Merton Park Studios

[mysteriesofedgarwallace]

The number of films made annually fell from 13 to 1961 to just one, the last made, in 1967, which was Payment in Kind, starring John Thaw.

Err.....I don't think so!

John Thaw was never in a Scales, but he was in two EW's: Five to One (1964) and Dead Man's Chest (1965)
You would think that these journo's could at least get their facts right! All they need to do is visit IMDB.
As an ex- Merton Park resident I get.

It's a shame that this studio doesn't get the recognition it deserves.

[Steve Crook]

(mysteriesofedgarwallace @ Nov 13 2005, 07:08 PM) Err.....I don't think so! John Thaw was never in a Scales, but he was in two EW's: Five to One (1964) and Dead Man's Chest (1965) You would think that these journo's could at least get their facts right! All they need to do is visit IMDB. As an ex- Merton Park resident I get. It's a shame that this studio doesn't get the recognition it deserves.

Do I see a letter to the editor coming? The article was in the Mitcham and Morden Guardian (Nov 10) and the reporter was Natalie Paris (nparis@nospam.london.newsquest.co.uk) - take out the nospam., even journalists deserve protection against spammers that trawl web sites for email addresses.

Journalistic accuracy? Isn't that a self-contradictory statement?

Steve

[DB7]

No piccies to scan Steve?

[Steve Crook]

(DB7 @ Nov 13 2005, 08:08 PM) No piccies to scan Steve?

No worthwhile ones. Just one of the BFI plaque and a very low quality one of the front of the studio offices.

They've only got a small version of the pic of the studio offices on their web site

Steve

[Steve Crook]

From our local free newspaper...

Steve


Remembering Merton's silver screen past

Veterans of Merton's movie industry have returned to the borough to swap stories about the area's showbusiness past.

The reunion took place at the site of Merton Park Studios, which once played host to famous names including Peter Sellers, John Thaw and Stanley Baker.

Ken Rowles, who organised the meeting, was amazed by the number of former employees who returned to reminisce about life on set.

"There were cameramen, directors and sound technicians. It certainly brought back a lot of memories," he said.

Mr Rowles, who now lives in Kent, is making a DVD documenting the history of the studios in Kingston Road for the archives of the British Film Institute.

At the reunion he interviewed former studio employees to record their memories of Merton Park.

After meeting at the Leather Bottle pub, the group visited the offices of insurance company Bedford, which stand on the old studio site.

There they examined photographs recording the area's silver screen past.

Mr Rowles said it was important to document an important chapter in the history of British cinema - and claimed that even though it shut down more than 40 years ago, Merton Park was fondly remembered by many who worked in the industry.

"People still say to me why did it close?' It was such an industrious little place," he said.

The reunion attracted 20 people including John Hough, a former director of TV series The Avengers.

The studio opened its doors in 1931 and during the war produced propaganda films to aid the British war effort. By the 50s it had switched to making features.

EastEnders star Barbara Windsor appeared in Sparrows Can't Sing, one of her first major pictures, at the studios.

About 130 B-movies, mostly crime-based, were made at the studios, with production reaching its peak in the early 60s.

The last film was made in 1967, before Merton Park closed due to financial mismanagement.

[Third Man]

I could'nt find this studio listed in the Studios section of the forum, should it be? They were responsible for quite a good little film noir called 'The Case of the Red Monkey'

Merton Park Films

Simon

[DanielL]

Amazing Forum! I always searched for some Information about the British Wallace Classics... Thank you and Greetings from Cologne, Germany!

[Lord Brett]

Hello Daniel, I was in Cologne last summer shopping for German Edgar Wallace movies!