The Films of Merton Park Studios
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Freeview 81 Film Club Sky 328 OCTOBER newsletter Freesat 306 2019 Virgin 445 Dear Club Members Supporters of Talking Pictures TV, Welcome to all our new members and supporters following our recent TV advert to ‘join the club’ on Talking Pictures TV. We are delighted to announce the release of Crime Collection Volume 5. It’s finally here, the long awaited addition to our hugely popular Crime Collections, with some real sleuthing gems, all with subtitles and all restored for your delight. All three discs for just £20 with free UK postage; more details on pages 2 and 3. October on Talking Pictures TV sees the start of our collaboration with The Imperial War Museums to bring you a number of unseen shorts and films from their archives. It took a long time to plan, but seeing some of these works by great British Directors and stars we know and love on British TV screens makes it all worthwhile. You will see many items over the coming months from IWM and we have put together an information sheet to highlight some of the October transmissions on page 23. Filming with Paul O’Grady and Rita Tushingham for our Dora Bryan Day was hilarious, do tune in on the afternoon of Saturday 19th October at 3.30pm. We are delighted to be able to show some of Dora’s films including A Taste Of Honey at 8pm. The One Hour Special with Paul and Rita discussing ‘Our Dora’ airs at 7pm. Put the date on your calendars! Talking of calendars, our 2020 Calendar is a masterpiece for your kitchen walls, packed with important dates for TV and film history fans, it features the birthdays of many stars we know and love. With a mixture of imagery from the good old days of the cinema and iconic shots of some of our treasured stars, it is the perfect gift for anyone who loves nostalgia and film. Just £10 with FREE UK Postage! Grab yours quick while stocks last! Some excellent books are featured this month, including an exciting new publication on the history of Merton Park Studios by Clive Whichelow, more details on page 6. Also a lovely book by John Hannam on page 19 about the showbiz stars who have connections with the Isle of Wight. Both books are signed by the authors. A real treat awaits Frank Marker fans with a limited edition set of Frank Marker Fan Club Badges – the perfect stocking filler! We are looking at ways of growing the channel and one plan is to make Talking Pictures available on Freeview Play. This would enable viewers to pause, rewind and view a programme they missed up to seven days previously. How many of you have your televisions connected to the internet on Freeview? If you are ringing to place an order, please do let us know – or drop us a line if you have time. Don’t panic, you won’t lose us if you don’t have your TV internet connected, it would be an addition to our service. Sad news recently, as we lost dear Sheila Steafel; we look back at her life in this edition. She was a great friend of Renown and Talking Pictures TV and her passing is a great loss to the industry. Our dear friend Jason Dors-Lake sadly also passed away recently. Visitors to one of our first festivals of film in Rickmansworth will remember Jason discussing his family life and his dear mother Diana Dors and father Alan Lake. A troubled soul, but a wonderful chap, we shall miss him greatly and our thoughts are with all who knew him. As you read this, our Stockport Festival of Film will be upon us. We will include some pictures of the event in our November newsletter and many thanks to all of you who gave your support by attending the event, it takes months of hard work to bring it all together. The March 2020 event in St Albans is already being planned, with some wonderful guests lined up. Tickets are on sale, but limited, so do grab yours quick! Thanks as ever for your continued support, keep on spreading the word, Very best wishes, Sarah, Noel & Neill1 NEW EXCLUSIVE RENOWN 3 DVD SET WITH FREE Crime Collection Vol 5 £20 UK POSTAGE Call Us Now On Freephone 0808 178 8212 Or call 01923 290555 Scotland Yard Needs You! The latest edition in the Renown Crime Collection is here! Fully restored, all with subtitles. Featuring an intriguing compilation of crime capers from the 1940s, 50s and 60s, with a host of stars! Can you solve the crime before they do? Disc One - 216’ THE LARGE ROPE (1953) – Stars: Donald Houston, Susan Shaw, Peter Byrne and Vanda Godsell. Directed by Wolf Rilla. After his release from prison, a man returns to the village where he was accused of murdering a girl — but is he the guilty one? In a race against time, he attempts to prove his innocence. THE HANGMAN WAITS (1947) – Stars: John Turnbull, Beatrice Campbell, Hylton Allen. Directed by: A. Barr-Smith. Following the attempts to catch the perpetrator of a string of grisly murders by a cinema organist. Visually compelling, with Hitchcockian opening scenes, this fascinating film was produced by Five Star Films using the settings of the newspaper press and the cinema. Good historic scenes of the News of the World Printing Plant and Victoria Station. The killer’s face is not revealed until almost the end — can you guess who it is? ECHO OF DIANA (1963) – Stars: Vincent Ball, Betty McDowall, Geoffrey Toone. Directed by: Ernest Morris. Joan Scott is distraught at the death of her husband in a plane crash — but all is not what it seems. When she reads his ‘in memoriam notice’ in a newspaper under the signature: ‘Diana’, Joan investigates — was it an affair, or something more mysterious and is he really dead? STRANGE HARVEST (1953) – Stars: Edgar Gray, Eve Shirley, Richard Antony and James Delamare. Directed by: Stephen Black. Presented by Keith Latham. Originally titled The Reaping of Dead Man’s Field. A man is left for dead in a cornfield by two men who steal his money and car. As the combine harvester works the field, the men desperately try to retrieve the body before it’s too late… can you bear to watch? Filmed during 1953 in Lower Beeding, West Sussex, with actors from the Horsham Repertory Company, where a young ‘Michael Scott’ (later known as Michael Caine), was assistant stage manager. Disc Two - 218’ DECOY – TO TRAP A THIEF (1957) – Stars: Beverly Garland with Frank Overton, George Mitchell and Mary James. Directed by: Teddy Sills. Decoy (1957-1958) was the first American television crime series with a female police officer as the main character. The series focused on officer Patricia ‘Casey’ Jones, who worked undercover, assuming different characters to crack each case. In this episode, Casey has to solve a baffling armed robbery; what role will she play to solve the crime? THE CASE OF CHARLES PEACE (1949) – Stars: Michael Martin Harvey, Chili Bouchier and Valentine Dyall. Directed by: Norman Lee. Based on a true story, the film recounts the exploits of Charles Peace, (the notorious Victorian murderer), through his trial, the preceding events recounted in flashback. Follow the exploits of this infamous and complex character, evil, yet fascinating. A John Argyle Production made at Merton Park Studios. 2 NEW EXCLUSIVE RENOWN 3 DVD SET WITH FREE Crime Collection Vol 5 £20 UK POSTAGE Call Us Now On Freephone 0808 178 8212 Or call 01923 290555 THE GRAYSON CASE (1955) – Stars: Mary Neelands, Bart Allison, Frederick Treves. Written and directed by: Keith Latham. The story describes how married Sally Turner’s affair with the painter Edwin Grayson led to murder. The case was solved by recognising the importance of a rusty, six inch nail… can you spot the clue? This intriguing short is narrated by J. St John Barry and was intended to be part of a series called ‘Crime Cameo’; made in the style of Edgar Lustgarten (British broadcaster and noted crime writer). Interiors shot at Ealing Film Studios, exterior shots at London’s Hyde Park and the boat scenes at Sunbury-on-Thames. NIGHT PROWL (1958) – Stars: Dennis O’Keefe as Dick Richards, the editor of ‘Music’ magazine ‘Take 5’, who also solves crimes. Originally intended to be the pilot for a ‘lost’ TV Sitcom. THE GELIGNITE GANG (1956) – Stars: Wayne Morris, Sandra Dorne and Patrick Holt. Directed by: Terence Fisher. Set in London’s Soho, a gang of ruthless safecrackers plan their next robbery. As the plot lines intertwine, clues are scattered throughout the action — can you solve the crime before the final twist? Disc Three - 216’ THE STABLE DOOR (1966) – Stars: Harry Fowler, Jack MacGowran, Dandy Nichols. Directed by: Pat Jackson. A criminal gang conspire to rob a warehouse, but an insurance salesman has also spotted the vulnerable target. Will his precautions be accomplished in time to stop the robbery? THE GENTLE TRAP (1960) – Stars: Spencer Teakle, Martin Benson, Felicity Young, Dorinda Stevens. Directed by: Charles Saunders. A locksmith is on the run after his first burglary, but a rival gang wants his haul. Twisting plot involving double crosses and diamonds — can you navigate the story and foresee the end? A Butchers production. THE MAN OUTSIDE (1933) – Stars: Henry Kendall, John Turnbull, Cyril Raymond. Directed by: George A. Cooper. Henry Kendall appeared in many films and was also an accomplished director, as well as a stylish revue artist. Here he plays a private eye investigating a case of stolen jewels at a country house where he finds that people are not as they seem.