HELEN WIGGINS FILMS LTD

(1948-1974)

Ellen Matilda Wiggins was born in Islington in 1901, the daughter of Jack Wiggins, a pioneer cameraman and film processor who was works manager at Billy Jeapes' Film Laboratories Ltd in the 1930s, and she followed him into laboratory work. She was known by her nickname "Nellie". When Jack was recruited to manage the processing on the new colour newsreel National News in 1937 (for which Dennis Connelly was commissioned to provide a weekly animated cartoon), Nellie was hired as negative cutter.

National News was unsuccessful, and folded after two issues. Nellie went on to work for Pathé News, becoming chief film editor in 1940, credited as "Nellie Wiggins". Around 1948 she left Pathé to become a freelance, forming her own company, Helen Wiggins Films Ltd (the name "Ellen" sounding like "Helen" with the "H" dropped, she chose the latter), and working as editor on numerous shorts and features. Her production company made commercials and sponsored documentaries.

On 31 March 1962 she married Chris Millett, scriptwriter for National Interest Picture Productions. In 1965 she took over production of the Government information and Forces training films being made by National Interest Pictures, with Albert Hopkins' production team continuing to make the films under the banner of Helen Wiggins Films Ltd.

In 1970 Brian Stevens, who had formed his own company Brian Stevens Animated Films to work freelance on the training films, handed over the diagram work to designer and background artist Jim Knight.

Helen Wiggins Films Ltd went into voluntary liquidation on 24 January 1974. Helen Wiggins died 12 February 1978.

Filmography (Animation or animated inserts)

Links to Other Sites

Learning on Screen "Helen Wiggins": Career outline.

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