Terry English Explained

Terry English is a British armourer, mainly designing and making arms and armour, as well as props, for film and television productions.[1] [2] His work is held in museums such as the UK's Royal Armouries, and in private collections.[2]

Early life and career

English was born in the East End of London, and moved to Romford, Essex, when he was five.[2] His father was a tailor and suit cutter. English began his career in 1962, employed by theatrical costumers L & H Nathans of Drury Lane, Covent Garden, London, working on props and metal parts of costumes. Many of the costumes that were hired out came back damaged, and under the tutelage of professionally-trained swordmaker Arthur West, English learned to repair them, and later to make new armour costumes and metal props.[2] In the early 70s he set up his own company making theatrical armour and arms, including animal armour, such as for horses. The first film he made armour for through his own company was Mary, Queen of Scots (1971).

The armour worn by Lancelot in the 1981 film Excalibur is on display at the Royal Armouries in London, as is a copy he made of one of Henry VIII's suits of armour. In the 1980s English also made armour for the Education Department at the Royal Armouries.[3]

English appeared in the 'making of' documentaries, The Making of Excalibur: Myth into Movie (1981), directed by Neil Jordan,[4] [5] and Behind the Sword in the Stone (2013).[6] [7] He had cameo roles in some of the movies for which he provided armour.[1]

English works out of his workshop at his home near Hayle in Cornwall. When working on a movie, English will pack up his workshop and ship it to the filming location, so that he can undertake on-site costume making, fitting and repairs.[2]

In 2014 an episode of the television show Shed and Buried with Henry Cole was devoted to English and his collection of vintage vehicles as well as his film memorabilia.[8]

In June 2017 Adam Savage spent eight days with English at his workshop in Cornwall, making a recreation of King Arthur's armour suit from Excalibur. This was filmed and released in the Tested.com series as Adam Savage's Armor Build in October 2017.[9]

English is listed by the UK's Heritage Crafts Association as one of the few craftspeople currently practising the art of armour- and helmet-making.[10] A 2019 profile in Country Life described English as 'widely acknowledged as the best armourer in the world'.[2]

Museum displays and exhibitions

Selected films with armour and/or props designed and made by English

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cornish armour appears in Clash of the Titans. 1 April 2010. BBC.
  2. News: Full metal jacket. Lovell, Kate. 2 January 2019. 27 October 2020. Country Life . London.
  3. Web site: Armour in popular culture . royalarmouries.org . Royal Armouries . 27 October 2020.
  4. Web site: The Making of Excalibur (1981) . https://web.archive.org/web/20190106182612/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/5249f8955488a . dead . January 6, 2019 . bfi.org . British Film Institute . 27 October 2020.
  5. Web site: MAKING OF EXCALIBUR: MYTH INTO MOVIE, THE . tcd.ie . Trinity College Dublin Irish Film Database . 27 October 2020.
  6. Web site: Behind the Sword in the Stone. IMDb. 2020-10-26.
  7. News: There's magic in the air even still. Fogarty, Mary. 5 January 2014. 28 October 2020. The Independent . Dublin.
  8. Web site: Shed and Buried: Season 2 2x04 A Right Royal Profit? . trakt.tv . 28 October 2020.
  9. Web site: 3 Big Reasons Mythbusters Fans Should Watch Adam Savage's New Show Armor Build . Mick Joest. cinemablend.com . Cinemablend . 5 October 2017. 27 October 2020.
  10. Web site: The HCA Red List of Endangered Crafts. Currently viable crafts: Armour and helmet making . heritagecrafts.org.uk . Heritage Crafts Association . 27 October 2020.
  11. Web site: Armour - Lancelot's Hero Armour (1981) . Royal Armouries Museum . Royal Armouries . 28 October 2020.
  12. Web site: 20th Century Fox at The London Film Museum: Costumes Galore . Christopher Laverty. clothesonfilm.com . Clothes On Film . 17 August 2010. 27 October 2020.
  13. News: Props and costumes from blockbuster movies currently on display at Forge Mill Needle Museum. Russell, Ben. 1 August 2016. 28 October 2020. Worcester News .
  14. News: Monster exhibition at Royal Cornwall Museum. 7 March 2016. Falmouth Packet. 27 October 2020. en-GB.
  15. News: The aliens are landing at the Royal Cornwall Museum. 28 February 2016. Angarrack Life. 27 October 2020. en-GB.
  16. Bell . John . Gentle men of steel . New Scientist . 104 . 1435–1436 . 56–57 . 20–27 December 1984 . 27 October 2020 .
  17. News: First Knight. McCarthy, Todd. 26 June 1995. 27 October 2020. Variety . Los Angeles.
  18. Web site: Batman & Robin: About The Production . Film Scouts . Film Scouts LLC. 28 October 2020.
  19. Web site: A.I.: Artificial Intelligence : Production Notes . cinema.com . Cinema.com . 27 October 2020.

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