sg1988

Can anyone tell me the history of Ealing Studios' comedy productions.

A timeline would really help!

A huge thankyou to anyone who can help with my quest!

aphra

Hello,

there is an excellent book called FOREVER EALING by George Perry. It is published in the UK and if you go to Bibliofind today
Amazon.com

you will find several copies ranging from £15 to very much more.

Hope this helps
Aphra

[tidied up URL]

[ 03. February 2005, 20:42: Message edited by: SteveCrook ]

DB7

Have a look at the poll.

Rob Compton

sg1988

Don't forget, also, that the Ealing comedies were only a small part of the studios output. In addition, they weren't only made in the late 1940's and early 1950's. Perhaps the forerunner was "Cheer, Boys, Cheer!" which from memory came out in 1939. This is one of my favourite Ealing films and was the precursor to many "small organisations versus large ones" themes in the comedies. See the excellent book, recommended by aphra, for much more info

rgds
Rob

MrT

Comedy at Ealing started in the 1930s before Michael Balcon assumed control of the studio. Basil Dean had both Gracie Fields and George Formby under contract.

"Cheer, boys, cheer" is now a sadly neglected film. Even C4 in its heyday in the 1980s only ever showed it once. Surely it must be ripe for a revival now, if only to see Graham Moffatt and Moore Marriott going through their routines without Will Hay. It was the first film in which they were paired after Will had decided to go his own way. The film is good, but lead comedian Jimmy O'Dea is no substitute for Will Hay.

The influence of Ealing on comedy spread to other studios in the early 50s - in particular John Baxter's Group 3 with films like "The Oracle", "Brandy for the parson" and "Conflict of wings". Other films in similar style include "The galloping major" made in 1951, with a whole host of stars including Basil Radford, Joyce Grenfell, Jimmy Hanley and in very small roles Sid James and Kenneth More. This is another totally forgotten film, not seen on television in the UK for over 25 years. It was available some years ago on VHS from the USA through Video Yesteryear until they pulled out of the VHS market about 5 years ago. No one since has issued it either in the US or UK. Why???

Best wishes
Mike (MrT)

smudge

There is also a more academic tome - EALING STUDIOS by Charles Barr. I don't know if it's available via Amazon, but if not it should turn up on EBay.

There's currently a copy of FOREVER EALING on EBAY £4.99

SMUDGE

Welcome to my house. Enter freely, and of your own will...

The_Late_Peter_Cook

EALING STUDIOS by Charles Barr is up there with Robert Murphy's 'Realism And Tinsel' and 'Sixties British Cinema' and Robert Lewis's 'The Life And Death Of Peter Sellers' as one of the best books on Brit Cinema that I've read. I can't recommend it highly enough! :)