Nigel Haverly has kindly offered the photographs that he took of the location filming to us in support of our screen captures. He has also shared his related knowledge.
Filmed on location at Hunstanton, Norfolk with studio work at MGM Borehamwood Barnacle Bill was the penultimate Ealing Comedy and the last film Alec Guinness made for Ealing Studios.
The interior of the Crazy House (Our Capture 17) where nothing was upright, was filmed in the Town Hall. The local photographer’s son appeared in the film as a photographer and some publicity pictures were taken in his studio, Maurice Denham was certainly one.
An early set up picture showing Douglas Slocombe (Director of Photography), arms folded.
Setting up the beach scene where the floating pier is seen by the people in front of the beach huts. Hunstanton locals were used in this scene. Charles Frend (Director) can just be seen, partially hidden, wearing a wooly in the centre of the picture, while Douglas Slocombe (Director of Photography) is standing in the background against the large arc light. The gentleman with a pipe in front of the hut Sea Spray is Alan Cook who owned a local garage in Hunstanton and the lady seated is his wife Marjorie. Ironically, the man in the dark jumper striding towards camera told Nigel to leave!
A scene being set up on The Green at Hunstanton (Our Capture 21) in front of the Capitol Cinema, now the Princess Theatre, The Cracknell’s store owner is leaning against the door. Another shot on The Green in front of the Town Hall was deleted from the USA release print that always seems to be shown on TV
