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Wall of Death

1963 , Southend-on-Sea (Essex)

Cat no. 118004

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Anglia Television: Report on Cindy Willis, a 17 year old who rides a motorbike around the Wall of Death at the fair on Southend Pier. Interview with Tornado Smith, the owner and creator of the Wall of Death.

Shot of Southend Pier with people walking through the entrance. The commentator claims that due to the extreme weather conditions this winter, the youth unemployment figures at Southend soared. Shot of people in a boat with the pier in the background followed by a close up of people sitting on deckchairs sunbathing. The commentator states that over the early summer these figures came down and they will probably rise again at the end of the academic year. Shot of two boys wearing hats looking at the camera. Shot of a crowd of people walking along the pier. Shot of Cindy Willis riding along the road on a scooter. The commentator explains that she is 17 and comes from Canvey Island located a few miles from Southend. Close up of Cindy wearing her helmet. The commentator states that Cindy had tried to have several different jobs, including a teacher training course, before resolving the employment question for herself. Shot of Cindy walking into the Kursaal amusement park as the commentator explains that her job is not typical of school leavers. Shot of George “Tornado” Smith, owner and creator of the Wall of Death. Cindy is on the stage warming up by doing acrobatics whilst her motorbike runs on rollers. Close up of the wheels. Close ups of members of the audience watching Cindy. Shot of people paying at the ticket booth to see the show. Shot of Cindy and two men riding their motorbikes into the Wall of Death. Shot of people walking up the steps to watch from the top of the Wall of Death. Tornado Smith talks to the crowd about the show and then Cindy starts the motorbike. She rides around the Wall of Death until she is riding along the top of it. Close ups of her riding sideways along the wall and lifting her arms into the air. People in the crowd clap and cheer. They lift up a part of the wall and the interviewer John McGregor walks into the ring to talk to Cindy. He asks her why she decided to take this up as a way of earning a living. She replies that she needed a job when she left college and it was either this or being tipped out of bed at the fair. She says that she doesn’t get scared when she’s riding on the wall, but she does sometimes when she’s about to go onto it. She talks about an accident she had when she fell off the bike and had to go to hospital. They talk about what it is like working for Tornado Smith. Interview with Tornado Smith who is weeding around the edge of the Wall of Death due to the fire hazard of people dropping cigarettes onto the grass. They discuss what made him get into the business and how he used to sneakily practice riding his motorbike on the sloped tracks. Shot of the fair followed by close-ups of people paying for tickets. Cindy talks to the audience from the middle of the Wall of Death and announces that the Triple Death Race will start. Cindy, Tornado Smith and another man all ride their motorbikes around the Wall of Death. Close-ups of the audience watching the show. Shot of the exterior of the Wall of Death. Shot of Cindy riding home on her scooter as the commentator explains that her scooter still has L Plates as she failed her test. The sign of the Kursaal amusement park is shown as she drives past. Shot of Southend Pier.

Featured Buildings

Southend Pier; Wall of Death; the Kursaal amusement park.

Keywords

Employment; Fairs; Motorcycle; Motorbike; Pier; Southend; Southend Pier; Wall Of Death; Danger

Manifestations

Wall of Death

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