The Box is a major cultural and heritage attraction and archive, which opened in Plymouth’s city centre in September 2020. Its collection, formally the South West Film and Television Archive (SWFTA), is the regional film archive for the South West of England, comprising the combined programme libraries of Westward Television and Television South West (TSW). It also includes a significant number of donated film collections dating back to the early 1890s.
This film is part of Free
Ian and Viv
Interview with International and Somerset cricketers Ian Botham and Viv Richards
From the collection of:
Overview
Ian Botham and Viv Richards are interviewed together at County Ground Taunton at the end of the domestic season in September 1980. A flary, fiery, flamboyant player, on and off the field, Botham could turn a match. Viv Richard’s unique batting style earned him a top five place in Wisden’s Cricketers of the Century.
Botham began his first class career in 1974 with Somerset Cricket Club and went on to an England career but his captaincy of the side was short-lived. In the mid-1980s, new Somerset cricket captain Peter Roebuck sacked the overseas stars Viv Richards and Joel Garner and brought in the New Zealander Martin Crowe in an attempt to renew an ageing team. Ian Botham resigned in protest and moved to Worcestershire and Durham before retiring from the game in 1993. Botham was also a talented footballer and played for Scunthorpe United but turned down an offer to play with Crystal Palace FC. Viv Richards made his first class debut in 1972 for Leeward Islands and moved to Taunton in 1974. He went on to captain the West Indies.
Related
Watch for free
Somerset County Cricketers Ian Botham and Brian Rose Somerset County Cricketers Ian Botham and Brian Rose
News 1977 3 mins Location: Taunton
Ian Botham and Brian Rose tell it like it is - interviewed in 1977 Plus ca change
Watch for free
Basil D'Oliveira - Dolly Basil D'Oliveira - Dolly
News 1968 0 mins Location: Devon
Basil D’Oliveira plays football with his children
Watch for free
Alec Bedser Cricket Home Movies: MCC Tour of Australia 1954 Alec Bedser Cricket Home Movies: MCC Tour of Australia 1954
Amateur film 1954 52 mins Silent
The voyage, the camaraderie, the matches, the sights: the whole experience of a 1950s tour down under is here.
Watch for free
Colin Milburn's Cricketing Comeback Colin Milburn's Cricketing Comeback
Sport 1970 3 mins Location: Kingston upon Hull
Amiable cricket legend “Ollie” Milburn hopes to return to cricket depsite losing partial sight in his left eye following a car accident.
Watch for free
Fielding and Wicket Keeping Fielding and Wicket Keeping
School programme and Educational film 1983 26 mins
"Catches win matches!" England's David Gower and wickie Bob Taylor show how it's done.
Watch for free
Learie Constantine Learie Constantine
Biopic 1945 9 mins Silent Location: Liverpool
The West Indian cricketing legend is filmed in his role as a welfare officer, working to help African and Caribbean factory workers in Merseyside.
Watch for free
Rien ne va plus at El Matador Rien ne va plus at El Matador
Current affairs 1962 4 mins Location: Taunton
Everything is going very well at El Matador Club where gambling forms part of a growing leisure activity.
Watch for free
Taunton College of Art Fashion Show Taunton College of Art Fashion Show
Current affairs 1975 2 mins Silent Location: Taunton
Students at the College of Art in Taunton hold an end of year fashion show with eye-catching futuristic designs.
Watch for free
One Per Cent of Us - One in a Hundred One Per Cent of Us - One in a Hundred
Current affairs 1986 52 mins Location: Plymouth
This documentary charts the progress and challenges of disabled people living in the community.
Watch for free
Wassail Wear and Whimple Wassail Wear and Whimple
Current affairs 1975 2 mins Silent Location: Taunton
Wassail queens assemble at Taunton Castle before returning to their respective orchards.
Watch for free
Taunton Jazz Festival Taunton Jazz Festival
Current affairs 1962 12 mins Location: Taunton
Notable interviews are with some of the greatest jazz talent as music lovers gather to celebrate jazz, trad and free.
Watch for free
Da Vinci's Wingman Da Vinci's Wingman
Current affairs 1961 3 mins Silent Location: Taunton
An eccentric Englishman looks to achieve winged flight inspired by Leonardo
Watch for free
China O'Brien: The Reunion China O'Brien: The Reunion
Documentary 2024 60 mins
Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton and Keith Cooke reunite three decades on from the groundbreaking martial arts classic.
Watch for free
Women in Action Panel Discussion Women in Action Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 28 mins
Action Xtreme - the UK's leading action film studio - hosts this panel discussion with four leading women in action cinema - Soo Cole, Jo Rolison, Jadey Duffield and Ioanna Karavela.
Watch for free
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Watch for free
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Watch for free
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Watch for free
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.