The event at Old Billingsgate
Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam on stage
Alexander Armstrong introduced the event |
Comedy stars raise laughs as well as funds for the NFTS
9 June 2010: Stars of some of our best-loved TV comedy shows raised laughter as well as money at the Great British Comedy Event last night as three of Britain's greatest comedy partnerships were honoured, in the presence of the performers.
Dawn French and comic partner Jennifer Saunders (pictured) were celebrated, alongside Ian Hislop and Paul Merton of Have I Got News For You fame, and Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Michael Palin of classic cult comedy Monty Python's Flying Circus .
Hosted by Alexander Armstrong, the evening featured an auction, conducted by Lord Dalmeny, of Sotheby's, at which a rare original script of the classic movie, Life of Brian, signed by John Cleese, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin went under the hammer, alongside a chance to present a round of topical news quiz Have I Got News For You . Hislop and Merton attempted to outbid each other for the lot, which was eventually won by another bidder.
Also up for grabs were a walk-on role in the forthcoming Rowan Atkinson film Johnny English 2, memorabilia from Armando Iannucci's comic nightmares The Thick of It and In the Loop and a vasectomy - for a romantic yet responsible gentleman. The auction raised over £300,000 for the School.
During the evening, stars and their guests took part in a specially commissioned quiz on the three comedy franchises, in which French & Saunders, Ian Hislop and Paul Merton, and the Pythons read out the questions on themselves. Only one table - led by Rowan Atkinson and Matthew Horn - got all 12 super-tough questions right. Their prize - a case of champagne - was collected by Rebecca Front.
A further comic twist came when Lord Dalmeny declared that Peter Bazalgette, a former Vice Chairman of the NFTS Board of Governors, would give the coat off his back to support the School - and proceeded to auction it off to the tune of £3000.
Students working at the event were thrilled to meet their comedy heroes. "I truly appreciate all these wonderful comedy legends giving up their time and money to help all of us to realise our own film and TV dreams," said one.
Click here to see more pictures from the night |
The new building is officially named
Ossie Morris, OBE
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Duncan Kenworthy names new NFTS building in honour of Oswald Morris
11 June 2009: The new NFTS teaching building was today formally named in honour of veteran cinematographer Oswald Morris.
Leading British producer Duncan Kenworthy, OBE was invited to choose a name for the building after he made a donation of $1million towards the building costs.
In a short speech, Kenworthy explained that his first film, The Dark Crystal , (1982) was also the last one Morris shot before he retired. The friendship forged between the two on set then has endured ever since.
Oswald Morris, OBE started as a film-obsessed clapper-boy at the age of sixteen, and went on to become one of the most respected British cinematographers of his generation. In a career spanning nearly 50 years he worked with directors such as John Huston, Sidney Lumet, Stanley Kubrick and David Lean and his credits include The Man With The Golden Gun, Our Man in Havana, The Entertainer, Lolita, Oliver! and Fiddler On The Roof , for which he won an Oscar.
The naming ceremony was attended by luminaries from the world of film and television directing, including Kirk Jones, Stephen Frears, Michael Kuhn, Franc Roddam, Kim Longinotto, Terence Davies, Alan Parker, Peter Bazalgette, Molly Dineen and Sarah Gavron (pictured top left).
Some more pictures from the event can be found in our photo gallery |
Guests mingle at
Old Billingsgate
Daniel Craig arrived
straight after the final day of filming Quantum of Solace at
Pinewood Studios. Photographer:
Nuala O'Leary |
Great British
Movie Event raises £400,000 in support of the National Film
and Television School's Fundraising Appeal
18 June 2008:
Our Great British Movie Event last night at Old Billingsgate was
a huge success, with a crowd of A-list stars in attendance including
Daniel Craig, Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, NFTS President Lord Attenborough,
Christopher Lee, Honor Blackman, Bond producer Barbara Broccoli
and of course our host for the evening, Jonathan Ross.
Highlights
of the main after-dinner auction, which raised over £100,000
for the School, were a bidding war between Hugh Grant and Daniel
Craig for the signed uncorrected proof of the first Harry Potter
book; and Hugh Grant bidding both for a walk-on part in the next
Working Title film - we didn't realise things were that bad! -
and a chance to kiss Daniel Craig and Robbie Coltrane. Unluckily
for Hugh, he was outbid on both items, the kisses going to Barbara
Broccoli for a lipsmacking £19,000.
A silent auction,
which included a variety of items from holidays in France to a
bowling ball from The Big Lebowski signed by the Coen brothers,
brought in a further £85,000, and altogether the event raised
some £400,000 for the School.
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The
NFTS is a registered Charity: 313429
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FUNDRAISING APPEAL 
