Biography of 'Scottish Films / Thames and Clyde Productions'
Films associated with 'Scottish Films / Thames and Clyde Productions'
- "RIVER CREE" ENTERTAINS THE QUEEN, the
- AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE FOR HORIZONTAL FORGING MACHINES
- BATHGATE FESTIVAL WEEK 1951
- BLACK AND DECKER LIMITED
- CALLY HOUSE
- CLIFF RESCUE, a
- COMING OF THE 'CAMERONS', the
- DUNDEE
- EXCLUSIVE TO LA SCALA ... Funeral of Firemaster Alex Girdwood
- FIGHTING FIELDS
- GLASGOW TAKES CARE OF ITS OLD FOLK
- GLASGOW'S FESTIVAL OF FELLOWSHIP
- GOOD HEALTH TO SCOTLAND
- HIGHLAND HOSPITALITY
- OBAN CELTIC MEET NEWTONMORE REPLAY
- OPENING OF A NEW ALUMINIUM WORKS, the
- PLAYS FOR THE PEOPLE
- PORT OF GLASGOW, the
- RAIL STRAIGHTENER
- RIVER CLYDE
- RIVER CLYDE - A SURVEY OF SCOTLAND'S GREATEST RIVER
- RIVER CREE, the
- ROMANCE OF ENGINEERING, a
- SPORT IN SCOTLAND
- STORY OF CULROSS, the
- TENEMENT WARDEN
- THINGS THAT HAPPEN NO. 1
- THINGS THAT HAPPEN NO. 3
- TOWN IN THE MAKING, a
- TRIBUTE TO WARTIME PRODUCTION
- VISIT TO MAVOR AND COULSON, a
- WEALTH OF A NATION
- WORLD OF STEEL
Independent production company
Scottish Film Productions Ltd. was formed by Malcolm Irvine in 1928. Subsequently joined in 1936 by Stanley Russell, the company was based in studios in India Street Glasgow, boasting production offices, cutting rooms, studios and a processing plant. In the later 1930's the company won several orders from major Scottish manufacturers to produce industrial films, for screening at the 1938 Empire Exhibition in Glasgow.
Scottish Film Productions continued production during the war years making official films with Russell engaged on shoots for Warwork News. In competition with production units such as Campbell Harper Films in Edinburgh, the company struggled with economic difficulties that faced the Scottish film Industry after the war. Malcolm Irvine continued as Scottish Films, but in a smaller capacity.
The company changed its name to Kay's Scottish Films Ltd., between 1946 - 1947, when it amalgamated with Kay's, an English organisation, who used the India Street premises purely as laboratory facilities. After Irvine's death, efforts were made to keep the company in operation. However Kay's withdrew from the Scottish scene in 1948 and the company's Scottish branch went into liquidation.
Stanley Russell, having been production manager at Scottish Films since 1936, decided to establish his own film production unit, Russell Productions with co-director Jack Robertson, in August 1943. They had offices at 188 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow and 39, Uphill Grove, London. In 1945, when the company expanded, the name was changed to Thames & Clyde Productions - Russell moving to bigger premises in Maryhill, Glasgow.
In little over a year, seven films were made and two others were in production. Russell specialised in agricultural, industrial and educational films and produced over 100 documentaries. Thames & Clyde Productions were wound up on Russell's death in 1964.
Researcher: Joan Allan