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Spitting Image Personnel and Premises, c 1980-c 1994

 Sub-Series
Reference Code: GBR/0012/MS Add.10275/3/4/1

Scope and Contents

Sets of photographs, transparencies, contact prints and negatives that focus on either Spitting Image personnel or on Spitting Image Productions Limited premises, such as the workshops at Limehouse Studios (early 1980s to 1989), Plumbers Row (1989 to early 1994), and Cairo Studios (summer of 1994 to the late 1990s/early 2000s).

The following are present, and their accompanying number corresponds to their file or item reference number within this sub-series:

1. A set of six black and white headshots of the following individuals: Jon Blair, Andy de Emmony, Tony Hendra, Martin Lambie-Nairn, and John Lloyd (SI/963). Items date between c 1980 and the early 1990s.

2. A large, black and white group photograph of 11 members of the Spitting Image Workshop, taken on the roof of Limehouse Studios, Canary Wharf (SI/960). Individuals present include, but are not limited to: Steve Bendelack, Peter Fluck, Roger Law, and Tim Watts. The item dates between c 1985 and c 1987.

3. A set of three black and white photographs featuring Roger Law and Peter Fluck, accompanied by the Spitting Image puppets for Queen Elizabeth II and Margaret Thatcher (SI/956a-c). There are multiple examples for each photograph. These images were taken for a 1986 issue of the newspaper, Sounds.

4. A set holding a colour photograph, and four examples of another photograph in black and white, featuring Roger Law and Peter Fluck (SI/961a-b). There is also a large negative for the latter photograph. These images were taken as part of an article for the Observer, which looked at male friendships, published in 1986.

5. A set of 16 large black and white photographs, which feature images of Roger Law, Peter Fluck and the Spitting Image Workshop at Limehouse Studios (SI/959a-p). These images were taken for an article published in The Sunday Times Magazine, in 1987.

6. A set of three large black and white photographs, which feature images of Roger Law and Peter Fluck with a Ronald Reagan puppet (SI/958a-c). There are a couple of examples for two of the photographs. These images were taken for either The Times or The Sunday Times Magazine in 1988.

7. Three lots of transparencies: one 63mm transparency with an image of artist, David Stoten (SI/442); three transparencies, each with an image of either David Stoten, Pablo Bach or Tim Watts (SI/973c and SI/973a-b); and two 63mm transparencies with images of Pablo Bach (SI/1230a-b). These images were taken between 1988 and the very early 1990s.

8. A set holding two examples of a black and white photograph featuring Roger Law and Peter Fluck with puppets of Margaret Thatcher, John Gielgud, and Laurence Olivier (SI/962). Accompanying these photos are a number of transparencies and a glass negative. This image was used in a catalogue for the computer games company, Domark, in 1988.

9. A set of transparencies and negatives with portrait shots of producer Rosie Hoare. There appears to be material from three photo shoots, including one that involved a Ronald Reagan puppet. Some items are dated 1988; others may date earlier or later.

10. A set of nine colour photographs that feature images of Spitting Image Workshop staff within the Limehouse Studios environment. Artists such as Pablo Bach and Tim Watts are shown modelling plasticine heads. These images were taken c 1988.

11. A set holding a colour portrait photograph of Roger Law, along with two transparencies of this shot; and four transparencies featuring a portrait photograph of Peter Fluck (SI/970a-b). These images were taken in 1989.

12. A set of 12 transparencies that feature images of Steve Bendelack with a Ronald Reagan puppet (SI/971). These images were taken c late 1980s.

13. A set holding a black and white, portrait photograph of Peter Fluck; two contact sheets with portrait photos of Fluck and another unidentified male, and four strips of negatives. Both of the contact sheets are missing two images each, which have been cut off. The items are dated c 1980s.

14. A set of two colour negatives, measuring 100mm x 125mm each, featuring portrait images of producer, John Lloyd; dated c 1980s.

15. An assortment of black and white photographs and contact prints, along with some negatives, holding images of Spitting Image Workshop staff at work, and interior shots at Limehouse Studios. There are also two sheets of contact prints with images of photographs taken at the book launch for the publication, A Nasty Piece of Work: The Art and Graft of Spitting Image, held at Liberty's. This material dates from c 1980s to 1992.

16. A set containing a colour photograph of artist Tim Watts holding a puppet head of television presenter, Michael Parkinson; and a colour photograph with a group shot of three unidentified individuals. Items date from c 1980s to c 1990s.

17. A set of four contact sheets, each accompanied by a sleeve of negatives, holding images of group photographs featuring Roger Law, Peter Fluck, and William Sargent (SI/964). These images were probably taken to coincide with Sargent becoming a majority stakeholder in Spitting Image Productions Limited and its chairman. These items are dated c 1990.

18. A set of two colour photographs featuring images of artists David Stoten and Tim Watts working on plasticine models. These models appear to be characters from the 1991 television puppet series, Winjin' Pom.

19. A set of 13 colour photographs taken during Roger Law's attendance at the Festival della Satira Teatrale e Televisiva [Festival for theatrical and television satire], Saint Vincent, between 29 and 31 May 1992.

20. A set of 15 colour photographs. Nine of these photographs feature images of Roger Law sitting alongside a number of puppets, including those of Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, June Brown as the Eastenders' character Dot Cotton, Prince Charles [later King Charles III], Sarah Ferguson, Boris Yeltzin, Diana, Princes of Wales; and Michael Heseltine. The other six photographs have images of Law working on a plasticine model of John Major's head. These images may have been taken as part of the promotion for Spitting Image's 100th episode in 1993.

21. A set of 17 black and white photographs featuring exterior shots of Cairo Studio's building, prior to Spitting Image Productions Limited relocating to these premises in 1994. These items are dated c early 1990s.

Dates

  • Creation: c 1980-c 1994

Creator

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright - held by various parties.

Extent

1 archive box(es) (The box holds a variety of gusseted and non-gusseted folders, envelopes, and items held between folded pieces of conservation paper.) : Photographic material (paper, plastic)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

These items were originally stored in various locations in the archive, and they have subsequently been merged and listed together in this sub-series. The sets in this sub-series hold their original contents, except for entries MS Add.10275/3/4/1/7 and 16, which are artificial creations.

Separated Materials

Published versions of some of these images are present in the entries MS Add.10275/3/5/1 and 2.

Repository Details

Part of the Cambridge University Library Repository

Contact:
Cambridge University Library
West Road
Cambridge CB3 9DR United Kingdom