Isidore Ostrer

{{Short description|British businessman}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}

Isidore Ostrer (1889–1975) was a banker, financier, poet, newspaper owner, and film studio owner in England. His father, Nathan Ostrer, was a jewellery salesman who emigrated from the Russian Empire. In addition to assembling a media empire he wrote poetry and authored an economics text.{{Cite web|url=https://thebritishstudiotour.wordpress.com/tag/isidore-ostrer/|title=Isidore Ostrer|website=The Studio Tour}}

Ostrer was born in London's East End.{{cite ODNB | id=48090 | title=Ostrer, Isidore (1889–1975), financier and film producer | author = Murphy, Robert}} He began his career in the textile industry before establishing two banks with his brothers Mark and Maurice. They financed film industry businesses and Ostrer acquired control of Gaumont-British Film Company from its French parent Gaumont Film Company in 1922. He sold it to J. Arthur Rank in 1941. Ostrer also owned a newspaper (Sunday Referee) and textile business (Amalgamated Textiles).{{cite web |title=isidore ostrer |url=https://www.jewishlivesproject.com/profiles/isidore-ostrer |website=www.jewishlivesproject.com |language=en |access-date=4 January 2020 |archive-date=21 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221162844/https://www.jewishlivesproject.com/profiles/isidore-ostrer |url-status=dead }}

He moved to the U.S. during World War II.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bairdtelevision.com/Ostrer.html|title=A welcome change from the usual run of film histories|website=www.bairdtelevision.com}} His daughter became actress Pamela Mason.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rusc.com/old-time-radio/Pamela-Kellino-Mason.aspx?t=1436|title=Pamela (Kellino) Mason|website=www.rusc.com}} Morgan Mason is his grandson. His son was Vivian Kaye (Kiki)Osborne, ne Ostrer. He had two other daughters, Sheila Thompson and Diana Ostrer.

A painting of Isidore Ostrer by Howard Coster is in the National Portrait Gallery.{{Cite web|url=https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw48380/Isidore-Ostrer|title=Isidore Ostrer - National Portrait Gallery|website=www.npg.org.uk}}

Nigel Ostrer wrote The Ostrers and Gaumont British, a book about the family and their involvement in the film studios.