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Anglo-Amalgamated

{{Use British English|date=April 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}

{{Infobox company

| name =

| logo = File:Logo of Anglo Amalgamated, from Carry on Cleo (1964).png

| logo_caption = Opening logo, from Carry On Cleo (1964)

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| former type =

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| industry = Film production
Film distribution

| genre =

| fate = Absorbed into EMI Films

| predecessor =

| successor = Anglo-EMI Film Distributors

| foundation = 1945

| founder =

| defunct = 1971

| location_city =

| location_country = United Kingdom

| locations =

| area_served =

| key_people = Nat Cohen
Stuart Levy

| products =

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| divisions = Anglo Amalgamated Film Distributors

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}}

Anglo-Amalgamated Productions was a British film production company, run by Nat Cohen and Stuart Levy, which operated from 1945 until roughly 1971 (after which it was absorbed into EMI Films). Low-budget and second features, often produced at Merton Park Studios, formed much of its output. It was the UK distributor of many films produced by American International Pictures (AIP), who distributed AA's films in the United States.{{cite magazine|title=Anglo has plenty of good films|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_kinematograph-weekly_1957-09-19_485_2614/page/n25/mode/1up?|magazine=Kine Weekly|page=18|date=19 September 1957}}{{cite magazine|title=The Anglo Amalgamated Story|magazine=Kine Weekly|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_kine-weekly_1959-12-31_511_2726/page/n15/mode/1up?|page=4-5|date=31 December 1959}}{{cite magazine|title=Anglo backs largest independent line up|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_kine-weekly_1961-05-11_528_2797/page/87/mode/1up?|date=11 May 1961|page=87}}

It is remembered for producing the first 12 Carry On films (all of which were produced at Pinewood Studios) and B-movie series such as The Scales of Justice, Scotland Yard and the Edgar Wallace Mysteries. It also produced the Michael Powell film Peeping Tom (1960) and such films as John Schlesinger's A Kind of Loving (1962), Billy Liar (1963) or Ken Loach's Poor Cow (1967).

The company's distribution arrangement with American International Pictures led to the last two films in Roger Corman's series of films based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, The Masque of the Red Death and The Tomb of Ligeia (both 1964), being joint productions made in the UK. AA's film distribution subsidiary was Anglo Amalgamated Film Distributors Ltd. Anglo had a film production arm called Insignia Films.

History

Cohen and Levy were both cinema owners and Cohen sold some of his cinemas to Levy. They decided to go into business together as Anglo-Amalgmated. The company began as a distributor, putting out some Hal Roach re-issues and documentaries. They then signed a deal with American Leasing Corporation to distribute some American films in Britain.{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|date=12 January 2025|access-date=12 January 2025|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-british-moguls-nat-cohen-part-one-1905-56/|title=Forgotten British Moguls: Nat Cohen – Part One (1905-56)}}

In 1951, the company moved into production with Assassin for Hire. This was made at Merton Park Studios, starting a close relationship between those studios and Anglo.

Anglo Amalgmated expanded into more expensive features with The Sleeping Tiger, which also marked the beginning of a close relationship with producer Julian Wintle. The company had a huge hit with The Tommy Steele Story in 1957. Another profitable association was with producer Peter Rodgers who made the Carry On films.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-british-moguls-nat-cohen-part-two-1957-1962/?fbclid=IwY2xjawHzZE1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHYZjQq0yB4v7EhpUZd08qyczdcLmeGKA1HinJz8mKCW7gEGK8iZz6_-Xew_aem_dXFfClBg94ZzE4UQNGypyQ|date=16 January 2025|access-date=16 January 2015|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|title=Forgotten British moguls: Nat Cohen – Part Two (1957-1962)}}

In 1959 Kinematograph Weekly wrote "Anglo is acknowledged as Britain’s largest independent distribution company, a success story which rates high even by spectacular Wardour Street standards." The magazine claimed this success was "based on two factors - an unfailing showmanlike flair for catching the public's eye and, just as important, a knack for surrounding themselves with people as enthusiastic as themselves... They have an approving eye for the ingenious; a snort of distaste for the precious." (The same article mentions that Anglo intended to make an expensive international movie about the D-Day landings but this does not appear to have happened.)

In 1962, Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC) purchased 50% of the shares of Anglo Amalgamated.{{cite news|url=http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/17th-august-1962/25/associated-british-picture-corporation|title=Company Meeting: Associated British Picture Corporation|work=The Spectator|date=16 August 1962|page=25|access-date=17 July 2015}}[http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&userGroupName=slnsw_public&tabID=T003&docPage=article&searchType=BasicSearchForm&docId=CS352805509&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0 "A.B. Pictures Acquire 50% Of Anglo Amalgamated." Times [London, England] 5 Apr. 1962: 21. The Times Digital Archive.] Web. 6 April 2014 In 1967 they took over 74%."Associated British Picture Corporation." Sunday Times [London, England] 3 September 1967: 44. The Sunday Times Digital Archive. Web. 29 March 2014.

At its peak Anglo Amalgamated made a return of £3 million a year."BUSINESS diary." Times [London, England] 28 March 1969: 31. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 6 April 2014. After the company went into partnership with EMI Films it became "Anglo-EMI".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-british-moguls-nat-cohen-part-four-cohen-vs-bryan-forbes-1969-71/|magazine=Filmink|access-date=24 January 2025|date=24 January 2025|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|title=Forgotten British Moguls – Nat Cohen Part Four: Cohen vs Bryan Forbes (1969-71)}}

Its library is now owned by StudioCanal via Lumiere Pictures and Television.{{cite news|last=Mitchell|first=Wendy|title=Network Distributing acquires rights to 450 films from StudioCanal library|date=17 December 2012|work=Screen Daily|url=http://www.screendaily.com/network-distributing-acquires-rights-to-450-films-from-studiocanal-library/5049999.article|access-date=24 April 2015}}

Selected credits

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References

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External links

  • [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/839029/index.html Anglo-Amalgamated] at BFI Screenonline
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20120723000134/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b97229975 Insignia Films] at BFI

{{Authority control}}

Category:1945 establishments in England

Category:1971 disestablishments in England

Category:British companies established in 1945

Category:Mass media companies disestablished in 1971

Category:EMI

Category:Film distributors of the United Kingdom

Category:Film production companies of the United Kingdom

Category:British companies disestablished in 1971

Category:Mass media companies established in 1945