Farewell Ken Richmond

Rank Gong
Originally uploaded by rhettrospective.

Remember J. Arthur Rank films ?
They were the old black and white films which always started with a shirtless man banging a large gong prior to the opening credits.
Sadly, the last gong man has died. Ken Richmond, not only left a memorable opening credit shot, but also won was a 1952 Olympic Bronze Medallist in wrestling. Richmond will always be remember as the man who bangs the gong, (albeit a cardboard one he later admitted; and the fact he never actual touches the gong).
Almost no cinema studio since has had a more imaginative and hypnotic opening to their films.