Join rare book dealer and actor Neil Pearson, and freelance historical researcher Peter Mitchell for a conversation exploring a remarkable new addition to Newcastle University Special Collections & Archives: a newly acquired accrual to the Jack Common Archive. The collection comprises reader reports written by the Newcastle-born author for the Associated British Picture Corporation based at Elstree Studios between 1955 and 1968.

As one of the Reading Department’s most prolific contributors, Common assessed novels, works of non-fiction and screenplays, producing reports that helped determine their potential for adaptation to the screen. The Reading Department played a key role in identifying projects for development, offering a unique insight into the creative and commercial processes of the British film industry.

Neil Pearson and Peter Mitchell will discuss the significance of these newly acquired papers, what they reveal about Common’s career beyond his published work, and how this archive enriches our understanding of post-war British cinema and literary culture.