Film is Fabulous! and De Montfort University’s Cinema and Television History Research Group are pleased to announce that films from the private collection of Eric Mival, the former freelance editor, who worked for the BBC, MGM, ITC, and other production companies, will be catalogued and preserved.

Eric is famous for working on several classic television shows during the 1960s, including Doctor Who, Top of the Pops, Comedy Playhouse, The Strange Report, The Wednesday Play and, in particular, The Prisoner. He also worked in the film industry, notably on the Oscar nominated short film, Oisin. Eric’s highly recommended memoirs, ‘Cutting Edge: My Life in Films and Television’ was published in 2015.

In his memoirs, Eric recalled the actor Patrick McGoohan, the star and driving force behind the cult TV series, The Prisoner, with whom he became a good friend:

‘Pat could often be found in the cutting rooms, popping in for just a chat and to spend time with the crew. I think he enjoyed the company of behind the scenes people, such as editors, and stuntmen, more than he did fellow actors. He did not behave in the same way other stars of the time did, he was not aloof like some performers can be, and was a lot more down-to-earth than other people in his position might have been.’

The cataloguing will encompass the entirety of Eric’s film collection, plus feature film and television material found on various other formats. Any missing and rare material will be scanned. Digital copies will be offered to the copyright holders for preservation purposes. The missing material will be screened at future Film is Fabulous! events, together with a host of other recovered items.

Film is Fabulous! Preserving film treasures for future generations.

26th August 2025