In the Footsteps of Beryl the Boot

Available for over a year

In some ways, the late Beryl Mortimer epitomises a bygone era of British cinema. Known affectionately as 'Beryl the Boot', the Foley artist and 'footstepper' provided sound effects - and, notably, footsteps - for films from the1950s to the end of the century - everything from big-budget epics like Lawrence of Arabia to art-house productions such as Sally Potter's The Gold Diggers (with its all-female crew). But precisely how many films Beryl worked on is not known, as Foley artists were not routinely credited until the last decade of her career. Through interviews, fragments of archive and a full palette of Foley sound, this programme brings an unseen artform into the foreground, uncovering not only more about Beryl's craft but also a portrait of the women herself - a glamorous and larger than life bon viveur who remained dedicated to "the underbelly" of filmmaking until the very end. With contributions from former colleagues and Foley artists; Jason, Ted and Dianne Swanscott, David Hamilton-Smith, Ruth Sullivan and Jack Stew, film historian Professor Melanie Bell and director Sally Potter. Includes extracts of Beryl from the making of Foley Artist by Tacita Dean (1996), originally recorded by Steve Felton. Additional Foley effects and footsteps by Jason Swanscott (recorded by Rob Price of EarthSound), Ruth Sullivan and Jack Stew. Produced by Hannah Dean. A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 3.