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Offshore Radio on Film and TV

Dateline Diamonds

Dateline Diamonds was a low-budget B movie released in 1966 featuring pop groups The Small Faces and The Chantelles.  Made in  black and white, it was released to support the main feature film Doctor in Clover starring Leslie Phillips. (It had originally been planned to support the Norman Wisdom film, The Sandwich Man, but this was changed at the last minute.)

The film's plot involves an international criminal gang who use the MV Galaxy (home of the British 1960's offshore station Radio London) to smuggle stolen diamonds from the UK to Amsterdam. The film's final sequence showing Ray Anton and Pro Form, Mark Richardson and The Small Faces performing on stage was filmed during a genuine Radio London night at the Rank Ballroom in Watford.

Band Manager Don Arden arranged for Small Faces to appear in the film as a promotional vehicle for "I've Got Mine" the follow-up to their debut single "Whatcha Gonna Do About It". Unfortunately the film's release was delayed and the band received no publicity for their single, which consequently failed to chart.

Cast

William Lucas – Major Fairclough

Kenneth Cope – Lester Benson

George Mikell – Paul Verlekt

Conrad Phillips – Tom Jenkins

Patsy Rowlands – Mrs. Edgecomb

Burnell Tucker – Dale Meredith (a fictitious DJ)

Anna Carteret – Gay Jenkins

Vanda Godsell – Mrs. Jenkins

Gertan Klauber – Meverhof

Doel Luscombe – Assistant Commissioner

Peter Zander – Spankharen

Geoffrey Lumsden – Army Officer

Ronald Bridges – Garage Attendant

David Kirk – Dock Policeman

Kenney Jones  - Himself (The Small Faces)

Ronnie Lane - Himself (The Small Faces)

Steve Marriott - Himself (The Small Faces)

Jimmy Winston - Himself (The Small Faces)

Jay Adams - Herself (The Chantelles)

Riss Chantelle - Herself (The Chantelles)

Sandra Orr - Herself (The Chantelles)

Rey Anton - Himself

Kiki Dee - Herself

Kenny Everett - Himself

Mark Richardson - Himself

With brief appearances by Radio London staff, Phillip Birch (Managing Director), Earl Richmond (DJ) Tony Windsor (DJ), Ben Toney (Programme Director) and Mitch (Ship’s Steward).

Producers -  Harry Benn (Producer), Harold Shampan (Executive Producer)

Director - Jeremy Summers

Writers - Tudor Gates (screenplay), Harold Shampan (original idea)

Music - Rey Anton (as Rey Anton and Pro Form), Johnny Douglas (Conductor)

Cinematography - Stephen Dade

Editing - Sidney Stone

Art Direction - John Earl

Production Management - Philip Shipway (Production Manager)

Second Unit Director/Assistant Director - Gordon Gilbert  

Sound -  Ken Cameron (Sound Mixer), John Colville (Sound Editor), Bob MacPhee (Sound Mixer)

Camera - Ronnie Maasz (Camera Operator)

Costume and Wardrobe - Mary Gibson  

Release Date  (UK) - 3rd April 1966

Released on VHS - October 2003

Released on DVD - 13th October 2008

Running time - 73 minutes

Clips from Dateline Diamonds  (including shots of the MV Galaxy, home of Radio London)

Click to enlarge

Offshore Radio Connection

The story line centres around the use of the MV Galaxy (home of 1960’s British offshore station, Radio London) to smuggle diamonds into the UK.

Many scenes were filmed on board Galaxy and a reconstruction of the studio was built at Pinewood Studios.

Some real-life Radio London staff also appeared in the film (see cast list).

Clip showing the Chantelles singing “I Think of You” in the Radio London ‘studio’