapper loader (uncredited)

1949

 

William Graham in Just William's Luck (1948)

Just William's Luck

6.4

clapper loader (uncredited)

1948

 

Richard Attenborough, Barry K. Barnes, and Sheila Sim in Dancing with Crime (1947)

Dancing with Crime

6.5

assistant camera (uncredited)

1947