Merton Park Film Studios

[Joe Fraguela]

name='Steve Crook']Does it mention any other studios?

Was it mainly filmed on location? (are there many interiors?)



Steve

Hi Steve



I will re-check when I get home later this evening, but I am definetley sure that it stated in the end credits, filmed at Merton Park Studios. Maybe someone else who has a copy of the The Corpse a.k.a Crucible of Horror from 1970 can verify this. There is quite a fair bit of filming on location.

[Steve Crook]

name='Joe Fraguela']Hi Steve



I will re-check when I get home later this evening, but I am definetley sure that it stated in the end credits, filmed at Merton Park Studios. Maybe someone else who has a copy of the The Corpse a.k.a Crucible of Horror from 1970 can verify this. There is quite a fair bit of filming on location.

I ask because sometimes a film credits will mention the studio where they did some post-production or editing work and only sometimes will they say in the credits exactly what they did in each place.



British films did quite often make use of the facilities of more than one studio.



Steve

[Nobby Lard]

I have some photos of what is left of merton Studios i will upload them sometime this week

[marker]

name='Nobby Lard']I have some photos of what is left of merton Studios i will upload them sometime this week

I will be very interested to see these

[kevinfl]

Ken Russell filmed interior scenes for his wonderful ' Women In Love ' here in December 1968.

[Hackett]

If you look "THE CORPSE" 1970 up on the IMDb then have a peep under locations it does indeed say filmed at Merton Park Studios.

[moviola kid]

I not only grew up & lived within a mile or so of Merton Park Studios but I began my career in the film & television industry there.



MPS was Holywood in miniture. It employed the same skills, equipment & desires

as it turned out a whole load of Industrial doccos & lo-budget police dramas



I began work there in Aug 1957 as a dogsbody, a gofor. After a year I was drafted into the cutting rooms as a trainee editor. A specialist gofor. Another few months & I was promoted to assistant film editor. A gofor with clout & money.



MPS gave me a excelent grounding in film production.

I left MPS n Sept 1961 & for the next 40 years I persued my career as a film editor

throughout must of London

[Traherne]

Following on from my other request for locations, Joseph Losey's The Criminal starring Stanley Baker (1960) was a Merton Park production.



I only remember because - and this is a bit sad - during the opening credits I saw the name and it reminded me of the late 70s mod group the Merton Parkas.

[John Llewellyn Moxey]

Ah, Merton Park, a great place to work. Great crews and good facilities, made it the perfect place for a fledgling Director.



John

[moviola kid]

Ah if only MPS had survived. The Film Producers Guild had hi hopes, hence they built a 2nd sound stage 1958/60. But it wasn't to be.

Jack Greewood was the resident producer & actors such as Lex Barker, who claimed some fame as Tarzan, worked there as did Lee Paterson.



Nostalgia is made of this

[Nobby Lard]

Merton Park Films

[alan gowdy]

I've found a booklet about the history of the house - Long Lodge - that fronted the studios and contained its offices and dressing rooms. There's an interesting map of the studio layout in the period before the second world war. Unfortunately my scanner has broken big time so until it's replaced I cannot upload this little gem.

[alan gowdy]

I hope this works - I'm cr*p at this stuff!



Image of Merton Park maps - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting



I've got a larger and clearer version if anyone would like it e-mailed to them - drop me your details.

[theuofc]

name='alan gowdy']I hope this works - I'm cr*p at this stuff!



Image of Merton Park maps - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting



I've got a larger and clearer version if anyone would like it e-mailed to them - drop me your details.

Hi Alan,



The map came through very clearly. Thanks. I have a few questions for anyone. Some of the buildings on the map have 1920s dates on them, but Wiki says Merton Park opened in 1930. Is Wiki incorrect?



Also, I realise that Scotland Yard and the Edgar Wallace films were made at Merton Park in the 50s and 60s, but who filmed there in the 30s and 40s? Did Hitch make any films there before he left for Hollywood?



Thanks,



Barbara

[Nobby Lard]

Cheers Alan

I live on what was the the 1936 canopy/1926 merton park garage

[Steve Crook]

name='theuofc']Hi Alan,



The map came through very clearly. Thanks. I have a few questions for anyone. Some of the buildings on the map have 1920s dates on them, but Wiki says Merton Park opened in 1930. Is Wiki incorrect?



Also, I realise that Scotland Yard and the Edgar Wallace films were made at Merton Park in the 50s and 60s, but who filmed there in the 30s and 40s? Did Hitch make any films there before he left for Hollywood?



Thanks,



Barbara

Wikipedia incorrect? How could that possibly be?

(Always double check anything mentioned on the Wikipedia)



The IMDb lists a couple of films as being made at Merton Park in the 1930s

The Admiral's Secret (1934)

Sam Goes Shopping (1939)



I don't think Hitchcock ever worked there



Steve

[theuofc]

name='Steve Crook']Wikipedia incorrect? How could that possibly be?

(Always double check anything mentioned on the Wikipedia)



The IMDb lists a couple of films as being made at Merton Park in the 1930s

The Admiral's Secret (1934)

Sam Goes Shopping (1939)



I don't think Hitchcock ever worked there



Steve

Hi, Steve,



Thanks for the 1930s film titles.



Re: Wiki --so I shouldn't believe the self-professed 'authorities' who post incorrect entries in Wiki on Dirk Bogarde? They certainly keep me amused on a rainy day? Hee. :-)



All the best,



Barbara

[Pygar]

Hitchcock started work at Gainsborough Studios in Islington, moving up from writing intertitles to directing, while he was there! The building was still there, by the canal in the corner of a small park, until a few years ago.

[theuofc]

name='Pygar']Hitchcock started work at Gainsborough Studios in Islington, moving up from writing intertitles to directing, while he was there! The building was still there, by the canal in the corner of a small park, until a few years ago.

Thanks for this, Pygar. So the building is gone now? I would have liked to have a look at it. If not gone, where exactly is it in Islington?





Barbara

[Fellwanderer]

name='theuofc']Thanks for this, Pygar. So the building is gone now? I would have liked to have a look at it. If not gone, where exactly is it in Islington?





Barbara

Here - by the look of it:



The National HomeBuilder Design Awards - Gainsborough Studios, 1 Poole Street, London N1 5EB