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Draft:Derek Burbidge

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  • Comment: I suspect that this subject is notable, but Wikipedia requires that to be done in a particular way. The easiest way to get that across is WP:GOLDENRULE, so we need 3 profiles in independent sources, going into details of this subject's life and career. Doing a search of the BFI database is not going to cut the mustard here. The key thing that needs to get across is that it doesn't greatly matter what the subject did or said. What matters hugely is what other people said or wrote about the subject, so newspaper profiles for example. Interviews, though, do not count for notability.
    Have a look under WP:REFB for how to reference more easily, bearing in mind the requirements of WP:BLP for inline citation. Also have a chat in the Teahouse to get some more advice from experienced editors. And yes, it is hard! ChrysGalley (talk) 11:13, 19 February 2026 (UTC)
  • Comment: Not seeing evidence this person meets our criteria for inclusion? qcne (talk) 13:12, 16 October 2025 (UTC)


Derek Burbidge

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Portrait of Derek Burbidge during filming in 1977
Derek Burbidge portrait during filming in 1977

Derek Burbidge (born 10 March 1947) in Weymouth Dorset. One of the most prolific British film and Video Directors of the 1970s and 1980s.

Early Life

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1963 Derek took a Diploma course in photography at Bournemouth College of Art where he met and married sculpture student Kate Humphreys in 1966.

Career

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Derek rose to prominence in the early 1970s with the hugely successful companies One West Ltd and Zoetrope Ltd[1] he set up with Kate in Charlotte Mews, London. Derek is noted for his innovative work, becoming one of the decades most sought after directors. His work includes numerous films, videos, concerts and documentaries as Director and Producer.

Music Films

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1971 Derek started directing and producing live concert clips that were transmitted on the Old Grey Whistle Test, these included the Steve Miller Band, Rod Stewart and the Faces, Focus at the Rainbow Theatre, Rory Gallagher Live at The Marquee[2] and in the summer of 1976 the [3]Macon Whoopee, a Whistle Test special on Capricorn Records featuring their artists including a Bob Harris interview with soon to be US President Jimmy Carter.

Moving office to Percy Street, London, Derek built a sound recording studio where he recorded many radio commercials as well as voice overs for Television Adverts. He is widely recognised for his extensive directorial work with the rock band Police.[4] especially the video The Police Around The World.[5] featuring "Roxanne", "Can't Stand Losing You", "Message In A Bottle", "Walking On The Moon", "Don't Stand So Close To Me", "De Do Do Do De Da Da Da", "Invisible Sun", "So Lonely". This formed the basis of the 1982 BBC transmitted Police in the East.[6] with Annie Nightingale. (There is a photo on page 118 of Derek in her book Chase the Fade).

Freddie Mercury and Derek Burbidge in 1977 talking about the We are the Champions Video and discussing filming.
Freddie Mercury and Derek Burbidge discussing filming 1977

Other productions included Queen, "We Are the Champions".[7] The Go-Gos "Our Lips Are Sealed".[8] AC/DC, "For Those About To Rock We Salute You" [9] The Honeydrippers Sea of Love 85. Robert Plant "Pink and Black" and "Little by Little".

Live in Concert [10]Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Hammersmith Odeon 75. April Wine Live in London. Supertramp, Live in Paris. Little River Band Live Exposure.

Video Director

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His first shoot using video cameras was for Warner Brothers to promote the release of Gary Numans "Cars" at Molinaire[11] Studios, London. Gary Numan and director Derek Burbidge appeared on Magpie (TV Series) on 23rd October 1979 interviewed by Mick Robertson to discuss the songs innovative music video, using the then very new technique of squeeze zoom. There is a clip of this interview."Gary Numan and Derek Burbidge episode". Magpie. Episode 23 October 1979. 18 June 2026. Thames Television (ITV). This interview also shows a clip from the innovative Godley and Cream, "An Englishman in New York" which Derek shot at Molinaire Studios in London.[12]

Derek filmed many live concerts at the Rainbow Theatre in London including on 24th July 1973 the first music stereo simulcast, broadcast on BBC Television with the stereo soundtrack transmitted on the radio, of Van Morrison live at the Rainbow Theatre[13]. Featuring Morrison and The Caledonia Soul Orchestra.[14] (Although filmed on 16mm film the soundtrack was mixed at Advision Studios London, on 35mm film for transmission as stereo).[15]Van Morrison The broadcast took place on 27th May 1974.

Other concerts videoed by Derek using Molinaire[16] Studio outside broadcast unit and his own digital recording mobile 'Module One' were in 1979 The Touring Principle [17]Gary Numan. The Eurythmics, Sweet Dreams.[18][19] and Chris de Burgh, live in concert in Munich.[20]

From offices and cutting rooms at his home in Clapham London, he directed many of the overseas acts transmitted on the BBC's Old Grey Whistle Test and he travelled the world with the band Foreigner in the 1970s and Police in the 1980s.

Feature Films and TV Programmes

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1980 Derek invited Jools Holland to link the film of The Police in Montserrat.[21] It was Jools Hollands first experience of presenting and launched him into a new career. Jools went on to present The Tube with Paula Yates.

1981 Derek's Company Zoetrope Ltd made the Cult feature film [22]Urgh! A Music War. Directed by Derek and Produced by Michael White for Lorimar Productions with Miles Copeland.

In the summer of 1982 Derek spent time in New York filming a part documentary, part autobiography to accompany the Steven Van zandt Album Men Without Women.[23] This was premiered at the Cannes Film festival at the end of the European tour of Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul. The film went to a short run at the Fox Theatre[24] Venice, California.

1982 to1983 For channel 4 [25]Swank a six part TV series on fashion with Dawn French commissioned by TV Channel 4 commissioning editor John Cummings.

1984 Derek moved to South Eggardon Farm[26]. in Dorset and in 1985 to1986 made another 6-part TV Series for Channel 4 with Dawn French on food called [27]Scoff for his production company Zoetrope Ltd. Many original film negatives and video tapes of the above works directed and produced by Derek Burbidge for his companies One West and Zoetrope are held at the British Film Institute.

For the next ten years farming became a consuming interest until 1994.

Derek finally returned to Dorset in 2022.

Music Concerts

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Television

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Music Videography

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Feature Films

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References

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  1. ^ "ZOETROPE LIMITED | Company Summary". Company check .co.uk. 5 July 2026. Retrieved 5 July 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ Dunn, Phil (15 June 2026). "The Rory Gallagher Tape". The Mill Recording Studio.com. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  3. ^ Harris, Bob (3 May 2026). "The Old Grey Whistle Test 21 December 1976 Bob Harris Archive". The Whispering Bob Harris Archive.
  4. ^ Sutcliffe, Phil; Fielder, Hugh (1981). The Police. London W2 1PT: Proteus Publishing Limited. p. 71. ISBN 0-906071-66-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  5. ^ Burbidge, Derek (Director) (1982). The Police: Around the World (VHS). UK: Thorn EMI Video. TVE 90 1302 2.
  6. ^ Nightingale, Anne (1981). Chase The Fade. Blandford Press. p. 118. ISBN 0-7137-11671.
  7. ^ "We Are The Champions - Promotional Video". Queenpedia. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
  8. ^ Billboard Staff (March 4, 2015). "Top 10 Most Iconic Girl Group Music Videos". Billboard. Retrieved 2026-05-30.
  9. ^ "songfacts.com". Songfacts.com. 16 June 2026. Retrieved 16 June 2026. For Those About To Rock We Salute You.
  10. ^ Media Centre (10 April 2025). "BBC Music Television announces When Bruce Springsteen Came to Britain". BBC Media Centre. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  11. ^ "muzines.co.uk". Video Tech (EMM Jul 83). 13 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ Songfacts (5 July 2026). "An Englishman in New York by Godley & Creme - Songfacts". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 5 July 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ "Its Too Late to Stop Now". Best Stuff.com. 26 June 2026. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
  14. ^ Yorke, Ritchie (1975). Van Morrison Into the Music. London: Futura Publications. p. 153. ISBN 978-0-85947-013-1.
  15. ^ "Chronomedia:1974". Chronomedia: 1974. 28 May 2026. Retrieved 28 May 2026.
  16. ^ "muzines .co.uk". Video Tech (EMM Jul 83). 13 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ Music Week (19 April 1980). "Music-Week-1980-04-19.pdf" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. Retrieved 12 June 2026.
  18. ^ Burbidge, Derek (Director) (1998). Eurythmics: Sweet Dreams (The Video Album) (DVD). Lightyear Entertainment. UPC 085365478725 / ISBN 1-56896-853-1.
  19. ^ Burbidge, Derek (15 June 2026). "Eurythmics: Sweet Dreams on RCA Columbia Pictures (UK)". Video Collector.co. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  20. ^ de Burgh, Chris (31 May 2026). "Chris de Burgh-The Munich Concerts-VHS (PAL) (r17503546) Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  21. ^ Holland and Vyner, Jools and Harriet (2007). Barefaced Lies and Boogie-Woogie Boasts. England: Penguin Books. pp. 160–163. ISBN 978-0-718-14915-4.
  22. ^ Gonsalves, Rob (28 January 2026). "Urgh! A Music War". MUBI. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  23. ^ Van Zandt, Steven (12 July 2026). "backstreets.com: Springsteen News Archive Nov-Dec 2022". Backstreets.com. Retrieved 12 July 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ^ "Cinema Treasures". Fox Venice Theatre in Venice, CA - Cinema Treasures cinematreasures.org. 13 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ^ Turner, David (8 May 2026). "Swank-Nostalgia Central". Nostalgia Central. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  26. ^ "South Eggardon House and Farm, and Eggardon Farm Cottages". archive-catalogue.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. 5 July 2026. Retrieved 5 July 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. ^ BFI Institute (28 May 2026). "Collections search British Film Institute". Collections-search.bfi.org.uk. Retrieved 28 May 2026.
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Derek Burbidge at IMDb