United British Artists was a British production company active in the 1980s. [1]
The company was formed in 1982 by various actors. The initial chairman was Richard Johnson who later said, "In this profession it is mighty irritating always to be in the hands of other people, waiting on the end of a telephone, unable to guide your ship. When I propounded the idea that we all get together to do high-quality work on a continuing commercial basis, they were very enthusiastic." [2]
The original combine included Johnson, Maggie Smith, Glenda Jackson, Ben Kingsley, Albert Finney, Harold Pinter, Peter Wood and John Hurt. Johnson said the title was "a modest nod to our illustrious American forbears. It was slightly humorous, we thought, to be so grandiose. But it is a united group of artists." [3]
The company had backing from the Basildon Fund and signed an agreement with Embassy. Lord Grade was attached. [4]
The aim of the company was to make modestly financed movies costing between $2-5 million aimed at the British and American art markets. [3] It would also produce theatre shows with an initial budget of £150,000. [5]
Johnson says however that the company "didn't quite come off. Unfortunately we ran out of money. We didn't have enough to start with... One day I was in Hollywood with my old friend Angela Lansbury and she said, 'Anybody can be a producer. You've got talent and you're wasting it.' I decided to get back to what I've always wanted to do since I was seven: acting." [2]