Elstree Studios

No film stars, but bricks and fabric of the studios. Paul Welsh MBE (Chairman of the Elstree Screen Heritage Group) who has spent over forty years promoting and saving the studios. Together with Ron Punter (who was a scenic painter) takes us on a tour of the studios and talks about the films he worked on. Seen are the 1914 Rock, British National, ATV, and BBC Elstree Centre. In the 1920s 'British & Dominion' studios with Herbert Wilcox. 1925 saw the huge 'British International Pictures' built. Later ABPC. 1928 a single stage 'Whitehall' then 'Gate' built by the station. Not far away is Bushey, an original glass-built studio. Welwyn Garden City had its own studio, part of BIP. In 1936 the magnificent modern 'Amalgamated' studios were built, later to be 'MGM British' and operated until 1970. On the other side of Elstree was a short lived studio 'New Elstree Studio' built for TV films - it lasted just six years. The struggle to save the main Elstree studios came in the 1990s by Paul Welsh. Public awareness resulted in the 'First Impressions' campaign had Barbara Windsor and Bert Kwouk appearing. But a supermarket occupies a big chunk of the main studio now. We end back in 1978 with a spectacular London Blitz street filmed at night on the lot.