The North East Film Archive is one of a network of regional film archives established to collect, preserve and show film made in, or about the North East of England. Our collections are non-fiction, and date from the early 1900s to the present day, providing a rich record of life in the region over the 20th century. Many of our films are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free
Muhammad Ali Visit to the North East
A boxing legend and 'People's Champion', Muhammad Ali makes an extraordinary visit to Tyneside in the 1970s.
From the collection of:
Overview
In the year of the Queen's Silver Jubilee, Tyneside celebrated the extraordinary visit of one of boxing's all-time greats, Muhammad Ali. A magnetic character in and out of the ring, Ali flew in for a four-day charity tour to help raise money for local boxing clubs, on the invite of Whitburn painter and decorator, Johnny Walker. The visit was especially memorable for the South Shields Muslim community when Ali had his recent marriage blessed at the town's Al Azhar Mosque.
This Tyne Tees Television extract from their extensive news footage of the remarkable tour covers a gracious Ali cradling his daughter Hana in a media scrum at Teesside Airport (Ali and family missed their connection from Heathrow Airport to Newcastle). Guests at the blessing of Ali and his new wife, Veronica Porsche, include fairground showman Ron Taylor whose Excelsior boxing booth the world heavyweight champion would grace with a charity exhibition on the 16th July. Johnny Walker had once boxed at the booth as an amateur. The Muslim community of South Shields has its roots in the thousands of Yemeni sailors who settled there after one sailor, Ali Said, opened a boarding house for Arab seamen in 1894.
Related
Watch for free
Sixty-four Day Hero: A Boxer's Tale Sixty-four Day Hero: A Boxer's Tale
Biopic 1985 94 mins
The turbulent life and death of championship boxer Randolph Turpin.
Watch for free
Caribbean Restaurant Caribbean Restaurant
Magazine and Review show 1986 7 mins Location: West Bromwich
Bringing the tastes of Montego Bay to a wintry West Bromwich.
Watch for free
Burning Cross Race Attack Burning Cross Race Attack
News 1965 5 mins Location: Handsworth
A stark reminder from Handsworth of the intolerance and hatred that darkened the streets of 1960s Britain.
Watch for free
Gay Black Group Gay Black Group
Magazine and Review show 1983 25 mins Location: Bloomsbury
The Gay Black Group - reasserting culture and identity on two levels.
Watch for free
13 November 1967: Martin Luther King Interview 13 November 1967: Martin Luther King Interview
News 1967 2 mins Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
A rare interview with Dr Martin Luther King casts fresh light on black British broadcast history.
Watch for free
Tiger Bay and The Rainbow Club - I Tiger Bay and The Rainbow Club - I
Home movie 1960 39 mins Silent Location: Butetown
Tiger Bay in Cardiff's docks area: a successful, multi-cultural community, providing a variety of activities, but which is threatened by 'slum' clearance.
Watch for free
Flying High Flying High
Amateur film 1982 6 mins Silent Location: Durham Tees Valley Airport
Admire a supersonic Anglo-French aristocrat of the air as Concorde glides into Teesside Airport.
Watch for free
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.
Watch for free
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.
Watch for free
Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of children’s palliative care.
Watch for free
Police Story: Panel Discussion Police Story: Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 24 mins
Panel discussion on Jackie Chan's 1985 action classic Police Story, with Chase Armitage, Sam Mak and Jadey Duffield.
Watch for free
China O'Brien: The Reunion China O'Brien: The Reunion
Documentary 2024 60 mins
Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton and Keith Cooke reunite three decades on from the groundbreaking martial arts classic.
Watch for free
Women in Action Panel Discussion Women in Action Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 28 mins
Action Xtreme - the UK's leading action film studio - hosts this panel discussion with four leading women in action cinema - Soo Cole, Jo Rolison, Jadey Duffield and Ioanna Karavela.