George Thomas Moore Marriott was an English character actor best remembered for the series of films he made with Will Hay. His first appearance with Hay was in the film Dandy Dick (1935), but he was a significant supporting performer in Hay's films from 1936 to 1940, and while he starred with Hay during this period he played a character called "Harbottle" that was based on a character Marriott usually played. His character Harbottle was originally created by Hay when he used the character in his "The fourth form at St. Michael's" sketches in the 1920s.
The Big Splash is a 1935 British comedy film directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and starring Frank Pettingell, Finlay Currie and Marguerite Allan. A millionaire hires a man to play his double. It was made as a quota quickie at Beaconsfield Studios.
Sweeney Todd is a 1928 British silent crime film directed by Walter West and starring Moore Marriott, Judd Green and Iris Darbyshire. It was adapted from a popular 1847 stage play by George Dibdin-Pitt called The String of Pearls, or The Fiend of Fleet Street, which in turn was based on an anonymous story called The String of Pearls: A Romance that was serialized in magazine format in 1846. This was the first time the story was adapted into a play, and it featured a surprise twist ending that doesn't appear in later stage versions of the Sweeney Todd legend. It was filmed entirely on set at Islington Studios.
Judd Green was a British film actor of the silent era. He was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire in 1866 and made his first screen appearance in 1914.
Nine till Six is a 1932 British drama film directed by Basil Dean and starring Louise Hampton, Elizabeth Allan and Florence Desmond. Produced by Basil Dean's Associated Talking Pictures, it was the first film made at Ealing Studios after the facility had been converted to sound.
Doctor's Orders is a 1934 British comedy film directed by Norman Lee and starring Leslie Fuller, John Mills & Marguerite Allan. It was produced by British International Pictures at the company's Elstree Studios. The film's sets were designed by the art director Cedric Dawe.
Huntingtower is a 1928 British silent adventure film, made at Cricklewood Studios. It was directed by George Pearson and starred Harry Lauder, Vera Voronina and Patrick Aherne. It was based on the 1922 novel Huntingtower by John Buchan. The film was fairly successful on its release.
The Wonderful Story is a 1932 British drama film directed by Reginald Fogwell and starring Wyn Clare, John Batten and Moore Marriott. It was based on the 1921 short story of the same name written by I.A.R. Wylie, which had previously been turned into a 1922 silent film of the same title. A quota quickie, it was largely shot on location in Devon.
Feather Your Nest is a 1937 British musical comedy film directed by William Beaudine and starring George Formby, Polly Ward and Enid Stamp-Taylor. It contains Formby's signature tune, Leaning on a Lamp-post.
Recoil is a 1953 British 'B' crime film directed by John Gilling and starring Kieron Moore, Elizabeth Sellars and Edward Underdown.
Maria Marten is a 1928 British silent drama film directed by Walter West starring Trilby Clark, Warwick Ward and Dora Barton. It is based on the real story of the Red Barn Murder in the 1820s, and is one of five film versions of the events. The film shifted the action to fifty years earlier to the height of the Georgian era. This was the last of the silent film adaptations of the Maria Marten story, and its success paved the way for the much better 1935 sound film remake starring Tod Slaughter. A 35mm print of the 1928 silent film exists in the British Film Institute's archives.
Helen Marguerite Allan was a Russian-born British actress, who appeared in film roles between 1928 and 1942 Allan was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia before moving to the United Kingdom, where she married Kenneth Chapman in 1948. She died in Wokingham, Berkshire on 29 January 1994. She was believed to be 88 years old.
Toni is a 1928 British thriller film directed by Arthur Maude and starring Jack Buchanan, Dorothy Boyd and Forrester Harvey. It was made at Elstree Studios by British International Pictures and based on a play by Dion Titheradge.
The Mating of Marcus is a 1924 British silent romance film directed by W. P. Kellino and starring David Hawthorne, George Bellamy and Moore Marriott. It was based on a novel by Mabel Grundy.
William Freshman was an Australian-born actor, scriptwriter and director. He moved to England as a child and worked in the British film industry, writing over 20 screenplays and working as an associate producer at British International Pictures. He also wrote the play The Last of the Ladies.
British Instructional Films was a British film production company which operated between 1919 and 1932. The company's name is often abbreviated to BIF.
The Gold Cure is a 1925 British silent comedy film directed by W. P. Kellino and starring Queenie Thomas, Gladys Hamer and Jameson Thomas. It was made by Stoll Pictures at Cricklewood Studios.
Love's Old Sweet Song is a 1933 British romance film directed by Manning Haynes and starring John Stuart, Joan Wyndham and William Freshman. It was made at Cricklewood Studios. Like many Butcher's Film Service productions of the era, it takes its name from a well-known song.
Gay Old Dog is a 1935 British comedy film directed by George King and starring Edward Rigby, Moore Marriott and Ruby Miller. It was a quota quickie made at Walton Studios.
Lucky Blaze is a 1933 British sports film directed by Widgey R. Newman and starring William Freshman, Vera Sherborne and Moore Marriott. It was made as a quota quickie.
