James Carreras

{{Short description|British film producer (1909–1990)}}

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{{infobox person

| name = Sir James Carreras KCVO MBE

| birth_name = James Enrique Carreras

| birth_place = London, England

| birth_date = 30 January 1909

| death_place = Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England

| death_date = 9 June 1990 (aged 81)

| occupation = {{hlist|Film director|film distributor|film production company co-founder|chairman}}

| known_for = Hammer Film Productions

| children = {{hlist|Michael Carreras|Caroline Carreras}}

| years_active = 1934–1980

}}

Sir James "Jimmy" Enrique Carreras (30 January 1909{{cite web |url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/512766/index.html |title=Carreras, Sir James (1909–1990) Biography |website=BFI Screenonline |year=2015 |accessdate=16 July 2016}} – 9 June 1990) was an English film producer and executive who, together with William Hinds, founded the British company Hammer Film Productions. His career spanned nearly 45 years, in multiple facets of the entertainment industry until retiring in 1972.

Biography

Carreras was born in London in 1909. His father, Enrique Carreras, emigrated to Britain from Spain, opening a theatre in London's Hammersmith district in 1913.{{Cite web |title=Sixties City - Hammer Horror Films and House of Hammer History - Sixties |url=https://sixtiescity.net/Hammer/Hammer.htm |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=sixtiescity.net}}

The younger Carreras managed the Oxford cinema Manchester before entering the distribution side of the film industry in 1934, when he joined Exclusive Films, formed by his father Enrique and William Hinds. During World War II, Carreras saw combat and rose to Lieutenant-Colonel. In 1946, he returned as managing director of Exclusive Films, where he co-produced Who Killed Van Loon? (1947).

From 1949 to 1980, he was chairman of Hammer Film Productions. He oversaw the growth of the privately owned firm into a successful film company. According to FIlmink "few studios had a cannier head of production".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/the-curse-of-blood-from-the-mummys-tomb/|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|date=26 December 2024|access-date=26 December 2024|title=The Curse of Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb}}

In 1971 he arranged for Hammer to sign deals with EMI Films and Rank."{{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)}}

Honours

In 1944, he received an MBE. He was knighted in 1970. He was appointed a KCVO in the 1980 New Years Honours. His son was the film director and producer Michael Carreras. He died in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.{{Cite ODNB|id=104622|title=Carreras, Sir James Enrique (1909–1990)}}

Filmography

References

{{Reflist}}