Ladies Who Do - Bryanston Films (1963)
Year: 1963
Format: Leaflet
Illustrator: Harry Stevens (1919-2008)
Client: Bryanston Films
Details: Bryanston Films was a British film company established in mid-1959, after the demise of Ealing Studios. Bryanston released independent British films through British Lion Films until 1963. ‘Ladies Who Do’ was one of their last releases - this leaflet was produced to provide information about the cast, credits and production details, as well as a synopsis.
The film follows a group of office cleaners who make a fortune from stock tips found in a waste paper basket, before going on to battle a developer who wants to demolish their street. The artwork is signed by Harry Stevens (1919-2008).
Harry Stevens was born in Newton Heath, Manchester, and attended his local school, St. Augustine’s. He worked as a designer with a Manchester publicity firm from the age of 14, living for a number of years in Stretford. He studied privately as a painter during this time and was not formally trained.
From 1939-46 he served as a machine-gunner in the Cheshire Regiment. Upon becoming wounded, he was given a base job at the Office of War information in Algiers, where he produced drawings and paintings. He exhibited these at Gibbs’ Bookshop in Manchester on his return.
Stevens produced commercial art to enable him to produce his own work. He specialised in poster design, creating illustrations for coach companies and British Railways. He was also commissioned by London Transport and the GPO. He won the Council of Industrial Design Poster Award in 1963.
He joined the Society of Industrial Artists and was elected Fellow in 1965. He was also a member of the Society of Modern Painters. Stevens exhibited in Nottingham, Liverpool, London (including the Tate Gallery) and Manchester. Manchester City Art Gallery holds one of his oil painting in their collection, ‘Kite in the Sea’ (1949).
Stevens continued producing commercial artwork throughout the 1970s and later lived in Lyndhurst, Hampshire.