Remembering DEREK SIMMONDS Day 23rd December

[Lee Mannering]

23rd December will be Derek Simmonds birthday where we usually project a good number of Derann Film Services films to remember the great 8mm man.

Derek was born in 1935 and left us in 2002 sadly but most of us will remember him buzzing around those Derann Open days and in the projection box showing all those wonderful new releases along with the old ones. Derek spear headed the Blackpool Film Collectors Convention for years and we also enjoyed the Birmingham event they also fronted.

On his Birthday we show a programme of Derann releases to remember Derek each year recalling all those happy memories and the good times we had with Derann. Join in if you are able..
For the good times.

[Joe Taffis]

I never had the pleasure to speak with Derek, but I know he visited Red Fox Enterprises here in Pa. at least once. It was probably during the time when Derann acquired the Red Fox negs. Ron Knorr told me that he was a nice, friendly man

[Melvin England]

Joe - Ron was right. A very nice man indeed. A showman and first class salesman.

Many years ago, I attended one of his regular sales weekend in Dudley. We would try to all squeeze into his cinema on the top floor which, to be fair, was quite a good size and just reflected how many people would turn up. He would hold his auctions up there. Sometimes there were too many people to fit so he had a two way microphone and speaker connected to downstairs, so the overflow could join in, too.

This particular day there was a youngish man with his three year old son up in the cinema and a Disney 200' film came up for auction. This gentleman won it and said he can't wait to show it to his son and older sister.
To that, Derek replied " In that case, take it... no charge! And if you come and see me later, I will give you some more for your children's collection."

That was the character of the man.

[Lee Mannering]

So nice to read the stories and memories.
Derek was always encouraging youngsters including me as a lad. My first order was carefully hand written and posted to Derann where I mentioned my tender age and my projector, then a few days later I received a phone call from Derek. To this day I can hear him saying 'I see you have a Eumig projector' and that first Eumig sound projector from '72 is still here. Memories!

[Lee Mannering]

Our show on the 23rd Dec 2019 went off very well digging deep into our S8 collection we watched a good cross section of films starting with a early 200ft variety Super 8 release from Derann. My goodness have had this one from the 1970's and it still evokes so many memories of the golden era of Super 8.

Thanks for the memories Derek.