After 99 years of movie magic, Twickenham Film Studios put up for sale (From Your Local Guardian)
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After 99 years of movie magic, Twickenham Film Studios put up for sale
3:08pm Friday 17th February 2012 in Richmond Exclusive By Rachel Bishop
Twickenham Film Studios is being sold one year before its centenary.
A current freelance worker at the studios, where films including Alfie and the Italian Job were produced, said staff had to leave the premises by July.
Future projects already booked there will be moved to other venues, such as Pinewood Studios.
The source, who asked to remain anonymous, said selling the studios to property developers was the “easiest option” for the current owners.
Begbies Traynor, the UK’s leading business rescue, recovery and restructuring specialist, is dealing with the sale.
Gerald Krasner, a partner at the firm, confirmed the sale.
Twickenham Studios was built on the site of a former ice-rink in The Barons, St Margarets, in 1913, by Dr Ralph Jupp and was the largest studio in the UK at the time.
In 1929, the studio was renamed Twickenham Film Studios, following the new ownership under Julius Hagen and Leslie Hiscott.
In 1935, a fire destroyed the studio building, taking with it the entire contents of the camera and sound departments and claiming 15 years of work by the studio’s stills photographer, Cyril Stanborough. Further destruction was caused by a bomb blast in 1939.
During the 70s and 80s, Twickenham Studios continued to do well so it was decided to expand the facilities.
The success has grown over the past few decades, with a new sound centre opening in 1980. More recently the studio has been involved in projects such as Shanghai, Sleuth and Elizabeth the Golden Age.
The old viewing theatre and wardrobe department was also used for recent film, My Week with Marilyn, based on diary entries of Colin Clark, who worked as an assistant director on the Prince and the Showgirl – where he met Marilyn Monroe.
Parts of the film were shot in Twickenham Studios in October of last year, as part of the two-month filming schedule, to recreate the original setting of the film at Pinewood Studios in 1956, where the Prince and the Showgirl was predominantly filmed.
Director Simon Curtis said: “I love Twickenham Studios. We loved the wardrobe and corridor outside the wardrobe at Twickenham and this is where Emma Watson filmed some scenes for the film.”
Comments(16)
Twickenham Bob
says...
9:13pm Fri 17 Feb 12
The Old Latymerian Association was would up recently and the land passed to the school who are keen to sell it, to fund scholarships.
Julie Hill
says...
2:08pm Sat 18 Feb 12
thestudiotour
says...
3:26pm Sat 18 Feb 12
m. I'm working on a project to gather information about studios around the world.
ken elmes
says...
9:59pm Sat 18 Feb 12
Sparkythecat
says...
10:17am Sun 19 Feb 12
Twickenham Bob
says...
11:47am Sun 19 Feb 12
www.latymer-upper.or
g/download.php?file=
TVRJM05nPT
twickerman
says...
7:16pm Sun 19 Feb 12
;-)
Concerned_Resident
says...
10:47pm Sun 19 Feb 12
twickerman wrote:Very droll. Maybe Tesco would like a bigger St Margarets store?
Please don't tell Travelodge
;-)
twickerman
says...
9:07am Mon 20 Feb 12
...or given the size of the site a poundworld!!
Sparkythecat
says...
11:56am Mon 20 Feb 12
Hove Ex-Pat
says...
12:41pm Mon 20 Feb 12
Maybe the local council need to be "encouraged to act" (pun intended) before it is too late.
Gareth Roberts
says...
2:30pm Mon 20 Feb 12
Compare and contrast with my near namesake and your invitation for him to appear on a different site. No sign as of yet, I notice.
AndreD
says...
7:22pm Mon 20 Feb 12
Twickenham Bob
says...
4:59pm Tue 21 Feb 12
We need to be on our guard to ensure that is a supply of local jobs, as these are an important gateway for young people, and the unemployed to get back into the jobs market.
ActaeonFilms
says...
7:42am Fri 2 Mar 12
http://www.ipetition
s.com/petition/save-
twickenham-film-stud
ios/
Please sign and spread the word!
edrandall says...
3:50pm Fri 17 Feb 12
Wouldn't it be nice if we could have a replacement for the long-lost Richmond Ice Rink here, instead of the inevitable luxury flats... dream on!