Ronald Bowie

Ronald Trent Bowie was born in Napier in 1907. Bowie worked at the National Film Unit from 1954 until 1972, and passed away in Auckland on October 27th, 2000.

From a young age, Bowie was interested in theatre, and acted and worked behind the scenes in many amateur dramatic productions. In 1936, he had a small role in Kiwi film pioneer Rudall Hayward's first talkie, On The Friendly Road.

Bowie's ambitions to progress further in the world of film were seriously deflected with the onset of the World War II. His pacifist convictions resulted in him being interned for five and a half years as a conscientious objector.

A fellow inmate, Jack Willets, later said of him, "he was not complicated by religion. He was there simply because he did not want to go to other countries to kill people".

Bowie painted and sketched while he was interned. He also produced a number of plays with other detainees.

Following the war, conscientious objectors were barred from taking public service jobs. Bowie went to work at a Kodak retail store in Auckland. From there, he became a production assistant at Neuline Film Studios, run by Australian arrival Robert Steele. 

A short film he made about housing standards got him noticed by National Film Unit manager Geoffrey Scott, who was impressed enough to hire him.

Bowie was older than most of his colleagues at the Unit, but his maturity was an asset. He worked variously as a unit assistant before becoming a director, and then a producer.

Over many years, Bowie contributed to some notable and award-winning productions at the NFU. Amongst these was One Hundred and Forty Days Under The World, a half-hour documentary about New Zealand scientists at Scott Base in Antarctica. Directed by Kell Fowler and edited and narrated by Bowie, the film was nominated for an Academy Award in 1964.

Bowie's reputation for creativity was considerably enhanced when he made a film called Amazing New Zealand, for which he devised a multi camera cinemascope presentation utilising three 16mm cameras, bound together to achieve reputedly "startling" effects. The film was a forerunner to Hugh MacDonald's three-screen spectacular This is New Zealand.

Bowie reluctantly retired from The Film Unit at the mandatory age of 65 in 1972, but not before he'd mentored and supported some rising stars, including Paul Maunder. Maunder, who made the controversial Gone Up North for A While with Bowie as producer, later praised him for his support and creative eye. 

Bowie's retirement was not idle. He continued his involvement with Wellington repertory theatre, and Friday night soirees at his Oriental Parade apartment were legendary.