Islington Studios
Islington Studios,often known asGainsborough Studios,were aBritishfilm studiolocated on the south bank of theRegent's Canal,in Poole Street,Hoxtonin the formerMetropolitan Borough of Shoreditch,Londonbetween 1919 and 1949. The studios are closely associated withGainsborough Pictureswhich was based there for most of the studio's history. During its existence Islington worked closely with its sisterLime Grove StudiosinShepherd's Bushand many films were made partly at one studio and partly at the other. Amongst the films made at the studios wereAlfred Hitchcockthrillers,Will Haycomedies andGainsborough Melodramas.
History
[edit]The studios were originally built as apower stationfor theGreat Northern & City Railway,and were acquired by the major American companyFamous Players–Laskywhich wanted to set up a British subsidiary. The building was converted into a two-stage studio, and production began in 1920. During this eraAlfred Hitchcockmade his start in films, when he was employed as anintertitlewriter at Islington. In 1924 the Hollywood company sold off the studios which were bought byMichael Balcon'sGainsborough Pictures.The company enjoyed some success turning outsilent filmsduring the 1920s, at a time when other British companies were struggling.
In the late 1920s Gainsborough merged with the largerBritish Gaumontwhich owned the Lime Grove Studios. The conglomerate had ambitious plans to challenge Hollywood and produce more than twenty films a year. The larger Lime Grove complex was selected to make expensive films while Islington was designated the cheaper films, particularly comedies. However, during these years it served as an overflow studio and many films scheduled for Shepherd's Bush were made partly at Islington.
During theSlump of 1937,British Gaumont shut down production. Although it considered giving up filmmaking completely, it was decided to continueGainsborough Picturesmaking slightly cheaper films. Shepherd's Bush was shut down and all production switched to Islington. The success of some of these late 1930s Islington productions such asThe Lady Vanisheshelped Gainsborough to keep in business.[1]
Unlike many other studios, Islington was not requisitioned when war broke out and production continued there, but the studio was temporarily closed because it was feared that a direct hit from a German bomb during an air raid would make the largechimneycollapse. All production was switched to re-opened Lime Grove. Both studios came under the control of theRank Organisationwhen it bought Gainsborough in 1941.[2]
Following the war, Islington were re-opened. In 1946Betty Boxwas placed in charge of the studios when her brotherSydney Boxwas appointed by Rank to run Gainsborough Pictures. Over the next three years the studio turned out a large number of thrillers and comedies. In 1949 both Islington and Shepherd's Bush were closed when Rank concentrated production atPinewood Studios.Today a block of flats stand where the studio used to be.[3]The block's courtyard features a large sculpture of Alfred Hitchcock's head, by sculptor Anthony Donaldson.[4]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Warren p.107-109
- ^Warren p.109
- ^Rose, Steve (15 January 2001)."Gainsborough Studios are to become luxury flats".The Guardian.Retrieved5 January2019.
- ^"Anthony Donaldson's head of Alfred Hitchcock gazes towards Hollywood".webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk.Archived fromthe originalon 7 January 2011.Retrieved5 January2019.
Bibliography
[edit]- Macnab, Geoffrey.J. Arthur Rank and the British Film Industry.Routledge, 1994.
- Murphy, Robert.Realism and Tinsel: Cinema and Society in Britain, 1939–1949.Routledge, 1992.
- Warren, Patricia.British Film Studios: An Illustrated History.Batsford, 2001.