The Yorkshire Film Archive collects, preserves, and shows film made in, or about Yorkshire. Our collections are non-fiction, dating from the 1890s to the present day, and providing a rich and visually compelling record of all aspects of lives, cultures, landscape, industries, major events and everyday activities, many of which are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free
Video Player is loading.
Stephen the Magician
A young magician impresses his sister by making a dog appear from under a bucket, and by demonstrating the magic of film itself.
From the collection of:
Overview
A playful film by Eric Bolderson of Castleford of his son Stephen performing magic tricks for his sister Janet. Although only an amateur, and with the limited equipment to be had in 1962, Eric here demonstrates his exceptional filmmaking skills and inventiveness as he uses several trick photographic techniques, including Stephen having a pillow fight with himself.
Eric Bolderson ran a bookies in Castleford, following in his father’s footsteps, and was well known locally, especially for his sense of humour. This shows in many of the films he made in the 1950s and ‘60s, which he would show in a makeshift cinema in his small attic, raising money for charity. The post-war period in Britain was a period when amateur magicians, and children’s magic box sets, were much more in vogue than they are today. This film may well have been inspired by the comedy genius of Tommy Cooper, who toured extensively during this time, and had been on television many times. That other television magician, David Nixon, also had his first programme, Comedy Bandbox, first broadcast in 1962.
Related
Watch for free
Paper Boat Paper Boat
Amateur film 1949 22 mins Silent
Prize-winning amateur film about the fleeting affair between a housewife and a young man on a summer day.
Watch for free
Coming Shortly Coming Shortly
Amateur film 1954 4 mins Silent Location: High Wycombe
Silly silent film fun and thrills abound in this award-winning 1954 amateur short spoofing the world of Hollywood trailers.
Watch for free
Midsummer Madness - An Idiotic Idyll Midsummer Madness - An Idiotic Idyll
Amateur film 1933 2 mins Silent
Four bright young things enact a midsummer's love tryst among the daisies in this short, well-crafted amateur fiction film.
Watch for free
Ladies Hoo Doo Ladies Hoo Doo
Amateur film 1965 19 mins Location: Harrow
Knitting comes in handy when making a film – a comical take on amateur filmmaking by the ladies of a local Pinner film club
Currently unavailable
Jocelyn in Wonderland Jocelyn in Wonderland
Amateur film 1961 13 mins Silent
Tired little Jocelyn, in her National Health specs, falls asleep in the garden and wakes up in Wonderland in this amateur re-telling of Lewis Carroll's classic.
Watch for free
Seascape Seascape
Documentary 1951 18 mins Silent Location: Exmouth
Filmmaking that is both educational and fun with this highly accomplished amateur film of the Devon coast, and its inhabitants, before it became overloaded with holidaymakers.
Watch for free
Castleford Advert 4 Castleford Advert 4
1941 1 mins Silent Location: Castleford
Never mind that the country is at war with a powerful and vicious foe, that’s no reason to stop going to greyhound racing, with a bet on the side.
Watch for free
Castleford Advert 3 Castleford Advert 3
1939 0 mins Silent Location: Castleford
No attempt to sell an idyllic lifestyle here in these two cinema ads for local shops, just a simple warning on the irreplaceability of eyesight.
Watch for free
Castleford Advert 1 Castleford Advert 1
1939 0 mins Silent Location: Castleford
Adverts not to get punters to buy anything, but just to enjoy sports and preserve memories of seaside holidays, in “real” photographs.
Watch for free
Castleford Advert 2 Castleford Advert 2
1941 0 mins Silent Location: Castleford
Advertisements for tripe, cow heels, trotters and milk – those were the days! It was a time of food rationing, but going to the cinema wasn’t.
Watch for free
Annual Pram Race 1962 Annual Pram Race 1962
Amateur film 1962 20 mins Location: Castleford
‘Carry On Castleford’ – crowds take to the streets in fancy dress for the Annual Pram Race.
Watch for free
Wheel of Fortune Wheel of Fortune
Amateur film 1958 6 mins Location: Castleford
Rich man vs. Poor man - what goes around comes around in this unexpected gambling tale
Watch for free
Wrong Bathroom Wrong Bathroom
Drama 2024 9 mins
A trans high-schooler is tempted by toxic masculinity in the boys’ bathroom.
Watch for free
We’ll Go Down in History We’ll Go Down in History
Documentary 2025 25 mins
Two years in the life of TRUK United FC, a beacon for positive change and trans inclusivity in football.
Watch for free
If I Make It To The Morning If I Make It To The Morning
Drama 2024 9 mins
A Chinese teenager dreams of living with her cool aunt in New York, until tensions boil over during a crab dinner.
Watch for free
Dragfox Dragfox
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2024 8 mins
A child struggling with their identity and a charismatic fox (voiced by Sir Ian McKellen) learn to embrace their differences in this heart warming stop-motion animation.
Watch for free
Wait, Wait, Now! Wait, Wait, Now!
Drama 2024 13 mins
A Maori and a Kiwi teen buddy up to raid their mum’s wardrobe and pucker their lips with red.
Watch for free
NGGAK!!! NGGAK!!!
Drama 2024 8 mins
‘I pronounce you wife and wife.’ A young couple design their perfect wedding online, but then mum dials in.