Isleworth Studios
Encyclopedia
Isleworth Studios is the name of at least two former film studios in Great Britain.
. The Bauhaus
-influenced building has a Germanic style and was designed by George Coles. It closed in 1957, a victim of the rise in popularity of television. The cinema was then gutted and converted to a studio. Whilst being used as Isleworth Studios, the original Odeon sign was visible up until the early 1990s.
Equator Films (now Handmade Films
) purchased the studio in 1999 but ultimately sold it. The studios finally ceased operations at the building in 2001 and the auditorium section was taken down the following year. Since 2003, the building has been incorporated into a new block of flats.
Samuelson gained publicity by producing a fictitious newsreel during the early years of the 1st World War and over the next few years many silent films were shot here, many based on famous novels such as Little Women. In 1922 the studios, generally known as Isleworth Film Studios, were sold to British Super Films, in which Samuelson retained an interest. However, in 1928 an expensive law suit with the American actress Betty Blythe forced Samuelson to sell Worton Hall to British Screen Productions.
By 1931 the studios were being used by Fidelity Films. Films produced here included Madame Guilottine, with Madeleine Carroll. In 1934 they were leased by Alexander Korda and in 1936 he produced Things to Come, based on The Shape of Things to Come by H G Wells. Wells wrote the screenplay, Arthur Bliss the music. From 1936-44 the studios were owned by Criterion Film Productions, and afterwards by British Lion. They closed in 1952 and were then used for 20 years by the National Coal Board as a Mining Research Centre. Worton Hall survives and has been acquired by Bovis Homes for conversion into flats. In 1993, part of the building was leased by the Driving Standards Agency
and is still used (as of 2011) as the Isleworth driving test centre. Part of the site is used as an industrial estate.
Films produced here include Invader (1936) with Buster Keaton; Under Secret Orders (1937) otherwise called Mademoiselle Docteur, with Erich von Stroheim; The Small Back Room (1949); State Secret (1950) with Douglas Fairbanks Jnr. Shooting of The Third Man began here in 1948 before moving to Shepperton. In 1951, shortly before the studios closed, much of The African Queen was filmed here.
Former Odeon Isleworth
One began in March 1935 as Odeon Isleworth, one of the Odeon CinemasOdeon Cinemas
Odeon Cinemas is a British chain of cinemas, one of the largest in Europe. It is owned by Odeon & UCI Cinemas Group whose ultimate parent is Terra Firma Capital Partners.-History:Odeon Cinemas was created in 1928 by Oscar Deutsch...
. The Bauhaus
Bauhaus
', commonly known simply as Bauhaus, was a school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught. It operated from 1919 to 1933. At that time the German term stood for "School of Building".The Bauhaus school was founded by...
-influenced building has a Germanic style and was designed by George Coles. It closed in 1957, a victim of the rise in popularity of television. The cinema was then gutted and converted to a studio. Whilst being used as Isleworth Studios, the original Odeon sign was visible up until the early 1990s.
Equator Films (now Handmade Films
Handmade Films
HandMade Films is a British film production and distribution company. Through a series of sales, and acquisitions, the company now known as Handmade Plc owns all the rights and assets of the original HandMade Films Ltd...
) purchased the studio in 1999 but ultimately sold it. The studios finally ceased operations at the building in 2001 and the auditorium section was taken down the following year. Since 2003, the building has been incorporated into a new block of flats.
Worton Hall Studios
Worton Hall Studios were based on Worton Hall, in Isleworth. This house was built in 1783 and rebuilt and extended in the early 19th century. In 1913 it was acquired, together with a nine acre estate, by film producer George Berthold Samuelson. The ground floor rooms became dressing rooms, canteen, wardrobe and other offices; the upper rooms became bedrooms for any staying overnight. Filming of Conan Doyle's A Study in Scarlet began in summer 1914 and the studios were officially opened on 1st July.Samuelson gained publicity by producing a fictitious newsreel during the early years of the 1st World War and over the next few years many silent films were shot here, many based on famous novels such as Little Women. In 1922 the studios, generally known as Isleworth Film Studios, were sold to British Super Films, in which Samuelson retained an interest. However, in 1928 an expensive law suit with the American actress Betty Blythe forced Samuelson to sell Worton Hall to British Screen Productions.
By 1931 the studios were being used by Fidelity Films. Films produced here included Madame Guilottine, with Madeleine Carroll. In 1934 they were leased by Alexander Korda and in 1936 he produced Things to Come, based on The Shape of Things to Come by H G Wells. Wells wrote the screenplay, Arthur Bliss the music. From 1936-44 the studios were owned by Criterion Film Productions, and afterwards by British Lion. They closed in 1952 and were then used for 20 years by the National Coal Board as a Mining Research Centre. Worton Hall survives and has been acquired by Bovis Homes for conversion into flats. In 1993, part of the building was leased by the Driving Standards Agency
Driving Standards Agency
The Driving Standards Agency is an executive agency of the UK Department for Transport .DSA’s vision is 'Safe Driving for Life'. Its overall mission is to contribute to the public service agreement objective to achieve 40% reduction in riders and drivers killed or seriously injured in road...
and is still used (as of 2011) as the Isleworth driving test centre. Part of the site is used as an industrial estate.
Films produced here include Invader (1936) with Buster Keaton; Under Secret Orders (1937) otherwise called Mademoiselle Docteur, with Erich von Stroheim; The Small Back Room (1949); State Secret (1950) with Douglas Fairbanks Jnr. Shooting of The Third Man began here in 1948 before moving to Shepperton. In 1951, shortly before the studios closed, much of The African Queen was filmed here.
External links
- Isleworth Studios from the BFI Film & TV Database
- Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
lists of films - Cinema Treasures - Odeon Isleworth