The Swinging Sixties

This photograph of Sylvia Syms, Peter Finch, Janet Munro, Claudia Cardinale, Cliff Richard and Leslie Caron comes from the Gerald Pudsey collection and captures something of the spirit of the decade dubbed 'the swinging sixties'. Gerald Pudsey (1915-2004) ran a photographic studio called The Three Stars Press Agency in London between 1948 and 1982. His studio was frequently commissioned to take photographs of MPs, peers, and visitors to the Parliamentary estate. The images in the collection also include images taken by Pudsey elsewhere, such as this one.

This photograph is one of several taken by Pudsey at the Royal Film performance rehearsal in 1962. Royal Film performances showcase a major film premiere and are attended by members of the British Royal Family. Proceeds from the event support The Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund. The film premiered in 1962 was West Side Story. The Queen was in attendance and was met by Cliff Richard and Peter Sellers amongst others.