Angela Allen: The Woman Who Saw Everything

Spanning The Third Man, The African Queen, The Misfits, and Labyrinth, Angela Allen was present on set in the role of continuity supervisor, recording every shot and memorizing details before each scene, closely collaborating with directors, crew, and actors to forge a consistent, convincing world in front of the camera. She is one of the last witnesses to cinema's golden age. Angela, who celebrated her 97th birthday in February 2026, began her career at 19 on several British productions, and in 1948 was assigned to the second unit in Vienna for Carol Reed's The Third Man. She subsequently became a trusted aide to three legendary directors in particular: John Huston (with whom she made 14 films), John Frankenheimer, and Franco Zeffirelli, in addition to working with such diverse filmmakers as Tony Richardson, Ken Russell, Roman Polanski, and Sidney Lumet.