Knowledge (XXG)

General Film Distributors

Source 📝

1508: 27: 122:
During the 20 years General Film Distributors had its original name, the company distributed over 450 mainstream films. A British DVD distributor, active since 2005, uses the same name but is not related to the original company.
309: 111:
trademark which was adopted by the Rank Organisation when it was founded in 1937. Athletes who played the Gongman in the film sequence over the years, included boxer Bombardier
1410: 1532: 1313: 81:, convinced him to make it a daughter company to their General Cinema Finance Corporation, which just had acquired the British distribution rights for all 302: 1095: 1085: 1511: 1432: 295: 1454: 1318: 213: 1353: 1338: 78: 1465: 1358: 334: 1348: 1245: 67: 1420: 1394: 1230: 1105: 1049: 922: 277: 201: 139: 227: 1343: 859: 854: 849: 844: 839: 834: 829: 824: 819: 814: 809: 804: 799: 794: 789: 784: 779: 774: 769: 764: 759: 754: 749: 744: 739: 734: 729: 724: 719: 714: 709: 704: 699: 694: 689: 684: 679: 674: 669: 664: 659: 654: 649: 644: 639: 634: 629: 624: 619: 614: 609: 604: 599: 594: 589: 584: 579: 574: 569: 564: 559: 554: 549: 544: 539: 534: 529: 524: 519: 514: 509: 504: 499: 494: 489: 484: 479: 474: 469: 464: 459: 454: 449: 444: 439: 434: 429: 424: 419: 414: 409: 404: 399: 394: 389: 384: 379: 374: 369: 364: 359: 354: 349: 344: 339: 1437: 872: 318: 185: 158: 1415: 1145: 1100: 1477: 1448: 982: 1277: 1240: 1110: 1471: 1170: 1019: 170: 51:
film distribution company based in London. It was active between 1935 and 1996, and from 1937 it was part of
1363: 1297: 947: 1389: 1323: 1115: 1024: 326: 101: 92:
General Film Distributors kept its own name within the Rank Organisation until 1955, when it was renamed
1488: 1272: 1205: 1150: 912: 86: 52: 1426: 1328: 1292: 1120: 897: 85:
titles (by buying a large chunk of Universal in the US). One year later it became the cornerstone in
20: 1200: 1195: 1185: 1165: 1130: 1064: 1210: 1180: 1080: 1012: 967: 902: 887: 82: 1175: 1059: 977: 932: 1267: 1215: 1135: 1007: 997: 26: 1459: 1373: 1368: 1282: 1190: 992: 962: 942: 927: 63: 1483: 1220: 1039: 1002: 987: 952: 917: 74: 48: 1526: 1333: 1235: 1225: 1125: 1044: 1155: 1029: 972: 957: 116: 1287: 1090: 112: 59: 287: 1493: 1140: 1054: 937: 58:
General Film Distributors was created in 1935 by the British film distributor
1442: 907: 261: 892: 250: 108: 173:
Past and Present - National Identity and the British Historical Film
25: 291: 1034: 159:
The Independent 1 July 1999: Obituary: Sir John Woolf
119:. Also, George Francis Moss Snr played the Gongman. 1403: 1382: 1306: 1258: 1073: 880: 868: 325: 100:in 1957. Rank Film Distributors was acquired by 107:It was C.M. Woolf's secretary who devised the 303: 228:"Carlton int'l distrib'n arm to be shuttered" 154: 152: 8: 188:J. Arthur Rank and the British Film Industry 877: 310: 296: 288: 278:Francis Donald Klingender, Stuart Legg: 140:Francis Donald Klingender, Stuart Legg: 1533:Film distributors of the United Kingdom 132: 62:(1879–1942) after he had resigned from 1086:Associated British Picture Corporation 262:IMDb: General Film Distributors (GFD) 7: 1455:History of British film certificates 1319:British Board of Film Classification 192:, pages 21-23 - Retrieved 2012-10-31 66:and closed his distribution company 1354:National Film and Television School 1339:British Society of Cinematographers 14: 1359:National Science and Media Museum 1246:Woolf & Freedman Film Service 176:, page 114 - Retrieved 2012-10-30 68:Woolf & Freedman Film Service 1507: 1506: 94:J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors 41:J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors 1421:British Independent Film Awards 1349:Cinema Exhibitors' Association 1231:Tigon British Film Productions 1106:British National Films Company 1050:Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden 202:BFI: General Film Distributors 1: 1438:Cinematograph Films Act 1927 319:Cinema of the United Kingdom 96:, which in turn was renamed 1416:British Academy Film Awards 1146:G. B. Samuelson Productions 1101:British Instructional Films 226:Boehm, Erich (1997-09-22). 214:BFI: Rank Film Distributors 98:Rank Film Distributors Ltd. 45:Rank Film Distributors Ltd. 16:British film releasing firm 1549: 1344:Children's Film Foundation 983:Mister Smith Entertainment 18: 1502: 1278:Documentary Film Movement 1241:Woodfall Film Productions 1161:General Film Distributors 36:General Film Distributors 1171:Hemdale Film Corporation 1020:Recorded Picture Company 19:Not to be confused with 1364:Northern Ireland Screen 1298:Gainsborough melodramas 948:Hammer Film Productions 280:Money Behind the Screen 142:Money Behind the Screen 1324:British Film Institute 1116:Clarendon Film Company 1111:Butcher's Film Service 1025:Scott Free Productions 102:Carlton Communications 77:and the paper magnate 39:(GFD), later known as 31: 1489:National Theatre Live 1273:British horror cinema 1206:The Rank Organisation 1151:Gainsborough Pictures 1096:British and Dominions 913:Double Negative (VFX) 87:The Rank Organisation 53:the Rank Organisation 29: 1472:London Film Festival 1329:BFI National Archive 1293:Kitchen sink realism 898:Big Talk Productions 869:Production companies 284:Retrieved 2012-10-31 264:Retrieved 2012-10-31 216:Retrieved 2012-10-30 204:Retrieved 2011-09-02 161:Retrieved 2011-09-02 146:Retrieved 2012-10-31 104:in 1997 and closed. 21:General Film Company 1201:Merton Park Studios 1196:MGM-British Studios 1186:London Film Company 1166:Halas and Batchelor 1131:Denham Film Studios 1065:Working Title Films 282:(1937), pages 37-41 144:(1937), pages 37-41 1181:Ideal Film Company 1081:Amicus Productions 1013:Shepperton Studios 968:Jellyfish Pictures 903:British Lion Films 888:Aardman Animations 83:Universal Pictures 32: 1520: 1519: 1460:Home Video Charts 1254: 1253: 1176:Hepworth Pictures 1060:Wimbledon Studios 978:Longcross Studios 933:Film4 Productions 186:Geoffrey Macnab: 1540: 1510: 1509: 1268:British New Wave 1216:Southall Studios 1136:Eagle-Lion Films 1008:Pinewood Studios 998:Passion Pictures 878: 312: 305: 298: 289: 265: 259: 253: 248: 242: 241: 239: 238: 223: 217: 211: 205: 199: 193: 183: 177: 168: 162: 156: 147: 137: 1548: 1547: 1543: 1542: 1541: 1539: 1538: 1537: 1523: 1522: 1521: 1516: 1498: 1399: 1378: 1374:UK Film Council 1369:Scottish Screen 1302: 1283:Ealing comedies 1260: 1250: 1191:Mancunian Films 1121:Bryanston Films 1069: 993:Palace Pictures 963:The Imaginarium 943:Goldcrest Films 928:Eon Productions 923:Elstree Studios 870: 864: 321: 316: 274: 269: 268: 260: 256: 249: 245: 236: 234: 225: 224: 220: 212: 208: 200: 196: 184: 180: 171:James Chapman: 169: 165: 157: 150: 138: 134: 129: 109:man-with-a-gong 64:Gaumont British 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1546: 1544: 1536: 1535: 1525: 1524: 1518: 1517: 1515: 1514: 1503: 1500: 1499: 1497: 1496: 1491: 1486: 1484:London in film 1481: 1474: 1469: 1462: 1457: 1452: 1445: 1440: 1435: 1430: 1423: 1418: 1413: 1407: 1405: 1401: 1400: 1398: 1397: 1392: 1386: 1384: 1380: 1379: 1377: 1376: 1371: 1366: 1361: 1356: 1351: 1346: 1341: 1336: 1331: 1326: 1321: 1316: 1310: 1308: 1304: 1303: 1301: 1300: 1295: 1290: 1285: 1280: 1275: 1270: 1264: 1262: 1256: 1255: 1252: 1251: 1249: 1248: 1243: 1238: 1233: 1228: 1223: 1221:Stoll Pictures 1218: 1213: 1208: 1203: 1198: 1193: 1188: 1183: 1178: 1173: 1168: 1163: 1158: 1153: 1148: 1143: 1138: 1133: 1128: 1123: 1118: 1113: 1108: 1103: 1098: 1093: 1088: 1083: 1077: 1075: 1071: 1070: 1068: 1067: 1062: 1057: 1052: 1047: 1042: 1040:Thin Man Films 1037: 1032: 1027: 1022: 1017: 1016: 1015: 1010: 1003:Pinewood Group 1000: 995: 990: 988:Number 9 Films 985: 980: 975: 970: 965: 960: 955: 953:HandMade Films 950: 945: 940: 935: 930: 925: 920: 918:Ealing Studios 915: 910: 905: 900: 895: 890: 884: 882: 875: 866: 865: 863: 862: 857: 852: 847: 842: 837: 832: 827: 822: 817: 812: 807: 802: 797: 792: 787: 782: 777: 772: 767: 762: 757: 752: 747: 742: 737: 732: 727: 722: 717: 712: 707: 702: 697: 692: 687: 682: 677: 672: 667: 662: 657: 652: 647: 642: 637: 632: 627: 622: 617: 612: 607: 602: 597: 592: 587: 582: 577: 572: 567: 562: 557: 552: 547: 542: 537: 532: 527: 522: 517: 512: 507: 502: 497: 492: 487: 482: 477: 472: 467: 462: 457: 452: 447: 442: 437: 432: 427: 422: 417: 412: 407: 402: 397: 392: 387: 382: 377: 372: 367: 362: 357: 352: 347: 342: 337: 331: 329: 323: 322: 317: 315: 314: 307: 300: 292: 286: 285: 273: 272:External links 270: 267: 266: 254: 243: 218: 206: 194: 178: 163: 148: 131: 130: 128: 125: 75:J. Arthur Rank 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1545: 1534: 1531: 1530: 1528: 1513: 1505: 1504: 1501: 1495: 1492: 1490: 1487: 1485: 1482: 1480: 1479: 1475: 1473: 1470: 1468: 1467: 1463: 1461: 1458: 1456: 1453: 1451: 1450: 1446: 1444: 1441: 1439: 1436: 1434: 1431: 1429: 1428: 1424: 1422: 1419: 1417: 1414: 1412: 1409: 1408: 1406: 1402: 1396: 1393: 1391: 1388: 1387: 1385: 1381: 1375: 1372: 1370: 1367: 1365: 1362: 1360: 1357: 1355: 1352: 1350: 1347: 1345: 1342: 1340: 1337: 1335: 1334:BFI Southbank 1332: 1330: 1327: 1325: 1322: 1320: 1317: 1315: 1312: 1311: 1309: 1307:Organisations 1305: 1299: 1296: 1294: 1291: 1289: 1286: 1284: 1281: 1279: 1276: 1274: 1271: 1269: 1266: 1265: 1263: 1257: 1247: 1244: 1242: 1239: 1237: 1236:Warwick Films 1234: 1232: 1229: 1227: 1226:Tempean Films 1224: 1222: 1219: 1217: 1214: 1212: 1209: 1207: 1204: 1202: 1199: 1197: 1194: 1192: 1189: 1187: 1184: 1182: 1179: 1177: 1174: 1172: 1169: 1167: 1164: 1162: 1159: 1157: 1154: 1152: 1149: 1147: 1144: 1142: 1139: 1137: 1134: 1132: 1129: 1127: 1126:The Danzigers 1124: 1122: 1119: 1117: 1114: 1112: 1109: 1107: 1104: 1102: 1099: 1097: 1094: 1092: 1089: 1087: 1084: 1082: 1079: 1078: 1076: 1072: 1066: 1063: 1061: 1058: 1056: 1053: 1051: 1048: 1046: 1045:Vertigo Films 1043: 1041: 1038: 1036: 1033: 1031: 1028: 1026: 1023: 1021: 1018: 1014: 1011: 1009: 1006: 1005: 1004: 1001: 999: 996: 994: 991: 989: 986: 984: 981: 979: 976: 974: 971: 969: 966: 964: 961: 959: 956: 954: 951: 949: 946: 944: 941: 939: 936: 934: 931: 929: 926: 924: 921: 919: 916: 914: 911: 909: 906: 904: 901: 899: 896: 894: 891: 889: 886: 885: 883: 879: 876: 874: 867: 861: 858: 856: 853: 851: 848: 846: 843: 841: 838: 836: 833: 831: 828: 826: 823: 821: 818: 816: 813: 811: 808: 806: 803: 801: 798: 796: 793: 791: 788: 786: 783: 781: 778: 776: 773: 771: 768: 766: 763: 761: 758: 756: 753: 751: 748: 746: 743: 741: 738: 736: 733: 731: 728: 726: 723: 721: 718: 716: 713: 711: 708: 706: 703: 701: 698: 696: 693: 691: 688: 686: 683: 681: 678: 676: 673: 671: 668: 666: 663: 661: 658: 656: 653: 651: 648: 646: 643: 641: 638: 636: 633: 631: 628: 626: 623: 621: 618: 616: 613: 611: 608: 606: 603: 601: 598: 596: 593: 591: 588: 586: 583: 581: 578: 576: 573: 571: 568: 566: 563: 561: 558: 556: 553: 551: 548: 546: 543: 541: 538: 536: 533: 531: 528: 526: 523: 521: 518: 516: 513: 511: 508: 506: 503: 501: 498: 496: 493: 491: 488: 486: 483: 481: 478: 476: 473: 471: 468: 466: 463: 461: 458: 456: 453: 451: 448: 446: 443: 441: 438: 436: 433: 431: 428: 426: 423: 421: 418: 416: 413: 411: 408: 406: 403: 401: 398: 396: 393: 391: 388: 386: 383: 381: 378: 376: 373: 371: 368: 366: 363: 361: 358: 356: 353: 351: 348: 346: 343: 341: 338: 336: 333: 332: 330: 328: 327:Films by year 324: 320: 313: 308: 306: 301: 299: 294: 293: 290: 283: 281: 276: 275: 271: 263: 258: 255: 252: 247: 244: 233: 229: 222: 219: 215: 210: 207: 203: 198: 195: 191: 189: 182: 179: 175: 174: 167: 164: 160: 155: 153: 149: 145: 143: 136: 133: 126: 124: 120: 118: 115:and wrestler 114: 110: 105: 103: 99: 95: 90: 88: 84: 80: 76: 71: 69: 65: 61: 56: 54: 50: 46: 42: 38: 37: 28: 22: 1478:Look at Life 1476: 1464: 1449:Harry Potter 1447: 1425: 1211:Rock Studios 1160: 1156:Gate Studios 1030:Syncopy Inc. 973:London Films 958:Heyday Films 279: 257: 246: 235:. Retrieved 231: 221: 209: 197: 187: 181: 172: 166: 141: 135: 121: 117:Ken Richmond 106: 97: 93: 91: 72: 57: 44: 40: 35: 34: 33: 30:Opening logo 1288:Free Cinema 1091:Astra Films 113:Billy Wells 79:Lord Portal 60:C. M. Woolf 1494:Telecinema 1466:James Bond 1433:Censorship 1411:Box office 1259:Genres and 1141:Eros Films 1055:Warp Films 938:Framestore 237:2019-03-13 127:References 1443:Eady Levy 1395:Directors 1261:movements 1035:S4C Films 908:DNA Films 73:In 1936, 1527:Category 1512:Category 1427:Carry On 893:BBC Film 335:Pre-1920 47:, was a 873:studios 251:Gongman 232:Variety 49:British 1390:Actors 1383:People 1074:Former 881:Active 190:(1994) 1404:Other 1314:BAFTA 871:and 860:2024 855:2023 850:2022 845:2021 840:2020 835:2019 830:2018 825:2017 820:2016 815:2015 810:2014 805:2013 800:2012 795:2011 790:2010 785:2009 780:2008 775:2007 770:2006 765:2005 760:2004 755:2003 750:2002 745:2001 740:2000 735:1999 730:1998 725:1997 720:1996 715:1995 710:1994 705:1993 700:1992 695:1991 690:1990 685:1989 680:1988 675:1987 670:1986 665:1985 660:1984 655:1983 650:1982 645:1981 640:1980 635:1979 630:1978 625:1977 620:1976 615:1975 610:1974 605:1973 600:1972 595:1971 590:1970 585:1969 580:1968 575:1967 570:1966 565:1965 560:1964 555:1963 550:1962 545:1961 540:1960 535:1959 530:1958 525:1957 520:1956 515:1955 510:1954 505:1953 500:1952 495:1951 490:1950 485:1949 480:1948 475:1947 470:1946 465:1945 460:1944 455:1943 450:1942 445:1941 440:1940 435:1939 430:1938 425:1937 420:1936 415:1935 410:1934 405:1933 400:1932 395:1931 390:1930 385:1929 380:1928 375:1927 370:1926 365:1925 360:1924 355:1923 350:1922 345:1921 340:1920 43:and 1529:: 230:. 151:^ 89:. 70:. 55:. 311:e 304:t 297:v 240:. 23:.

Index

General Film Company

General Film Distributors
British
the Rank Organisation
C. M. Woolf
Gaumont British
Woolf & Freedman Film Service
J. Arthur Rank
Lord Portal
Universal Pictures
The Rank Organisation
Carlton Communications
man-with-a-gong
Billy Wells
Ken Richmond
Francis Donald Klingender, Stuart Legg: Money Behind the Screen (1937), pages 37-41


The Independent 1 July 1999: Obituary: Sir John Woolf
James Chapman: Past and Present - National Identity and the British Historical Film
Geoffrey Macnab: J. Arthur Rank and the British Film Industry (1994)
BFI: General Film Distributors
BFI: Rank Film Distributors
"Carlton int'l distrib'n arm to be shuttered"
Gongman
IMDb: General Film Distributors (GFD)
Francis Donald Klingender, Stuart Legg: Money Behind the Screen (1937), pages 37-41
v
t

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.