Eros Films
| Industry | Entertainment |
|---|---|
| Founded | May 1947 |
| Founder(s) | Philip, Sydney and Michael Hyams |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Products | Motion pictures |
Eros Films were a British film distribution and later production company who were in operation from May 1947 to June 1961. It was founded by three brothers, Philip, Sydney and Michael Hyams.
Hyams Bros
The Hyams' father was a Russian immigrant baker who financed the building of the Popular Cinema in 1912 in Stepney, London in association with architect George Coles.[1] Oldest brother Philip (born London 26 March 1894; died London 8 January 1997) began working there in 1912 and was joined by his younger brother Sydney in 1919. The two began to own a chain of cinemas that they sold to Gaumont British in 1928, then began anew creating another chain. In 1935 they linked again with Gaumont to form Gaumont Super Cinemas adding their brother Michael.
During the years of the Great Depression the brothers attracted crowds with double bills of films, live variety acts and talent shows.[2] selling out again to Gaumont in 1944, due to reduced patronage during the London Blitz.
History
In 1947 the brothers formed Eros Films located at 111 Wardour Street London possibly named after the statue at Picadilly Circus. Eros distributed American films but also financed and distributed British films made by minor producers. Robert S. Baker of Tempean Films recalled that Eros distributed twenty to thirty of their films, usually shown as second features with popular American films Eros acquired the UK distribution rights for.[3] Several British producers recalled that major British production units did not wish to distribute the works of minor British studios.[4]
In the 1950s Michael emigrated to the United States where he became vice president of American British TV Movies Inc.[5] that distributed Eros' British films and British TV series to the USA such as Colonel March of Scotland Yard and Scotland Yard that consisted of a number of Eros produced films shown on American television.
Co-Production and Production
Eros co-produced British films such as The Man Who Watched Trains Go By (1954) and The Sea Shall Not Have Them (1955)[6] and an American giant monster film Behemoth, the Sea Monster (1959) insisting the film have the same type monsters as The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms[7]
The company produced one film by themselves the British World War II film Battle of the V-1 (1958).
End of Eros
Irving Allen and Albert R. Broccoli's Warwick Films had previously had a successful financing and distribution arrangement with Columbia Pictures, however there was occasionally friction between the two organisations. Allen thought they would increase their profits by creating their own distribution company to release films of a more highbrow nature than their successful action films. The two acquired Eros[8] from the Hyams in 1959 though the Hyams Brothers remained on the board.[9] Eros distributed Allen and Broccoli's The Trials of Oscar Wilde and Johnny Nobody but both films failed at the box office.
The amount of creditors to Eros led to the firm's bankruptcy in June 1961.[10]
References
- ↑ p.44 Rubinstein, William D., Jolles, Michael & Rubinstein, Hilary L. The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History Palgrave Macmillan, 15/03/2011
- ↑ Eyles, Allen Obituary: Phil Hyams The Independent 17 February 1997
- ↑ p.178 MacKillop, Ian & Sinyard, Neil British Cinema in the 1950's: An Art in Peacetime Manchester University Press, 28/06/2003
- ↑ p.205 McFarlane, Brian & Slide, Anthony The encyclopedia of British Film Methuen, 2003
- ↑ p. 486 Moser, James D. International Television Almanac Quigley Publishing Company, 1957
- ↑ p.178 MacKillop & Sinyard
- ↑ p. 65 Weaver, Tom Eugene Lourie Starlog Issue #193 August 1993
- ↑ p.126 Broccoli, Albert R. & Zec, Donald When the Snow Melts: The Autobiography of Cubby Broccoli Boxtree, 1998
- ↑ p. 15 Motion Picture Herald Quigley Publishing Company, 1959
- ↑ http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/42384/pages/4394/page.pdf
