Documentary pioneer dies

A DOCUMENTARY filmmaker known as a pioneer of the unobtrusive camera technique cinema verite and seen by some as the grandfather of reality television has died. Richard Leacock was 89.

London-born Leacock was the cinematographer on Primary, the seminal documentary that followed John F Kennedy’s presidential campaign.

New York resident Victoria Leacock Hoffman said her father died in Paris. She said he had been in declining health.