John Biddle (yachting cinematographer)
Encyclopedia
John Scott Biddle was the world’s foremost yachting
cinematographer
and lecturer, forging a film-making
career that spanned more than forty years. His films captured not only the technical aspects of sailing but also the human story in events as tranquil as a Nova Scotia
cruise and as grand as the America's Cup Races
.
His father was Brigadier General Nicholas Biddle (1893–1977), whose great-grandfather was Nicholas Biddle
, President of the Second Bank of the United States
.
His mother was Sarah Lippincott Biddle (1894–1962) whose paternal grandfather Joshua Ballinger Lippincott (1813–1886) founded J.B. Lippincott Company, and maternal grandfather Joseph Wharton
(1826–1909) founded the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
. Biddle’s father served a life-long term with the National Guard, was active in both World Wars, and was a well-noted, big-game hunter. He was commissioned to travel the world and bring back specimens; some of his ‘trophies’ still reside at Philadelphia’s Academy of Natural Sciences
. During Nicholas’ travels, he would film the hunts, then return home and allow young John to experiment with his movie camera and all his unexposed film.
By age eight, Biddle had backed the family car over a three foot wall, by ten had disassembled the family furnace, and by eleven, took his family to town frequently, having finally mastered driving. His colorful family included cousins Livingston L. Biddle, Jr.
and Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle, Jr.
While brother Wharton was taught classical piano by the up-and-coming Leonard Bernstein
, John learned honky tonk
spiced with Broadway standards and kept Philadelphia Main Line parties animated. He tinkered further with the camera at his family’s summer home in Jamestown, Rhode Island
, where he also mastered the idiosyncrasies of ocean sailing. Focusing on his brothers, sisters and twelve cousins as subjects on and around Narragansett Bay
, he refined his choice of angles, composition, containment of action within the frame and editing.
in Connecticut. He turned 18 in 1943 and served in the infantry during World War II
. A bad tooth sent him to the back of the lines during fighting in Belgium
. There it was noticed that he could play piano and work a movie projector, so he was assigned to entertain the troops. Shortly thereafter, he discovered two thirds of his platoon had been killed in a firefight. His entertaining skills likely had spared his life another surprise: brother Nicholas Jr., who was fighting in the same region, learned that John was working at the back of the lines and flabbergasted him with a visit. After the war, John attended Trinity College
, then returned overseas to Germany
with the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry
during the Korean War
.
aboard cousin Charles Wharton’s 51-foot cutter, Souvenir with his film camera along. He combined that footage with three other pieces he shot that summer, and booked himself into yacht clubs for his first lecture-show.
For over four decades, Biddle shot films of dinghy
races, Tall Ships events and everything in between. Over seventy types of boats were shown in his documentary-style presentations. 16 mm Bell and Howell in hand, he filmed 130 feet off the deck of square-riggers
and fifteen feet underwater. He filmed from Greenland
down to the Islands, from Greece
to New Zealand
. He shot ocean races like the Fastnet Race
, classic sailing regattas like the Friendship Sloop
Regatta, cruises
, celebrations, native fishboat races, small boat races. To capture viewable images on the rolling, bouncy seas, he used (and later marketed) what he called the Biddlestick – a short stick which he attached to his movie cameras, allowing him to hold onto deck stays while keeping the camera steady. The device was a simple version of the monopod
.
In addition to his annual show, Biddle made promotional films for boat manufacturers and sailboat classes, filmed a five-episode TV series for Mercury Marine
called "Let’s Go Boating" narrated by Lloyd Bridges
, and occasionally filmed for private clients.
, Canada
, Bermuda
, the Caribbean
(and occasionally Europe
and Australia
) where he would present his films in person as many as 100 times, primarily at yacht clubs. For many of Biddle's audience, his show presented the only opportunity to see the highlights of the past year's sailing events. One of the great attractions was his ability to catch the amusing and exhilarating aspects of sailing, not only on film, but in his quick-witted, dry-humored delivery peppered with terms like "callapso flapitis", referring to frantic moments on the boat. Biddle was his own production company
, performing the tasks of: contact agent, scheduler, publicist
, copywriter, photo developer, poster designer, accountant
, cinematographer
, film editor, scriptwriter
, music editor, driver, porter, set-up man and performer.
races and received credit for having done so in those films. She had a stroke
shortly after the birth of Scott and died five years later. Following this, Biddle managed to spend time at home with his children while continuing his career on the road and was able to include Sophie and Scott on trips to Bermuda
, a cruise to Maine
and trips to various lecture dates. In March 1977, he married Amy McKay van Roden in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania with three stepchildren: Winifred, Peter and Julie. After moving to Jamestown
in 1980, Biddle became active with the Jamestown Community Chorus
and chaired the Jamestown Talent Show
for many years.
he sailed 11 times to capture the stories that this pre-eminent, East Coast
distance race delivered. Despite the race’s long history and prestige, Biddle is the only film-maker to have focused on it. He also filmed the international yacht racing
event, the America's Cup
, all ten times when 12-metre class
boats were used, from 1958 to 1987. For this, he took footage of the Sparkman & Stephens
test tanks, of the spring practices, the summer trials, the Newport
balls, the dock happenings and the September finals. He was invited to shoot onboard the 12-metre yachts by mercurial skippers including Ted Turner
, Dennis Conner
, Ted Hood
and Bus Mosbacher
. The rare invitations were granted because of his nautical proficiency and ability to get key shots while staying clear of onboard action.
shows from 1956 to 1996. He made over 3,000 presentations to audiences as large as 3,000 people. In the summer of 2008, Biddle was nominated for induction into the America's Cup Hall of Fame
at the Herreshoff Marine Museum
in Bristol, Rhode Island
. He fell ill with cancer
soon thereafter and died on October 1, 2008 at the age of 83. The formal induction ceremony was held in April 2009. Gary Jobson
said of Biddle’s film-making achievement, “His film archive is one of the most comprehensive and important yachting libraries in existence”.
Yachting
Yachting refers to recreational sailing or boating, the specific act of sailing or using other water vessels for sporting purposes.-Competitive sailing:...
cinematographer
Cinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
and lecturer, forging a film-making
Filmmaking
Filmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story, idea, or commission, through scriptwriting, casting, shooting, directing, editing, and screening the finished product before an audience that may result in a theatrical release or television program...
career that spanned more than forty years. His films captured not only the technical aspects of sailing but also the human story in events as tranquil as a Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
cruise and as grand as the America's Cup Races
America's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...
.
Early life
Biddle was born on June 7, 1925, near Philadelphia, the fourth of five children. His parents, were both from prominent Philadelphia families.His father was Brigadier General Nicholas Biddle (1893–1977), whose great-grandfather was Nicholas Biddle
Nicholas Biddle (banker)
Nicholas Biddle was an American financier who served as the president of the Second Bank of the United States.-Ancestry and early life:...
, President of the Second Bank of the United States
Second Bank of the United States
The Second Bank of the United States was chartered in 1816, five years after the First Bank of the United States lost its own charter. The Second Bank of the United States was initially headquartered in Carpenters' Hall, Philadelphia, the same as the First Bank, and had branches throughout the...
.
His mother was Sarah Lippincott Biddle (1894–1962) whose paternal grandfather Joshua Ballinger Lippincott (1813–1886) founded J.B. Lippincott Company, and maternal grandfather Joseph Wharton
Joseph Wharton
Joseph Wharton was a prominent Philadelphia merchant, industrialist and philanthropist, who was involved in mining, manufacturing and education...
(1826–1909) founded the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
The Wharton School is the business school of the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Wharton was the world’s first collegiate business school and the first business school in the United States...
. Biddle’s father served a life-long term with the National Guard, was active in both World Wars, and was a well-noted, big-game hunter. He was commissioned to travel the world and bring back specimens; some of his ‘trophies’ still reside at Philadelphia’s Academy of Natural Sciences
Academy of Natural Sciences
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, formerly Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, is the oldest natural science research institution and museum in the New World...
. During Nicholas’ travels, he would film the hunts, then return home and allow young John to experiment with his movie camera and all his unexposed film.
By age eight, Biddle had backed the family car over a three foot wall, by ten had disassembled the family furnace, and by eleven, took his family to town frequently, having finally mastered driving. His colorful family included cousins Livingston L. Biddle, Jr.
Livingston L. Biddle, Jr.
Livingston Ludlow Biddle, Jr. was an American author and promoter of funding of the arts, from a wealthy Pennsylvania family.-Life:Livingston Ludlow Biddle was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, on May 26, 1918....
and Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle, Jr.
Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle, Jr.
Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle, Jr. , also known as A. J. Drexel Biddle, Jr. or Tony Biddle, was a wealthy socialite who became a diplomat of the United States, and served in the United States Army during World War I and after World War II, reaching the rank of major general.-Biography:Biddle was the...
While brother Wharton was taught classical piano by the up-and-coming Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
, John learned honky tonk
Honky tonk
A honky-tonk is a type of bar that provides musical entertainment to its patrons...
spiced with Broadway standards and kept Philadelphia Main Line parties animated. He tinkered further with the camera at his family’s summer home in Jamestown, Rhode Island
Jamestown, Rhode Island
Jamestown is a town located in Newport County, Rhode Island, in the United States. The population was 5,405 at the 2010 census. Jamestown is situated almost entirely on Conanicut Island, the second largest island in Narragansett Bay.-History:...
, where he also mastered the idiosyncrasies of ocean sailing. Focusing on his brothers, sisters and twelve cousins as subjects on and around Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Covering 147 mi2 , the Bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor, and includes a small archipelago...
, he refined his choice of angles, composition, containment of action within the frame and editing.
School and military years
Biddle, and his many cousins, attended Meadowbrook School, then went on to Kent SchoolKent School
Kent School is a private, co-educational college preparatory school in Kent, Connecticut, USA. The Reverend Frederick Herbert Sill, Order of the Holy Cross, established the school in 1906 and it retains its affiliation with the Episcopal Church of the United States.Students at Kent come from more...
in Connecticut. He turned 18 in 1943 and served in the infantry during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. A bad tooth sent him to the back of the lines during fighting in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. There it was noticed that he could play piano and work a movie projector, so he was assigned to entertain the troops. Shortly thereafter, he discovered two thirds of his platoon had been killed in a firefight. His entertaining skills likely had spared his life another surprise: brother Nicholas Jr., who was fighting in the same region, learned that John was working at the back of the lines and flabbergasted him with a visit. After the war, John attended Trinity College
Trinity College (Connecticut)
Trinity College is a private, liberal arts college in Hartford, Connecticut. Founded in 1823, it is the second-oldest college in the state of Connecticut after Yale University. The college enrolls 2,300 students and has been coeducational since 1969. Trinity offers 38 majors and 26 minors, and has...
, then returned overseas to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
with the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry
First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry
thumb|right|300px|Captain [[Joseph Lapsley Wilson]] of the First City Troop circa 1894The First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, also known as the First City Troop, is a unit of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.-History:...
during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
Yachting cinematographer
In the 1950s, Biddle spent several years working as an engineer while snapping wedding and baby photos on the side. His father would have liked him to enter the family insurance business, Biddle, Bishop and Smith (now named Biddle & Company), but John saw a different path. After watching a John Jay skiing film, he imagined himself doing the same thing with sailing. The following June he embarked on the 1956 Bermuda RaceBermuda Race
The Bermuda Race, or Newport Bermuda Race, is a biennial yacht race from Newport, Rhode Island to the island of Bermuda, a distance of 635 nautical miles across open ocean. The first Bermuda Race started in 1906 from Gravesend Bay, N.Y. with three entries. The race was held several times in the...
aboard cousin Charles Wharton’s 51-foot cutter, Souvenir with his film camera along. He combined that footage with three other pieces he shot that summer, and booked himself into yacht clubs for his first lecture-show.
For over four decades, Biddle shot films of dinghy
Dinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,...
races, Tall Ships events and everything in between. Over seventy types of boats were shown in his documentary-style presentations. 16 mm Bell and Howell in hand, he filmed 130 feet off the deck of square-riggers
Square rig
Square rig is a generic type of sail and rigging arrangement in which the primary driving sails are carried on horizontal spars which are perpendicular, or square, to the keel of the vessel and to the masts. These spars are called yards and their tips, beyond the last stay, are called the yardarms...
and fifteen feet underwater. He filmed from Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
down to the Islands, from Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He shot ocean races like the Fastnet Race
Fastnet race
The Fastnet Race is a famous offshore yachting race. It is considered one of the classic offshore races. It takes place every two years over a course of . The race starts off Cowes on the Isle of Wight in England, rounds the Fastnet Rock off the southwest coast of Ireland and then finishes at...
, classic sailing regattas like the Friendship Sloop
Friendship Sloop
thumb|left|[[Fiberglass]] Friendship Sloop Bay Lady The Friendship sloop, also known as a Muscongus Bay sloop or lobster sloop, is a style of gaff-rigged sloop that originated in Friendship, Maine around 1880...
Regatta, cruises
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
, celebrations, native fishboat races, small boat races. To capture viewable images on the rolling, bouncy seas, he used (and later marketed) what he called the Biddlestick – a short stick which he attached to his movie cameras, allowing him to hold onto deck stays while keeping the camera steady. The device was a simple version of the monopod
Monopod
A monopod, also called a unipod, is a single staff or pole used to help support cameras, video cameras, binoculars, rifles or other precision instruments in the field.-Camera and imaging use:...
.
In addition to his annual show, Biddle made promotional films for boat manufacturers and sailboat classes, filmed a five-episode TV series for Mercury Marine
Mercury Marine
Mercury Marine, founded in 1939, is a division of Brunswick of Lake Forest, Illinois, in the United States. Mercury provides engines for private, commercial and government sales. Mercury also has its own line of very successful racing engines tailored for power and speed. The company's primary...
called "Let’s Go Boating" narrated by Lloyd Bridges
Lloyd Bridges
Lloyd Vernet Bridges, Jr. was an American actor who starred in a number of television series and appeared in more than 150 feature films. Bridges is best known for his role of Mike Nelson in Sea Hunt, the most-popular syndicated American TV series in 1958...
, and occasionally filmed for private clients.
Lecturer
Each year, Biddle would film three to four events in the summer months, edit the mile of film into a 90 minute presentation in the fall, write a script for same, have music pulled for the film and personally edit the music to fit. In winter, he would begin a five month tour of the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
(and occasionally Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) where he would present his films in person as many as 100 times, primarily at yacht clubs. For many of Biddle's audience, his show presented the only opportunity to see the highlights of the past year's sailing events. One of the great attractions was his ability to catch the amusing and exhilarating aspects of sailing, not only on film, but in his quick-witted, dry-humored delivery peppered with terms like "callapso flapitis", referring to frantic moments on the boat. Biddle was his own production company
Production company
A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :...
, performing the tasks of: contact agent, scheduler, publicist
Publicist
A publicist is a person whose job is to generate and manage publicity for a public figure, especially a celebrity, a business, or for a work such as a book, film or album...
, copywriter, photo developer, poster designer, accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
, cinematographer
Cinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
, film editor, scriptwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, music editor, driver, porter, set-up man and performer.
Family life
Biddle married Mary McMichael in 1961 in Jamestown, Rhode Island and they had two children, Sophie in 1964 and Scott in 1966. Mary assisted John in filming the early America's CupAmerica's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...
races and received credit for having done so in those films. She had a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
shortly after the birth of Scott and died five years later. Following this, Biddle managed to spend time at home with his children while continuing his career on the road and was able to include Sophie and Scott on trips to Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, a cruise to Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
and trips to various lecture dates. In March 1977, he married Amy McKay van Roden in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania with three stepchildren: Winifred, Peter and Julie. After moving to Jamestown
Jamestown, Rhode Island
Jamestown is a town located in Newport County, Rhode Island, in the United States. The population was 5,405 at the 2010 census. Jamestown is situated almost entirely on Conanicut Island, the second largest island in Narragansett Bay.-History:...
in 1980, Biddle became active with the Jamestown Community Chorus
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
and chaired the Jamestown Talent Show
Talent show
A talent show is an event where participants perform their talent or talents of acting, singing, dancing, acrobatics, drumming, martial arts, playing an instrument, and other activities to showcase a unique form of talent, sometimes for a reward, trophy or prize...
for many years.
Career highlights
Biddle filmed two races multiple times. The Bermuda RaceBermuda Race
The Bermuda Race, or Newport Bermuda Race, is a biennial yacht race from Newport, Rhode Island to the island of Bermuda, a distance of 635 nautical miles across open ocean. The first Bermuda Race started in 1906 from Gravesend Bay, N.Y. with three entries. The race was held several times in the...
he sailed 11 times to capture the stories that this pre-eminent, East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
distance race delivered. Despite the race’s long history and prestige, Biddle is the only film-maker to have focused on it. He also filmed the international yacht racing
Yacht racing
Yacht racing is the sport of competitive yachting.While sailing groups organize the most active and popular competitive yachting, other boating events are also held world-wide: speed motorboat racing; competitive canoeing, kayaking, and rowing; model yachting; and navigational contests Yacht racing...
event, the America's Cup
America's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...
, all ten times when 12-metre class
12-metre class
The 12 Metre Class is a rating class for racing boats designed to the International rule. It enables fair competition between boats that rate in the class whilst retaining the freedom to experiment with the details of their designs. The first 12 Metres were built in 1907. The 12 Metre Class was...
boats were used, from 1958 to 1987. For this, he took footage of the Sparkman & Stephens
Sparkman & Stephens
Sparkman & Stephens is a naval architecture and yacht brokerage firm with main offices on 5th Avenue in New York City, USA and offices in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and Newport, Rhode Island, USA. The firm performs design and engineering of new vessels for pleasure, commercial, and military use....
test tanks, of the spring practices, the summer trials, the Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
balls, the dock happenings and the September finals. He was invited to shoot onboard the 12-metre yachts by mercurial skippers including Ted Turner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
, Dennis Conner
Dennis Conner
Dennis Conner is an American yachtsman, noted for winning the bronze medal at the 1976 Olympics, two Star World Championships, and four wins in the America's Cup.-America's Cup:...
, Ted Hood
Ted Hood
Frederick E. "Ted" Hood is a distinguished American Yachtsman and Naval Architect. He started the company in Marblehead, Massachusetts which makes sails...
and Bus Mosbacher
Intrepid (yacht)
The Intrepid is a 12-metre class yacht which won the America's Cup in 1967 and again in 1970.-Design:Intrepid was designed by Olin Stephens, and was built of double-planked mahogany on white oak frames. She featured important innovations both above and below the waterline. The rudder was separated...
. The rare invitations were granted because of his nautical proficiency and ability to get key shots while staying clear of onboard action.
Legacy
During his career, Biddle created 140 sailing films which he placed into 41 annual lectureLecture
thumb|A lecture on [[linear algebra]] at the [[Helsinki University of Technology]]A lecture is an oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to convey critical information, history,...
shows from 1956 to 1996. He made over 3,000 presentations to audiences as large as 3,000 people. In the summer of 2008, Biddle was nominated for induction into the America's Cup Hall of Fame
America's Cup Hall of Fame
The America's Cup Hall of Fame, located at the Herreshoff Marine Museum of Bristol, Rhode Island, USA, honors individuals for outstanding achievement in the America's Cup sailing competition...
at the Herreshoff Marine Museum
Herreshoff Marine Museum
The Herreshoff Marine Museum, located in Bristol, Rhode Island, USA, is a maritime museum dedicated to the history of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, yachting, and the America's Cup...
in Bristol, Rhode Island
Bristol, Rhode Island
Bristol is a town in and the historic county seat of Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 22,954 at the 2010 census. Bristol, a deepwater seaport, is named after Bristol, England....
. He fell ill with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
soon thereafter and died on October 1, 2008 at the age of 83. The formal induction ceremony was held in April 2009. Gary Jobson
Gary Jobson
Gary Jobson is a decorated sailor, television commentator, sailing lecturer, and author based in Annapolis, Maryland. He has recorded many achievements in his sailing career, having won multiple championships in one-design classes, the America's Cup with Ted Turner in 1977, the Fastnet Race, and...
said of Biddle’s film-making achievement, “His film archive is one of the most comprehensive and important yachting libraries in existence”.
Further reading
- The Greenwich Review, "John Biddle: One-Hand-For-The-Boat-And-One-For-The-Camera", by Donna Moffly, April 1974.
- Town & Country, "Philadelphia's Young Voices Challenge the Establishment", by Ellen Kaye, October 1970.