DEANE PHOTOGRAPHIC ARCHIVES

'Mystery On Bird Island' was filmed in Guernsey and Alderney, and 'Bird Island' was Burhou, a small islet off Alderney. It is from a story by Mary Cathcart Borer.

The story is about a brother and sister who are holidaying in the Channel islands. They meet two Alderney children and together they organise a campaign to get a bird-watcher established on the Burhou island bird-sanctuary. This interferes with the smugglers using the santuary as their headquarters. After a great battle of wits, the children win. (Information -- Children's Media foundation and BFI)

The 57 minute film was released in 1954 by 'The Children's Film Foundation' now known as 'The Children's Media foundation'.

At the 1955 Venice Fim Festival, it won CI.D.A.L.C. Silver Gondola award for the best children's film.

Director: John haggarty
Production: Company Rayant Pictures
Sponsor: Children's Fim Foundation
Producer: Anthony Gilkison
Script: John Haggarty
Original story: Mary Cathcart Borer
Screen Story: Mary Dunn
Photography: William Pollard
Editor: Robert Johnson
Music: Graham Whettam
Sound Recording: Francis Flynn

CAST
Mavis Sage---Marion
Jennifer Beach---Jeanne
Nick Edmett---Victor (as Nicolas Edmett)
Alexander Gauge---Bronson
Vernon Morris---John
Peter Arne---Henri
Roddy Hughes---Grumpy
Howard Connell---Gaston
John Drake---Le Maitre (uncredited)
Alan Mackay---Gosselin (uncredited)

Location: Guernsey and Alderney

These photographs taken from the original negatives were shot by Kenneth Mcleod who was a keen amateur photographer and the head of the process department of the Guernsey Press at that time.