Lord 'J. Arthur Rank' was the millionaire flour miller and devout methodist who got into films to spread the gospel. When some early films that he was involved with didn't get a very good circulation he realised that control of the movie theatres was the key to success. He quickly established the Odeon chain of cinemas, started by Oscar Deutsch (...
The gong struck by Bombadier Billy Wells (amongst others) at the start of Rank films.
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Quote
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If I could recall to you some of my various adventures and experiences in the film world, it would I think be as plain to you as it is to me that I was being led by God.
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Fact
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By the mid-40s Rank would own 600 cinemas worldwide along with two chains, Gaumont and Odeon.
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He was a deeply religious man who credited his success to his faith and the will of God. During the Twenties he owned a Methodist newspaper, and when he realized the value of films in Sunday school instruction, he entered the film bushiness with British National Pictures in order to improve the quality of these religious films.
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He instituted an in-house "charm school" at the studio in order to develop young performers. Patricia Roc, Dirk Bogarde, and Diana Dors were among its graduates.
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Although Rank was a teetotaler, he served alcohol at his parties and smoked 11 months a year but abstained in February in order to exercise self-discipline.
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Along with Pinewood, by the 1940s Rank owned half of the production studios in the country including Denham, Gaumont, Gaonsborough, and Elstree as well as an interest in Baird Television.
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Rank called his fledgling studio Pinewood because the "Holly" in Hollywood is only a bush but the "Pine" of Pinewood is a tree, and a tree continues to grow.
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Rank was a proponent of shooting films on real locations whenever possible.
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Co-founder, with Charles Boot, of Pinewood Studios.
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Rank originally wanted a wolf to rival the MGM lion, as the opening trademark of his films. The only wolf available was rather mangy-looking. Someone suggested they bang a gong. The gongs used in the famous opening were actually made of papier-mache, and the strongmen simply mimed their strikes.
$100,000
