Arthur Seaman, a former Irish Guardsman, joined British International Pictures Ltd. in 1926 as Chief Officer of the Elstree and B.I.P Fire Brigades. He also provided special effects for the studio, in particular rain storms and carefully set fires; and appeared in a number of films as a jailer, policeman, soldier and commissionaire. His skills in the army were often put to use in drilling extras for military scenes. Arthur Seaman continued to work at Elstree Studios until the 1950s. His wife Jean, was a wardrobe mistress in the 1930s and was called back to the studios to work on specific films, Merle Oberon and Ingrid Bergman always asked for her, and she was particularly fond of Denis Price, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Diana Dors. Arthur and Jean's daughter, Lucy Seaman, was secretary to the Studio Manager, Joseph Grossman. She became a continuity girl but soon returned to Joe Grossman's office after standing up for a group of extras who were being browbeaten by Alfred Hitchcock.