Mirams, Gordon - papers

Fonds — Container: 1/1

Identifier: mirg-P

Staff Only

Scope of collection

This collection consists of manuscripts, correspondence, clippings and publications relating to the career of Gordon Mirams; predominantly to Mr Mirams' roles as a film critic and particularly as New Zealand's Film Censor in the 1950s. Also includes some material pertinent to his Mass Communications role with UNESCO.

Dates

Creation: 1946-1965

Conditions of access and use

Access to this material is open for research and private study. For publication or any other use, please refer to the J.C.Beaglehole Room in the first instance. (jcbeaglehole.room@vuw.ac.nz)

Biographical information

Born: 9 March 1909, Christchurch Died: 29 November 1966, Wellington

Mirams began his career in journalism at the age of 18, working for the Sun (Chirstchurch). He combined this with his interest in film by taking on the job of reviewing. He received a diploma in journalism from Caterbury College in 1932, followed by an MA.

From 1935 to 1937 he worked as a publicist and then went to the New Zealand Radio Record, moving to the New Zealand Listener in 1939, where he later became chief sub-editor, with a sideline in film reviews. He also did broadcasts, lectured at the WEA on films and was key to the establishment of the Wellington Film Institute (later the Wellington Film Society) in 1945.

He worked for UNESCO from 1947 and on returning to New Zealand took the role of film censor and registrar of films. More liberal than his predecessors, he worked to have the Cinematgraph Films Act amended and created a pioneering film classification system. He returned to UNESCO's mass media division in Paris in 1959, resigning due to ill health in 1966 and returning to Wellington.

Information from: L. R. Shelton. 'Mirams, Gordon Holden', from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 20-Nov-2013 URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/biographies/5m52/mirams-gordon-holden