Sir John Davis
Encyclopedia
Sir John Davis was an English
accountant
and film executive.
in 1906 and educated at the City of London School
.
in 1938 as an accountant, later becoming managing director.
He was the right hand man of J. Arthur Rank
at the Rank Organisation
for many years. He became Chairman on Rank's retirement and steered the company away from near bankruptcy to a strong financial position, by diversifying the group into different fields.
(1954–1965).
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
and film executive.
Early life
John Davis was born in the City of LondonCity of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
in 1906 and educated at the City of London School
City of London School
The City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
.
Career
Davis became a member of the Chartered Institute of Secretaries, he was secretary to several companies before joining Odeon TheatresOdeon 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...
in 1938 as an accountant, later becoming managing director.
He was the right hand man of J. Arthur Rank
J. Arthur Rank
Joseph Arthur Rank, 1st Baron Rank was a British industrialist and film producer, and founder of the Rank Organisation, now known as The Rank Group Plc.- Family business :...
at the Rank Organisation
Rank Organisation
The Rank Organisation was a British entertainment company formed during 1937 and absorbed in 1996 by The Rank Group Plc. It was the largest and most vertically-integrated film company in Britain, owning production, distribution and exhibition facilities....
for many years. He became Chairman on Rank's retirement and steered the company away from near bankruptcy to a strong financial position, by diversifying the group into different fields.
Personal life
He was married five times and among his wives was the actress Dinah SheridanDinah Sheridan
Dinah Sheridan is an English actress who appeared in the films 29 Acacia Avenue and Genevieve .She made her film debut in 1937, and has frequently appeared on television...
(1954–1965).