LongeviQuest is saddened to report that British Filmmaker Norman Spencer passed away at 110 on 16 August 2024.
He was the second-oldest living man in the United Kingdom at the time of his death. The European Supercentenarian Organisation (ESO) and LongeviQuest both validated the age of Norman Spencer at 110 years, and 3 days old.
LongeviQuest sends our deepest condolences to the bereaved family and friends of Norman Spencer.
Norman Spencer in an interview by the British Entertainment History Project in 1999.
Biography
Norman Spencer was born in 1914 in Stockwell, near Brixton. He was a British filmmaker and cinematographer known for his contributions to documentary filmmaking.
Norman Spencer was deeply involved in numerous significant projects throughout his career, often focusing on social issues and the everyday lives of people in Britain. His love for cinema began in Leigh-on-Sea, where he became a regular at the local cinema, captivated by cartoons, various subjects, and the stars of the silent era.
Leaving school at 14, Spencer was apprenticed to a firm of commercial artists on Fenchurch Street, but soon realized that commercial art was not his calling. He later took an unofficial job painting murals in a dance studio on Great Portland Street. There, he learned from dancers that working as a film extra was a good way to get into the film industry.
Eventually, Spencer found himself at Pinewood Studios as an extra in the 1937 film “Splinters in the Air”. Exploring the sets and observing the filmmaking process was the most thrilling experience of his life, solidifying his passion for the industry.
Spencer’s filmmaking was marked by a commitment to realism and a dedication to portraying the lives of ordinary people. His work played a key role in shaping the documentary genre in the mid-20th century, leaving a lasting impact on British cinema and documentary storytelling.
