Letters: Roger Graef obituary

The Space Between Words (1972), made by Roger Graef, with cameraman Charles Stewart and editor Dai Vaughan, was the pioneer “fly-on-the-wall” TV documentary series. Given unprecedented freedom to do observational filming of the inner workings of a family therapy unit, a school, a factory, a US congressional process and the UN in Geneva, Roger showed for the first time the reality of human interaction and communication enacted behind their closed doors.

It laid the ground for his subsequent work inside institutions, including his famed Police series (made with Stewart) and for the work of many other filmmakers that followed.

 Provided by The Guardian Photograph: Kathy deWitt/Alamy

John Furse

When I presented The London Programme for London Weekend Television in the 1980s, Barry Cox and I regularly played early morning pre-work tennis doubles against Roger Graef, partnered by Godfrey Hodgson.

Roger was a fierce competitor and quite the sneakiest tennis player I have ever come across. Godfrey’s limited use of his right arm was no impediment and between them they were a formidable pair, disputing just about every point.

John Taylor

Reference: The Guardian: John Furse and John Taylor