Sarah Mallabar

Background artistes, or film extras are rarely acknowledged and never credited.  Although many complain about being treated as part of the furniture, the rewards can be great when one’s image is immortalised forever within the frames of a cinema classic. 

 

In memory of my late uncle, James Huntley Mallabar, I am honoured to share some of his delightful ‘on-set’ anecdotes as a special tribute in homage to his quiet but remarkable career as Background Artist. Jim appeared in several highly acclaimed British feature films from the 1960’s to the 1980’s.  As a regularly employed film extra he met and worked along side some of the greatest movie icons, often appearing on screen with a full frame close up shot, albeit only very briefly. 

 

As children, my brothers, sister and I would hear that Jim was going to be ‘on telly’ tonight which meant a thorough scrutinising of the TV screen in order to catch the nano second when Uncle Jim would appear, in our own peculiar version of Where’s Wally.  I’ll never forget the time when we spotted Uncle Jim looking cool as a henchman, wearing flared jeans and holding a machine gun like a pro, on the back of Bond villain Largo’s yacht, in Thunderball (1965), the classic James Bond film.  

 

The 1970’s was a particularly prolific and successful decade for the British film industry and Jim found much work as an extra in countless Carry On films, where he was often called in to work at Pinewood Studios.  Once when Jim was waiting for his cue call, he completely turned the tables on Norman Wisdom, who was rendered utterly helpless with uncontrollable laughter at the sight of Jim, dressed in a period costume and wig.

 

In Star Wars (1977), Jim was often cast as a stormtrooper and rather more difficult to spot. However,  there is one place where Jim is pictured within the original movie merchandise. The first release of the movie soundtrack was a gatefold double album and depicts the final throne room scene at the centrefold. Jim can be clearly identified as one of four men wearing peaked caps on the front row of hundreds of extras.

 

On the set of SOS Titanic (1979) Jim was directed to run up a flight of stairs, only to discover the set to be incomplete with nowhere to run.  Later, Jim was immersed in a tank of freezing cold water with a full frame close up focused on him.  Luckily, Jim’s interpretation of drowning was rather convincing, because he really couldn’t swim. Jim started to get into trouble in the water, but he managed to survive the take. The director was absolutely thrilled with his performance saying it was “excellent.”

 

Jim had the chance to meet most of the lead actors of all the films he contributed to as an extra and he collected a few special autographs. He particularly appreciated a letter and signed photograph sent to him personally from Bette Davis, thanking him for his gift of flowers.

 

See below for an incomplete list of film titles collated from family memory and Jim’s surviving, hand typed call sheets and invoices. Sadly, James Mallabar passed away in 2003, leaving an incredible legacy of unaccredited appearances on some of the most famous feature films in British cinema history.  

 

 

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