games people play

Ken Morse, 53, Rostrum Cameraman.

When I was little, I used to play with film projectors. I'd buy them, make them work, and then a friend and I set up a cinema in a garage, which was the start of where I am now.

I actually ran the projector at the Bristol Ritz when I was 12, so you can imagine I was very young then. That was my game and they couldn't keep me away. It was a proper cinema, and I had keys to get in and everything. I worked there for about ten years.

Four o'clock from school, I was straight in, opening up, getting ready. We did two shows on weekdays, and on Saturday mornings there was the matinee.

Then we'd open again in the afternoon an go right through to eleven. On my days off, I went to visit other cinemas, just to keep up.

In those days there were Mods and Rockers, and if the film was a bit boringthey'd start up their own bit of trouble or set fire to the seats.

We'd have to stop the film, get the lights on and call the police. You did wonder if they'd come in to watch a film or to fight.

Being only 12 years old, I wasn't allowed to watch X-films, so I'd sneak in late at night and put them on myself. I got caught once. I'd left the door open, and two policemen cam in.

I was up in the balcony watching a Hammer Horror film - one of the Dracula ones where they put the stake in and everything. I had the music up quite loud, and I was absolutely petrified when two gaunt figures suddenly loomer out of the darkness.

I didn't get into trouble; they just wanted to know what I was doing there.

Ken Morse may be seen on the credits of almost any BBC documentary under the heading: Rostrum Camera. He probably has more TV credits than any other person.