London Film Company
The London Film Company was a British film production company active during the silent era. Founded in 1913, the company emerged as one of the dominant forces in production during the First World War. With strong financial backing the company constructed the Twickenham Studios, then the largest in Britain, and began production of features, which were then were displacing short films as the dominant form. Two of the company's key early directors were Americans: Harold Shaw and George Loane Tucker.[1] Later, British director Maurice Elvey made a number of films for the studio.[2]
By 1915, a number of ambitious productions such as The Prisoner of Zenda and its sequel Rupert of Hentzau were attempted. However, that same year the studio had 130 employees whose wage bill was estimated to be £750 a week and it suffered heavy financial losses.[3] The following year was more promising, with the release of The Manxman enjoying success in Britain and America. Unfortunately, Tucker and Shaw both departed to work in other countries and production ground to a halt. For the remainder of the war, the Twickenham Studios were rented out for other companies to shoot there.[4]
The company briefly revived after end of the war, and in 1920 it released nine films. This was the final year of operation before London Film withdrew from production completely and Twickenham was sold off.
Filmography[]
- The House of Temperley (1913)
- Beauty and the Barge (1914, short)
- Lawyer Quince (1914, short)
- The Bosun's Mate (1914, short)
- (1914)
- The Ring and the Rajah (1914)
- The Black Spot (1914)
- (1914)
- (1914)
- The Third String (1914)
- The Difficult Way (1914)
- (1914)
- (1914)
- She Stoops to Conquer (1914)
- Trilby (1914)
- (1914)
- Called Back (1914)
- (1914)
- Liberty Hall (1914)
- (1915)
- (1915)
- (1915)
- The Shulamite (1915)
- The Heart of a Child (1915)
- The Derby Winner (1915)
- (1915)
- Mr. Lyndon at Liberty (1915)
- The Christian (1915)
- (1915)
- (1915)
- Brother Officers (1915)
- (1915)
- The Firm of Girdlestone (1915)
- The Heart of Sister Ann (1915)
- (1915)
- (1915)
- The Prisoner of Zenda (1915)
- Rupert of Hentzau (1915)
- The Game of Liberty (1916)
- His Daughter's Dilemma (1916)
- The Hypocrites (1916)
- Me and Me Moke (1916)
- Partners at Last (1916)
- (1916)
- (1916)
- Mother Love (1916)
- The King's Daughter (1916)
- The Princess of Happy Chance (1916)
- (1916)
- (1916)
- When Knights Were Bold (1916)
- Arsène Lupin (1916)
- The Mother of Dartmoor (1916)
- Vice Versa (1916)
- The Manxman (1916)
- Smith (1917)
- The Duchess of Seven Dials (1920)
- London Pride (1920)
- The Pursuit of Pamela (1920)
- (1920)
- Lady Tetley's Decree (1920)
- The Little Welsh Girl (1920)
- Enchantment (1920)
- Judge Not (1920)
- The House on the Marsh (1920)
References[]
Bibliography[]
- Low, Rachael. The History of the British Film: 1906-1914. Allen & Unwin, 1973.
- British film studios
- Film production companies of the United Kingdom
- Film distributors of the United Kingdom
- British film company stubs