New Elstree Studios

Last updated
New Elstree Studios
New Elstree Studios
Alternative namesDanziger Studios
General information
TypeFilm studios
AddressElstree Road, Elstree, Hertfordshire
CountryUnited Kingdom
Coordinates 51°38′34″N0°18′53″W / 51.6427°N 0.3146°W / 51.6427; -0.3146
Construction started1955 (1955)
Completed1957
Inaugurated1956
Owner Danziger Brothers
Technical details
Floor area7.5 acres (3.0 ha)

New Elstree Studios was a British film studio complex that was the main production centre for the Danziger Brothers from 1956 to 1962, and was one of several sites collectively known as "Elstree Studios". 60 B-movies and 350 half-hour TV episodes were filmed there, for both British and American markets.

Contents

History

Edward and Harry Danziger were American-born brothers who moved to Britain in 1952 and began making television films, using resources at various facilities including London's Riverside Studios, Shepperton, Borehamwood and Nettlefold.

In 1955, the Danzigers decided to form their own studio base and founded the New Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire. They converted a former wartime aero-engine testing factory, west of the Aldenham Reservoir near the village of Elstree, into a studio with six sound stages and exterior shooting facilities. The 7.5-acre (3.0 ha) site employed 200 and was used mainly for second features and television series, [1] to be sold in both Britain and America. [2]

The Danzigers' aim was to produce films as quickly and as cheaply as possible, regardless of quality. [3] By the time of the studios' official opening in 1956, over twenty productions had already been filmed there. [4] The studios operated as an assembly line, producing some 60 B-movies and 350 half-hour TV episodes between 1955 and 1961, [5] typically producing two TV episodes a week, [1] or a second feature in ten days. [3]

The site was closed in 1962 and sold to RTZ Metals in October 1965 for warehouse storage. [1] Since the late 1980s, the site has been occupied by the Waterfront Business Park on the A411 Elstree Road. [6]

List of films shot at New Elstree Studios

This is a chronological list of films (including television series on film) that were shot at New Elstree Studios. All were produced by Danziger Productions or Danziger Photoplays, except those indicated otherwise.

Other Danziger productions

The following films were produced by the Danzigers, [44] [45] and are therefore very likely to have been shot at New Elstree Studios, but it is possible that a small number were shot elsewhere.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of the United Kingdom</span>

The oldest known surviving film was shot in the United Kingdom as well as early colour films. While film production reached an all-time high in 1936, the "golden age" of British cinema is usually thought to have occurred in the 1940s, during which the directors David Lean, Michael Powell, and Carol Reed produced their most critically acclaimed works. Many British actors have accrued critical success and worldwide recognition, such as Audrey Hepburn, Olivia de Havilland, Vivien Leigh, Glynis Johns, Maggie Smith, Laurence Olivier, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Ian Mckellen, Joan Collins, Judi Dench, Julie Andrews, Daniel Day-Lewis, Gary Oldman, Emma Thompson, Anthony Hopkins, Peter O’Toole and Kate Winslet. Some of the films with the largest ever box office returns have been made in the United Kingdom, including the fourth and fifth highest-grossing film franchises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elstree Studios</span> 8 film & TV studios in Borehamwood, UK

Elstree Studios is a generic term which can refer to several current and demolished British film studios and television studios based in or around the town of Borehamwood and village of Elstree in Hertfordshire, England. Production studios have been located in the area since 1914 when film production began there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbara Shelley</span> British actress (1932–2021)

Barbara Shelley was an English film and television actress. She appeared in more than a hundred films and television series. She was particularly known for her work in horror films, notably Village of the Damned; Dracula, Prince of Darkness; Rasputin, the Mad Monk and Quatermass and the Pit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seth Holt</span> Palestinian-born British film director, producer and editor (1923–1971)

Seth Holt was a Palestinian-born British film director, producer and editor. His films are characterized by their tense atmosphere and suspense, as well as their striking visual style. In the 1960s, Movie magazine championed Holt as one of the finest talents working in the British film industry, although his output was notably sparse.

<i>The Army Game</i> British TV sitcom (1957–1961)

The Army Game is a British television sitcom that aired on ITV from 19 June 1957 to 20 June 1961. It was the first ITV sitcom and was made by Granada, and created by Sid Colin. It follows the exploits of Hut 29, a dysfunctional group of soldiers and their National Service conscription into the British Army during the post war years.

MGM-British was a subsidiary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer initially established at Denham Film Studios in 1936. It was in limbo during the Second World War; however, following the end of hostilities, a facility was acquired in Borehamwood, which remained in use until it was closed in 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Associated British Picture Corporation</span> Film production company, 1927 to 1970

Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC), originally British International Pictures (BIP), was a British film production, distribution and exhibition company active from 1927 until 1970 when it was absorbed into EMI. ABPC also owned approximately 500 cinemas in Britain by 1943, and in the 1950s and 60s owned a station on the ITV television network. The studio was partly owned by Warner Bros. from about 1940 until 1969; the American company also owned a stake in ABPC's distribution arm, Warner-Pathé, from 1958. It formed one half of a vertically integrated film industry duopoly in Britain with the Rank Organisation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gate Studios</span> Part of Elstree Studios

Gate Studios was one of the many studios known collectively as Elstree Studios in the town of Borehamwood, England. Opened in 1928, the studios were in use until the early 1950s. The studios had previously been known as Whitehall Studios, Consolidated Studios, J.H. Studios and M.P. Studios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anglo-Amalgamated</span>

Anglo-Amalgamated Productions was a British film production company, run by Nat Cohen and Stuart Levy, which operated from 1945 until roughly 1971. Low-budget and second features, often produced at Merton Park Studios, formed much of its output. It was the UK distributor of many films produced by American International Pictures (AIP), who distributed AA's films in the United States.

<i>No Hiding Place</i> British TV drama series (1959–1967)

No Hiding Place is a British television series that was produced at Wembley Studios by Associated-Rediffusion for the ITV network between 16 September 1959 and 22 June 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronald Lewis (actor)</span> Welsh actor (1928–1982)

Ronald Glasfryn Lewis was a Welsh actor, best known for his appearances in British films of the 1950s and 1960s.

Charles Joel Saunders was an English film director and screenwriter who began in the industry as a film editor, and who also contributed to television. He was the brother of the theatrical producer Sir Peter Saunders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Benson (actor)</span> English character actor (1918–2010)

Martin Benjamin Benson was a British character actor who appeared in films, theatre and television. He appeared in both British and Hollywood productions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BBC Elstree Centre</span> TV studios in Hertfordshire, England

The BBC Elstree Centre, sometimes referred to as the BBC Elstree Studios, is a television production facility, currently owned by the BBC. The complex is located between Eldon Avenue and Clarendon Road in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England.

Richard Best was a British film editor and television editor. He had about 50 feature film credits, and also edited the 1965-66 season of the television series The Avengers. He is known particularly for three films: The Dam Busters (1955), Ice Cold in Alex (1958), and Look Back in Anger (1959), as well as for his long collaboration with director J. Lee Thompson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Danzigers</span> American producers of 1950s British films/TV

Edward J. Danziger (1909–1999) and Harry Lee Danziger (1913–2005) were American-born brothers who produced many British films and TV shows in the 1950s and 1960s.

This is a timeline of the former British television broadcaster Associated Television (ATV). It provided the ITV service for London at weekends and the Midlands on weekdays from 1955 to 1968, and for the Midlands all week from 1968 to 1982.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Vahimagi, Tise. "Danzigers, The". BFI screen online. British Film Institute. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  2. Mann, Dave (2009). Britain's first TV/film crime series and the industrialisation of its film industry, 1946-1964. New York: Edwin Mellen Press. p. 163. ISBN   978-0-7734-4763-9.
  3. 1 2 Mayne, Laura Margaret Jayne (31 Aug 2016). "Whatever happened to the British 'B' movie? : Micro- budget film-making and the death of the one-hour supporting feature in the early 1960s". Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television. 37 (3). Taylor & Francis Group: 559–576. doi: 10.1080/01439685.2016.1220765 . ISSN   1465-3451.
  4. Mann (2009), p. 162
  5. Amies, Mark (26 April 2020). "From Aero Engines to Movie-making – Elstree's other studio". Past<Rewind. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  6. "From B-movies into b-roads". Borehamwood and Elstree Times. Newsquest Media Group Ltd. 15 March 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  7. "Sailor of Fortune (TV series)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on January 1, 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  8. 1 2 McFarlane, Brian. The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition. p. 2009.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "The New Elstree Studios". Studio Review (supplement to Kinematograph Weekly). Odhams Press. 2 October 1957. p. iv. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  10. "The Depraved (1957)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  11. "Quatermass 2 (1957)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on May 14, 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  12. "Blood in the Sky (1958)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  13. "Up the Creek (1958)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  14. "High Jump (1958)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  15. "Man Accused (1959)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  16. "Crash Drive (1959)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  17. "Date at Midnight (1960)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on September 11, 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  18. "Escort for Hire (1960)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on June 6, 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  19. "The Nudist Story (1960)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  20. "An Honourable Murder (1960)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on June 6, 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  21. "The Tell-tale Heart (1960)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  22. "The Spider's Web (1960)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on June 6, 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  23. "Compelled (1960)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on January 31, 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  24. "Sentenced for Life (1960)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  25. "Night Train for Inverness (1960)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on September 19, 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  26. "Inside Job (1961)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on June 6, 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  27. "Feet of Clay (1961)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  28. "A Taste of Money (1961)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 23, 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  29. "Two Wives at One Wedding (1961)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on August 26, 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  30. "So Evil, So Young (1961)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  31. "Highway to Battle (1961)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on May 5, 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  32. "The Middle Course (1961)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on October 9, 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  33. "Return of a Stranger (1962)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  34. "The Gentle Terror (1963)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on January 31, 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  35. "Strip Tease Murder (1963)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  36. "The Court Martial of Major Keller (1964)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on September 3, 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  37. "Operation Stogie (1962)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  38. "The Pursuers (1962)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on June 6, 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  39. "Three Spare Wives (1962)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  40. "The Durant Affair (1962)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on January 20, 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  41. "The Lamp in Assassin Mews (1962)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on June 6, 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  42. "The Battleaxe (1962)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on June 6, 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  43. "The Spanish Sword (1963)". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  44. "Danziger Productions Ltd". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  45. "Danziger Photoplays". BFI. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2022.