Welcome      The website dedicated to providing you the latest British Film News.             News      If you have any film news, whether you're writing or making a new film, we want to know about it!             Articles      Fancy writting an article to be published on BritFlicks, then get in touch!             Thank you

The time line below shows some of the high and low points over one hundred years of Twickenham Studios, as well as some of the films it was involved in making.

• 1912 Dr Jupp acquired an old skating rink at St Margaret's, Twickenham.

• 1918 Dr Jupp sold Twickenham Studios to The Alliance Company. Alliance had big ideas and its directors, A E Matthews, Gerald du Maurier and Sir Walter de Frece installed £23,000 of lighting equipment and hired the best actors, including Ivor Novello, Gladys Cooper, Ellen Terry, and C Aubrey Smith to make The Bohemian Girl and Carnival. However, although the latter did well at the box office, they were over-extended and they went out of business in 1922.

A Tale Of Two Cites 1925

• 1928 Julius Hagen founded Twickenham Film Studios Limited and became chairman and managing director.

• 1935 Julius Hagen sets up Twickenham Film Distributors Limited.

• 1935 Fire destroys the old studio building. Despite their best efforts to save it, the whole building was destroyed, along with the contents of the camera and sound departments. Cyril Stanborough, the Studios' stills photographer, lost fifteen years of his work. Undaunted, Hagen acquired alternative space at Whitehall Studios, Elstree. The Thirties were a difficult period for Twickenham, along with other studios. Hagen struggled to keep the company afloat, but it was on the verge of collapse and, despite several good films, and his best efforts, in 1937 the company went into liquidation. 

• 1939 The Second World War broke out. During this time, Twickenham Film Studios took a direct hit from a bomb, and suffered a large amount of damage. In 1912, Alfred Shipman, together with SS King, founded Shipman & King Cinemas Limited. He entered the production side of the film industry in 1944. In association with Sidney Box, they made the legendary Seventh Veil, starring Ann Todd and James Mason at the Riverside Studios.

• 1946 Alfred Shipman formed Alliance Film Studios Limited, controlling Riverside, Southall and Twickenham Film Studios. Many big box office pictures were made during this period, including The Master of Bankdam, They Made Me a Fugitive, The Years Between and the Just William series.

• 1961 The new, ultra-modern Recording Theatre, headed up by Stephen Dalby, was opened, immediately attracting films from Europe and the USA. And so, under the experienced, intuitive guidance of Guido Coen, Twickenham Film Studios began, once again to thrive, and film-makers once more, began to make their films at Twickenham Film Studios.      

  Zulu 1963	Beatles Hard Days Night 1964	Alfie 1965

• 1973 During the 1970's and 80's, Twickenham Studios continued to do well, both on the stages and in the theatres, so much so, that it was decided to expand the facilities. Novello Lodge, comprising ten large cutting rooms and eight offices was opened. (Richard Attenborough maintained a suite in this building as his post-production base until 2009).

An American Warewolf In London 1981	A Fish Called Wanda 1987

Little Voice 1997	Morven Callar 2001	Tipping The Velvet 2002

 

• 1990's Throughout the 1990's, under the guiding hand of Guido Coen, the Studios continued to thrive, enjoying a busy time with both film and television productions. Gerry Humphreys continued to oversee improvements to the Sound Department, keeping abreast of the latest technology and attracting many famous films from the UK and the USA.

• 2000 onwards. Twickenham Film Studios proudly continued to build on previous successes. As the Studio approached its centenary, they continued to offer the world's film makers the best working environment in which to both realise their projects, and to add to Twickenham's remarkable heritage.

Layer Cake 2003	An Education 2008	Kick Ass 2010

• 2011-2012 In Twickenham's final year, 100 years after the studio was purchased, it continued to be involved in high value and award winning films before announcing it's planned closure in the summer of 2012.

War Horse 2012	Bel Ami 2012	The Iron Lady 2012