The History Channel: Bluebird The Curse of Campbell

[sheppane]

Bluebird-The-Curse-of-Campbell.jpg

A new hour long documentary on Donald Campbell is due to be screened shortly. The History Channel will show Bluebird The Curse of Campbell on Sunday the 3rd of July at 10 pm. The program will show brilliant unseen colour archive footage shot by Donald Campbell in the USA, as well as a Coniston.

There are contributions from Gina Campbell, Tonia Campbell, Don Wales, Brian Hulme (Jean Campbell's first husband), David Wynne-Morgan, (DMC's Public Relations Officer during the Lake Eyre record attempt) David Tremayne, Donald Stevens, Paul Evans and Neil Sheppard.

My contribution revolves around the story of the last attempt, and in particular helping the viewer understand the sequence of events on those final two runs on the morning of 4/1/67. The History Channel commissioned Mark Longhurst from Sky News to put the documentary together, and filming, at various locations including California, was carried out in the summer and autumn of 2010. The resultant film is a fine tribute to DMC, and helps shed a little more light on the legend that Donald Campbell has become. Broadcast times are as follows:

Title: "Bluebird - The Curse of Campbell"

History July 3rd at 10:00pm

History HD July 3rd at 10:00pm

History Plus 1 July 3rd at 11:00pm

History July 4th at 2:00am

History Plus 1 July 4th at 3:00am

Neil-Sheppard-Mark-Longhurst-History-Channel.jpg

[Renegadenemo]

This was a strange episode and a classic example of one hand not knowing what the other was doing because not long after we declared our allegiance to Sky News this second set of doco makers turned up under almost the same banner and started to muscle in with no idea that the deal had already been struck with some of their colleagues from down the hall. This caused some embarrassment to begin with and then it became very cloudy as to where the boundaries lay and who was trying to do what.
Potential contributors were interviewed with whom I personally would not want to appear in the same programme and I know this went for at least one other so with this and and other concerns in mind, not least of which being a desire to clarify matters at our end, I opted not to contribute. Good idea / bad idea - only time will tell, and it was a long time before the objectives of the doco became clear but it now appears to be a fitting partner to the more techie and news-orientated reporting on the rebuild so best of luck with it and I'll be watching.

[Mike Bull]

The title is ruddy awful, but there are some good contributors there and if I can find a way, (I don't have the History Channel) I'll look forward to seeing it also.

[Renegadenemo]

Didn't want to mention the title... Cursed indeed. He led rather a charmed life, if you ask me, before going out in a big, heroic bang. Who could wish for more?
You can watch it at my place, Mike. In fact, if anyone else wants to come round we can pop a few BBP beers and make a night of it.

[sheppane]

The title is ruddy awful, but there are some good contributors there and if I can find a way, (I don't have the History Channel) I'll look forward to seeing it also.

Mike,

You're not the only one to think the title poor, and too be honest, a bit of a cliche'. From what I can gather, that was a decision taken by the 'high-ups' at The History Channel.
I agree with Bill - Donald did lead a pretty charmed life, and he certainly crammed more into his 45 years, and particularly the last 18, than most people would in two lifetimes, never mind one. It was all going pretty much to plan as well until the last 15 seconds... I believe the film brings that out, within the constraints of the actual 46 minute running time, but the manner of his passing casts a very long shadow, from which any documentary finds it difficult to escape.

CN7 at Goodwood. The History Channel DMC Documentary.jpg

[Renegadenemo]

but the manner of his passing casts a very long shadow, from which any documentary finds it difficult to escape.

That's what I would have written - if I'd thought of it.
The choice of title, incidentally, is a good indicator. Imagine my reaction when approached by the sort of people who would think that a good idea. Hmmmm. No thanks. The Sky News lot were all, ra ra ra let's hit something with a hammer and make a God-awful noise and getting out from under Neil's very eloquently put 'very long shadow' proved far more appealing.
I think K7 in her shiny, new colour scheme and thousands of new rivets is very refreshing.

[Skyproducer]

"

the Sky News lot were all, ra ra ra let's hit something with a hammer and make a God-awful noise"

!!!


I'll have you know I've never said "ra ra ra" in my life.


The hammer thing is true though..


Luv, Jim

[Mike Bull]

'Curse' seems to be a popular word to hang on a documentary- i.e, the fact that the three Olympic class liners all had separately eventful lives suddenly becomes a 'curse', etc. A tabloid title may pull in the viewers, but I'm sure in this case the programme itself will rise above that.

Thanks for the offer Bill, though at 10pm on a Sunday I'm afraid I'll be clocking in at work, not watching telly!

[Renegadenemo]

I'll have you know I've never said "ra ra ra" in my life.

Hi Jim, next you'll be trying to tell us you never said, never work with children, animals or flipping mad Geordie buggers - or something that sounded like that...

[malcolm uk]

Today (Monday 20th) the Daily Express has an article based around the Documentary content and tells us "The truth about speed king's final hours". Could some of the contributors have changed the course of the Inquest?

With Don Wales attempting new British Electric records on the same day (well 2nd and 3rd) it will be a weekend of 'Campbells' in early July.

Malcolm